Poorly chicken

[AyeAyeMagpie]

Hello,

I'm new to chicken keeping. Just getting set up right now and looking for a breeder. I've really struggled to find a breeder of pure breed chickens in my region. All online directories seem to be years out of date with dead links and breeders no longer operating. Is there a reliable directory? Or perhaps experienced chicken keepers could make recommendations here?

I'm based in Lincolnshire but happy to travel a couple of hours. I'm looking for a mixed flock of approx 4 hens. On my shortlist are Cream Legbar, Welsummer, Wyandotte, Maran, and Orpington. Open to suggestions of other breeds suitable for a family garden.

 

All advice and recommendations very welcome. 

[The Dogmother]

Your best bet is to buy a copy of Practical Poultry magazine - there are breeders listed in there, and also bred clubs with contacts. I usually get my pure breed bantams from the sale pens at poultry shows, or from breeders that I meet there; they are surplus stock which aren't quite up to show standard.

[Plum]

Agree with DM.  Also had a quick look and here are a few to get you started. Some nice looking hens here some on your list http://www.poultrymad.co.uk/index.html

or you can't go wrong with a few hybrids to start with lovely colours and fully vaccinated http://www.briggspoultry.com/briggs_poultry_002.htm   https://www.manor-farm-poultry.com/home 

I think it's best to go and visit and see the hens and then you can choose.  If you get fixated on what breeds you want you can spend forever looking for them at the same breeder.  It's good to look at their qualities first to see what suits you though.

[AyeAyeMagpie]

Thank you for your quick response! I'll take a look at that magazine, thank you. Poultry Mad doesn't seem to be operating any more. The Facebook page is inactive and I've not received a response to an enquiry email that I sent a few weeks ago. This is what I'm finding, a lot of the breeders coming up in searches and listings don't seem to be up to date, which is a nuisance. 

[Plum]

How frustrating.  Smaller breeders may not have a website so DM's advice is great.  I've had a couple from a small breeder of wyandotte bantams and enjoyed seeing their setup and they took time to give great advice.

[The Dogmother]

Roughly where are you located? Someone on here may know breeders in your area

[AyeAyeMagpie]

On 25/08/2018 at 8:16 AM, The Dogmother said:

Roughly where are you located? Someone on here may know breeders in your area

I'm in Lincoln but happy to travel within a reasonable distance, up to 2 1/2 hours drive time. 

[AyeAyeMagpie]

Thank you again for your advice. I've found two breeders fairly locally and I'm going to visit them this week. Each has some interesting breeds from my wishlist and a few unexpected wild cards. I'm really going to struggle to narrow down the selection! 

Do you think starting out with 6 birds would be too much for a beginner? Space isn't an issue. I'm struggling to whittle down the choice.

[Plum]

That's good news.  If you've space go for the 6 as long as you have time to enjoy and watch them.  it's a bit more poo picking and personal attention will take a bit longer for worming, health checks etc but it's repeating the same thing.

Post some pics when you get them

[AyeAyeMagpie]

Ah, you see, now you've basically given me permission to get 6! One breeder has large silkies, which weren't on my list but now I'm thinking of getting one each for my two girls as I know they will adore them. I was looking to get one Marans but one breeder has Wheaton and the other has Copper Blue and Black, which are all such beautiful colours so now I'm thinking of getting 2 or 3. I'm definitely going to get a Cream Legbar, as that was my original favourite. Other options offered are Orpington, Wyandotte, and Welsummer. So between these two breeders I  really am spoilt for choice. Can't have them all! What mix would you go for out of those options?

[Plum]

Silkies are nice for girls to handle, legbar and Maran less easy to handle like the Welsummer.  Nice colours you've chosen.

I'd go for a lovely orp preferably buff and a wyandotte.  Both are friendly if given attention and handling, they are huge in large breed but you've got the space.

Your land is going to look so pretty. 

 

 

[Luvachicken]

How exciting 

I can't wait to see the photos of what you get.

Guess you didn't want any Pekins then 

[mullethunter]

I don’t know an awful lot about them because I have bantams - although I do have bantam Wyandottes.

I would have a buff Orpington because they’re a lovely colour and shape, a cream legbar for her blue eggs, a wellsummer for her dark eggs and because she looks like a picture book chicken, two Wyandottes - one gold laced and one silver laced because they’re stunning, and a copper black maran for her beautiful eggs. Then I’d have a lovely multicoloured flock and multicoloured eggs.

Im afraid im not keen on silkies.

[AyeAyeMagpie]

Ooh good choices and good justification too. If it were solely my decision I'd mostly agree with you, with the exception of swapping out the silver lace Wyandotte for a copper blue Maran because I think they're so pretty. But I do think my daughter's would prefer a Silkie each so I think that's effecting my decision making. 

If Pekins were larger, I'd be very interested in them too! I think I'm beginning to understand how people get carried away with keeping chickens. There's so much variety and choice. 

[Millie-Annie]

I had a cream leg bar, a Welsummer and a black Orpington.  The cream leg bar was very flighty, you couldnt get near her.  The Welsummer was nice laid beautiful dark eggs, but not for long and my vet said the darker the eggs, the shorter the laying time.  My Orpington was beautiful, didnt lay for long either but such a lovely girl.  I also had a Brahma, she was very broody.  In fact the Welsumer and the Brahma were both very broody, but not the Orp.