chickchock Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Bit excited as my chicken-averse husband has been won over, yay! we went on a chicken keeping course today and they were talking about pure breeds, that tweaked his geek reflex and now he wants to choose the breed for two of our hens-to-be, he even wants to get 4 hens instead of the 3 I was thinking of. So we've agreed to choose 2 each. My priorities are egg laying and child friendliness. We were considering bantams as our daughter is only small, but we've decided to go for full size girls now and find a docile breed that will put up with being stroked! I don't know what he'll pick, I'll leave that to him. But I'm thinking of Sussexes. Any other suggestions? We were told on our course that is possible we should get hens that lay different colour eggs from each other, to identify problems more quickly. Although we'll only have 4 hens so I'm not sure if that advice is more for the owner of a larger flock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 What exciting news I have hybrid big girls and some bantams. The hybrids lay brown, greeny/blue, green and white eggs. My bantams lay small round cream, longer cream, speckled and very dark brown so I know who laid what. I record the weight of my eggs, grandchildren 9 and 4 love to help and to write the dates on the shells. Are you looking for pure breeds or hybrids? Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickchock Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 Hi Chrissie! Thanks for your reply. The husband will definitely want pure breeds but for my choices, I don't mind. Good layers that like children, those are my only requirements! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 IWe were told on our course that is possible we should get hens that lay different colour eggs from each other, to identify problems more quickly. Although we'll only have 4 hens so I'm not sure if that advice is more for the owner of a larger flock? no it's more for back garden keeps than big flocks most go for a blue/green egg, a white egg, a cream coloured egg and a brown egg it also makes for a nice looking little flock and a nice looking egg box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxigirl Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 My mum has gingernuts, they were super friendly from word go, she got them locally at about 16 weeks and about 3 weeks later they started laying. Brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 My Gingernut was very friendly but did not live for very long. I have a Merrydale Sweetie and she was one of my originals and she is my most friendly chook at the moment. Latte lays a brown egg. Below is a link so that you can see what she is like. Lots of hybrid sellers have them although they do have different names, amberlink I think is another name for the same breed. http://www.merrydalepoultry.co.uk/hybrids.htm Chrisse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Don't forget that pure breeds will only usually lay between about beginning of March and end of September. So I have mostly pure breeds, but also 3 ex-battery hens (which are hybrids) as these lay all the year round. That way we get some eggs all year round. Pure breeds live longer usually because they have a more natural laying cycle, but it will mean that you will have some non-layers hanging around in retirement so you need to be prepared for that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Most of my hybrids only laid in their first winter after that they had a rest in the winter which I felt was good for them but it does mean you have to buy eggs which is horrid Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickchock Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 My Gingernut was very friendly but did not live for very long. I have a Merrydale Sweetie and she was one of my originals and she is my most friendly chook at the moment. Latte lays a brown egg. Below is a link so that you can see what she is like. Lots of hybrid sellers have them although they do have different names, amberlink I think is another name for the same breed. http://www.merrydalepoultry.co.uk/hybrids.htm Chrisse Oh thank you! Would a sweetie/amber link be similar to a silver link? They have silver links at a nearby breeders and they do sound like they would be very suitable for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickchock Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 Don't forget that pure breeds will only usually lay between about beginning of March and end of September. . I didn't know that, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Oh thank you! Would a sweetie/amber link be similar to a silver link? They have silver links at a nearby breeders and they do sound like they would be very suitable for us. I had not heard of silver link but having looked I think so. This website I found certainly would suggest that they were the same just with different colouring, if you get one please post a photo. http://www.birdinfo.co.uk/sites/poultry_paddock/chickens.htm I also have two what they call whitestars they lay lovely large pure white eggs often 70g+ but they are not in the slightest bit friendly Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
