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

[Moozle]

Well this year was my first with chickens (well since being a child anyway) and we hatched 6 eggs under one broody and 2 under another. We really enjoyed the experience and we hatched all different breeds: Light Sussex (Cockerel), RIR, Cream Legbar (Cockerel), Cuckoo Cochin, Maran, Leghorn (Cockerel), a Barnvelder and an Ancona.

 

Its definitely something we would like to repeat next year. We are planning to cull and eat the cockerels of which 3 are definites up to now. One Cockerel will be going to my friends to live with her harem of hens. I have given her the choice of which she wants. The hens will either add to our flock or several of my friends have flocks they would like to add to.

 

Next year I would like to go by my experiences from this year what my lot are going to turn out like. Which breeds have you all hatched this year and which have you had most success with? Which have been the most fun watching develop, and which are the most useful?

[Griffin]

I've hatched allsorts. I can't fault the Sussex, they're easy to sex, well behaved, easy to sell and make good table birds. I'll definitely hatch some more Speckled Sussex next year.

 

The Orpingtons were horrible chicks, really spiteful to everyone but since they've been outside freeranging they've gone through a transformation and are really nice little people now. I don't think I'll bother having more though. The boys I've got will be rubbish for the table, not a s"Ooops, word censored!" of meat on them despite looking massive, it's all feathers!

 

My Salmon Faverolles are lovely. Such quiet natured chicks, never any trouble at all. As chicks they're very much like the Silkies in personality. I do like those too.

[Redwing]

I hatched some cuckoo marans and they have been lovely albeit a little rough and tumble!

 

They are practically autosexing as the boys have white blobs on their heads

 

We are fattening the boys for Christmas

[craftyhunnypie]

My favourite have been my silkies this year - so adorable, black skin & very tidy as chicks. I love their fluffyness - like lifelong chicks..oh & their blue ears. I also enjoyed watching my Wyandotte/ cochin cross chick (mini me) turn into the most stunning double laced chickenette! She is a beauty! Her sister is also a lovely girl (dizzy), a lovely buff colour with feathered feet. Rascal their brother went to a nice home at about 8 weeks old. They are all 16 weeks now - including the silkies.

 

I shall be hatching more frizzle pekins soon - those are real sweeties as chicks too & I like to see them develop their attitudes as they mature! Seeing the frizzle genes being passed on is an absolute joy to see on 4 - 5 day old chicks. Lovely curly wing feathers. Ahhhh.

I'm hoping for a lavender frizzle & a red to come through in the next batch.

 

In the past, araucana chicks were very very friendly little things, extremely loveable & wanting to be picked up all the time.

Let's face it... all chicks are cute!

 

Emma.x

[Moozle]

Its so exciting seeing what you get and how they turn out. Thats part of the attraction for me.

My Cuckoo Maran chick has no white blob on the head, hopefully shes a hen, though it is very upright standing and i'm sure I caught it sparring with the 'definate' cockrels this morning. Unless she was just caught in the cross fire! Hope so, I was looking forwards to some lovely dark brown eggs.

[Redwing]

The females have much darker fuzzier barring too (at least as chicks they do) so the more strikingly barred ones of mine were the boys, I can post pics if that would help?