Neighbour making formal noise complaint.

[Jaime]

I'm interested in getting another chook when the cube arrives and would like one that lays pastel coloured eggs.

 

I know that cream legbars lay coloured eggs but where do you get one from - and how do I know it is a cream legbar and not a turkey that I'm being sold.

 

I see that Meadowsweet are developing a coloured egg layer but their stuff says that they lay 75% coloured eggs. Its worded strangely so it could mean that 75% of birds lay coloured eggs or 75% of the eggs are coloured.

 

I think I would prefer a hybrid as all reports seem to say they are better layers, more hardy, easier to handle, better with children etc etc but how do I know a hen bought at POL will actually lay coloured eggs?

[red]

I have had two cream legbars (Edna - RIP) and Mavis. They are not "friendly" but that is certainly not to say that they are "unfriendly" - they are just a bit aloof (That said Mavis has just developed a foot pecking fettish! - but hopefully that's just a phase). She is also a very reliable layer - my best in fact, producing about 6 or 7 eggs a week. She only has the odd day off. My other pure breed is a welsummer and she is very similar - i.e. sociable, potters arounds the garden, approaches you from time to time. They are definately not the sort to follow you round or try and join you indoors if the back door is open which suits us fine. But they are lovely girls.

When I first got the legbars I was concerned that they would be too flightly as they are quite a light breed however this has not been a problem at all - we have lots of thick hedges and bushes around our garden boundary and they have never had their wings clipped and have made no escape attempts yet!

 

Whatever you decide they will be lovely - they all are

 

How about an ex-bat?

 

If I'm lucky enough to get a cube I will expand with a bluebelle or an amberstar I think ... or both! ... oh and an exchequor leghorn ...

[Jaime]

Hi Red,

 

I have a bluebelle and she's gorgeous but a bit timid compared to the others. Dont know if that is because she is younger and not yet laying. She has only just started to feed from my hand - well it's more like a "grab and go" but the others do bully her a little bit so thats probably the reason.

 

I definately want coloured eggs so an ex-bat seems out of the question.

 

The timidness that you talk about in your chook makes me think the new hybrid from meadowsweet might be a good bet because I like them being over friendly and following you about.

[Cinnamon]

Blue Belles do not lay blue eggs,despite the name

 

The Blue layer that Medowsweet do is the Skyline (I think!?!)

Apparantly they are very pretty & about 75% lay blue eggs....look for one with blue ears jaime,or get a couple to make your chances better.

They also do a hen which lays deep chocolate brown eggs,which sounds nice

Their White Star lays pure white eggs,which doesn't sound very exciting,but they are gorgeous looking against the usual farmyard eggs.The hen is also very pretty - a white hen always looks good in a flock!

 

All my hens are Medowsweet girls & I would recommend them to anyone.....photos in my album, link below

[Lesley]

Same here - most of ours are Meadowsweet and are lovely hens.

 

We have 3 of the Heritage Skylines - 2 of them lay blue eggs and one lays an almost white egg. We have 2 of their other new one which lays a white egg (can't remember the name) and we have a Cream Legbar which came from Legbars of Broadway. The new hybrids cost more then the other hybrids and almost as much as a pure breed! We also have a Whitestar.

 

We acquired a blue egg layer and her baby lays a blue egg - we also bred a pale blue egg layer of our own........... we sometimes struggle to find brown eggs to go in our boxes!

[Miss Cooks]

I can recommend an Araucana. They lay lovely blue eggs (sometimes greenish). They are quite small chickens, lay medium sized eggs, and have a lovely personality (at least I think mine does, but I'm probably biased!).

[Lindy Loo]

I would definitely have an Araucana - they are lovely to look at and lay beautifully blue/green coloured eggs.

 

I have had a cream legbar which laid cream eggs - I did buy her from a reputable breeder but hey ho such is life!

 

I also have a hybrid from a "Good Life" agent (i think Good Life no longer exists). These were ones that approx 70% of the hens blue/green lay coloured eggs. She is lovely and a good layer but sadly she is one of the 30% that don't do blue!

 

My White Star is gorgeous. The family favourite by far. Great personality, extremely friendly and lays the most wonderful white eggs.

 

I also have a "Mabel Pearman Burford Brown" which I got from Legbars of Broadway. She is lovely and lays dark brown eggs.

 

If you are interested in seeing the different colours of my girls' eggs look at my posting "What's the going rate for eggs? which is in this section. I posted it last week. If I was more technologically competent I would be able to cut & paste (or whatever I needed to do) the link or just reproduce the image again but alas, I am not and my boys have gone back to school!

[Jaime]

Thanks for your advice everyone.

 

On another link I found this http://www.clarencecourt.co.uk/ and it talks about Mabel Pearmans Burford Browns and Old Cotswold Legbars - I'd love one of each so have emailed the company to see what response I get.

 

I've even asked if they have "retired" birds.

[The Dogmother]

I have an araucana/poland cross, she has a mad hairdo and lays turquoise eggs. A batty hen and lovely creamy tasting eggs.