Jules Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Hi! My hubby has built me a new big walk in run so i am thinking of getting two more hens to go with my fenning sussex and speckledy. I went to Thornes and they have a lot of lovely bantams but I think that it's not a good idea to put bantams with hybrids?? The man at thornes said that certain ones may be ok but does anyone know which breeds would be ok or should I stear clear?? If I can't have bantams maybe I would like a coloured or white egg layers. As for the colored layer does anyone have any experience with Heritage Skylines or could anyone suggest something else? As for the white layer are white stars really too much to handle or is there another breed which lays white eggs- I know hens4home do a Coral Reef does anyone know about these?? So many questions sorry but I would welcome any advice Julia xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 If it's any help, my Speckledy was fine with a Wyandotte bantam as her companion - she was happy to be top chicken and I only ever saw her peck the bantam a couple of times. If you had one of the big heavy breeds, or if one of your girls is prone to pecking, bantams might be a bad idea, though, especially if they are one of the small placid breeds like pekins. Wyandotte bantams are pretty bossy (and noisy!) and can stand up for themselves Which breeds did Thornes have in stock? We bought ours from a local guy (well, north Essex), but if they turn out to be poor layers I might get a couple more (hope the LSH isn't reading this!!!)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pommedays Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Hello Jules, I can't give you much advise as we only had our hens 3 days but I can confirm that the White Star (or ours at least) is definitely quite lively! compared to the other 2 anyways.. I guess it's like any animals really, a thoroughbred horse will generally be more nervous than a cob... I don't think she'll ever be the one coming to us for a cuddle but she's very cute in other ways - like when she darts across the garden and back in her because she heard a tiny bird - She's definitely not the bravest She's already laying and we've had lovely white eggs from her (clever girl! ) and I would say go for it, specially if you are already used to keeping chickens.. Celine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Hi Jules, I have a mix of pure breeds & hybrids,which works really well. I get year round eggs & all the hens are gorgeous. My White Star is probably my favourite hen.She is nosey & a bit scatty.Her eggs are HUGE & the most pure white you can imagine.I would certainly get one if I were you. I will always have at least one White Star in my flock A blue layer would be nice too,wouldn't it? I have a Cream Legbar,but am thinking about getting a blue laying hybrid in the spring as well. Skylines are very pretty & although they are not 100% for the blue eggs,I have heard good things about them. I would say to get at least 3 new ones as it can help with the intros if you have a larger number of new hens joining the old ones. Personally I wouldn't mix Bants with Big'uns. Bantams are so much smaller, & I have mine in a pen on their own where they hang out in a little Bantam gang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I have a Coral (or it's equivalent). She is a bit more nervous than the others, but no trouble at all. She lays a lovely, very pale cream egg. My blue egg layer wasn't called a skyline either, but I think is a similar breed - a legbar hybrid. She is bottom of the pecking order (it's the araucana genes - I don't think they are the bravest breed in the world ) but she has lovely soft feathers and lays lovely blue eggs. Go for it I say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 My bantams and big girls all live together very happily, and there doesn't seem to be any more pecking between the 2 groups than there is between any of them. My bantams are a Speckled Sussex, a Buff Rock, 2 silver Sebrights and 2 gold Sebrights - the Sebrights are tiny compared with all my other girls, but they can certainly stand up for themselves and can get out of the way very quickly if they need to! My cream legbar lays the most beautiful blue eggs and she is a lovely character - definitely recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Hi - I would really recommend Hens4homes as that's where we got our 4 hens from. Kirsty is really really nice and incredibly helpful. She does have skylines in some times and I think she will hatch anything you want to order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules Posted January 28, 2008 Author Share Posted January 28, 2008 Which breeds did Thornes have in stock? We bought ours from a local guy (well, north Essex), but if they turn out to be poor layers I might get a couple more (hope the LSH isn't reading this!!!)... Thanks for the advice- Thornes said to call at the weekend to see what was available as it changes data to day. I thought I might give hens4Homes a call as I like what I have read on there website and they are about an hour away. Julia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Thanks for the tip, Jules - I will bookmark their site and maybe give them a call in March (which is coincidentally when my birthday is ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 The wite Star is a great bird. I was told to expect her to be flighty, and to start with her and my skyline/jasmine/columbine were very flighty. But now they are my most friendly chickens. Dippy squats for me as soon as I enter the garden, lets me handle her and stroke her no probs, and Dot will follow me wherever I go. Both great choices. If you did go for Bantiees the Wyandotte is a good choice as they can certainly stick up for themselves. A lot of it isnt so much size, but if you buy girls that are quite young they cant stick up for themselves against the older ones, plus if you go for elaborate feathered varieties which a lot of bantams do as they are ornimental birds they get targeted as I recently learnt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asolomio Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 my speckledy gets on great with my light sussex, they have paired off and are good pals now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicki9 Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 our skyline is gorgeous, really pretty, though a bit flighty, and she lays the most gorgeous blue eggs. I wish we had got a white star at the same time, to get a white egg layer too. Our maran cuivree is lovely too, really docile, and lays gorgeous chestnutty colour eggs. What lovely choices to make! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 Thanks for all your replies. I think I will go for a white star and a heritage skyline. I just have to find where I can get them from- I think I will phone hens4homes to see if she can get them as I can wait. I do just have to confirm this is ok with the OH but I think he feels its inevitable after building me a new big run! Julia x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
