Which Hens?

[bluemoon]

We are gong to buy our first 6 hens later in the year and a local farmer/poultry breeder says he will hatch me some specially if I can tell him what I want. I quite fancy pure breeds, especially Rhode Island Reds, Welsummers and Brown Leghorns (I think the latter may actually be called Partridge Leghorns) I thought about having 2 of each. These would give me different egg colours and would allow me to distinguish the hens apart more easily - I have a notion that this is important as if I spotted a problem with one it would be easier to re-locate her if they all looked different. I also quite fancy 'proper' brown hens. Is this a good idea, or would I be better off with hybrids to start? The farmer in question can also supply the commercial hybrids if that is what I decide

Thanks, Bluemoon.

[Birdie Wife]

Those are all lovely breeds and good egg producers too. They might not lay as many eggs in the wintertime as hybrids would, but you'll still get a few. They will also last longer (hybrids are egg laying machines and tend to burn themselves out after a handful of years). Hybrid brown hens have just as much personality as normal hens (they don't know they're not fancy!) so I think it's up to you!

[jeannine]

I've read somewhere that you shouldn't mix breeds, but I'm new to hen-keeping, so I've no idea why this is? Can anyone shed any light on that?

Having recently got some ex-battery hens, I would strongly recommend them if you want hybrids - you get them at only a year old - and if ours are anything to go by they are extremely good layers. More importantly you are giving them a second chance at life, and they are so thrilled to scratch around, eat a worm, or feel the sun on their feathers it is a joy to watch them.

Also they are bred to be friendly and get on well together, which makes them a great choice for beginners.

They are only 50p each from the battery hen welfare trust - if you google the website you can find when the next rescue will be in your area.

[kirsty b]

I've had Rhode Island Reds before and they are lovely hens. Friendly and easy to get tame.

[TPeers]

Sounds like a lovely idea - just bear in mind that if your friend hatches them for you you might not know if you have hens or cockerels.........

You can mix breeds - the hens don't worry about colour, shape or size - but introducing several POL hens together will mean handbags at dawn! It is probably less of a problem with younger birds, They seem to fight for poll position less before they reach POL.

I currently have an Araucana, a Bovens Nera, a Sussex Hybrid, A White Ranger and a Speckledy. So four Hybrids and a pure breed. Four are 'heavy' breeds and one is a 'light' breed. None of this seems to worry the birds as long as they know who is boss.

[Lauren b]

me and mum had some rhode island reds and 1 light sussex thats a chick and a maran. do you have any of those?

[Sue]

Birdie Wife
I've got 2 hybrids and I'm a bit worried now about the burning out issue, I don't do anything to "force" them into extra lay (like lights) so how long do you think they've got. They're coming up to a year old now and when they get to two I reckoned their laying would be slowing down and I'd add some new birds then and let my original girls gently wind down into retirement - well that was the plan anyway, now I'm worried I'm going to find them legs-up one day in the not too distant future!
best wishes
Sue

[Birdie Wife]

Not too sure Sue - it probably depends on the strain. When I said 'burn themselves out' I really meant in egg-laying terms, the hens should live well past their best laying days but you'll probably get the odd egg now and then even so. Ex-battery hens will probably not last so long as hybrid hens that you buy as POL as the latter will be bred for free-range back yard systems rather than the egg industry where they are usually culled before they are 2 years old.

I can't speak from experience here as I haven't had hybrid brown hens before, but I know people who've had Black Rocks last well into their teens. I wouldn't worry about them going legs up in the near future though, sorry to cause you undue worry