Gloss-Hen Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Luckily enough i live in a place where i can keep cockerels. At the moment i have 3 and on tuesday i am giving away my poland boy. As i have room for more i thought id get a trio but preferably a rare breed. Have you omletters got any ideas on what rare breeds i could keep? Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Would you rather a True Bantam/Bantam or Large Fowl? The first breeds that came to mind were Thuringians or Fresian Fowl - maybe one of the less common colours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 I guess it depends very much on what your priorities are e.g. looks, size, nice nature, eggs If I was in your place I'd be getting me a Sulmatler trio as the girls are pretty with their top knots and the boys are lovely Kellogs looking boys. Also they are friendly, docile and good layers (or that's what Iv'e ben able to find out so far). Alternatively you could go for the really old English Dorking breed. Again these are gentle and for an added bonus apparently don't scratch much. On the down side for these, they don't tend to go broody so you'd need to get an incy going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budgetboo Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 How about trying to help preserve the best of British? All three of these have reached critically low numbers:- 1. For general utility in the best British tradition - the Rhodebar. Fantastic all rounder, (good for eggs, auto-sexing etc) fell victim to the development of the battery bird. Both bantam & LF need help. Ideal backyard bird for families so it's a shame they are now endangered. 2. Croad langshan - one of the few rare breeds with a decent winter laying rep. Again numbers are critically low in both the LF & bantam version. 3. Marsh Daisy - well adapted to our 'orrible weather, and again numbers are critically low. 4. Cream legbar - if you could get a Wernlas or other genuine strain rather than one of the numerous shoddy imposters out there and work on the utility capability you'd be doing poultry a favour. So many imposters (hybrids that don't breed true but are advertised as cream legbars) have swept the market recently due to the fashion for blue eggs that the number of genuine purebred birds are reaching fairly low numbers & this could be an issue in future. They aren't on the critical list just yet though. Or looking over the Channel for a breed origin the Continentine (sp?) is in real trouble yet makes a great table bird to rival the Ixworth or la Bresse and has a good laying rate for eggs too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloss-Hen Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 Im looking for a bantam breed of some sort maybe a bit unusual I like the German langshan though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budgetboo Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Going with the best of brit theme again - how about the Rosecomb or the Sebright. Those are both true bantams and are rare. The Sebright is really pretty, but not an egg machine. It'd be nice to help preserve one of our native breeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Nankins are a lovely true bantam that fits in to the rare category, these are great little characterful birds, tiny but easy to keep Dorking bantams are lovely and also rare, there are a few breeders about some are very keen for others to take them on Croad Langshan bantams are not officially categorised as rare but are really low on numbers as already said, there are a few black ones about but the whites are truely striking and very rarely seen. they are more rare than the German Langshans who have a very active following and arent low on numbers Some of the Sussex colours are rare in bantam size, good speckled Sussex bantams are hard to find but lovely birds and worth the trouble, again not officially classed as rare but very rarely seen Booted bantams (otherwise known as Sabelpoots) are very popular right now, there are actually quite a few about but they are officially classed as rare, their popularity is on the up so if you are looking to sell hatching eggs they are a good bet New Hampshire Red bantams are quite low in numbers too Breeds classed officially as rare have no breed club to look after their interests so the Rare Poultry Society cover them and keep lists of breeders and ensure the written standards are not lost. Some other breeds are actually lower in number so it depends on what your definition of 'rare' is as to what you may end up with Take a look here for some information on the categories and the breeds therein http://www.poultryclub.org/breed-gallery/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
