I have a question about Hamburgs, and I have posted it to every Hamburg-related thread I could find, but they were all old threads and I've gotten no responses, so here goes:
I currently have five female chickens and I'd like to add three more. I love the pics I've seen of Hamburgs and I know they are great layers, but mostly I'm infatuated with what I've read about their personalities. I like intelligent, active, flighty, "crazy" birds because they are more fun to watch and more likely to survive in a free-range environment.
I would like to try my hand at raising chicks in the spring as I've never done it before and the little buggers are just so darn cute, aren't they? Also, I figure Hamburgs are "crazy" enough that I'd like them better if they were reasonably comfortable around me, and hand-raising them would be the way to go to accomplish that, I hope.
Back in mid-June, we added two Leghorn pullets - two months old at the time - bringing our flock up from three to five birds. They have integrated well so far. The two newbies are definitely at the bottom of the pecking order but they are thriving well and conflict within the flock has been minimal. The Leghorns will likely remain much smaller than our other three hens (a Wyandotte, a Welsummer, and a Wyandotte-ish mutt), but I don't predict any major problems for them judging by how things have gone so far this summer.
However...
I understand that Hamburgs are even smaller than Leghorns and not very assertive. Will their superior speed save them from getting pecked too much? Understand that our birds free-range 24/7; they even roost in a big pine tree at night as they don't care for their coop (I've already had the safety lecture many times over here, so need to go there, please), so I don't have to worry much about our birds being in close quarters. But I know I couldn't bear it if I brought three beautiful little birds into a stressful life for them. Perhaps I should just get more Leghorns as these two have worked out so well as newcomers, but I really have my heart set on Hamburgs. I'd be willing to skip the chicks and go with adolescent/adult birds if y'all think that would work out better.
Thanks in advance for the advice!
I currently have five female chickens and I'd like to add three more. I love the pics I've seen of Hamburgs and I know they are great layers, but mostly I'm infatuated with what I've read about their personalities. I like intelligent, active, flighty, "crazy" birds because they are more fun to watch and more likely to survive in a free-range environment.
I would like to try my hand at raising chicks in the spring as I've never done it before and the little buggers are just so darn cute, aren't they? Also, I figure Hamburgs are "crazy" enough that I'd like them better if they were reasonably comfortable around me, and hand-raising them would be the way to go to accomplish that, I hope.
Back in mid-June, we added two Leghorn pullets - two months old at the time - bringing our flock up from three to five birds. They have integrated well so far. The two newbies are definitely at the bottom of the pecking order but they are thriving well and conflict within the flock has been minimal. The Leghorns will likely remain much smaller than our other three hens (a Wyandotte, a Welsummer, and a Wyandotte-ish mutt), but I don't predict any major problems for them judging by how things have gone so far this summer.
However...
I understand that Hamburgs are even smaller than Leghorns and not very assertive. Will their superior speed save them from getting pecked too much? Understand that our birds free-range 24/7; they even roost in a big pine tree at night as they don't care for their coop (I've already had the safety lecture many times over here, so need to go there, please), so I don't have to worry much about our birds being in close quarters. But I know I couldn't bear it if I brought three beautiful little birds into a stressful life for them. Perhaps I should just get more Leghorns as these two have worked out so well as newcomers, but I really have my heart set on Hamburgs. I'd be willing to skip the chicks and go with adolescent/adult birds if y'all think that would work out better.
Thanks in advance for the advice!
).
