Help me choose a new chicken.

[hellymelly]

My chicken died last week ,possibly from mycoplasma. We didn't have a post mortem so we can't be sure but that was the vets diagnosis. Both the vet and the breeder think we should just get another chicken and see how we go, even given the risk from the one we still have, who is healthy looking in every way . She is a silver spangled Hamburg (bantam) and we are looking at another bantam as their run isn't huge and they are only free range when I am in the garden with them. (foxes).
The breeder has a few of about a year, some pekins, a silkie, and a couple of wyandottes. I'm not mad on any of them .Well I liked one of the wyandottes but the breeder felt she wasn't looking as perky as she would like so she wouldn't sell her at the moment, just in case.(I also liked the silkie, but don't know much about them) She has others I probably would like, Hamburgs, Polands, more silkies and several others, but they are all a few days old so won't be ready to leave for months. (July/August).
Sooooo... Should I choose one of the older lot, so that my chicken has a chum quickly, or would she be ok with a younger one later on? I don't want her to be lonely (although she is an independant birdie ) Nor do I want her to bully a much younger bird, which is what the breeder was worried would happen if we waited for the chicks to grow large enough. She felt she would do better with a mature bird, as she is two.

no-one?

Chickens are flock animals, and keeping them in solitary confinement really isn't kind, so I'd go for what is available now. I've been in a similar situation to you; the remaining hen didn't look happy, and I eventually came to the conclusion that keeping three was the best option - at least then when one died I could restock in my own time. Perhaps you could opt for getting one that is available now, for your current hen's sake, and then one that you really like later on?

Also, are you sure you've established all the possible options? Country Smallholding and Practical Poultry always have lots of classified adverts in the back, your local city farm may have an older (1 year+) breeder they're getting rid of (save her from the stock pot!) or may know of someone who doesn't need to advertise, and your local poultry club, if you have one, may also be able to help.

Thanks, I think I will do that, although she seems ok alone (the one that died would have been very very stressed alone) I think she must need a companion and that she needs one now. I have thought of going further afield, but my first choice would be the people i bought all my others from as I know and trust them. Maybe we should have three, I do worry the run may be too small for three, even though the house is way too big for two bantams. The run I have is six by six at ground level, it is triangular . They say its fine for up to four chickens but as we rotate it on a small lawn I think not in our case.
What do you think about a silkie?

When you say 6x6, is that in feet? Either way, you'll be find fitting three bantams in there; I had three large fowl in a run that was about 10'x2.5', no free ranging, and they were fine. You may find, however, that you need to move it more often to reduce the damage to the grass.

I've never kept silkies, but they have a (fairly well deserved) reputation for being pretty, but forever broody. If you don't mind putting her in the 'sin bin' several times a year and not getting eggs during those periods then fair play. If your run has a tendency to get muddy, then you will find that this has an adverse effect on any feather footed breed.

I'm always a fan of Welsummers - hardy, good layers, friendly and subtlety pretty, they are pretty much everything I want in a hen, but others have different things that they want.

I personally avoid silkies now. They are a breed that are rather prone to mareks disease. Mareks can quickly wipe a whole flock out - been there, done that.
Wyandottes are my own favourite breed. They're good layers, make fantastic mothers and also make a very pretty addition to the garden (have a look at silver laced and silver pencilled - so pretty). However, if the breeder feels hers are looking a little under the weather, it's best to avoid hers. A home move and stress may bring an aggressive illness to the surface.

Polands generally need to be kept penned together. Their funky hair do's cover an skull that is not completely formed. Other chickens are attracted to the funky do and tend to peck the crests out leaving. They also have a habit of jumping upwards if spooked and brain themselves.

There's plenty of other bantams that can be considered - light Sussex, brahma bantams, Dutch bantams....... There's loads of choice. Have fun looking!

oh, read that as new kitchen.

As you were.

funnily enough am about to rip out kitchen tomorrow- so feel free to give kitchen tips too...
and back to chickies- The one that died was a golden blue laced wyandotte, subtle but lovely plumage, and I do like them a lot so may go for one as there were two or three others there, but the one with the prettiest feathers was the one she felt a bit bothered about. I asked about Mareks- breeder felt that as she was a bit older the silkie she had would probably be ok, as in her experience they tend to get it in the first year. She advised me against a silkie last time for that reason ,as they were young ones then and I have small daughters who have the chickens as pets.
ohjellybelly (I thought of that for my name!) thanks for the info about polands, I do love their funny faces. The tiny chicks were unbelievably cute, and the Daddy looked as though he was off to a party with Steve Strange circa 1981.
boom, yes 6x6 feet, not metres, sadly! You think that is ok for three bantams then? Even though you lose a little at the edges as its triangular? (i find mine do forage right up to the edge though.)

I keep nothing but silkies so if you are considering them;

Good points; friendly, not as broody as they have a reputation for, lay all year.

Bad point; susceptable to mareks unless immune or vaccinnated. Mareks mainly affects hens at POL however if stock has been bred through without a vaccine and are hens are still alive at POL then they are probably OK. Sleep on the floor of the house.

Never had a problem with feathers on feet - the feathers aren't as copious as some of the booted bantams. It's not good for chickens of any variety to be slogging around in mud as it has an effect on their susceptability to disease.

My Silkie was pretty if on the slow side.

Oh thanks MissBee. The breeder I went to doesn't vaccinate her stock, so I imagine that's why she felt it would have had Mareks by now, as it is about a year old. She did mention the broody thing but as our chickens are primarily pets I'm not too bothered, although it is nice to have the eggs. My other chicken likes to sleep in the nest box so I'm used to that. I also did notice that the feathery feet weren't quite as fluffed as on the pekins. I keep thinking of the silkie, it was the only one and very appealing. Do they have any special needs? I think they shouldn't get wet? Do they go in the house when it rains or do they not notice until sodden?

I've had two chickens die of mareks, one a silkie one wasn't. Both were significantly older than pol. The silkie was at least 18 months. Mareks confirmed on pm.

Older birds do get it but it's not as common Viva. The vaccine available isn't 100% effective (commercial vaccines are but they have to be stored in liquid nitrogen so not really suitable or available for general use) however if your stock is unvaccinated and you are breeding from that then that blood line will usually pass the immunity down. For example I bred about 70 birds last year and didn't vaccinate any (I would usually) 3 hens had contracted mareks and died at POL. In stock I bred from that had immunity no birds died. In my general stock (about 50 birds) I had 3 vaccinnated cockerals die (all over 3 years old).

My silkies do get wet (although I do try to keep the exhibition birds dry as repeated wetting does have an effect on feather quality). They look bedraggled, but if you've ever bathed a silkie - even dunking it in water doesn't penetrate the fluff which surprisingly water resistant.

When you start your 'new kitchen' thread give me a shout.

Chickens I have no clue about.