Shirl Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hi I don't venture across here often because I get tempted to buy more chickens but the time has some to get a couple more. I'd like to get bantams as DD2 is quite nervous of the ex batts because they peck at her to try and see if she has food. I'd like a hybrid because the bantams I have stop laying in winter and the ex batts aren't laying much anymore. My ideal would be a bantam hybrid that lays blue eggs but as far as I know this doesn't exist. So can anyone recommend something equally appealing? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 There isn't such a thing I'm afriad as all bantams and miniatures will be pure breeds. I have an RIR miniature, who is an excellent layer, but even she's now sotpped layign and is moulting. I just go with the flow and accept it as the natural order of things and buy my eggs in the winter from a friend who has free ranging hybrids. Even a lot of hybrids will slow down on the egg front as the daylight hours shorten and they don't have that trigger to lay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 Hmm not what I wanted to hear I thought there were hybrid banties but probably because I have a mongrel bantie (sorry don't know what the chicken equivalent is!) . Don't know what to do now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 My ideal would be a bantam hybrid that lays blue eggs but as far as I know this doesn't exist. So can anyone recommend something equally appealing? Thanks That sounds like the Holy Grail of chooks! I'll take 3 please! My bantam wyandotte is a very reliable layer (cream tinted eggs though - not blue!) and is the only one of my bantams who is still pulling her weight, but then they are all individuals and I'm sure that's not necessarily the case for all wyandotte bantams. Good luck with your search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 My 2 pekins are still laying at the moment I just don't think they will for much longer. I really need something that will lay in winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 We've technically got 8 laying birds at the minute, Dave and Matilda the Poland and the light Sussex Bantam are resolutely on strike and haven't laid for several days now:notalk: Margot and Barbara the ex-batts seem to have gone out in sympathy although they were only every other day or so anyway. The four from Omlet, Loveheart and Hermione the and Duck and Rainbow the are producing 2-3 eggs a day between them. Never mind the 3 19 week old chicks, two of which are boys which leaves Dandelion the Buff Orpington who is nowhere near yet then we've got 4 more chicks, one is definitely a boy (Bob the Rhode Island Red) and who knows about the others, that leaves Speckle and she's probably got another 3-4 weeks of looking after her chicks before she's ready to lay again by which time it will be so dark and miserable she'll probably join the others on the picket line until spring Trouble is there's starting to be a mutiny - we understand the seasonality (is that a word? ) but we have a few regular "customers" and it had to be explained to them why they couldn't keep having 12 eggs a week! We're not Sainsburys you know! Mrs B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 I have 12 birds at the moment, foru are too young to lay, but I am getting about 3 or 4 eggs a week from the rest at the moment, they are all moulting now. I have 3 blue egg layers - two are bantam araucanas, but too young to lay at the moment; I doubt that I will see any eggs from them this side of Christmas as the daylight hours are going now. The other is a poland/araucana cross, she is on her fourth laying season and the numbers are just starting to tail off. Other than that, she is a very reliable layer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted October 15, 2008 Author Share Posted October 15, 2008 Does your poland/araucana cross normally lay in the winter then ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 Does your poland/araucana cross normally lay in the winter then ? No, she normally packs up about September and starts again in January/February. I like that they get a rest and don't wear their lady bits out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted October 15, 2008 Author Share Posted October 15, 2008 I know what you mean but I need some eggs in the winter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I suppose you'd have to create your own breed. A green egg layer crossed with a bantam. My Spongebob frizzle bantam cockerel could do the job no problem - I caught him being naughty with my leghorn yesterday! Imagine frizzle leghorn bantams! He's far too frisky for this time of year, god help the girls in the Spring! I might try some of the pekin eggs in the next couple of weeks - they will defo be fertile! Should get some frizzles too. I think Muffin the pekin would sit on them, or Marlene my Wyandotte. Both borderline broody. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted October 16, 2008 Author Share Posted October 16, 2008 Well that's what I'd been thinking that someone must have done this already? Let me know if you have success Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 There are plenty of mixed bantams and miniatures around Shirl, but they don't really lay any better than a pure breed one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 Ok not a bantam but how about Heritage Skylines. Do they lay well in winter? Either that or I'm thinking a Faverolle and an Araucana. As long as they aren't friendly breeds I'd get away with it. It's because the ex batts are so friendly and pounce on DD for food that she gets frightened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 I'm not sure how friendly Skylines are, but don't they have some cream legbar in them? My CL is very friendly and is the first one to come into the house when the back door opens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 That's it I'm off to breed my own chicken that is bantam, unfriendly and lays big blue eggs in winter. Anything else I need to include whilst I'm there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
