Solitary chicken - need advice

[Ange1]

I'd just like to say in a very happy voice - Yay!

 

I rang Vivienne at Omlet this morning to add another set of roosting bars (£15 not bad) to my order for my lilac cube that is due 3rd July.

 

Viv then asked me would I like my Cube sooner?!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Would I ever?!!!

Now my due date (sounds like I'm giving birth) is 27th June - I'm so happy!

 

apparently they had a cancellation (why?!!!!!!!) a couple of phone calls before mine and they wanted to fill it!

 

Whoppie!

[Ange1]

I love Vivienne, she's just the best, think she deserves a raise!

 

(do you think she'll read this?!)

[Egluntyne]

Fab news.

 

What about your hens?

 

How many etc.

[Ange1]

Erm... hens?

 

I'm meant to keep hens in it?!!!!!!

 

Only joking!

 

I haven't decided yet!

 

I'm getting them from a breeder called Merrydale in Leicester. As I would like some light sussex, rangers and sweeties!

 

Not sure how many in total or of what breed.

 

Do breeds gang up on each other? Am I best to get one of each? or get them in pairs, ie 2 rangers, 2 sussex etc?

[lisaroo2]

Hi Angel

 

If its Merrydale Poultry in Leicester that you're getting your girls from then mine are from there too. I've got 2 Merrydale Black Schwarz and a Merrydale Snowbell and they get on fine (now!).

[Ange1]

Yes that's the place Lisa!

 

The lady called Karen who runs it is lovely I will ask for her help, but I fancied having one of each bread so I could tell them apart, or am I being silly?

 

Will I be able to tell rangers etc apart? 'Praps they are NOT all the same?!!

[Louise]

I have two white chooks and they are easy to tell apart so don't worry if you go for the same ones they have different characters and each holds their tail feathers differently too

[Ange1]

Crickey that's it then..thanks Louise I'm not worried as much.

 

Still I wonder about different breeds ganging up on each other or whether it's to do with bought at the same time, who's been there the longest, rather than breed type?

[little chickadee]

bravo. I'd go for lots of different colours as they are lovely to watch together, but it's all a matter of choice! I'm getting some new ones soon if I can be organised enough!

Good luck with choosing. look at lots of pictures and do lots of reading/ decide what colour eggs you want. We kind of regretted getting 4 hens which all lay light brown eggs !

[Ange1]

Ah Chatty Chicken I hadn't even thought about the eggs!

 

It would be nice to get a variety of colours.

[Seagazer]

My two gingernut rangers do look different. Ginger (imaginative I know!) is smaller and has black edging to her neck feathers and has more black feathers at the back. And I think their faces look different but that could just be me!!

[Snowy]

Karen is really helpful, she will be able to help you choose an assortment. If you get them all at the same time and the same age you should only have minor pecking order squabbles, then they should all be fine together

[Ange1]

Karen is soooo lovely isn't she Snowy?

 

I can't wait to go and see what she has.

 

I like the fact that her website has 'live' stock update, Karen apparently updates her stock online every night!

 

http://www.merrydalepoultry.co.uk/

 

Glad to know you can tell the difference Seagazer after only a week!

[Seagazer]

Its very easy as they have their own different personalities too. Although Ginger is the smallest she is actually the bravest and always tries things out first.

 

Since the adventure with Cookie, Butch the biggest hen has changed and is now the shyest although loves coming up and being stroked. You'll be amazed by how their characters come out even after a short time.

[McChook]

My two gingernut rangers do look different. Ginger (imaginative I know!) is smaller and has black edging to her neck feathers and has more black feathers at the back. And I think their faces look different but that could just be me!!

 

When I first saw my 2 gingernuts I wondered if I would ever be able to tell them apart as they were so alike. One week on and I can tell which is which from the other end of the garden - they're SO different, from the colouring on their heads, markings on their legs and the way they walk.