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

[Goldie]

Hi guys - I've got 4 hens, the older two (Light sussex 'Whitey' and Speckledy) are 2.5years. The other Warrens are 1.5 years. The older ones are slowing down in productivity (Whitey hasn't laid in 8 months, and Speckledy gives maybe 3 a week), but the younger ones are still at 1 egg a day

 

Whitey is looking a bit old and doddery these days, so we have started to think about adding a couple more hens to the group.

 

Having only had hybrid types I'm not sure whether it's a good idea to mix pure breeds in?

 

Ok so maybe you can recommend me a type of hen if I write down my requirements:

- Good layer (4-5 brown eggs a week ideally)

- Easy to mix with others, not going to be a pushover to my other hooligans

- Colourful & pretty (we like a range of colours, with us having a white, black and brown selection already, is there any new colour to add in?)

- Friendly, not flighty

- Hardy

 

 

My thoughts were a Buff sussex, but this might be a bit too similar to the brown hens, we'd like a bit of variety colour wise

 

Although I love looking through breeds and choosing them, there's no substitute to recommendations from people who have owned them before...so please, any suggestions welcome!

[chuckmum6]

Maran's lay big brown eggs, or what about blue eggs from a Cream Legbar? If you want a pretty breed look at Wyandotte's they come in lovely colours. Have a look at Omlet's breed section, there are lots to choose from!

[Florence]

We have happily mixed pure breed and hybrid but my all time favourite is definitely Edna our Welsummer, she is beautiful to look at ,pretty friendly , lays lovely terracotta eggs which a really flavoursome, in fact we fight over the eggs .The only thing is that she doesn't lay over the winter so you do need a hybrid as well .

 

Looking to add to our flock at the moment would like another welsummer but I have also looking at a buff sussex or maybe a cream legbar

[percy049]

I've always thought Welsummers and Buff Sussex look lovely breeds , but unfortunately have never kept any myself.

 

Its better to add 2 new hens, as if just one is added it is more likely to be picked on

[Beantree]

Wyandottes would fit the bill but, as with any Pedigree breed, they will stop laying in the darker months, when they moult and if they go broody. These are all traits bred out of Hybrids generally. So if the eggs are very important I would forget Pedigrees. There is also an issue of immunisation. Your hybrids will have been but Pedigrees not, so there is a risk they will be infected with the immunisation strains (ILT and IB) making them rather ill for a while.

 

Space is going to be an important issue when adding to an existing flock. Ideally, when new birds are added, the available space should be increased to suit to minimise bullying issues.

[Redwing]

I'd always choose Wyandottes but then I'm biased, they also lay a cream egg rather than brown.

 

Welsummers would be a good bet, some say they are flighty but I've not experienced that myself, mine were always docile amd friendly. Other good non flighty egg layers are Sussex, New Hampshire Reds, Rhode Island Reds, Australorps and Marans.

 

Bear in mind that any pure breed is likely to take a break from laying over some or all of the winter though

 

If egg laying is top of your priority list I would go for more hybrids

[Chickabee]

I love my welsummer. She is very gentle and mixed easily with my small flock. Her eggs are lovely

[Purplemaniacs]

If egg laying is top of your priority list I would go for more hybrids

Even if you go for hybrids I found that they only lay regularly in the their first winter, following years I have had to buy eggs, which came as a bit of a shock when I first had chooks as I had expected hybrids to lay all year.

 

Chrissie