Part 0800.0005

[StephenW]

Hi omleters

 

I know of somebody you is looking to purchase chickens so he can have an egg every day.

 

Im not sure whether he is looking them to be docile but I was wondering could you list me a few breed stateing wether they are docile or not, was thinking breeds like hybrid, road island red leghorn?

 

Thanks

 

Steve

[JillM]

I gather the hybrids are more likely to be consistent egg layers, in the first year or so anyway. But no doubt someone with more practical experience than I will be along shortly.

[quickcluck]

Jim you are right. Hybrids are bred as egg laying chickens, so they will lay an egg pretty much every day, they are little machines!!! They will also lay over the winter.

 

Pure breeds lay less often and can have a break over the winter period.

 

As hybrid lay so many eggs, they do tend to have a shorter life span as they wear themselves out, where as pures can live for many years

 

Hope this helps

 

K

[Duncan08]

We have a Miss Pepperpot (Black Rock I think is another name) and a Gingernut Ranger (Warren) that we got from Eglu, they had just come into lay when we got them and they have given us eggs almost everyday. Only one day missed out.

We got our White Star, who lays white eggs, on Sunday and so far she is a hundred percent every day, (I know its only 3 days but we are very proud of our girls)

Bluebell - who is a bluebell, hasnt come into lay yet, but is another Hybrid and should do about 300 a year too.

 

There is nothing quite as exciting as picking up your own eggs is there? Enjoying the chickens so much although we have worked out our 19 eggs so far cost £25 each!! we should start breaking even after about 2 years, unless of course we end up upgrading to a cube or adding another Go

 

I didn't know that their great egg laying shortened their life span though. How long is an average for a Hybrid, I thought I had read about 5 years??

[Redwing]

Hybrids live to about 3 or 4 years old but only really lay reliably for the first two

 

Pure breeds live to around 7 years old (ish) and will lay for most of those years but not as many eggs a year and with a break over winter, they suffer from less egg laying problems than hybrids

 

A Black Rock (not the same as a Pepperpot) is a unique type of hybrid whose stockists are few and tightly controlled, Black Rocks are 'healthier' than the average hybrid, lay for a bit longer and live for a bit longer - they are fondly referred to as 'the ultimate hybrid' as they supposedly combine the benefits of the pure breed with the egg laying abilities of a hybrid

 

Pure breeds are divided in to groups, the four large fowl groups are Hardfeather (game) birds, Softfeather Heavy, Soft Feather Light and Rare breeds (which can be heavy or light)

 

As a very rough rule bird from the 'light' group will be a bit flightier than the heavy ones with the heavy ones being a little more docile and suited to garden life

 

There are always exceptions to that though!!

[StephenW]

Thanks I knew hybrids were the way to go for egg production. I have a blackrock banty but she stopped laying overy winter(a friendly chook).

 

Steve

[Duncan08]

Thanks Redwing,

Very dissappointed to hear its only 3/4 years, we have only had ours just over a week and I know we would miss them already

And for the BlackRock info too.