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

[gonetoearth]

Hi,

 

We want to expand our little chicken flock (two buff opringtons, a Miss Pepperpot and a lavender araucana) with some more girlies.

 

I wondered if anyone was aware of a good/reputable chicken breeder in Northamptonshire? We got the orpingtons ( gorgeous docile hens) from Mini Meadows farm which is not too far from us but he's completely out of rare breed chickens.

 

Basically, we looking for something like Cream legbars, wyandottes, chocolate buff orpingtons ...

 

Thank you!

[williamspencer98]

What a coincidence, I got my chickens from him a week last Thursday, gorgeous hens, but didn't have much choice, but he told me that he will get over 100 pure breeds in stock in the next 10/14 days. I'm going to wait till then because I'm really happy with the hens I got and the service from Mini Meadows

 

Let me know what you get!

 

Will

[angeluk69]

I'm collecting my 4 hybrids on Wednesday from Mini Meadows Farm. Can't fault them for the level of service.

 

Where abouts in Northants are you?

[gonetoearth]

Thank you for replying.

 

If he's getting more in/available that would be brilliant. Our buffs, and the araucana came from him when they'd just started out.

 

The araucana is a bit of a comedienne. Throws the other chickens out of the nest box so she can have it to herself and yet has never laid an egg. She's about 18months old now, so I suspect she never will.

[gonetoearth]

Hi,

 

We're in the wellingborough area - how about you?

 

I did wonder about mixing up a couple of rare breeds with a couple of hybrids to balance out the egg laying side. As it is nice to eat eggs your own girls have laid.

 

We ended up having to buy eggs recently due to a combination of broodiness and a dose of baytril - it seemed quite unsavoury... like wearing someone else's socks ( )

[angeluk69]

I used to live in Wellingborough I'm now a bit closer to the A14 just past Thrapston.

 

I think Ben and Giles said it was fine to mix rares and hybrids, I think my only concern would be the rares picking on the hybrids as there could be a big size difference. Best thing to do is maybe give them a call.

[gonetoearth]

You're probably not far from me at all then, as we're in Stanwick.

 

We currently have one hybrid - Henoria. She's one of our original Omlet girls. She is definitely the one in charge despite begin a lot smaller than the Buff Orpingtons.

 

I read in the 'Haynes' Chicken Manual (yes - by the same people who write the ones about cars) that you can tell who's queen by who exits the coop first in the morning. She always first out but I really didn't have any doubts that Henoria is in charge.

 

I like the look of your flock... I hadn't heard of those before.

 

Julia

[Duncan08]

I have a long term strategy for my flock.

Trying to combine Egg production with longer lives if that makes sense.

I am aiming for a flock size of around 6/8 girls.

 

Started off with 3 hybrids last year, who are three fabulous layers, but with a lower life expectancy than the purebreeds.

So this year I have added 2 youngsters, a lavendar aracana and a vorwerk, these girls will not give us so many eggs, (Vorwerk not giving me any yet ) but should live longer and healthy lives.

Next year my hybrids will be 2 years old, egg production will slow down, and they may be coming closer to their expected life expectancy, so will look to add a couple of new hybrids to my gang of 5, giving me 7.

 

Then I will be at the point of looking to replace and as you should always introduce 2, expect to go up to 8. When I will add another couple of pure breeds.

 

Thats the theory, I do keep getting tempted to add a couple earlier. Would love some banties in the spare

[kissinuk]

I live in Northants too, I can definitely recommend Heidi's Happy Hens, they aren't too far but only sell hybrids. We got there by going down the A14 to the M1/M6 junction however you then turn off towards Catthorpe village and it's just a few miles from there.

 

http://www.heidishappyhens.co.uk/hens-for-sale.htm