Massive Beginner.....

[mattyg 1,862]

Never posted in here before but thought I'd seek help and advice and possible ridicule.lol

Looking to get 3 maybe 4 hens for a few eggs and just generally mooch about the place and hopefully help with a bit of pest control.

Looking at something slightly different from usual brown/red birds I've seen in most places.

Any help/advice or warnings would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Matt

[devon flighter 421]

the hybeds are decent for producing eggs we had the ones that look like light sussex, warning though they produced brilliantly the first year then started dropping off in the end ,18 months after we had them so about 2 years they dropped off to 1 egg per week each they just eat and eat and get fat "they succumbed to thoracic elongatus just after "!there are various colors available

[lurchers 2,763]

the hybeds are decent for producing eggs we had the ones that look like light sussex, warning though they produced brilliantly the first year then started dropping off in the end ,18 months after we had them so about 2 years they dropped off to 1 egg per week each they just eat and eat and get fat "they succumbed to thoracic elongatus just after "!there are various colors available

I've got the hybrids mate 1stx sussex x rhodes and they are a year old now,i bought a rhode island red cock to put back over them so will the pullets ive got at the min be like the ones you have had.as im trying to go towards the pure rhodes just for eggs.

[devon flighter 421]

we bought ours as solway star they are sold as sussex star and various other names,i was told but cant substantiate it as true but the ones we had were ls x ixworth i was going to try and cross them back to a ls cockrel but went in another direction,i would imagine that a rhody would throw more red in but not sure ours looked very close to a light sussex just a little les black on the hackle ,nice looking birds but lazy ! we had them to produce a few eggs for the kitchen and to look at but when they moulted they never looked tidy after almost bald on the back end almost like mites but were clean and free of all ,they were an embarrassment when anyone came into the garden ,i think ls x rhody are sexed linked maybe yours will be !

[lurchers 2,763]

Cheers for that mate,hopefully i will end up with pure rhode island reds

[jok 3,227]

Might be worth sourcing some of the breeds that lay green/ blue shelled eggs. They look great with the standard brown and white eggs and generally the birds have nice plumage. Cream leg bar is one to look for. Good luck Matty.

[darbo 4,774]

As said plenty of hybrids and colours to choose from but some burn out quickly on the egg laying front. pure breed birds you can still get some good laying strains edward boothman from keighley has some good strain light sussex rhode island red etc. Dont dismiss some breeds of bantams eat half the amount and birds like leghorns come in various colours lay very very well and a large sized egg for a bantam good luck with your choice.

[Rabid 1,936]

I have a trio of cream leg bars and the eggs are spot on, RIR, Sussex, all good layers and pretty hardy birds, I also have some hybrids and they lay like mad, but have noticed a lot of variation in temperament, some are docile and friendly, some become almost wild and cannot get near them (that doesn't bother me as they put themselves away every night).

I wouldn't go for bantams if you only want eggs, all mine seem to live for been broody for a good part of the year, so no eggs from them, I have one leghorn thinks it's a parrot and always wants to be on your shoulder, real personality to it, but never laid an egg since it was hatched (7years ago).

 

I have some general farm yard mixed breed birds, they would be the hienz of the chicken world, but funny as feck and real friendly, lay large eggs as well

Edited February 22, 2016 by Rabid

[darbo 4,774]

I have a trio of cream leg bars and the eggs are spot on, RIR, Sussex, all good layers and pretty hardy birds, I also have some hybrids and they lay like mad, but have noticed a lot of variation in temperament, some are docile and friendly, some become almost wild and cannot get near them (that doesn't bother me as they put themselves away every night).

I wouldn't go for bantams if you only want eggs, all mine seem to live for been broody for a good part of the year, so no eggs from them, I have one leghorn thinks it's a parrot and always wants to be on your shoulder, real personality to it, but never laid an egg since it was hatched (7years ago).

 

I have some general farm yard mixed breed birds, they would be the hienz of the chicken world, but funny as feck and real friendly, lay large eggs as well

True about the bantam broodies my light sussex are a pain but the leghorns dont go broody and lay well in the winter months.

[Rabid 1,936]

 

I have a trio of cream leg bars and the eggs are spot on, RIR, Sussex, all good layers and pretty hardy birds, I also have some hybrids and they lay like mad, but have noticed a lot of variation in temperament, some are docile and friendly, some become almost wild and cannot get near them (that doesn't bother me as they put themselves away every night).

I wouldn't go for bantams if you only want eggs, all mine seem to live for been broody for a good part of the year, so no eggs from them, I have one leghorn thinks it's a parrot and always wants to be on your shoulder, real personality to it, but never laid an egg since it was hatched (7years ago).

I have some general farm yard mixed breed birds, they would be the hienz of the chicken world, but funny as feck and real friendly, lay large eggs as well

 

True about the bantam broodies my light sussex are a pain but the leghorns dont go broody and lay well in the winter months.

I don't mind them going broody as am always wanting to hatch something, they are great Broodies, one even sat on a nest for 9 weeks without an egg, ended up putting a few day old ducklings under her to get her out, she took to them instantly and still goes round the field with them in tow, she don't look happy when they go on the pond though !

 

My leghorns never seem to go broody either, and yes they do lay all year round

[darbo 4,774]

 

 

I have a trio of cream leg bars and the eggs are spot on, RIR, Sussex, all good layers and pretty hardy birds, I also have some hybrids and they lay like mad, but have noticed a lot of variation in temperament, some are docile and friendly, some become almost wild and cannot get near them (that doesn't bother me as they put themselves away every night).

I wouldn't go for bantams if you only want eggs, all mine seem to live for been broody for a good part of the year, so no eggs from them, I have one leghorn thinks it's a parrot and always wants to be on your shoulder, real personality to it, but never laid an egg since it was hatched (7years ago).

I have some general farm yard mixed breed birds, they would be the hienz of the chicken world, but funny as feck and real friendly, lay large eggs as well

True about the bantam broodies my light sussex are a pain but the leghorns dont go broody and lay well in the winter months.

I don't mind them going broody as am always wanting to hatch something, they are great Broodies, one even sat on a nest for 9 weeks without an egg, ended up putting a few day old ducklings under her to get her out, she took to them instantly and still goes round the field with them in tow, she don't look happy when they go on the pond though !

 

My leghorns never seem to go broody either, and yes they do lay all year round

 

i always hatch only a few each year the light sussex bantams are great broodies and i crossed these with a silkie and kept back 3 hens fantastic broody birds.

[Tuzo 251]

Rabid, Leghorns are what's known as a light breed - great egg layers but rarely go broody. Other light breeds are Ancona, Fresian fowl, Minorca and lots more.

If you want something to go broody you want a heavy breed - Rhodies, Sussex etc

[forest of dean redneck 11,543]

I got some barnevelders bought them for £12.50 a bird as growers last summer started laying Christmas time

,out of 6 birds I get roughly 4/5 eggs a day

There's 4 normal and 2 blue laced

I nearly went for Maran's but couldn't find any sensibly priced ones as they have a wide colour range and you could have a nice mixed flock to look at then.

[mattyg 1,862]

Might be worth sourcing some of the breeds that lay green/ blue shelled eggs. They look great with the standard brown and white eggs and generally the birds have nice plumage. Cream leg bar is one to look for. Good luck Matty.

That's what I've been looking at jok.

Cheers, matt

[lurchers 2,763]

Them american hatch are good layers and broody to but they turn a bit flighty so i got rid of mine.