Hybrids or traditional breed?

[vixfinn]

Can you help advise me on what manner of hens will be best for our first attempt at chicken keeping?
I have two reputable breeders nearby, one specialises in hybrids such as:

Rhode Rock, Silver Link, Bluebell Maran, light sussex etc. at around £15 each.

The other sells traditional and rare breeds:

Wyandottes, Welsummers, Legbars, Wheaten Marans and Sussex's. Worryingly no price given on website

My dilemma is that we would only like to keep 3 or 4, they would need to be hardy, gentle and long lived as I have 2 children and they would primarily be pets and egg laying is secondary. Not be scared of a little white Jack Russell!
Suitable for free ranging without hopping next door (so not too flighty)!

I have read that hybrids don't live as long but I wonder if thats a significantly less time than pure breeds? I don't feel my skill is up to rehoming ex batts just yet and I really can't afford too many vets fee's. So a good healthy, hardy hen!! Any advice gratefully received.

[OverWyreGrower]

If it's your first time chicken keeping, I would go with the hybrids, personally. I wouldn't worry about life-span - our eldest hybrid (one of our original chickens) is 4 years old, and still laying (sporadically) and bossing the other hens around!

I would be cautious with your dog around hens - feathery, flappy, squawky things can excite even the most placid of dogs. Despite their size, a JRT could easily take on and kill a chicken.

The pure-breeds can be anything from £15 - £50 per bird where I live (dependent on which breed etc). We recently sold a flock of Welsummers at £20 per bird, which is quite cheap.

[vixfinn]

Thanks, I guess the clue is in "terrier" with my little dog . I was hoping she wouldn't have a problem with them as she did guard an injured pigeon at the bottom of the garden day and night until I moved it. But as you say, the chickens will be a lot more active!
The hens will have a big run so free ranging isn't essential but would be nice. Perhaps after some gentle introductions and supervision I can get round it

[Birdie Wife]

I think £15 for a hybrid is extortion personally! We get them round here for around £4 each, POL basic brown hens. Fine for a pure breed. For your virtually bomb proof, hardy healthy hen, many people will recommend a Black Rock. They can live well into their teens and still be laying (some) eggs.

[vixfinn]

I think they are a lot cheaper in Trade-it but I thought that dearer=better
They do have some Black Rock hybrids at the extortionate breeders and some very pretty mixes and they're all vaccinated but do you think it would be best to go to a chicken auction or smaller dealer for my "bomb proof, hardy healthy hen"??

[Gro-Bag]

I'd agree re. hybrids - I went for rare breed (cream legbars) this time and they are lovely but 1 can be a bit pecky, the other is very shy and only 1 in the 3 is friendly - and she has her moments! They were £35.00 each. I kept dogs and hens apart at first, in the expectation that I would always have to do that but they are fine around each other now after a year. You'll be able to judge it over time. Mine are soft mouthed dogs (Pointer and Springer Spaniel) I still wouldn't trust them with the hens unsupervised though - they can be lovely and calm until a woodpigeon arrives and then the hunting instinct kicks in and they forget themselves around the hens too - usually ends with a sharp peck on the nose, lol - but terriers can be something else. I had the sweetest little jack russell years ago but she ignored all the pain of a jagged and bleeding mouth in the heat of the moment of mistaking a hedgehog for a squeaky toy : (
(hedgehog survived, happily, but only because we got to it in time - ouch, ouch...)

My son loved having hens when he was little - he was obsessed with collecting the eggs. He wasn't able to cuddle them - those ones were hybrids and quite placid, but still not into being handled by a small person - but he soon got the idea, and still enjoyed throwing food for them, and watching their antics.

[Gro-Bag]

sorry - missed your last q - but have had either rescues (the hybrids) or rare breeds - the CLs so wouldn't feel able to answer that one myself...

[Suechooks]

Personally I wouldnt touch an auction unless you are very experienced or can take someone with you who is. Vaccinated hybrids are ideal for beginners - I startedwith them then added some ex-batts and then a few pure breeds. Black rocks are good and Warrens are very friendly and good layers though not long lived - they are the ones bred for commercial egg laying.
Go and have a look at the suppliers before you buy and make sure the birds look healthy and happy and clean. I've recently visited about 5 local breeders and checked them out before I parted with any cash! Don't buy because youre sorry for them!

[vixfinn]

Thanks Gro-bag. I think after what I've read here I won't be leaving my little terrier near the hens for a good while I really never envisaged it being a problem before. I was also thinking cream legbars too, on the shallow account of blue eggs. I think in light of what you've all said I will go ahead with the hybrids and take Suechooks advice. We've visited the local hybrid breeder a couple of times and loved the whole farm, chooks looked happy, free range and healthy and the shop supplied all the essentials. I'd rather pay the extra and save heartache in the long run (hopefully). Thanks again for all your advice, saves me getting carried away on my fancy bird moments

[Birdie Wife]

I agree with SueChooks re auctions, and especially so for Black Rocks, which are a registered breed which is carefully controlled. Many less-than-scrupulous breeders create their own Black Rocks (which is a first cross hybrid between two pure breed chickens, a Plymouth Rock and a Rhode island Red) but they don't have the right strains of those breeds. Muirfield hatchery in Scotland are the owners of the breed, and have been carfeully selecting the right strains for hardiness and productivity - Google them and you'll find a list of registered breeders. £15 for a Black Rock is about on the money I think.

[Gro-Bag]

I do love my CLs but they probably wouldn't be my first choice with younger children. (My son's a big 17 yr old now, but still a bit nervous of Edith, who we renamed Psycho...). I think blackrocks are very pretty and your breeder sounds like a good one - good luck if you go for it - and remember to get your camera ready and let us see some pics of your new girls : )

[vixfinn]

Thankyou for all your advice, going to get our holiday out of the way first so we'll have time to settle them in. So possibly have them in 3 weeks! Will take some pics too.

[petal]

some good advice for a first timer here. Hybrids will be great and they tame so quickly. Do not let your jack russel anywhere near them, be warned! On the positive side, you won't get rats - jack russels were born to kill rats!!! In the south, £15 per hybrid is spot on, £25 average per pure breed.