Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Gladys and Agnes]

Hello everyone

 

First timer alert!!!

 

We picked up our Eglu yesterday and now have the dilemma of choosing our chickens. We are 3 neighbours that have gone "3 ways" on a keeping chickens. We are planning on having a chicken each but we all want different types, can I make a decision? can I heck!

 

So far my shortlist is either a Bluebelle, Cream legbar or a Speckledy? Any advice would be great? pro's, con's etc?

 

My "Gal" will be a pet but Id like eggs too but would like eggs each year rather than loads the first years and not so many after that.

 

[darkwoodali]

We've got four different hybrids: an Amber Lee, a Black Star, a Speckled Star, and a Cotswold Black Tail. Out of the four the Amber Lee is definitely the friendliest, followed by the Black Star. Both are great layers too. Good luck with choosing!

[Daffodill]

Ive had nova sussex, orpingtons, and a shetland all have been very friendly and good layers. I would choose something with a different egg colour next time as all my eggs are a pale brown colour. I find when I get to the breeder I choose something totally different from what I went for in the 1st place anyway. Enjoy you choosing

[Henslaved]

So far my shortlist is either a Bluebelle, Cream legbar or a Speckledy? Any advice would be great? pro's, con's etc?

 

My "Gal" will be a pet but Id like eggs too but would like eggs each year rather than loads the first years and not so many after that.

 

 

Given those three choices I would go for the Cream legbar as it's a pure breed and will give you lovely / . Not that I have anything against hybrids or but I am led to believe that pure breeds don't lay as many eggs as hybrids but they do lay for longer and are less likely to have egg laying tackle problems unlike the hybrids, as they wear themselves out in the first couple of years.

 

Wealth of info here http://chickipedia.wikispaces.com/

 

And Welcome to the forum

[oneyolktoanother]

we have a cream legbar she is such a character always into everything good luck choosing when we went to wernlas to get our's we was their nearly all day and came back with different breeds as want we went for

[migsy]

My Speckledy is very broody which is a real pain and I've heard of other people with broody Speckledies too. She is also nervous so I can't catch her and she lays small eggs. Apart from that she is lovely

 

My Amber is the most docile and friendly bird and she lays most days.

 

The Black Rock is a great egg layer and she is friendly and inquisitive too.

 

However, if you want a hen that will lay for longer, rather than just loads in the first year, go for a pure breed. I've only had 3 pure breeds. A Cream Legbar that did not live very long but she was lovely, an Ancona who looks great but very flighty and a Light Sussex. The LS is reasonably docile and friendly and would make a good pet. She lays well too.

 

There is so much to choose from. Good luck!

[Olly]

My Speckledy is coming up for four years old, still lays regularly, has never gone broody and is very friendly! I think whatever breed you choose, there are no guarantees on whether they will be friendly, flighty, prolific etc. so I'd go for the one you like the look of most.

[Sammiboo]

welcome:)

 

i have (so far) 2x Lohmann Browns and 2x Amber Links.I am also getting a couple of ex batts next month.

 

I have only had these a couple of weeks and they are coming round to be very nice birds. I wanted the Amber Links originally but they werent ready yet so i got the Lohmann Browns first then the week after the Amberlinks.

 

The friendliest of the lot so far is Bunty (lohmann brown) she likes to be picked up and is very nosey and will follow me around the garden. She has turned out to the first one to lay too.

 

Good luck with your decision - look forward to seeing the pictures

[percy049]

we've recently got a bluebelle and a lgiht sussex, who are both lovely! after only a couple of days, they were following us around the garden. only 3 'proper' eggs from the bluebelle so far. word of warning though, white chickens get VERY dirty after they've had a dustbath....

[chicken bark]

Will you be splitting the eggs three ways or only keeping the eggs from your own chicken? If the latter then I'd go for the Cream Legbar as you will be the only one with blue eggs.

 

All hens are lovely.

[migsy]

we've recently got a bluebelle and a lgiht sussex, who are both lovely! after only a couple of days, they were following us around the garden. only 3 'proper' eggs from the bluebelle so far. word of warning though, white chickens get VERY dirty after they've had a dustbath....

 

I agree! White tends to go very off white

[Sam]

We've got four different hybrids: an Amber Lee, a Black Star, a Speckled Star, and a Cotswold Black Tail. Out of the four the Amber Lee is definitely the friendliest, followed by the Black Star. Both are great layers too. Good luck with choosing!

 

We have similar breeds from cotswold chickens, but our black star is the least friendly chicken! Shes so nervous, you can't get near her unless she 'crouches' so you can pick her up. Amber Lee, Blacktail and goldline are also lovely breeds. Highly recommend 'Cotswold Chickens' great for hybrids.

[Gladys and Agnes]

Thanks for all your advice, it all helps!

 

I keep changing my mind so much, if Im truthful I think I have over informed myself and completely confused my brain this weekend.

 

I think Im gonna go with my gut instinct on the day when all 3 of us go to the breeder, whichever "gal" I get will be loved regardless.....thats the plan anyway.....I could be back in a few days asking for more breed info?????

 

Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!

[Henergy]

Thats what we did. Boys 'pre-decided' then changed their minds when we got to the breeder. Ended up with a Bovans Nera and a Colombian Blacktail.

[Chortle Chook]

What a nice thing that three neighbours can get together like that

Regarding breeds, I can almost guarantee that whatever breeds you decide on before you go to get your chooks, will not be the ones you take home with you and then whatever breeds you take home with you won't be the only ones you ever have. It's amazing how eglus breed

[Mercedes55]

. It's amazing how eglus breed

 

Don't they just, I went out one morning only to find my Eglu had laid a Cube