2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[midori]

We currently have 5 hens, 2 buff sussex, a maran hybrid, light sussex hybrid (bought as purebred pullets, but I am sure they aren't) and a bluebelle.

 

We'd like to add a couple more, but really can't decide which breeds to add and I can't do what I really want and have one of each... so help me decide?

 

I would like to be able to have a blue egg layer, and like cream legbars, but wonder if they will be too 'flighty' for our garden? Our garden is large, but isn't huge. We also have a 3 1/2 ft fence down one side, although if any chooks got over it they would only be able to get into the neighbours garden. We clipped one wing of our current chooks when we got them and although I suspect they could still get out over the smaller fence if they wanted to, they have never tried so far. Would a cream legbar be more inclined to jump/fly out?

 

I think we would also like a darker brown egg layer too, but have no idea what?

 

Any suggestions at all welcomed. I did have my heart set on Orpingtons, but they are really hard to get over here and the one breeder we did find we had problems with. (we are in Northern Ireland, so if anyone can suggest a good breeder here, that'd be welcome too)

 

Thankyou.

[Redwing]

Cream Legbars are flighty but not exactly escape artists, one with a clipped wing should be ok, take time to tame it up a bit and you shouldnt have any problems

 

Welsummers lay nice flowerpot coloured eggs. Marans lay dark eggs - the french ones lay darker eggs than the cuckoo ones - French copper black, French copper blue and Fren Wheaten Marans lay the darkest eggs

[sjp]

I've got a CLB that could get over a 3'6" fence she can jump that high. but there would have to be treats the otherside she's not inclined to fly she's more of a stroller even when the treats come out the only really runs and flaps

I've got a 5' fence down one side of my garden that at least 2 of my lot could get over but they haven't work that bit out yet

[Guest]

Brahma Bantam

Wellsummer

Arcuana

Cochin

Orpington Bantam

[scarlettohara]

I have 2 skylines - they are lovely and lay Did you get your WIR?

[midori]

Thankyou.

 

I like the look of the Skylines, but I think they'd be hard to get over here. Cream Legbars seem easy ish to get. I think Welsummers might be easy to get too. There seem to be a few people advertising French copper black marans, but they are miles and miles away and I am worried about transporting hens far in the hot weather.

 

scarletohara, I am suprised you remembered about the WIR! We decided against it for now as I didn't think the space we had to put one upon was ideal as it would have been quite narrow and long. We decided to just let the girls free range the garden and don't use the small run we have at all now, just shut them in the house at night. I was horribly worried at first, but I know a few people very nearby who have been keeping hens here for years and never had a problem with foxes and they are more likely to have problems than me I suspect as they are on the 'perimeter' of the place we live (army camp) and back onto farmland. It's kind of an odd set up here as we ar every rural, but have lots of houses otgether plonked int he middle of nowhere... I still worry, but am here virtually all the time anyway and decided the benefits of them free ranging outweighed the risk of foxes for me.

[bridgy chooks]

Just to add that we have just introduced a cream legbar and a welsummer

 

I was worried about getting the legbar because I'd heard about them being flighty but so far, so good. She is actually really friendly and extremely inquisitive but I think it very much depends on the individual bird. Both of them were eating out of my hands within a couple of days even though they've been brought up on a farm and not had much human contact. Am hoping that if I keep the contact up, they should stay tame. Hoping for a blue egg and a dark brown egg before the end of the Summer too!

[scarlettohara]

I remembered because of your horrible experience Good luck with your new chooks

[midori]

Thanks so much everyone.

 

Yes, Scarlettohara, the horrid experience really put me off, so I am going to be really fussy about who I go to if get more chooks.

 

I have spoken to a very lovely lady today who was recommended by a local chicken house company. Apparently she is something to do with the 'chicken society' (sorry, I know that's not what it is, but some sort of club ) and shows her chooks, winning quite a bit. She was very, very nice on the phone and extremely helpful. Her 'set up' sounds good. She has some Welsummers and although they were not a breed we had considered, Cochins. They aren't quite Orps, but she has said they make good pets. I think she has some other breeds too, but we are going over to have a look in the morning aand have a good chat.