Single hen

[brambles]

I seem to have 'accidentally' ordered a cube. Ahem. It's to give our two girls more space. Honest.

But it would be churlish to have all that space and a 'spare' eglu for introductions and not have more girls.

 

I'm hoping to get a couple of cream legbars and am also wondering about getting a Barnevelder, however, I've heard that they tend to go broody.

 

any thoughts?

 

[thewhitehouse]

I've not heard that Brambles. I have a Barnvelder - she's about 8 months old I reckon. She's lovely.

[TAJ]

I'm getting one - the Practical Poultry buyers guide for them doesn't say this. I am getting a double laced - even the owners of Wernlas rate them as a favourit - they just look so pretty who cares about the volume of eggs? You see I need more chickens, but I do not actually need more eggs! ...but I am hoping for a few dark brown ones

 

 

Tracy

[AJuff]

I seem to have 'accidentally' ordered a cube. Ahem. quote]

 

 

Now how do you 'accidently' order a cube?

[TAJ]

I seem to have 'accidentally' ordered a cube. Ahem. quote]

 

 

Now how do you 'accidently' order a cube?

 

Well I accidently ordered the chickens so need a cube - I only rang up to ask about them - the next thing they were ordered, so I can fully understand it - you either accidently order a cube then need chickens, or you accidently order chickens and need a cube

 

Tracy

[moomin]

Barney's are beautiful, gorgeous, elegant, loads of personality and they lay loads of eggs. Possibly not up to hybrid standard but mine was laying 6 a week in the summer and 3/4/5 ish a week in the Winter. One of the very few purebreeds that lay thru the Winter.

 

Get one you won't regret it

[brambles]

I'll be onto Wernlas tomorrow!

 

the amount of eggs is not a problem, as I'll then have five hens. What worried me was if the barnevelder (she's going to have to be called Helga, I think) went broody whilst we were away on holiday it'd be a lot for a neighbour to deal with (or would it??)

 

Erm yes. Erm acidentally slipped and my hand fell onto the phone and it must have autodialled Omlet and I must have been concussed enough to give them my credit card number. yes. erm. ahem.

[brambles]

Ooh, and the broody info came from the Omlet Breed guide!

:

BehaviourThey are lazy chickens! So for that reason they do need to be kept free range so that they are well exercised. The chicks produced are yellow in colour and are quite slow at growing their darker feathers which come later. The hens do go broody often but this makes them a docile chicken and a good mother.

[moomin]

They are docile but mine hasn't yet gone broody. I have a very good chicken book that doesn't mention them going broody, that said any chicken can go broody even hybrids. Mine is only just a year old though. If she goes broody I will just deal with it, the good far outweighs the bad.

[redfrock]

I've had my girl since sunday and she is lovely - full of character and very interested in things. I got her before we saw the P P article. I would definitely chose this breed again

[quickcluck]

I've a barny coming from the wernlas too!!! I think they maybe the offical chook of the year 2009!!!!

[sunshinesupernova]

funny that - I seem to have accidentally ordered a cube too :scratcheshead: can't work out how that happened

[Lesley]

We've got 4 Barnevelder hens and a cockerel - they are lovely! They lay a good sized, cream coloured, egg. Ours haven't gone broody so far.

[Gamebird]

We've got 4 Barnevelder hens and a cockerel - they are lovely! They lay a good sized, cream coloured, egg. Ours haven't gone broody so far.

 

Lesley, I thought they laid dark brown eggs.

[Lesley]

Ours have all, always, laid a pale cream egg They are Barnevelder bantams...... but no different to the larger fowl version.

 

This is interesting......

http://www.pekinbantams.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=38885

[Gamebird]

Thanks for that, Lesley. Very interesting reading. You learn something new everyday.

[Lesley]

Thanks for that, Lesley. Very interesting reading. You learn something new everyday.

 

You certainly do! - I had to go and check.....

[The Dogmother]

My Betty lays a light golden beige egg and has never gone broody; she is a sister to Lesley's birds.

[Christian]

I got Cornelia my Barnevelder last year and she is lovely! Very tame and always around my feet looking for things. She is the first out in the morning and very friendly. She only started laying a few weeks ago, but lays very dark brown eggs.

 

A breeder friend of mine said they generally now lay 'normal' beige/brown eggs as many breeders have concentrated on getting the feathering right at the expense of the egg colour.

[TAJ]

They are supposed to be very dark brown, though I noticed before buying, that some breeder state light or brown eggs - I actually asked Wernlas for a dark brown egg layer and these were their suggestion & certainly dark brown is in my books. However if anyone saw the buyers guide in they talk about those breed for best double-laced feather for show over the years have ended up having lighter eggs, as they have been bred for show feathers, not egg characteristics. Also remember the colour will get lighter with the laying season, getting better again after a moult.

 

I still hope for both wonderful dark eggs and lovely feathers!

 

Tracy

[*mummy_hen*]

I wonder if i could get away with accidently ordering a cube

[The Dogmother]

If you want dark eggs, then go for a maran, my cuckoo maran miniature lays the most gorgeous dark, flowerpot brown glossy eggs.

[Lesley]

We have 4 Marans on order - we have far too many beige and blue eggs

[moomin]

A breeder friend of mine said they generally now lay 'normal' beige/brown eggs as many breeders have concentrated on getting the feathering right at the expense of the egg colour.

 

My Bobbie lays normal beige/brown eggs Lots of them though and they are nice and big. Her feathers are lovely, thick and glossy and beautiful markings

[quickcluck]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh can we have some pics of peoples lovely girls??? They all seem different, i've only ever seen one type, so would be lovel to see