Stuck run

[madchickenlady]

I have four pekins at the moment, gorgeous little balls of fluff, who have zero interest in egg laying I'm considering getting a couple of hybrids for the eggs, and have found out that I have a meadowsweet agent practically on my doorstep. Now, I like the look of the gold ranger and the white star. Does anyone have either of those breeds? How do you get on with them? Any new comers will have their own accomodation, as my pekins are a happy little flock and I don't want to upset the balance.

[Motherhenspoultry]

Hi, I actually stock hybrid hen's, not meadowsweet ones, but basically they are the same hybrid mix. The gold ranger (if thats the ginger one with cream flecks) are extremely friendly hen's with an easy going docile manner, these are my best hybrid laying hen's as they are excellent layers, great free-rangers for the garden and excellent with children. The White Star is a leghorn based hybrid laying a pure white egg. These grow a floppy red comb quite quickly and prefer a large area to free range in and explore, they can be quite flightly little hen's and are not as docile mannered as other hybrid's but they are great layers and I think the white eggs look fantastic in coloured egg boxes!!

[madchickenlady]

Thanks for the info If the white star is a bit flighty, could you recommend another white egg laying hybrid? I have two children, so don't want a crazy chicken tearing around the back garden

[Cinnamon]

White Stars can be a little flighty, but they are great hens, loads of character,they run like the clappers & they eggs are huge & purest white.

I will always have a White Star in any flock I own.

 

I also have the equivalant of an Amber Star, who is beautiful, a Daisy Belle, & have had a Rhode Star,Blue Belle & the black one the name of which I cannot remember

 

But do get a White Star,- they are brilliant hens

[Egluntyne]

I have an Amber Link, which is a while hen with pale splocthes of gold here and there. She is very friendly and a good layer.

[Motherhenspoultry]

Ummmmm a little unsure if there are anymore hybrids that lay a white egg apart from the White Star? I have had people buy my 'Snow White' (aka White Star) hen's from me who have no problem with them, but they are flighly madam's compared to the other hybrids. With the right handling and attention and room to roam, I am sure they would behave! I have all of my hybrid's in together in one big pen, and have found that the Snow White's will easily clear a 4ft fence to get over the other side into my Light Sussex breeding pen.. just to have a nose!! whereas my other hybrid hen's will stay put.

 

You can get hybrid's that lay light brown (ordinary shop egg colour), dark brown, white, and green/blue eggs. I am unsure if there is another hybrid laying hen that lays an white egg apart from the White Star? I know in my hybrid selection this is the only hen..

 

If you have a gd high garden fence, then a White Star should be okay.. I keep a couple of White Star's myself cos the white eggs are fantastic..

[helenmb]

As I understand it they usually say that white egg layers are more flighty than may other breeds. I have an Amber Star (whiteish hen but lays standard coloured eggs) who is very placid as is my Bluebelle but my two Leghorns (white stars have Leghorn in their parentage) are definitely flappy and can fly really well. The more you handle them from day one the more docile they tend to be but not always. Many other forum members have identical breeds but the individual hens have very different personalities including whether they are docile or not (just like humans I guess!).

 

My avatar is my Amber Star Blanche.

[Hen Watch]

I bought a Meadowsweet Amber Star (standard brown eggs) she is very docile and lovely.

 

My other hybrids are from Omlet, however I think that the Gold Star Meadowsweet Ranger is the same as the Omlet Gingernut Ranger's I have. Really friendly and run round after you like little dogs.