Oh no!!! I ordered.... :O

[RW19290]

I ordered some Sicilian Buttercups because they looked pretty on the website and I've heard from some chicken breed profiles that this breed is not good at laying, is intolerant of confinement, is not cold or heat hardy, and is not a very friendly breed.

WHAT DO I DO!!!!!

Does anyone have any buttercups? If you do, please give me some advice on this. Tell me if they really are what this book says. I hope they are not that bad cause i ordered a lot!!!

Thanks! Ruby

 

[wjallen05]

not good at laying, is intolerant of confinement, is not cold or heat hardy, and is not a very friendly breed.

I'm sorry... I just couldn't help but laugh.​

 

[miss_jayne]

according to this site:
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

they are heat tolerant. maybe some owners will pop up with info!

you could just have them delivered to my house! i want some so badly. the hens are lovely!

 

[silkiechicken]

I'm sure they will be fine. Most birds are forgiving, and since these will be hatchery stock I assume, they should be decent at the laying (thus the hatchery selling), and tolerant enough for the hatchery to stock and sell them.

 

[moduckman]

There's actually very few Buttercup breeders out there. We once had buttercups. The males are quite striking. They are a bit "flighty" and I do not think they would handle overcrowding, but ours had no problem in the chicken yard.

 

[RW19290]

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really!!! good cause it's HOT in S CAlifornia!!!

 

[RW19290]

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I'm sorry... I just couldn't help but laugh.

ummm okay...

 

[The Chicken Lady]

I think Buttercups are originally from the Mediterranean...isn't it generally pretty warm over there? I think your birds will do fine as long as you provide them with enough shade and cool water in the summers.

As for temperament, it is true that some chickens are more prone to flightiness and more standoffish than others. However, there are always exceptions. For example, it is commonly thought that Leghorns are pretty flighty and unfriendly; there are definitely some BYCers here, however, who have spent a lot of time with their Leghorns and don't have any problems with them.

A lot of it has to do with how much time you spend with your birds and what you do with them. Since you'll be raising the birds from chicks, you're at a distinct advantage. Spend lots of time with them, talk to them, pet them, feed them treats... Get them to associate your presence with food and a positive experience.

On a positive note, Buttercups are thought to be a rare breed. Not many people raise them. You may enjoy a source of income selling hatching eggs if you can single out the nicest birds (ones truest to standard) and begin breeding them.

 

[RW19290]

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That explains everything!!! Thanks ChickenLady!!Too bad I don't have roos.

 

[jossanne]

Well, if you're ordering 50 pullets, I'd be shocked if you don't end up with a couple of roos. Most hatcheries guarantee 90% accuracy in sexing chicks.