which chickens would you pick ??

[lynda66]

me? looking? noooooo not me,(shuts down ebay window) i'm being good, cos i've just skinted myself buying an incubator lol ..... i do like the silkies, they don't really look like chickens, i think i should have at least one

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of each colour

[Nicos]

Have you seen this site???
Not got loads of breeds- but very interesting!

Chicken Breed Chart: Henderson's Own

(esp the bits about character and winter laying!)

[lynda66]

theres different breeds on there, my garden aint that big lol ..... i've been on so many sites, i was dreaming of being eaten by chickens last night.

[bluemoon]

Lol, I'm dreaming about chickens a lot too. I don't know if it's because I'm becoming obsessed or whether it's because I read my keeping chickens book every night before I fall asleep........though I suppose reading a chicken book in bed is a tad obsessional anyway.

[angelat]

what chickens to choose

hi

such a choice i know. i chose hardy hybrids, a speckledy and a maran cuivre, both lovely nature, but if you want boldness then my maran cuivre is great. sits next to a 7 stone labrador dog, no problem!!! beautiful colours i think as well, black, tan head/neck, flecks of red. good luck!!!!

[di]

Lol, I'm dreaming about chickens a lot too. I don't know if it's because I'm becoming obsessed or whether it's because I read my keeping chickens book every night before I fall asleep........though I suppose reading a chicken book in bed is a tad obsessional anyway.

I dreamt last night that a huge white cockerel was stalking my girls!~maybe it's time for us to admit to the obsession!!

[Pumpkin Becki]

It's important to think about what style of house you would like/have space for as well when picking breeds - for example heavy breeds (Buff Orpingtons (my personal favourite)) and breeds with feathered legs won't enjoy an ark style house...the big girls just won't fit through the hole into the bedroom and the ones with feathered legs don't seem to like ladders/ramps (they can't work out where their feet are and don't feel confident going up and down).

[Hilary B]

I mostly had the 'old breeds that lay well and you find them everywhere' Light sussex, RIR, Cuckoo Maran (all dual purpose breeds). I had a lovely Cochin (the big sort) cockerel. He was bred as a blue, but turned out to be white with a few black feathers. He was known as Cuddles, which tells you everythign about his temperament<g>. A neighbour's black bantam hen invaded our garden, mated with him, and produced 2 beautiful blue pullets, which (quite by fluke) turned out to be respectable layers and great broodies. I called them Smoky and Sooty (one much darker than the other, but both blue-grey).
I would check on laying capability (if they will lay 200 eggs each per year that is excellent for dual purpose types 150 is tolerable if you have the space to keep a few extra to top up the egg supply), but after that, get the ones you like the look of!

[Bephlam]

I'm going to say this because I have them...but salmon faverolles are great. So friendly, and not flighty at all. They are great winter layers, so when the other take their annual rest, they'll continue to lay for you during the cold months - ensuring you have a healthy brekkie! I also like lavender araucanas, because like the favs, they are not flighty...nice sized birds, and lay blueish eggs.

[lynda66]

It's important to think about what style of house you would like/have space for as well when picking breeds - for example heavy breeds (Buff Orpingtons (my personal favourite)) and breeds with feathered legs won't enjoy an ark style house...the big girls just won't fit through the hole into the bedroom and the ones with feathered legs don't seem to like ladders/ramps (they can't work out where their feet are and don't feel confident going up and down).

i'm making an approximately 8 foot by 4 foot by 6 foot high chicken/duck shed, and will adapt it accordingly to make the ducks and chickens happy, so size isn't a problem, no little holes here to go through

[Snadger]

Silver Laced Wyandotte for me.

Each to there own I suppose but these are what I fancy!

Like you Lynda, I've google imaged til Im blue in the face and this breed is the main one to 'float my boat'!

[lynda66]

i like them too snadger, very pretty

someone however has just sneaked into my house while i was out,onto my laptop and bought 3 ixworth and 3 Lavender Aracuna eggs off ebay ...... honestly, you cant trust anyone these days can you ...... (guess it's a good job the incubator has been sent out today eh) ...... lets see if we have any luck with them fingers crossed.

keep em coming though, they might not hatch yet.

[Bephlam]

The cheek of some folk - using your computer to buy eggs, and expecting you to incubate them...hatch them (hopefully)...and rear/feed/keep them! Honestly!!

Good choice though - hopefully you'll have babies soon!!

When we getting more pics of your poultry palace??

[lynda66]

i know, flipping liberties some people take

when it stops raining, and i've actually got a son that comes home to help erect the flipping thing ...... i told him today i bought an incubator and he had 21 days to help me put it together ...... apparently i'm an a*se lol ..... hopefully it will be all together this weekend, subject to help ....... the outside is all built except the door now, and the nest box roof.

[Bephlam]

I can't wait to see it finished. I really am super impressed that you've done it alone!

Hopefully your son will use his head...make it easy on himself by quickly learning that helping you put it in place quickly will totally avoid his ears getting a daily bashing! I always find that nagging works a treat as a motivational tool!

The only way I stop is when the job is done!