Hamburg thread!

[chicksurreal]

This was a breed that used to be called the "Dutch Everyday Layer." I think the problem is, breeders/hatcheries are selecting for appearance above utility. May I ask what variety you got from MM? Did they lay a little more than that in their first year. or was it always pretty much every other day? I just got a Hamburg chick from a local breeder. It's a "blue Hamburg" so lord knows what's bred in there to get the blue color. Hope she has the flighty temperament and laying ability I seek!

Mine are the Silver Spangled Hamburgs. The first year, after they finally started laying, they laid pretty much every day. We got them as chicks in the fall, so they didn't molt until the following year and laid religiously all that year. After their first molt I noticed that they settled into an every other day pattern, except for some who still laid every day. I still have a few girls that lay every day from that group, but most are every other day. I absolutely love them. I love their looks and their attitude, they certainly live up to the flighty label. Mine will eat out of my hand, but if I try to pet them they whack me with a wing. Lol!


Edited to add - If you free range they will find all sorts of strange places to lay their eggs. They don't like to be seen laying, so they hide them if at all possible. We've found eggs inside hollow trees, in brush piles, under an old refrigerator, down by the creek and numerous other places. Be prepared to be sneaky and watch them if you get more and free range. They're hilarious, I love them so much!

 

[Alaskan]

Nice to know!

 

[maralpz2006]

This is hamburg hen she is 10 years old and she is still laying

 

[xlboergoats]

We have a few Black Hamburgs and Silver Spangled Bantams. Can they be bred together or should they always be kept separate?

Just Wondering,
Ernie Haire

 

[Alaskan]

This is hamburg hen she is 10 years old and she is still laying

That is so excellent!

We have a few Black Hamburgs and Silver Spangled Bantams. Can they be bred together or should they always be kept separate?

Just Wondering,

Ernie Haire

That depends on what you are aiming for. You will probably end up with birds that are very streaked, lots of black, but not solid black, and not spangled.

 

[xlboergoats]

All of our Hamburgs are Bantams. I realize that my last post wasn't clear. I am not asking about crossing Hamburgs and Bantam Hamburgs. I was asking about crossing Blacks and Silver Spangles.

Thanks,
E Haire

 

[Alaskan]

All of our Hamburgs are Bantams. I realize that my last post wasn't clear. I am not asking about crossing Hamburgs and Bantam Hamburgs. I was asking about crossing Blacks and Silver Spangles.

Thanks,

E Haire

My first reply is because I have some spitz where blacks were bred to silver spangled, and the result was muddy, streaked birds.

However, I just put the colors into the color calculator, http://kippenjungle.nl/Overzicht.htm#kipcalculator And that says that the offspring should be "black patterened gold duckwing"

 

[xlboergoats]

Thanks for your reply. It does answer my question. These are still too young to worry about, but I will not be running them together when we get ready to start breeding them. If I don't end up with enough to make nice trios out of each variety, I will just have to look for something to fill my needs. I don't have space for a bunch of mixed up mess. LOL!!!

Thanks Again,
Ernie Haire
Poultry 2XL

 

[gerrbearCB]

How do I know if my supposed standard SSHamburg is a bantam? She is a week older than a Black Cuckoo Maran we have and she is almost half the size. She eats, drinks and has normal patterns. I want to introduce her into the flock of 7 girls with the Maran and 2 Cochins, so numbers could be a bit more even when they are added, they see each other now, but don't share the coop yet. Will the Hamburg get bigger? Will she hold her own with a bossy older girl?

 

[Alaskan]

How do I know if my supposed standard SSHamburg is a bantam?  She is a week older than a Black Cuckoo Maran we have and she is almost half the size.  She eats, drinks and has normal patterns.  I want to introduce her into the flock of 7 girls with the Maran and 2 Cochins, so numbers could be a bit more even when they are added, they see each other now, but don't share the coop yet.  Will the Hamburg get bigger? Will she hold her own with a bossy older girl?

Marans are huge, Cochins are too. The Hamburg will always look like a shrimp in comparison.

The Hamburg will also be much faster and more algile, so should be fine in a mixed flock. Just watch and make sure that she isn't bullied away from the feeder, and everything should be fine.