which chicks?

[Birdie Wife]

Black Rocks are excellent and I think if I were starting again from scratch, they'd definitely be well up there. They are supposed to be really hardy, resistant to all manner of disease and live as long as pure breeds (have heard some people who kept them and they laid well into their teens!).

Make sure if you do get Black Rocks to get them from a registered supplier - some breeders are making up their own hybrids and calling them Black Rocks when they aren't - and there are often problems with aggression in these birds which aren't of the right strains, so be careful!

[Gardenwitch]

no offence taken blue moon but i do have scatty brain sometimes so making sure spacing was all ok

thanks birdiewife i to have read that about the rocks so will be on guard your so kind

[bluemoon]

Copper Marans is a good choice Bluemoon. I bought two Copper and two Cuckoo Marans for my parents recently, and have to say I wish I'd got all Coppers - they are beautiful.

It wasn't really a choice, Glutton, a black copper marans has wormed his way into my affections, but it's reassuring to know you think so highly of them.

[lynda66]

after also being hoplessly in love with a black copper marans cockerel and having 2 crossed marans girls and one i think may be cream legbar (probably crossed) i can definitely say i want more copper black marans of the 3 birds the marans 2 are much calmer, but the other is into everything and shouts at me when i don't let them out in the garden .... the other 2 just wait patiently ..... she isn't as happy to be in the run as the other 2

[Gardenwitch]

I'm off to a chicken breeder tommorrow to have a look about and see the breeds in person, yeah!! However the breeder was saying that the Black rocks may not be a good idea due to my garden space? For those of you who have black rocks how much space do you give your birds per bird roughly?

[bluemoon]

It's surprising how many of us are off to a chicken breeder tomorrow! Note it is 12.45am and I'm still mucking about on the computer even though I've been up since 5am I just can't sleep.

[chicken slave]

I'm off to a chicken breeder tommorrow to have a look about and see the breeds in person, yeah!! However the breeder was saying that the Black rocks may not be a good idea due to my garden space? For those of you who have black rocks how much space do you give your birds per bird roughly?

My 2 blackrocks (aka Rhode Rocks) have the run of my large garden but have been confined to a 9' x 6' run in the past. They can be a little destructive but are adaptable. The 'rock' has been bred to be very hardy and an all round freerange bird. I call it the rock because the same breed is know under a few names as the name 'BlackRock' is used by the original breeder and if used by other companies they can be sued for using it, therefore other variation of the name have come about.

[Gardenwitch]

umm i see then ok maybe black rocks arent for us due to lack of space for them. But i still love the marans and skylines so will probably go that route. Are there any good all year/winter layers that are better for a smaller space?

[HayleyB]

I'm hopelessly in love with Bluebelles for looks and they are mean't to be quiet and good layers. Roll on June. My Warrens and Amber Links have been laying all winter........

[Apple Betty]

I have two cuckoo and two copper marans who started laying at the beginning of December and most of the time I get 4 eggs a day. Occasionally someone has an off day but so far they've been very reliable.

[Gardenwitch]

ok I'm in love and even my OH fell in love with an Amber today lol In 2 weeks time May 9th we should be the proud owners of Ambers, Copper Black Marans, Heritage Skyline, and possibly a Bluebelle too! I'm SO excited I'm about to bust Thank you all for all your guidance and help with this process xx

I want to ready their pen area as its bare earth right now i'll rake it witha bit of sand to help get rid of moisture in there can i lay down some bagged wood chippings usually used for mulch from the garden center as well for a softer floor?

[Flummery]

Mine are on wood chippings - there's so much scratching potential there! The chippings are on slabs so I can occasionally hose the are a out.

[bluemoon]

I wonder if a person goes for the same types of chickens, I love my Marans, but if I'd gone the hybrid route I'd have definitely fallen for the Ambers and Skylines. (especially the Ambers) As an experiment Google a picture of Salmon Faverolles, Gardenwitch and see if, like me, you fall for those.

[Gardenwitch]

oh your wicked bluemoon, dont get me started on Faverolles! They were one of my first picks when I first got bitten by thechicken keeping bug lol But we'll look into those when we have more land and are a proper smallholding. They are lovley and I'm sure I will will have a go eventually

Raked the bare earth flooring on the pen today and added some sand for drainage, will get some wood chippings after holiday and then we'll be getting out beauties!! Will keep you posted if your interested

[Birdie Wife]

Nice one! i like a mixed flock trouble is, mine keeps growing!