Cube mk2 and WIR

[bokbokbok]

I am now at the *serious end* of chook hunting and have seen the

advert in Farm Week for a local person who has various breeds

available.

 

This has helped me focus on my search for particular breeds and am now

ready to make genuine enquiries for the actual birds. I have a few

questions for y'all.

 

I have 6 breeds I am interested in. I could go for one of each but may

start with only 4 birds. They are:

 

Barnevelder,

Maran,

Rhode Island Red,

Wyandotte,

Welsummer and

Sussex.

 

The first two are *possibles* (due to me not being able to commit to a definite amount of free ranging immediately) and the last four are *definite* wants.

 

Does anyone have any indication of how much each of these would be? I have no idea yet on cost as it doesn't mention that in the paper and the number is for *after 6pm only*!

 

Do you have any advice as to which breeds would mix better?

 

Advice always gratefully appreciated!

 

Susan

[andrewandcarly]

i have just bought 4 barnevelder chicks at 8 weeks old. they were £7 each and at pol they would be around £15. same goes for the rhode island reds.

there may be a difference in price regionally but i would guess for those two breeds between £10-15 each. I dont know about the others im afraid but im sure someone with more experience will share it with you soon.

[Helen&Lee]

Hybrids are generally cheaper than the Pure Breeds.

 

My 2 Speckledys were £10.50 recently and approx 17 weeks old.

 

Last year the Pure breeds were £20.00 each for about the same age.

 

It's good to have a mix because then you will get eggs through the winter with the Hybrids, where as the Pure breeds will tend to have a break.

 

Then there is the egg shell colour to think about...

 

It looks like you have a good mix of hens there - what about a blue egg layer though?

[Egluntyne]

I paid £15 for my bluebelles and £ 12.50 for my Amber Link a few weeks back, to give you an idea.

[chickencam]

I paid £10-15 for my hybrids and £25 for my pure breed last summer, prices may have risen a bit since then because of raised feed costs.

[superjules]

As a general rule, if you are buying from a small scale breeder, expect to pay £1 for each week of the bird's age. If you are going to a big poultry centre, it normally costs in the region of £25-£30 for a fully vaccinated, pure-breed POL bird.

 

Bear in mind that with pure breeds you are unlikely to get many eggs at all between oct/nov-march.

[sparkleeeeee]

i think it must depend where you live, mine all were around £10 POL. i did call a breeder and he said £25 each and he was rude about my eglu so i didnt go to him.

[Jillus]

I just paid £10 each last week for my POL Lavender Auracanas and a few months ago £11 for Marans. The Hylines were £4.75 each and when I tried to give the man a ten pound note he insisted I had the change!

[toastedblue]

we had a Bluebelle, BlackRock and Light Sussex, all POL, for about £34

 

and just bought 6 cream legbar hatching eggs for 50p each

[abwsco]

Hi Susan, it does seem to vary a lot. One breeder I know of does amber stars, bluebells and loads of others from £4.50 at POL. However, from elsewhere our cream legbar was £15 and our Barnevelder/Orpi cross £10. Both were already laying.

 

Have fun choosing and go for 6 at first as you WILL DEFINATELY want more

 

We're wondering about two more again:oops:

[bokbokbok]

This is great! Thanks for all the info! I can't wait to make the phone call to this local guy - but he is only available after 6pm and for the past while we have been heading out at that time to visit MIL in hospital.

 

There is a BIG difference between 6 x £5 and 6 x £20 though and my pocket may end up dictating my breeds

[toastedblue]

why not go for birds that lay different colour eggs

ours lay light brown, creamy pink and pale pink... and soon pale blue (fingers crossed)