Smart Door Power Options

[Kittycat]

Thanks for all the great advice - I have a couple more days to decide!

 

Alex - how are your cream legbars in terms of personality? And now they do lay, is it true that they are not frequent layers?

 

Can anybody comment on the theory that PBs tend to live and lay longer? I'm not sure I want hybrids if they're going to peg it after a couple of years!

 

Finally, I've found another farm near Exeter (Harepathstead Poultry at Broadclyst) that looks promising. Has anyone been there?

[Louisdog]

Hiya

 

No legbars left thanks to evil fox But I had the three growers from 6 weeks old and also hatched two cream legbars so had them from a day old, and all five were quite flighty and not all that friendly, which was a shame as they layed gorgeous looking eggs. They were ok though but I wouldn't have just them as they are not cuddly enough, in my experience anyway.

 

In their prime they all laid about 5 or 6 eggs a week and then 4 or 5 in their second year but seemed to lay much less in subsequent years. My 6 year old still laid the occasional egg too. But actually I got more eggs from my 6 year old black rock hybrid (still not that many but she was 6 after all )

 

Sadly Basil and Rocky the two six year olds were taken by a fox last Autumn

 

Thinking about it my friendliest hens have been a bluebell (foxed) and an Omlet ginger ranger and various pekins.

 

Re longevity, my white star just laid her first egg in ages, she is 3 and still going strong.

 

Need to update my sig, have five new bantie and a hybrid now as well as the listed survivors.

 

Hope the above random stream of consciousness helps

 

Alex

[helenmb]

I like pure breeds better: mine have always been much more gentle than my hybrids. But the best thing is that they can live for over ten years. I didn't like seeing one of my hybrids grow old and die before she was three years old: it seemed too quick, and I felt she had burnt herself out laying eggs for me.

My sentiments entirely, hence why I now have 2 hybrids and 5 pures.

[Gallina]

Not all hybrids die when they reach the age of three, but that is supposed to be the average. Spoilt pet hens should live longer, but my first Pepperpot stopped laying at two, and grew old over the next nine months or so. I now have another Pepperpot coming up for three, and she is much livelier, and still lays eggs occasionally.

 

Because they are bred to lay a vast number of eggs without a break, hybrids burn themselves out. Commercial breeders regard them as spent when they are just one year old and their laying slows down, which is why so many young ex-battery hens are available.

 

It is, however, miserable having fancy madams who don't lay at all in the winter. I have just got two ex-batts who lay like mad, and I think this is going to be the way forward for me.

[helenmb]

I have two 'fancy madams' Gallinia who have laid during this winter and it's terrible weather, plus it's their first winter. Plus one lays and the other (who should, being a Leghorn lay a whitey ) so as you can imagine I am delighted. Just waiting for a or from my Legbar and my Speckled Sussex to start and I'll have 7 a day! So they don't (this time round) seem too affected by the shorter days. I do try to give them as much daylight as possible though so not sure if that helps?

 

My original 'Eglu' girls like yours gave up laying after 2 to 2.5 years and went downhill quite quickly from then onwards even though they were very cosseted, as are all my lot. I'm hoping that my Bluebelle and Amber Star will keep young with having the pure breeds with them, well I'm hoping anyway.

[meezers]

Why not get some of each ? I have 4 hybrids and 2 pure breds.

The Light Sussex is the most timid, though I wouldn't call her flighty, maybe a bit on the 'thick' side , she is the one I end up chasing around the garden because she has approached the run from the wrong end and can't comprehend where the door has gone !! . She is a lovely big bird to look at and was a regular layer until she moulted in November, egg production has been on hold since, but should start again any day now.

The Rhode island Red is no different to the hybrids in behaviour, though I think she took a little longer to start laying, she hasn't stopped for the winter, also has her 'dim' moments - but makes her so entertaining !

The hybrids are all regular layers with the exception of the speckledy who went broody last summer and didn't lay for over 8 weeks , the warren also has her off days.

Just get a few of each - some for eggs, some to look at !

[mostin]

The Light Sussex is the most timid, though I wouldn't call her flighty, maybe a bit on the 'thick' side , she is the one I end up chasing around the garden because she has approached the run from the wrong end and can't comprehend where the door has gone !! . She is a lovely big bird to look at and was a regular layer until she moulted in November, egg production has been on hold since, but should start again any day now.

 

That made me laugh, it sounds just like Lillian, my Light Sussex. Three seconds after she comes out of the run she has forgotten where the door is , and every day it is a new adventure for her finding her way back in . I do love my big busty thick girl though, and now she has just started laying again she has become all cuddly again .

Edited February 12, 2009 by Guest

[helenmb]

Three seconds after she comes out of the run she has forgotten where the door is , and every day it is a new adventure for her finding her way back in . I do love my big busty tick girl though, and now she has just started laying again she has become all cuddly again .

Wouldn't life be lovely if everyday was a new big adventure like it is for Lillian

[helsbels]

Hi kittykat - I'm fairly new to this so can only offer my limited advice! I got 5 pure breeds at around 7 weeks old the week before christmas - about the size of a small parrot and not at all fluffy Two cuckoo maran and three light sussex. they are hysterical for sure and very busy, chatty (well still cheepy actually!) and seemingly completely mad - just like their mum

 

as they are so young and I was keen to get some eggs going I got three red rangers two weeks ago from a fantastic lady near leatherhead (southmead poultry - sorry for the plug ) I read lots of intro threads but in the end just put them together the afternoon I got them and they all get on like a house on fire.

 

the marans and light sussex are really like bonkers teenagers and the hybrids are much more sensible and clucky mamas and very friendly - I guess cos of their age

 

some people have mentioned keeping pure breeds to make sure they keep on appearing in our gardens and farmyards for years to come and that, I think, is completely worthwhile. so my advice would be to mix it up - get some with a preservation order on them and some who can lay like mad and you'll end up with a very happy family indeed

 

good luck!

[mostin]

Three seconds after she comes out of the run she has forgotten where the door is , and every day it is a new adventure for her finding her way back in . I do love my big busty thick girl though, and now she has just started laying again she has become all cuddly again .

Wouldn't life be lovely if everyday was a new big adventure like it is for Lillian

 

It would be fantastic