[kay]

I'm thinking of keeping chickens. Yesterday I saw a smallholding with a selection of birds, some hybrids, some purebreeds.  The smallholder identified a pale-ginger hen as something like a Highliner - it had beautiful pale cream tail feathers, but was otherwise very similar to a Calder Ranger (except that these have blackish tail feathers, I think).

If someone could confirm this, or put me right on the real name & spelling I'd be very grateful.  

At the moment I'm thinking of starting off with 2 Black Rock, 2 Hebden Black, 2 Speckledy + 2 of these really beautiful creatures, or 2 Calder Ranger (which had been my original plan until I saw these).  I'd be really grateful for any advice.  I'm planning on doing it with an Eglu Cube with the 1m extension.  The Omlet blurb says this this enough space for 10 birds, so I'm thinking of starting off with 8, and facing the inevitable loss of 1 or 2, to take me down to 6.

[muntjac]

just one piece of advice here .... start with the 6 birds only those breeds are pretty big birds when full grown .im not against cubes or eglus given a persons space and circumstances etc  but i would stay with 6 for the time being you dont say if you have any experiance with birds .so i wil assume not ,,go slowly so as not to be dissapointed     and welcome to the site  

[Aunt Sally]

Welcome Kay  

I'd agree with Munty !

I have an eglu with a standard run and only keep 2 hens in it.  I have no experience of the cube but a friend of mine has one with 7 medium sized hens and it's fine.  They do however free range her garden most of the time.

If you buy good birds there is no reason why you should lose two quickly, that would send me running back to the supplier  :!:

Let us know how you get on and do post some pictures

[GrannieAnnie]

Bovans Goldline maybe?  We've got 6 POL's and they are brown with creamy whitey tail feathers and look similar to a Calder Ranger!

[cluckingmad]

The smallholder identified a pale-ginger hen as something like a Highliner - it had beautiful pale cream tail feathers, but was otherwise very similar to a Calder Ranger (except that these have blackish tail feathers, I think).

If someone could confirm this, or put me right on the real name & spelling I'd be very grateful.  

Hi Kay - I have 4 Hyline chickens.  They are absolutely adorable, good natured (and the same size as the other hybrid chickens you mentioned).  This site has a bit of info you might find useful:

http://www.rd1.com/web/content?in_section=10&in_item=1129&in_page=2325

or a bit more technical for my cup of tea:

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/focus/hyline-international/8/hyline-international