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Hi I am a new "about to order a purple eglu" chicken owner to be. I have been reading this forum for some time and your enthusiasm and support is wonderful. I have wanted chickens for ever but it always seemed a pipe dream till i discovered eglus and as they say the rest is history. I am a little confused about a couple of things and thought that this is the best place to ask. Can you just go and choose hens from breeders on the day you want them? or Do you have to order? and are there any disavantages to bantams apart from smaller egg size? as I thought these may be better for my very young grandchildren to get friendly with. I live in Hampshire and any advice would be welcomed

Druid

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Hi there, welcome to the forum :D I'm sure you will love keeping hens.

Each breeder is different, some let you stroll in as you please and pick your hens, others you have to phone first and order them. It's always best to phone anyway to ask what breeds they currently have.

I've never kept bantams, but have read about them when choosing the right hens for us. I suppose it depends on what you want from your chickens. They don't lay eggs as big as a large fowl bird would, but I suppose it wouldn't be a problem for you as you have never kept hens that lay bigger eggs so you wouldn't have anything to compare them to :lol:. They also don't lay as many eggs as hybrids as they are pure breeds, and are seasonal layers, whereas hybrids lay all year round.

They also tend to go broody, as do most pure breeds.

But they aren't as destructive to your garden compared to larger breeds and you can also get more in the eglu (but that doesn't mean to say that the same amount can be kept in the standard run.)

Not sure about temprement, it depends on the breed, like humans every hen has individual personalities. I wouldn't get a breed that is known to be flighty, could you give us an idea what kind of bantam you were thinking of getting? It might help answer your questions better.

 

Good luck choosing, that's the hardest part!

xx

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Hi and Thanks for the advice and welcomes Isnt it hard choosing i was going to get two hens from omlet but i really wanted to pick them myself if that doesnt sound a bit soft!

I have changed my mind several times already - Currently i am thinking of the bantams that look like "little chickens" rather than the more exotic although beautiful ones . Ones like Light sussex, speckled sussex and speckled cukoo marans have taken my eye. From reading I appreciate that these arent classed as true bantams. Anyone keep any of these?

Druid

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Hi Druid

 

I guess it just depends what you fall in love with :lol:

I went to a bantam breeder and was convinced I was going to get bantams before my eglu arrived but then I went to visit an eglu owner ( you know who you are :wink: ) and fell in love with her hybrids, then ended up getting some of my own. All chooks are adorable - just a personal thing in the end. Enjoy whatever you decide to get :lol:

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Hi there, and welcome to the forum! We've got three bantams and 11 "big" hens. The bantams are a Poland (silly!) a Silkie (even sillier) and a light Sussex which at least looks like a hen! We inherited them in the winter and they lay intermittently, every few days. The eggs are to die for but they are nowhere near as friendly as our standard hybrids. You might be thinking that smaller equals easier but I don't think it does. Our Gingernut Ranger / Calder Rangers are easily the friendliest, our Poland is the easiest caught but only because her hair is so silly she can't see you coming! :roll: For very young children our hyrbids have been fab, good egg layers, not broody, friendly. I took one in to middle daughters school for pet week and she bok bokked around the classroom!

Also get three not two. It's no more work than two and if the worst should happen and one should go, you'd still have two left not one lonely hen.

It IS a nightmare choosing as they're all SO gorgeous. Good luck!

 

Mrs Bertie

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Hi and welcome from me.

 

Why don't you do both. Look for local breeders and get some from Omlet.

 

I played it safe when I first ordered my eglu and got Omlet girls. I have to say the Gingernut Rangers are the most friendly, inquisitive birds and just great with my kids as well as my younger nephew. I then got another hybrid from an agent just a few weeks after my Omlet girls arrived and it is amazing how after just a few weeks I felt I had enough chicken knowledge to be confident to do that.

 

Pure breeds are pretty too. I can't advise on those other than to say I go green with envy when I see posts on this forum with some lovely looking chickens.

 

But I can definately say the Omlet chickens are a good bet. The Miss Pepperpots are very, very pretty. A little less inquisitive than the Gingernuts but good fun.

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Welcome to the forum, Druid :D . You won't regret getting chickens - they're great fun!

 

I have 3 hybrids which are all very friendly and good all year round layers (at least I hope they are, I've only had them 7 months :? ).

 

I spent hours researching the best breed to get but ended up phoning a local farmer, asked what he had, went and had a look and took the three colours that looked nice together :roll: .

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Hi Just to let you know Ive ordered the purple eglu and found a breeder who has light sussex and maran bantams that will be ready at 10 weeks old in May that I can go and see. I bet I change my mind a million times before then.Eglu is due on 27th March I am so excited I just may burst! Thanks for all your comments Im a bit nervous at the prospect but its great to know that there is support out there. Now how to get through till May???

Druid

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Hello Druid and welcome to the forum!

 

The hardest thing is waiting! I ordered my original girls from Omlet when the eglu arrived and got a second eglu late last year. The new girls arrived a week later from a local breeder and it was awful having a new eglu sat empty in the garden!

 

Good luck with your new girls!

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Hi Druid.

 

Hampshire,eh?

Christian & I both bought lovely hens from a place in Beaulieu called Worldwide Poultry.

The chap is very knowledgable,if a bit pedantic,& his hens are lovely & healthy. They are all vaccinated & he has both pure breeds & hybrids.

 

He has a site if you Google him :D

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The chap is very knowledgable,if a bit pedantic,& his hens are lovely & healthy. They are all vaccinated & he has both pure breeds & hybrids.

 

VERY pedantic! :lol::lol::lol::lol::roll::wink:

 

He does know his stuff though! Lovely hens as Cinnamon says!

 

Didn't realise you were in Hampshire! Whereabouts are you?

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Hi Christian We are in Gosport at the bottom of the A32 - you only ever come to and never pass through so most people have ever heard of it - but we love it. I had a look at that site in Beaulieu and it looks great but I get vibes that the gentleman hates eglus! am I right? Cinnomen your hen houses are absolutely wonderful - you all seem to be expanding in hen numbers very rapidly is this chicken keeping addictive by any chance???

Druid

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you all seem to be expanding in hen numbers very rapidly is this chicken keeping addictive by any chance???

Druid

 

I must not buy more hens,I must not buy more hens, I must not buy more hens,

I must not buy more hens, I must not buy more hens, I must not buy more hens,

 

You'll see! :wink:

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I get vibes that the gentleman hates eglus! am I right? Cinnomen your hen houses are absolutely wonderful - you all seem to be expanding in hen numbers very rapidly is this chicken keeping addictive by any chance???

Druid

 

No, he doesn't hate Eglus at all - in fact he is all for them :lol:

He is just a bit old school, knows what he thinks & won't hear any different.He may suggest the newsletter to you too (in fact,he certainly will) :?

 

And yes,Chicken keeping is VERY addictive 8):lol:

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