witzend Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 (edited) OK, so what's a forum for if not to pick the brains of them that know best!................. IF I decide to get some chickens I will want 3 hens - no male involvement ! They'd be 3 different breeds for variety - I'd love at least 1 lacy one! They don't have to be prolific layers I would like a variety of coloured eggs I need quiet, friendly types that are happy living with other breeds in a WIR Are bantams happy to be with bigger hens or are they better to be with their own size? I thought I'd like to give them a bit of elbow room in an Eglu but the Cube + WIR is too big for the area I have - so I would probably be getting the Eglu Classic with a WIR max about 6' x 6' Anyone any suggestions of breeds which might be suitable and any contacts/links for people who breed lots of varieties so I might be able to get them all at the same time? Cheers guys! Edited May 26, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 What part of the country are you in? it will help people make recommendations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 you could try wyandottes (i think you can get a laced variety), cream legbar (for blue/green eggs). Bantams can be with bigger hens, but it'll take longer for them to settle, and the bantams will be picked on more. a lot more, due to their size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 I nearly put it - and then didn't! I don't mind travelling to pick up chicks - I'm used to it!! Leyland, nr Preston, Lancs xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 If you get them young then you could mix the sizes reasonably easy but if they are older its a lot more risky I think all of the laced breeds lay a pale brown/tinted egg Araucanas lay blue eggs and are available in bantam and large sizes Cream legbars lay blue/green eggs but are large fowl (although not technically that big) Dorkings, Minorcas, gold legbars, Hamburghs and leghorns are some that lay white eggs Welsummers lay a nice brown egg Marans lay a dark egg, the bantam version's eggs can be lighter though A bit of a distance from you but worth a visit is The Wernlas Collection in Shropshire Steve Dace at Cheshire Poultry sells some lovely chickens inclucing laced Wyandottes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I'd love a bantam araucana! Can't seem to find anyone who sells them though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexhen Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 We also went for a variety of egg colour we have a white leghorn who is quite small but lays large white eggs, a heritage skyline who will lay blue/green when she gets a bit older, a speckled hen for eggs with speckles and a ranger for the usual colour, that way we can see who isn't pulling their weight in the laying dept Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxigirl Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 My big girls are all different and were chosen for prettiness and egg colour. The most prolific is Lisa-Marie who's egg is actually a pale pink. (She's rather a bossy boots about who lays and when though ). Their average is 60g and probably do 4/5 each a week if that gives you an idea. The pastel colours look like large sugared almonds, someone at work who buys them now and again won't eat them she just likes them on the window sill. My babies should be white & cream eggers when they eventually get going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zakjon-98 Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 How about a barnevelder? I have one and she's in my opinion a perfect hen. She's beautiful, friendly and lays dark brown speckly eggs most days and their huge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Brill replies - any other suggestions? Hi - I'm enjoying the forum and asking questions! Could you help me out at all............I have the 'keeping pet chickens (paul/windham) and would like to know which breed is on the front cover with the chicks and also the GORGEOUS red lace one on the LH page before the contents page..........I can't see any ref to what they are and I LOVE 'em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I'm not sure what the chicken is on the cover, it looks a bit like a Sussex bantam The one with the lacing is a blue laced Wyandotte Wyandottes are the ultimate chicken but I guess I am a bit biased as nearly all of mine are Wyandottes they are calm, placid so laid back and friendly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 BLUE lace?? - but it's orange/red in the picture. It's on the LH page facing the title page Keeping Pet Chickens which has 2 little chicks underneath x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Its hard as I am looking at the book online on Amazon but thats the only laced bird I can see on the first few pages A blue laced Wyandotte looking straight at the camera, blue laced 'dottes' have a red ground colour and pale blue lacing edging the feathers and some blue feathers in their tails and around their necks A quick Google will confirm it for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 sounds like the right one - I thought the 'blue' referred to the 'ground' colour (DOH!) rather than the edging - it's GORGEOUS!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 All Wyandottes are gorgeous! so many colours and all so lovely This is my lad Jack, he is a barred Wyandotte bantam Confusingly sometimes the name of the colour does apply to the ground colour - silver laced, buff laced and gold laced all denote the ground colour not the lace colour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 cheers - I feel justified in being confused!!! x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostock422 Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Hybrids are always a good choice, they're friendly, you can get a lot of different variations of colour and they're cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Does look a bit sussexy, probably a cross though, doesn't look pure. Not looked at this book in about a year, but my Pekins look nothing like the one on page 22.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I'm the same as you as I am currently trying to source a mix of 5 girls for my new cube... however I'm finding it near on impossible to locate a cream legbar (my ultimate) or Welsummer hen above 13 weeks old any younger and I couldn't put them in with other POL girls. Very frustrating... Thought about a White Star (white eggs), Speckledy & Bluebelle to go in with the above - do you think that's a nice mix?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted May 25, 2011 Author Share Posted May 25, 2011 mmmm - I'm visiting some farms over the next couple of days to see the adults 'in the flesh' -can't picture what's medium/large/extra large without doing it!!! x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I think you should get 3 ex batts! They may not lay different coloured eggs, but they will taste just as lovely whatever colour the shell is (and besides, you only end up throwing the shell in the bin anyway ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I may have missed this but how much f/range time will your ladies have If they're not going to have much f/r time you will have to be carefull how many/what size of hens you get. If your hens are overcrowded/bored they might get a bit pecky with each other. Look forward to hearing/ seeing photos of whatever you eventually buy. Alli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfin Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I'm the same as you as I am currently trying to source a mix of 5 girls for my new cube... however I'm finding it near on impossible to locate a cream legbar (my ultimate) or Welsummer hen above 13 weeks old any younger and I couldn't put them in with other POL girls. Very frustrating... Thought about a White Star (white eggs), Speckledy & Bluebelle to go in with the above - do you think that's a nice mix?? I've just ordered a cream legbar and a welsummer from Happy Chicks. I think they are about 14 weeks old. I should receive mine in 4 to 6 weeks time at POL. BTW they deliver the birds for £15. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 current favourites (colours to be decided!) : Silver lace/buff lace/blue lace Wyandotte Double laced Barnvelder Lavender Araucana and/or a silkie (would there be room for a little'un ??) I'm hoping I've read everthing right and these are all pretty docile, ok in a run, get on together birds They'll be in a classic (colour to be decided!) and in an enclosure that will be purpose built - on existing flagging - approx 7' x 6' What'd'y'think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Even standard size silkies are really too small to go in with large fowl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
