Backyard Flock - Specific Characteristics required

[gritsar]

I love my turkens. Good layers so far and they are young. However, all of my turkens with the exception of the cockerel are also good flyers.

My EEs? I've seen them fly straight across the yard that's half an acre wide and gain height while doing it.

No one has mentioned brahmas? Adore my brahmas. They are LF. Excellent winter layers, good foragers, calm and gentle birds. Do well in both cold (excellent actually) and the hot, humid summers in Arkansas. Fat girls, couldn't get off the ground if their lives depended on it.

 

[mechlls5]

Hi Carla~~
I am in Clovis too!!! We use to have an EE, she laid 6 eggs a week, a silver-laced wyandotte she laid 5 a week and 2 silkie, they were Always broody

We currently have no chickens. I have an order coming from Meyer's in March. We ordered a speckled sussex, cuckoo maran, 2 EE's, Columbian wyandotte, and a salmon faveroles. Good luck, we loved having chicken and can't wait to get them!!!!

 

[cgoodloe]

Brahma's were recommended to me by FlyingFarm but my question on them is how many eggs do they really lay a week because I have down that it is 3/week. However, although production isn't where I wanted it on this breed, I am still considering adding 1 or 2 Brahma's to my flock just for the fun of having cuddly pet chickens that I can let out of the coop and play with.

I think I am going with the Light Sussex, Rhode Island Reds, and the Black and/or Red Stars for one coop. Them being smaller chickens I can fit at least 6 in one coop. Either color works well so I may get one of each color. These breeds will have to remain cooped I think, but that's why I'm getting 2 coops. One for the fliers and one for the not so hot at flying birds. hehe

Awesome to see another Clovis forum member, Mechlls5.

I'm over in the Bullard/Fowler area so not quite in the county part where I can have other farm animals as well so chickens will have to do for now.

Carla

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
My brahma girls are nearly 3 years old. I'm still getting an average of 5 eggs a week out of each of them. I got 10 eggs out of my brahma coop today and I have 12 hens. In addition, they actually laid better their second year than they did their first. They are a late maturing breed, so the second year thing makes sense to me.
ETA: Big fat eggs! They may not be the longest eggs in the world, but they are so fat they barely fit in the carton.

 

[justtoni44]

Did not see cuckoo marans..........
I have three and they are very nice girls...........quiet, lay well, get along with every one.
The BO's also are dependable.
Have a few that are noisy but think this is more individual personality than trait of the breed.

 

[DPC poultry]

black giants

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
x2

Both RSL and BSL are great starter birds. My husband prefers the black sex links "the vulture birds" to the red sex links "the obnoxious hens." They're not really obnoxious, he just likes cochins better.

 

[cgoodloe]

Awesome about the Brahma's laying 5 eggs a week. That improves my likeability quite a bit. Do they go broody much? I have down that they are average broody a few times a year or more. More than once maybe twice and it's too much in my opinion. Don't want to give my husband any reason to make me get rid of them. Do they do ok in summer heat if they are in a completely shady area the whole time?

DPC, are black giants layers of 4-5 eggs a week? I have down about 3 a week and also do they go broody much? I have them as seldom to average broody.

Sorry for all the questions!!

 

[There a chick...]

I am still looking for my favorite breed...I have EEs, Welsummers, BOs, Silkies, and one barnyard mix bird. The barnyard mix was laying 3-4 eggs per week, but stopped once the daylight decreased. One of my EEs started laying on 12/9, and she has given an egg everyday except for three (so I have gotten 11 so far).

 

[CMV]

BOs and Cochins are known for going broody. I have a brand new BO broody from this year's hatch. (Seriously, how many broodies can one person have?!?! This one makes #3.)

I'm with DPC Poultry, I also like JGs. Not the greatest lookers, but tolerant of most weather and way too big to get any air. JGs are calm, sweet-natured and just great all the way around. I have one that is as silent as the grave and one that "hums" all the time, but no loud "egg song" from either. They lay like troopers, were the first to lay despite being a slow breed to mature, and (if you are interested) they are dual purpose so they can be utilized for meat after they wear out for laying. No spectacular egg shell colors, not particularly beautiful, just dependable. I love my JGs. I would have a whole flock of them if given my druthers.