Rare breeds

[neil r 1,860]

Anyone keep rare breed chickens  . I’ve got a mixed lot of light Sussex and sussex/silkie hybrids with a few cream legbars and vorwerks in with them just for eggs but I’m going to start doing rare breeds in some new runs for hatching eggs and young birds for next year . The first lot I’ve bought are these Swedish flower hens from maryport . Still need a cockerel to go with them but there’s no immediate rush for that  . I’m looking for suggestions for a couple more breeds once I get some more runs built in the next few months . I’m not bothered about prolific egg layers , just looking for breeds that aren’t that common and look interesting because every man and his dog round here does wyndottes , rir’s , leghorns , legbars etc and I don’t want to just do what they do 

[gnipper 6,487]

I was looking for Marsh Daisies back when I kept chickens as we originated from the same village but never ended up getting any. The ones I was offered were of questionable pedigree or very expensive hatching eggs off ebay. You would think rare breed owners would want to spread the bloodlines far and wide wouldn't you but most are greedy feckers who charge top dollar because they're rare.

[forest of dean redneck 11,624]

I remember reading about the Swedish flower they were commanding silly money as was only couple of people who had them in the uk back when I was I to keeping chickens , first ones I had were lilac Andalusians they were to flighty I sold them to a breeder who wanted to expand his flock , I had Norfolk greys they were lovely and calm , 

Had Brahma bantams which were probably my favourite and seramas .

Also had Japanese x Pekins .

oh and I have had barnevelders they were nice and quiet . 

I nearly had salmon faverolles but when I went to view them the stock looked diseased so didn’t bother .

i always wanted to try Amerucana?/easter egger types

and also wanted to cross seramas with oegb but never got round to it .

 

[neil r 1,860]

2 hours ago, gnipper said:

I was looking for Marsh Daisies back when I kept chickens as we originated from the same village but never ended up getting any. The ones I was offered were of questionable pedigree or very expensive hatching eggs off ebay. You would think rare breed owners would want to spread the bloodlines far and wide wouldn't you but most are greedy feckers who charge top dollar because they're rare.

Marsh daisies are one that I keep thinking about. There’s a bloke in Warrington who was doing them and I think I saw some in Nelson aswell . Some of the breeders ask silly money for eggs and young birds , I was looking at silver deathlayer eggs and the guy was asking a fair bit more than I think was fair for them . I’ve been offered some 8 week old houdans for free off the bloke on the next pen but I’m not overly keen on the crested birds 

[Big rowie 187]

I was looking not long ago for the scots dumpy chicken and Scots grey. After last lot of chicks I was looking at rare breeds. Came across them rare scottish breeds so when ready I'm going to find some and get a few of them 

[neil r 1,860]

26 minutes ago, forest of dean redneck said:

I remember reading about the Swedish flower they were commanding silly money as was only couple of people who had them in the uk back when I was I to keeping chickens , first ones I had were lilac Andalusians they were to flighty I sold them to a breeder who wanted to expand his flock , I had Norfolk greys they were lovely and calm , 

Had Brahma bantams which were probably my favourite and seramas .

Also had Japanese x Pekins .

oh and I have had barnevelders they were nice and quiet . 

I nearly had salmon faverolles but when I went to view them the stock looked diseased so didn’t bother .

i always wanted to try Amerucana?/easter egger types

and also wanted to cross seramas with oegb but never got round to it .

 

There still doesn’t seem to be many keeping flower hens over here but luckily the bloke I got them off didn’t charge that much for them , I got them for £24 each which I didn’t think was too bad . The guy in Warrington with the marsh daises had some Norfolk greys up for sale recently but I think he was getting rid of his stock of them because they were 3 yrs old . I did like the look of them though and I’d be tempted if I came across some . Funny you mention salmon faverolles , my mate was offered some over keighley way a couple of months back but knocked them back because they didn’t look right . My plan for my cream legbars is to put them in with a golden bielefelder to breed some olive eggers because they seem very popular on Facebook and it will help pay for the feed 

 

Edited June 24, 2024 by neil r

[neil r 1,860]

11 minutes ago, Big rowie said:

I was looking not long ago for the scots dumpy chicken and Scots grey. After last lot of chicks I was looking at rare breeds. Came across them rare scottish breeds so when ready I'm going to find some and get a few of them 

Just had a look at them , quite like the cuckoo coloured ones . 

[BobDown 808]

Had marsh daisy’s , old English pheasant fowl look or8