Unsecure chicken perches

[FionaH]

Hi all

 

It's been a happy chicken-keeping year or 2 since I last posted, but we've had a bad 6 weeks and lost both original chickens (for different reasons). We have acquired another hybrid, who keeps us well supplied with eggs, so are looking to get a more interesting chicken to replace recently-deceased BuckBuck. I have a short list but am hoping some more experienced people can help me decide. The contenders are:

- a Poland, for the haircut, but the egg supply sounds very limited

- an Orpington, because they're cute, but will she fit through the door of a Mark 1 Eglu?

- an Arucauna for the blue eggs, but will she be too skittish to be mangeable, and not friendly to my 2 young boys

- a Cream Legbar - ditto above.

 

Any advice or suggestions for other breeds is welcome (particularly re Arucauna vs Legbar personalities)!

 

Cheers

Fiona

[Mercedes55]

We have a Lavender Araucana and a Cream Legbar, both are as batty as a box of frogs, however I don't think it's a given that a particular breed will always have a skittish personality. We do get lovely eggs from both our girls, one a lovely pale blue and the other a darker blue and so far they have been very good layers too. Our Araucana is on the small side, not sure if that is how they normally are and our Cream Legbar can at times sound like she is nearly crowing, but generally they are both fairly quiet. They won't be picked up, if they get out of their WIR it's a major job to try and catch them and the Cream Legbar can get quite high up when trying to escape capture.

 

Never had a Poland or an Orpington, but I'm sure I've read the Orpington is too heavy a breed for the Eglu. We do have a Salmon Favorelle and she is quite hefty and was in the Eglu when we first got her and was fine in there. Also have a Welsummer and once again although not skittish she is quite unfriendly and won't be handled and is known as 'rent a gob' as she is soooooo loud! Our favourite of our pure breeds has to be the Salmon Favorelle, really cannot praise them highly enough, they seem to like being handled and are so big and slow that they never go very fast

[kevf1]

our araucana allow me to pick her up but not in the normal way she will perch on my arm like a bird of prey... chicken hawk so to speak i'd get one... can't comment on the rest but i have 2 warrens..

 

1 araucana

1 vorwerk

1 appenzeller

1 freisan

1 barnvelder

 

all are different ... but i wouldn't change.. and its nice to get different eggs

[Redwing]

I wouldnt keep a Poland in a mixed flock, they are very prone to bullying, plenty of people do this but its far easier not to set yourself up for possible problems

 

A large fowl Orpington would be too big for a Mk1 but a bantam orpington would be ok, they are quite large for bantams and lay a reasonable size egg too

 

Any light breed like an Araucana or Cream Legbar will be more flighty than a heavy breed but regular handling should help

[Mr Rhode Island Red]

I wouldn't reccomend a Poland, because, like Redwing said, they are prone to bullying if let run in a mixed flock, and although their "haircut" is amazing to look at, it does require a good amount of looking after.

 

Orpingtons are very nice birds,I own one and they genuinely are "fluffy giants". But, as already mentioned, it might not fit in the door of your Eglu.

 

And I don't have any experience whatsoever with Aracaunas.

 

I think a bantam Orpington would be ideal for you.

 

Best of luck with whichever breed you choose

 

Mr Rhode Island Red

[daxigirl]

My CC Legbar is lovely, the only one of my big girls to let me pick her up without a chase, thinks she should be a house chicken, lovely blue egg.

 

I think it all has to do with how much they're handled as youngsters. My babies (in the ) get squished daily and all are friendly and easy to pick up. So maybe look for some newbies from a smaller chick rearer (not sure what you would call them) rather than a big supplier.

[FionaH]

Thanks so much, everyone. At this point it might come down more to what I can get reasonably locally and reasonably quickly. I did make a decision to go for an arucauna, but am now finding it difficult to source one. If anyone knows of a supplier somewhere in/near Hertfordshire, please let me know.

Thanks

Fiona

[pips_pekins]

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