heth1986 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Hi all, Last year, after years of persuasion, I finally convinced my other half to let me have some chickens. We live in a rural area, have quite low fences in our garden and are very friendly with our neighbours who were also suprisingly keen on the thought of fresh eggs at the end of the garden! So after quite alot of research I decided on silkies, calm, quiet, friendly, can't fly, cute... they seemed to have it all. So last summer Ram Jam (white silkie) and Black Betty (black silkie, obviously) finally arrived. They started off well, we were getting on average 5 eggs a week with the odd broody period in between (they seemed to take it in turns!). I'd read elsewhere that silkie's tended to carry on laying throughout the winter but alas, we haven't had an egg for about 3 months and, needless to say, the other half is threatening them with the table! Now, although I know my chickens will never be destined for our dining table (he hasn't got it in him), we're now contemplating getting one, or maybe two, more chucks who are better layers to cover the quiet periods and then any extra we get can be passed onto neighbours. I've looked and looked and cannot for the life of me make a decision on what's going to be best. At the moment we're thinking a bantam orpington but I'm hearing mixed reviews on both whether they can fly, or how good their laying is. Can anyone suggest my 'perfect chicken' that would suit us? Must be a decent layer, not necessarily every day but more consistently than the silkies at least. Our fences are only 4 feet high on 3 sides of the chicken run and we do not wish to make these higher so a flightless chuck is a must, even if I have to clip a wing to be sure. She must also be fairly calm and quiet as, like I said, we are in a rural area so I want to keep on good terms with the neighbours who have been extremely good about the chucks so far, even without the free eggs! For further info, in case I haven't said enough already, the chucks have their own fenced off area at the bottom of the garden about 16 square metres, it's full of grass and has bushes at the back for shelter (and their house obviously), and they come out into the rest of the garden when I'm out there. We've insulated their wooden house to stop the cold getting in and their definitely toasty in there so I don't think it's the cold stopping them from laying. They're wormed, vaccinated and de-bugged regularly and truely seem to be happy and healthy. THanks in advance for any help and suggestions! Heather x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Welcome to the forum. Most hens will stop laying for a few weeks over winter, and pure breeds are more likely to do this than hybrids (who have been deliberately bred to be prolific layers). At the moment I am getting eggs daily from my hybrids, which are a Rhode Island mix similar to the Omlet gingernuts, and which are less than a year old. All my other hens (all hybrid) gave up as the days shortened, and I don't expect production to resume till around Valentine's day at least. If you've got full-size hens, most people don't recommend mixing with bantams - it can be done, but there can be severe bullying problems. And bear in mind that whatever the chicken's 'personality type', they are all individuals and you may get the one unfriendly/flighty one in a breed that is normally docile and calm. I would just choose a couple of hybrids - speckledys are good, Bluebelles are popular (I've got one of each) and then add some young ones each year, you've got a lot of space. That way you should have a couple of hens laying through the winter, even if your older ones take a break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heth1986 Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Thanks for that Olly, I forgot to mention my silkies aren't (supposedly) bantams howevere they are quite small in comparisson to others that I have seen, Betty especially, so I'd like to keep my selection smallish. I had contemplated getting a couple of ex-batts or hybrids but I'm then back to the issue of low fences and flying chucks! I could, of course, forget the idea of having a seperate chicken area in the garden, keep them in their run and move them around the grass but then it seems such a shame not to have them free ranging. So confused as to what to do! Has anyone kept Polands? I've heard that they cannot fly and are also quite good layers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 See from my signature that I have a rather mixed flock - pure breeds will stop laying for a period over the winter, plus some can be broody in the summer. My new ex-batts actually probably fit the bill the most - laying through the winter, friendly and docile and when feathered up will llok good as well (I am hoping) Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Hybrids generally are not that flighty - most of them are likely to need their wings clipping as they can be a bit adventurous whilst young, but once they come into lay they don't seem too inclined to take off anymore! (except white stars and columbines). I've never had a problem with any of my hybrids trying to escape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 My 3 are bantams, possibly light Sussex, I'm not sure and possibly hybrid. They lay mostly in winter, we get eggs most days at the moment and not much in the height of summer. They can get on top of their coop but only by jumping onto the nest box first. They are pretty quiet unless disturbed by a threat and friendly. They're my first chickens and they are sisters so I don't know how their type of chicken integrates. They don't even particularly try to leave their run if the door's open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Virtually all pure breeds will stop laying over winter, so if its primarily winter eggs you are after then I think hybrids will fit the bill. Orps are not great layers, I get 3-4 a week over a 6 month period (either Jan-July or March-Sept depending on strain) but they can be broody (not many of mine are), and when they moult it takes ages for them to fully feather up. They can fly, but mostly don't except the very occasional foray up and over a fence and no further. Polands on the other hand can fly, mine don't escape much and this would be fixed by wing clipping. They tend to start laying earlier Jan/Feb and onto Sept. The drawback is that they are best not kept in a mixed flock unless you are sure of the docility of your existing birds - they can be pecked as their crest obscures their all round vision and they can't see to get out of the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heth1986 Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Thanks every one for your suggestions, it sounds like we'll be best getting a hybrid and clipping a wing, still a bit worried that she'll end up next door but I'll give it a go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 My hybrids have only laid regularly in their first winter Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammiboo Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Silkies are known for not being great layers, although as said the laying in winter reduces dramatically. I have 3 silkies and 8 larger breeds. I clipped the large breeds as they were quite flighty but once they moult i wont be clipping them again, they fly onto things but havent been over the fence since the first few weeks of having them. Ex batts are well worth it though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 but don't get ex bats if only for eggs, they can and do lay all winter but they are tired birds and it is better for them if they didn't lay for a while and let their poor little bodies have a break. they can also never lay an egg, only ever lay softees and thin shelled eggs. have ex bats to give them a lovely retirement and any eggs a bonus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I have a orpington bantam who was hatched last spring and is yet to start laying. I have mix of bantams and pure breed large fowl that all get on really well, i have a couple of polish crosses that are fine in a mixed flock but I am lucky that all my girls are very easy going. If its eggs you want I would go for hybrids, I have a light sussex hybrid who is very laid back and sweet natured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 My gorgeous fluffy cochin are still laying! About 4 a week (but one of them is broody, even though their water froze today ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Having had all my pure bred girls go on strike for the winter I invested in 3 hybrids in October. The started Laying in November and I average 2 eggs per day...3 some days and occasionally a one egg day . I got a Sussex Ranger who looks like a light sussex - well near enough (and although I shouldn't admit it my best hybrid). A blue ranger a lovely dark blue girl with dark grey head and tail and an Amber star who is very pretty and the best layer but in truth not my fav...so for winter eggs I recommend adding a couple of hybrid girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Do not whatever you do get a White Star. They can clear 6ft fences, they don't lay, they never, ever shut up and you can't ever catch the little blighters. However, do get a Suffolk Noir or whatever they are called around your way. Lovely calm birds, full of character, will need a wing clipping and lay almost every single day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scentedsoaps Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Do not whatever you do get a White Star. They can clear 6ft fences, they don't lay, they never, ever shut up and you can't ever catch the little blighters. However, do get a Suffolk Noir or whatever they are called around your way. Lovely calm birds, full of character, will need a wing clipping and lay almost every single day. On the White Star note - we have a White Star and on her first day with us one of the children tried to pick her up and she flew straight up about 9ft to land on a neighbours garage roof. We clipped her wings and haven't had a problem since. Also she has laid virtually every day since May, think we've had 3 occassions where we haven't had a lovely white shelled egg from her. Also we have no noise from her. Our Light Sussex is rather noisey and also our Bluebelle is. Each hen has there own personalities. So which ever you get they will always be differnet in character to someone elses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heth1986 Posted January 18, 2012 Author Share Posted January 18, 2012 Thanks for the heads up! I've never heard of a Suffolk Noir, do they have another name? We've half decided on getting a couple of Australorps and heard super reviews on them. Obviously it's half luck of the draw on the birds personality anyway, i just hope we get lucky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreaT Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I have an Australorp and she is a beautiful looking bird. I have her since August but she hasn't started laying yet so I can't comment on egg production, it is supposed to be good though. I do have to warn you that she can fly higher and further then any of my other girls despite the fact that she's the biggest by far! She was escaping the netted area a few weeks back and went straight up instead of forwards and landed on the 6ft fence between myself and my neighbour. I had a heart stopping moment when I didn't know which way she would go when she obviously decided that home was much nicer than the neighbours garden and jumped back into the chicken area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henergy Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 its so hard isn't it ? even if you get a hybrid there is no guarantee of eggs. I have a Colombian Blacktail, a Devon Rock, A Speckledy Maran and a Bovans Nera and they all have been laying all winter. None of them have had a break yet !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 If a White Star is like my Snowbells, hybird white chook much smaller than my other hybrids, they are not keen on being picked up and still are very nervous but they lay better than any other hybrids other than the gingernut I had from Omlet. Lovely large white eggs almost everyday except for this winter when they have both had a massive moult, but I think having a rest from egg laying will have done them good Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Do not whatever you do get a White Star. They can clear 6ft fences, they don't lay, they never, ever shut up and you can't ever catch the little blighters. My White Star is my best layer, is the quietest (never seems to make any noise at all) and is the easiest to pick up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 I think if you want a steady supply of eggs hybrids are your best bet. Although there's a general sort of breed standard for the hybrids they can all still be different. My mother kept 23 warrens (Gingernut Ranger) and they were all different - some were adventurous and liked to get to higher places whilst others were happy scratching all day. They were all named according to their personalities. What about Bluebells, Sussex or the hybrids that are slightly larger than the average egg layer? It was my understanding that, generally, the larger the hen the less likely they are to fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeloo Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 My Australorp is great! She lays like a machine, has yet to go broody, and was quiet until I got my black hybrid hen who taught her to do the egg song! She's never flown, but her wings were clipped when I bought her so perhaps she did where she was before. She does like to jump up and perch on the edge of planters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Please let the White Star I am collecting on Sunday be one of the ones that doesn't clear 9ft fences . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Please let the White Star I am collecting on Sunday be one of the ones that doesn't clear 9ft fences . please let us know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
