Partridge Rock & Speckled Sussex breeders

[ShrekDawg]

And maybe I could find a feed store

 

[keesmom]

Wow thanks so much for all the info!!

I hadn't realized most breeders don't sell chicks or females or else I forgot, thanks for the info.

Thanks for the info on the breeds too! A partridge cochin is a good idea

Some breeders may sell chicks, but unless they are autosexing they will be straight run. I can tell sex by 10 days of age or so on my Favs, but I like to grow them out first to find my keepers. Most breeds won't be as easy to sex.

I can get pictures of the partridge Cochin later if you want. You'll just have to ignore the mud pit of a backyard.

Other breeds we like are Ancona, whiting true blue (though one is high strung) and EEs for the variation in feathers and eggs. White Rocks, the buff Orp and Austrolorp are okay. The Rocks are pushy, Orp constantly underfoot and the Austrolorp can be mean at times. Those are individuals though and I'm sure aren't true for most of the breeds.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Some breeders may sell chicks, but unless they are autosexing they will be straight run. I can tell sex by 10 days of age or so on my Favs, but I like to grow them out first to find my keepers. Most breeds won't be as easy to sex.

I can get pictures of the partridge Cochin later if you want. You'll just have to ignore the mud pit of a backyard.

Other breeds we like are Ancona, whiting true blue (though one is high strung) and EEs for the variation in feathers and eggs. White Rocks, the buff Orp and Austrolorp are okay. The Rocks are pushy, Orp constantly underfoot and the Austrolorp can be mean at times. Those are individuals though and I'm sure aren't true for most of the breeds.

Hmm, yeah I don't think I could keep the roosters so that might be a problem.

But wow that's early isn't it? Makes sense to grow them out though.

Pictures would be great! Thanks and that's okay, I think most people's yards are a mud pit haha it's that time of year and especially after last night's storm.

I've actually experienced some of those same issues with my birds. I have 1 Barred Rock, 2 Black Australorps, 3 Buff Orpingtons, and 2 Easter Eggers. The Rock I haven't noticed being very pushy but I'm not out there as much as I should be. But I find she's very intelligent and dignified and seems friendly but not obnoxious. The Orps would be friendly if I was out there more but lately they've been underfoot too. Like when I go in the pen they crowd the gate and when I walk through they're slowest to move lol but everyone crowds the gate so it's not so much them but they're trying to forage outside so ya. The Australorps can be a little mean sometimes to the others. Although they seem to have stopped bullying one EE now that she's laying again. Maybe they just need more room than other chickens.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm happy to hear I'm not the only one who finds speckled Sussex unappealing. I'm on my second one only, but it's just as blah as the first one.

My one partridge Cochin from MYC last year is so dark she's almost black. She was my first broody of the season. I have found the key to breaking stubborn cochins is to pen them with the rooster who's currently separated out because there's no room him at the moment. A young rooster keeps them from sitting down usually.

There's so many great breed, good luck picking one. I haven't had large breed Brahma, only bantam. The breed doesn't currently appeal to me. I'm more an Orpington and Cochin fan for now.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks for all the info you both!

I think I'm going to try Sussex anyway and if I hate them, I'll just deal haha a lot of people do seem to like them though.

But yes, there are sooo many breeds! That's why I have trouble deciding lol

Narrowing it down will be really hard lol

Originally I wanted Partridge Rock, Speckled Sussex, a GLW and then maybe a Welsummer or Delaware. But then now I'm thinking maybe I should add an SLW too cause the contrast is more apparent, and maybe a Brahma or another EE, and now Cochins got suggested which I had never even considered before, and I just don't know... I don't want to crowd the coop so only wanna add like 4 more but that is REALLY hard lol

And if I had my way, I have a ton of other breeds I'd love to try too

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Want me to suggest a few more.

My single silver laced Wyandotte from last year's batch, there were a lot last year, is very meek and at the bottom of the pecking order. I would go so far to call her sweet. My birds come from MPC, which shares room and stock with Meyers. I haven't found any of their Wyandotte to be aggressive of any color variety.

 

[ShrekDawg]

LOL sure, might as well

And wow that's different than what I had heard so I think I'll definitely try them now!

Except now that's at least 6 lol

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You could combine the silver laced with cochins and get a silver laced Cochin.

Well I love the color of my Oliver eggers eggs, I like my blue copper Maran, both her dark eggs and her friendly demeanor. I also love all types of Orpingtons.

Good luck picking just a few. I apparently can never choose just a few.

 

[ShrekDawg]

That's a good idea, I didn't think of that. But I think Meyer is sold out of them atm :/ maybe get silver laced instead of gold?

And hmm, I hadn't considered OE's or Marans. And yessss, that was the other thing I wanted. Every possible Orpington color I have 3 hatchery Buff Orps right now and I love them although they're not very big haha they're way smaller than the Rocks and Australorps. They lay well though.

And yeah, it's so hard to choose. I just decided on 2 each of 4 different breeds and the meal maker which ended up being a third Orpington and the second BR sadly died early on but it's better cause there wouldn't be enough room atm.

But I could have easily done 1 each of 8 breeds LOL

But I thought in case one died I'd still have that breed

But now I want to add more and narrowing it down is hard

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh and some other breeds I want are Dominique, BLRW, and silver penciled rock...

....this is going to be hard

Which of the Wyandottes do you like the best? Are they all pretty much the same personality wise? What do you think is the most striking? And what would sort of "go" best with my flock? Like match/look best lol 1 BR, 2 BA, 3 BO, 2 EE