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henny penny

docile breeds?

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Hi after an episode where one of our chickens was badly pecked and subsequently put down and a month or so of one of the remainder chickens pecking the other, we have decided to give our chickens to a farm. We have decided to start again with different breeds .

We would prefer a docile happy bird that likes people and being handled and is suitable for living in an eglu and is less likely to peckeach other?. I read a recent article in the daily telegraph where Bunny Guinness has got some Buff Orpingtons. Does any one have experience of these or could suggest other breeds (':roll:')

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I have Cochins which are the largest of the heaviest breeds. They are adorable :) and there isnt a mean bone in their body, they are very submissive with dominant breeds. The downside with the heavy breeds is that they get very big - so the cochins and the orpingtons are very large for the eglu. You could get 1 or 2 in your eglu for roosting (we had 2 cochins only in 1 eglu) but the eglu run is a problem because of their size which is why we made a home made walk in run.

 

An alternative to the really big heavy breeds could be a buff or light sussex - they are docile, quiet breeds, they mix well aswell. I think the Sussex breeds are lovely. :)

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The ones you had are supposed to be docile, but as yuou have already found they are all individuals - orpingtons are too big for an Eglu (Omlet say this) what about minature orps?

 

My bluebelle is very docile, but someone else on here thinks hers is a big bully, so it is difficult to say for sure as each hen may be different - can you not get chickens from a breeder locally where you can actually go and see and handle them first?

 

Tracy

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I can second the advice about cochins but my Amber Star is just like one of the volociraptors from Jurassic Park. Although we were told that she would probably be very quiet and gentile, she is top hen, takes no rubbish from anything including cats and pounces on anything, catching and eating small rodents and everything else that dares to get in her way. We do love her to bits though.

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My bluebelle is the most docile hen I've ever had. Though she's new, so is naturally quite submissive right now. However, I've never had a bird be so tame! She'll let you stroke her when she's pecking around - I've never had a hen do that! And is very calm to handle and pick up.

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Some breeds tend to be prone to feather pecking & once a hen draws blood they will just keep on pecking & it does get quite nasty..Possibly to the point of death.

 

A cabbage hung to peck at or an old CD keeps them occupied for a bit, but it may not solve you problem.

 

It usually happens if you have to many in a small space, & they are not let to free range or you could have one of 'those' hens! There is products on the market to stop feather pecking.

 

Dont be put off by it I am sure if you aquire more hens you will not have the problem again.

 

We had some Rhode Island red growers & Araucanas & they where little pests for it, especially in the summer when the weather was warm & close for some reason & they did have ample room, we dont keep those breeds anymore...

 

The only other proble we have had is an odd Faverolle will get picked on in a mixed pen VERY occaisionally.

You find there is just one hen that is the bully its only because that hen draws blood that the rest peck at it if you can remove the culprit then your problem SHOULD stop.

 

Karen

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hi thanks for your comments. `i think we were very unlucky and we are not deterred. We did hang cds and cabbage etc and let them free range as much as possible. Now that we are down to two , we would prefer three. We are worried that if we get another chicken then things will get worse. We feel that if we start again with three chickens from the same place we may stand a better chance. If we keep the chickens we have, then we are worried about when we go away, that they may peck more as they wont be able to free range. I dont think there is an easy answer

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