kipper Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Hello all, Im in need of some help/advice. Please I want to buy about 6 chickens but Im not sure whitch breed would suit my needs best. I want the pet chickens for producing some nice fresh eggs for my family. Im not in need if mass volumes of eggs but a nice steady supply of fresh eggs would be nice. they will be roaming free in a pen(35ftx30ft) at the top of my garden. Ive been told that white sussex or murrans are good any advice would be graitfully received Thanks for reading Kipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewis Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 yeah ive got about 20. if you want chickens you dont have to ' look after'' get bantums they look after themselfs, going up trees at night and are quite clever little ******* Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA Shaun Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 2 things to add to your woes mate. Chickens = Fox and Rat Agree tho fresh eggs is a winner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marlin1 Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Hi Best with Road island red.... superb birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yonic Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 (edited) We've got 3 bantums, 2 are white sussex There still young at the minute so not all of them are laying yet,but we are getting an egg every other day, About to have a couple boiled for tea.. Yum.. Edited February 24, 2008 by Yonic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbum71 Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 We got 4 chooks last January. We now have over 50 with eggs hatching as I type. Beware, they are addictive! Rhode Island reds are a great beginners bird, very friendly, productive, inquisitive and hardy to boot. We also have Light Sussex which are fine, but not as good as pets. Our Lohmann rescued battery hens are ace! An egg a day, every day. Silkies make good pets but go broody too often. Hybrids are probably the best tho. Try Cornish Meadow which are a cross between RIR and Sussex. Most importantly of all, get ones you are happy with. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marlin1 Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Free range and the best eggs you will ever eat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 HiBest with Road island red.... superb birds. i had them very good lay well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I use Shaver Red Sex-Link and Leghorns for layers around 6 of each. For my meat birds I useWhite Rock Cornish X about 24 to 36 of these and 6 to 12 meat turkeys usually 6 white and 6 bronze. Add in a few guinnie hens and some banties and that is about it. Morochans are another good one except they fly everywhere and will travel miles through the woods. NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciltalgarth Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 We have about 60 warreners on the farm and have just ordered 150 point of lay birds for March. Very good egg layers nice orange yolks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Egg a day warrens Egg every couple of days banthams plus as already said will look after themselves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA Shaun Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Thought about geese or ducks? Duck eggs are spot on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 As previously mentioned bantams are good birds. Ducks and geese are good fun too but more difficult IMO and they can make a mess of a small pen in days. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SecretFollower Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 When I was a kid we had about 20 chickens for the lovely fresh eggs. We had Rhode Island Reds mainly and some White Sussex. I remember dad got a couple of bantums at one point but they didn't survive very well. They were shut up at night and the only time we had problems with foxes attacking them was the one night my brother forgot to shut them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipper Posted February 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Thanks for all the usefull replies chaps. Bantoms / chickens Whats the differance?? Thanks kipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA Shaun Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantam_%28chicken%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhode_Island_Red Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Egg a day warrens Egg every couple of days banthams plus as already said will look after themselves We dont keep chicken anymore but have tried most breeds, for a good all round chicken the Warren takes some beating they are bred to lay and have had the broodiness/moult bred out of them, there is nothing worse than having to feed a flock that has 90% gone broody/moulting and gone off lay when you all you want is fresh eggs. Marans are my second choice they are good layers and lay a lovely brown egg with a deep yellow yolk, nice to look at and pet/child friendly. A couple of bantams especially Silkies are useful to keep if you did want to hatch a few chicks, funny little things and very good mothers. D2D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipper Posted February 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Thanks for the links shaun The fox should not be a problem as the dog pen is inside the chicken pen I should not have to much trouble controlling any rats either My next question is can I mix chickens with bantams?? do they get on well with eatch other, Oh and will the kids pet rabbit be able to roam arround in the chicken pen with the chickens / bantams :lol: Thanks again kipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobt Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 The dog may help himself to the odd one? banties and chickens live together ok but tend to form two flocks, rabbits dont lay eggs but will be ok with chucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipper Posted February 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Bobt, the dogs wont touch the chickens(I hope) the dogs will be in a separete pen but it is inside the area that the chickens will roam about in, the dog's (Boxer and a Staffy) get on fine with the rabbit and play with the ferrets on the lawn in the summer. as for the rabbit laying eggs mate = she layes little fury eggs thanks kipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunnybasher07 Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 bantoms but when the cockbirds grow up and seek head man you will need to shoot 1 or ring ones neck because they will kill each other GM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipper Posted February 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I wont be keeping any Cockerills due to the noise they make Neighbours would not be happy kipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewis Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 its a good idea to get a cockeral. it keep the hens following something, and of course you get little mini cockrals running about every year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubbertspeak Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I've found this site to have an enormous amount of information on this and similar subjects: http://forum.rivercottage.net/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter-peter Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 for good egg production go for warrens, or speckeldy. these are hybrids and lay 7 to 8 eggs a week. but they only live about 2 years and never go broody. the best hen in my opinion is a moran, it lays large speckled brown eggs and is a good eater, rhode island red is a fine bird as is a white sussex both laying large eggs. a good cross is rhody sussex good layers and a good big eating bird. above the warren is a rhody hybrid. a nice quiet hen that just keeps laying till it drops. the speckeldy is a moran hybrid lays large brown speckled eggs every day. till it drops. for breeding nothing will beat a buff orpington bantam for sitting eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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