4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Minnie&Moose]

We're trying to decide on 2 new hybrids to replace our much missed Bluebelle with . We're very taken with the idea of coloured and/or white eggs (we currently get 3 shades of brown from the remaining girls) but I've noticed that there have been lots of comments on the forum, and various commercial websites, that both Columbines and White Stars are quite flighty and agile. Our chickens free range all day behind electrified poultry netting which is just over a metre high. We're careful to position the eglu and run far enough away from the netting that our existing birds can't make it over the fence - but if we went for a Columbine and a White Star do we risk coming home to find our new chickens have become 'over the wall and far far away' chickens?

 

Any thoughts/advice much appreciated.

 

Thanks, Kate

[Tink]

I have only had a Columbine 4 weeks but havent found she any more agile than the others but all ours have their wing is clipped. We have a 3ft fence with 1ft of trellis on the top to stop them perching on it and the only one of ours who has managed to escape is our Bluebelle. She does like to "jump" across the garden but I havent seen her go particularly high! Am I right in thinking that "flighty" means 'easily upset/frightened' (this is how I had taken it on the forum) - if so then I would agree she is quite flighty but certainly calming down as the weeks go by as she has more 'human interaction'- certainly have to put in the effort.

[sjp]

cyclone was a bit stand offish and jumpy when i first had her but that soon changed when shr learnt what the treat pot looked and sounded like.the jumpy bit got better when she started to lay but I'd not describe her as a Serious flyer no more tha 18inch 2 foot of the ground a good jumper through she'll jump up a metre on to the hurdle gates i made to keep them out of the veg half of the garden but only if shes that side other wise shes to lazy to fly much prefurs to run I'd recomend columbines to any one through she's one of the frendlier ones i've got her and the cream legbar mainiy because I've got the key to the feed store

Edited August 6, 2009 by Guest

[chickencam]

Our White Star was very flighty and couldn't be handled but she didn't try to escape. She laid pure white eggs every day for about 18months then died from a prolapse.

[Space Chick]

My white star (although was sold as an amber star) is very flighty and is the "worst offender" for getting into the veg patches which are protected by fencing.

 

That said, she has the motivation of fresh veg to "escape", but she is always the first to reach me when I shake the corn wherever she is.

 

She is also my most consistent layer, lays beautiful white eggs and often they are double yolkers.

 

In short, I wouldn't change her for all the world

[mostin]

I have a Columbine. She is not flighty in the least, in fact she is the most "crouchy" of my girls which makes her very easy to catch . The only problem is that I got one of the 10% who lay cream eggs not blue , but I still love her .

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Maisie, my Columbine, was quite crafty in her attempts to escape over my gate but now she's in a WIR with Omlet netting I have no problems with her at all . Lovely green eggs too .

[sjp]

Ain't "Ooops, word censored!"ody Here mostin are youy columbine egg shell thicker than any of the other egg

cyclone's egg shell is a least twice as thick as big reds better qulity too

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Can't say I've noticed that really but recently all mine have been laying fragile eggs .

[sjp]

Can't say I've noticed that really but recently all mine have been laying fragile eggs .

can't help but notice with mine there a sod to brake even got comments from the few Ive given away

[quickcluck]

My Columbine is the tamist chook I have!!! she is brilliant and spends all her time perched on various body parts She also lays beautiful blue eggs

 

My white chook on the other hand is wild!!! there is no chance of catch her. She will eat from my hand but that's as far as it goes...

[Minnie&Moose]

Thanks for your replies everyone - sounds like a Columbine and a White Star are a definite possibility after all.

 

Kate

[puddleduck]

Great minds think a like! I have just lost my columbine but I am looking to replace her with another columbine and a white star! I can't resist the assorted coloured eggs!

[Romany]

I love my white star - she is a very consistent layer (and eats less so is cheaper to keep I suppose) but she is terribly flighty!

 

I have a covered WIR so it doesn't really matter to me as she has no means of escape no matter how high she flies.

 

I also have a Black Leghorn and both of them are capable of flying about 5 metres long and up to 2 metres high!!

[WitchHazel]

My White Star, Lily, is wonderful.

 

She was completely doolally when we got her, ran around like something out of a cartoon. We wing clipped her because she flew over our Omlet netting on Day 1.

 

Once she came into lay, she settled down. She's very happy to be picked up (I got her used to having a reward each time), and she still acts like she's on speed. She lays gorgheous white eggs.

 

I'm really glad we got her.

[AJuff]

Daisy our white star is flighty and cheeky . . she got into the veg patch and dug up all the red onions today! She always lays pretty white eggs for us so we can't be too cross. Our two columbines are not friendly but not flighty either. They rule the roost though and it's worth it for their lovely blue and green eggs.

 

I would have the same breeds again . . go for it.