Advice, Please!

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Advice, Please!

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Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 05 7:39 am Post subject: Advice, Please!

Just thought I would open this post to ask for your comments and advice.

Having just

(literally) got our allotment, the main concern at the moment is clearing it and getting something to grow in the ground.

However, I am doing some background work into what breed of chickens would be the most appropriate to have. Although I am researching this I wondered if you could give me any recommendations as to what breeds you have and why, are there any to stay well clear of (given the fact I am only interested in having eggs from them) and what type of 'home' do people find the best.

The allotments are behind our house, there are chickens there already - I think they are all rhode island reds. Our village is small so we don't have any problem with vandals, etc., as security would have been a great concern to me as well. At least I don't have to worry about the humans, we do get foxes very occasionally.

I think I must be the one getting broody

- I'm even picking names for them!!! (the hens that is!).

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 05 7:58 am Post subject:

Oooh, great, a chance to talk about our chickens again. I'm like a proud mama myself

Breeds - we chose pure breeds as they are partly pets (no time for a dog or anything at the mo). Picked Buff and Speckled Sussex, partly out of a fluffy idea about them being "local"! and partly cos they are meant to be decent layers for a pure breed.

To be wary of - if you fall for something pretty (you don't sound like you will though!) check its supposed laying ability..can't remember just now where I saw this but there are plenty of sources which will tell you eg Sussex averages 200 eggs a year, Orpingtons 90 (made up figures which I'd be happy to have corrected or will do later myself).

You sound like you'd be happier which something thoroughly productive..I think RIR is meant to be, or some of the hybrids for free ranging.

Haveto go to DIY shops now urgh, back later.

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 05 9:48 am Post subject:

welcome Gertie, you're at the stage we were about a year ago. Got the allotment then (3ft high couch grass) and worked on clearing half of it - 180ft long- and getting our 1st harvest last summer.

Got the chickens in August. we've gone for hybrid birds, 3 Goldline. They are bred to be little egg laying machines so will lay throughout the winter. I got them from the local poultry supplier who has his farm in the village. Probably a thing to do is go round some suppliers or markets and have a look at some birds, ask questions and see what feels right.

Piccys and details of both projects on our website if that helps!

JKLawrence

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 14

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 05 10:44 am Post subject:
I started last summer with 2 black rocks (recommended as easy by the supplier) and 2 cream legbars - for their blue eggs. Both types have been equally easy to look after. I plan to get more this year, and will probably just get cream legbars. I really love having blue eggs, and it's fun giving them away to people who have never seen a blue one before.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 05 1:40 pm Post subject:
Hi Gertie. Tell us what sort of thing you like the look of, even without pictures. Fuzzy, certain colours, feathers on the legs etc. How many eggs must you get a week, then we could make some recommendations.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 05 4:23 pm Post subject:

If you get hold of a copy of 'Starting with Chickens' by Katier Thear (�6.95) it has a good section with pictures and details of a number of breeds. It has details on housing, feeding and many other topics. It's a very useful book to have for a new keeper.

The comments I usually say to new keepers is that even if you don't see any foxes about they will be around so take fox precautions.

Also if you only keep a few hens they can live a long time and you may get quite attached to them, even when they stop laying.

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 05 9:29 pm Post subject:

Brilliant, thanks to everyone for your comments. I've been to our local library today and got some a couple of books our (unfortunately, I didn't check the second one out thoroughly and it appears to be about keeping battery hens - GREAT!!!). So that can go back to the library unread.

The Katie Thear book sounds good, will look into buying/borrowing that.

I thought I would start with 3 or 4 to see how we get on and then maybe add on later, but I take the point, the more area they have and the more TLC they get the better things will be. I like the sound that hens have different coloured eggs, my friends nephew has marans and they apparently have a rich chocolatey brown egg.

Priority at the moment is getting the land sorted out, but getting this allotment is better than winning the lottery (sad, I know).

Do not fear this is only the start, I will always be asking your advice!!!

nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Sun Jan 16, 05 1:05 am Post subject:
Hiya gertie, will follow your antics with interest as I am in the throes of doing the same myself right now

Marigold123

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 224

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 05 2:00 am Post subject:

Hi, I don't know if this is too late to be of any use, but this time last year we bought three 6 day-old black rock chicks. They started laying in early June, and with extra light we have had an embarrassment of eggs all winter. The supplier's website reckon 275 a year, I seem to remember. That's about three quarters of an egg every day, or an average of three eggs every four days. I've been keeping combined laying records for our 3 ladies, and though I haven't done my sums properly yet, I think we have beaten that, but in small flocks I'm told you often will.

Black rocks, (which I believe are a fairly new American cross - Rhode Island Red on the male side, and Barred Plymouth Rock on the female) are supposed to be very hardy, disease resistant, and very suitable for free ranging. They are also supposed to be good for beginners, and are less highly strung than some breeds.

As a novice chicken keeper, I've found them to be excellent in all these respects, and they're certainly strong minded birds that don't phase easily, which is useful as I have 3 kids and a cat, and live next door to two big woofy dogs. Ours are virtually oblivious to bad weather; come rain or shine, hail or high winds, they are out there doing their chickeny thing. I am always amazed at how toasty and warm they feel when you pick them up, even on the coldest days.

In a year or two I will be interested to see whether the Rhode Island Red side means they are easy to get broody, as we will probably want to get a few more chicks to expand our flock, or eggs from other breeds. (The breeders won't let you have the male chicks - they all have a white spot on their heads from hatching, and so are easily sexed right from day 1 - and they won't sell the eggs either, so you can't breed from that particular strain, and need to buy fresh chicks in if it's more rocks you want.)

They're also supposed to be long-lived, and to lay well for a long time too. We've yet to see how that goes.

They're rather nice looking too, if I say it myself!

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 05 5:50 am Post subject:
They sound lovely, Marigold

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