Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Tottya]

Im going to pop over today to get 2 more chooks!!! Now what do I get someone help me please, I want eggs almost everyday and something suitable for children to help look after and nothing LARGE.

 

Thanks sooooo exciting

 

Sam

Edited June 21, 2008 by Guest

[Cooks]

Do you know what stock is available at the moment? it might help you choose??

[Liam]

Hi,

 

I got all my four from Merrydale.. great set up and Karen is very helpful.

 

For kids, I would say the ranger and the sweetie - they are both dopey, friendly, inquisitive, non aggressive and in terms of being entertaining and fun to watch, they are amazing! Really easy to handle as well, my ranger was sitting on my knee from day one, no training was needed!!

 

I also have a copper black - pretty, lovely dark eggs but a bit flighty, hates being touched, and does peck me when my hand is in the run! So maybe not one for kids. I also have a sussex star - lovely near-white eggs, but the noisiest of the bunch and does not enjoy being handled.

 

The pied, schwartz and bluebell are maran-based and they are likely to not be that friendly. Also the snowbell is known for being flighty. But as I am sure others will say, it often depends on the chicken as an individual, not just the breed!

 

Enjoy choosing, let us know what you get!

 

Liam

 

EDIT: Oh and the sweetie and ranger have laid every day since they started and arent as big as the copper black or sussex.

[Tottya]

Thanks Liam!!

 

They have in stock Ranger, Copper Black, Sweetie, Blue, Cukoo, Pied, Sussex and Schwarz which is new for 2008!!

 

Anyone any comments on the Schwarz??

[Liam]

I asked Karen about the Schwartz before - it is basically a Miss Pepperpot / Black Rock.. its not new new, it's only new to Merrydale! "Normal" light brown eggs apparently.

 

It looks very similarto the Copper Black but the copper black lays darker eggs.

[Snowy]

My copper black lays normal brown eggs

I have a Merrydale Pied - she is gorgeous, very cheeky and cuddly (although still a bit teenagerish as she isn't laying yet), but a lovely looking bird!

The Rangers are the same as the Omlet gingernuts - great hens to start with, definitely recommend that one, and the Sweetie's have very good reputations as 'pet' chickens. Have fun choosing - Karen is lovely and her birds are gorgeous (if you get chance, ask her to show you her prize winning Cochins and Orpingtons out the back - gorgeous!)

[ubereglu]

Go for bluebelles. They're absolutely lovely, have a wonderful temperament and my two are cuddly balls of fluff who are cheeky and love being spoilt.

[Tottya]

wow they really are a great team at Merrydale when I went this afternoon to collect my 2 new girls I saw the Man that works there he was fabulous and brilliant with my two inqizative boys!! I came away with a Ranger and a Sweetie and looked longengly at the Frizzles Even my DH came along and was very impressed with the service you dont get that in many places now a days!! He told me even in 6 months if we have problems give them a call and the lady that runs it knows better than the vets!! Sounds like a good nurse to me!! They have LOTS in stock and sold over 100 birds yesterday!! By the time we left there were at least another 4 couples in wanting birds!! I have enclosed some more pics of my new ladies!!

 

Thank you for all the wellcomed advise

[Chickens@61]

maybe we saw you there??

 

we have been this afternoon and bought one of their 'sweeties'..

 

must resist buying chickens, must resist buying chickens

 

hope your girls are settling in

[Tottya]

They are sleeping apart But im soo pleased with them they are absolut beauties, If you saw me I was with 2 little boys haring around exploring!