Lynn in Bristol Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 We lost 2 chickens to a fox a month ago, including our Miss Pepperpot (imaginatively named Pepper). We replaced her with an MP lookalike, Lavender, who is a fantastic layer, but sadly her eggs are a rather dull beige. When our second replacement, a meadowsweet ranger laid her first diddy egg, I was rather disappointed to see that it was almost identical in colour. I miss having a box full of colourful eggs! Anyway, I agonised over this dilemma for at least a week, and decided that as we've now invested in a run extension, we could squeeze in another chicken. I've always wanted a bantam and as an avid Archers fan, I've always fancied a Welsummer, (Jill Archer has some). When I found out they come in bantam size.... To my surprise, hubby said, "why not go on Sunday?" I've been longing to visit the Domestic Fowl Trust, and saw on their website that they do have Welsummer Bantams. Just in case, I phoned in advance... "Do you have any Welsummer bantams?" "No, they haven't started laying yet." I felt really stupid. Of course, "proper" chickens, like organic veg, are seasonal! It had never occured to me. I resisted the temptation to go for the Sussex miniatures or Pekins they did have. Come the summer, I will have my brown eggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Well, it gives you plenty of time to think about names. I notice your cats have interesting monikers....what's the story there?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Oh yes - just noticed the cats names! Mmm - now there's a good whisky - Macallan, my favourite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Someone is a malt whisky drinker I think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 It might not be wise to mix a bantam with larger fowl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Martin's right - Buffie had a bad experience trying to do that last year. It CAN work, but you need to be prepared for a lengthy introduction and the possibility that they might need to have seperate quarters even at the end of that. I have 8 hens - 7 of them are bantams or miniatures, but one is a Poland/Araucana cross, who is quite a bit bigger, I was worried about introducing her, but she has such a lovely temperament that it went well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 DOLLY is georgeous! A lovely bird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 DOLLY is georgeous! A lovely bird! She likes you too Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Aww , that's nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 Medowsweet do some nice coloured egg layers. They have the Heritage Skyline with blue eggs, the Whitestar with white eggs & they do a deep brown layer,though I can't remember the name. Look up their site....they have agents all over & a big hen (or 2 as you are getting a run extension ) will mix better with your established girls than a Bantam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn in Bristol Posted February 18, 2007 Author Share Posted February 18, 2007 Thanks for the advice! I'll do some more research. I guess we've been lucky so far introducing new girls, as they've all got on well pretty much straight away. Maybe we should get two bantams so that they could be friends...(maybe we should move to another house with a bigger garden)... As for the cats' names, Macallan, who is a gorgeous chocolate burmese, came with the name. All the kittens in the litter were named after single malts. When we got two kittens last year, ostensibly for the kids, I 'persuaded' my six year old to call her kitten Talisker. I did a Geology degree (more years ago now than I'd care to admit to) and spent seven weeks on the Isle of Skye, where some locals introduced my friend and I to the delights of the local single malts. Talisker's a glamorous Burmilla so deserves a special name. My son named his cat Sapphire (brown burmese tortie - we've always had burmese) after the title of my first (spectacularly unpublished) book. It is a make of gin, apparently, so it sort of fits. Strangely enough, the children both think they chose the names themselves - the power of the parent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
