[cammi]

We are wanting one my girl, which lays a different coloured egg.  I was going to get a Columbine which have 80% chance of laying a blue egg, but the people i found selling them have since stopped since i decided to get one   

Have been looking into a white egg layer, but all the feedback on various breeds seem to say they fly over 6 foot fences even with clipped wings, that would be a problem for us as we live on a housing estate 

Also looked at Cou cou and something speckled, but a bit hesitant in getting them as don't want to end up with just another plain light brown egg layer (our copper black although lays big eggs are no different in colour).

I'm wanting a hybrid as don't really have the space the keep girls once they aren't really laying, but also don't want to dispatch them just because they are no longer 'useful'

Any ideas would be appreciated as i'm now going round in circles 

Thanks

[Jeanette]

For blue eggs there is the Cream Legbar or the Araucana but they are not hybrids.
Hybrids will lay eggs all year round but they run out of eggs after a couple of years whereas a pure bred will not lay every day and will probably stop laying when we have the very short days but they will carry on laying for many more years.

[cammi]

We already have an Araucana.  Yes thats another reason we want a hybrid, to hopefully keep getting eggs during the winter months.

[uktitan]

There is a Rare blue Egg laying Dorking, but they are Very hard to get hold of.. I would Try and find someone else who does the Columbine. Ours have been laying every day for 6 days, then take one day off and start again  

[joyfull]

it really isn't a good idea to introduce one hen at a time they should be introduced in at least pairs so that any pecking order squabbles can be divided between both of them. Also remember the new ones will need to be quarantined for a couple of weeks.

[cammi]

uktitan  do you have columbines?   How do you find them, are they flighty

We introduced our copper black, to the girls with no problems at all,  don't have enough room to get two more I'm afraid

[joyfull]

what about the quarantine? you were lucky introducing one last time but the next could come with an illness that is in incubation - sorry to sound so negative but have seen these problems so many times.

[cammi]

they do have quarantine.

[katey]

Hi Cammi,
It's probably a bit far away for you but i've been thinking of getting a hybrid(sandy) from Haven Smallholding in Barnoldswick,Lancashire.Apparently it lays various pastel shades of egg.It looks a little cutie on the photo too.

[akwebb]

Theres a hatchery near me that has a Hybrid called a Jasmine Green where 9 out of 10 chooks lay green eggs.

[Casey76]

Cammi, can you post a photo of your "copper black" ?  It may be that she is not really a Marans, but a hybrid.

[uktitan]

i find the Columbine to be Lovely, Not flighty at all, they actually come and greet me ( Especially when they think i have treats ) I have An Orpington that is flighty and they are said to be very friendly and docile  I think its more that to the individual chicken, then the Breed.

[cammi]

I will have a look at those suggested places thanks, as i have been googling for days and none of the places have any POL available let alone something i may want 

Will now go off to look for pics

Re: my copper black i got her from Fenellas Garden  heres the link http://www.fenellasgarden.co.uk/product-hens_copblack.html    she does large eggs one was 87g but there are only a little darker than my Bluebells

[cammi]

oh and nice to know about the Columbine cause i was a bit worried about their temperment

[cammi]

akwebb  could you post a link as i have googled and nothing came up about from Thai green curry  . thanks