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Chicken keepers

Meet others keeping chickens on our Mumsnet Chicken forum.

Chicken Breeds

39 replies

Millie1 · 02/05/2010 14:36

Can i have some advice please (again ) on breeds?

I'm planning on 3 or maybe 4 chickens but need to make my mind up on breeds. Thought about 2 large fowl (ie. RIR or New Hamp Red or maybe Light Sussex) and 2 bantams (Pekins or a Pekin and a Light Sussex Bantam). Can they all f/r safely together and sleep safely together in my Maggie's 6 which I'm getting on Thursday ?

I had no idea that bantams are quite so tiny until I found my chicken book in a Pickfords box this morning!

Thanks!

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Millie1 · 05/05/2010 21:56

Bramblebrooks - I'm sorry, I missed you saying that you lost a chook on Saturday. Sorry! I was skim reading - story of my life! I'm sure you really miss her clucking around.

Salty ... if I had opted for an Eglu, then I'd have gone for a purple cube too. The colour is just gorgeous . I'll think of you when I'm scrubbing my red-mite infested wooden house!!

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bramblebooks · 05/05/2010 22:14

The other five are getting extra cuddles(their cube is green, but I have an empty eglu...)! Dangerous ...

saltyseadog · 05/05/2010 22:15

Oops bramblebooks - I'm also skim reading and didn't answer your question. I don't want self-assembly as I am worse than useless at DIY, and I also have a newborn, so that if I went for that option there would never be any chicken house - well not before about 2018. Thanks for the suggestion though .

buggeredwhoevergetsin · 06/05/2010 00:08

millie, I dont know much about new hampshires, but orpies, brahmas and pekins are all fairly soft feathered, and quite round, they don't tend to fly much, flapping up to a perch is the most they really bothered with! check out your local garden centre, the plastic nets for growing things up are great, thread it on the broomhandles for sides, and then just drape some over the top if you are worried.

saltyseadog · 08/05/2010 11:55

millie, good luck with getting your girls. I won't have any access to MN for the next week, but look forward to reading reports next week .

Millie1 · 08/05/2010 13:33

Thanks Salty!! I'll update you when you get back then as I didn't get them today!! I decided to ask the breeder to hold onto them for another week ... we've discovered a grub/leatherback problem in the field they were going to fr in so we have to spray that which means no livestock for a fortnight. Which, in turn, means that they'll have to go on the lawn ... so we need a run for the henhouse (which arrived on Thursday as promised by FSF - and is just beautiful ). DH first of all said we'd build a run and then changed his mind so I've ordered the Maggie's run from FSF. These chickens are costing an absolute fortune - I could have tiled behind my cooker for what they've cost ... and the chooks themselves will only be a few pounds! Ah well.

Are you off on holiday - if so, have a lovely week.

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Saggyoldclothcatpuss · 08/05/2010 23:52

(was buggeredwhoevergetsin)
millie, that's a shame, sorry you have to wait, be sure to come and tell us when they arrive.

saltyseadog · 16/05/2010 20:23

millie - did you get them this weekend?

Millie1 · 16/05/2010 22:47

Yes! Yes! Yes! They're brilliant but OMG they poop a lot, copious amounts, I feel like I spend my day picking it up ... or else walking in it!!

Okay, drum roll ... we have a Buff Orpington. She's lovely. The breeder was a bit of a meanie though cos she told me the chick is 8w but truth is she's much older - maybe 12-14 weeks! Beautiful bird - big, cuddly and will come over to be petted ... sometimes.

Then we have our Buff Sussex. Apparently 8w though could be 1-2w older. Bit skitish at the moment but again, lovely looking.

Finally, the baby, the New Hampshire Red. 5-6 weeks and a toty little thing beside the other two, esp beside the Orp. Very friendly and always first out in the mornings.

They get on well - were all in the same run at the breeders. They sleep huddled up together with the Hampshire snuggled up inbetween the other two - or under the Orp.

Not f/r yet. In run and will stay that way until I'm confident I'll be able to get them back in. Shall go and get some corn tomorrow so as I can feed them a little in the evenings. They drink loads of water - 2litres today! Highly recommend Aubiose bedding if you can get it - so easy to muck out in the henhouse - just lift out the droppings - and a coal shovel to do just that though I think a plastic tongs might be great for the harder specimens, esp on grass !!

Oh, we saw the Pekins. DS's want one black and one grey (think it's called Splash) ... they won't be ready for 4-6 weeks.

When do you get yours Salty?

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Saggyoldclothcatpuss · 18/05/2010 23:50

Lovely Millie, I was hoping you would post and let us all know what you ended up with! They sound lovely.

saltyseadog · 19/05/2010 08:36

Hi Millie. They sound goooorgeous. I am very envious of your Orpie.

My two borin' old Omlet hybrids arrive on the 3rd June with the Cube. I'm still trying to find a decent breeder for orpies - not having much luck - as ideally I want four to start with. It seems like I am waiting forever !

Saggyoldclothcatpuss · 19/05/2010 10:02

Seadog, google your nearest poultry club. They will have a list of which members breed which birds.

saltyseadog · 22/05/2010 18:44

Thanks clothpuss - have found our local poultry club online .

Millie1 · 22/05/2010 22:49

Salty ... not too long to go now! Hope you can find some Orpies .. they're lovely and soo cuddly!

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