Does anyone raise Silver Spangled Hamburgs?

[taylorgirl6]

Our chickens are nearly six months old now. We have two Dominiques (one just started laying this weekend), two Golden Campines, and two Silver Speckled Hamburgs. The Hamburgs are obnoxious. They cackle loudly all the time, the refuse to be handled and really thrash around when caught, and they're quickly being outgrown by the Campines, who used to be the smallest birds in the flock. I have read (obviously after purchasing them as three day old chicks) that Hamburgs are not a good chicken for beginners, and that they tend to be a fussy breed. Does anyone have experience with these birds? Mainly, I'm wondering if they will ever mellow out. They're also still growing, and I hope they'll put on a bit more weight. It's hard to imagine a very big egg coming out of one of these glorified pigeons. Seriously, they are gorgeous birds, but they drive me a little nuts at times.

This is Portia. Her earlobes are still blue. I've read that they will turn white as she gets a little older.

Portia is on the left, Ellen is on the right. As you can see, they are very beautiful birds. Impossible to catch, but beautiful.

 

[BlueMottie]

You mean silver spangled hamburgs?
You're right, they're gorgeous birds, absolutely stunning to look at....but a complete pain in the

to catch or handle.
I've had a few before, and have no intentions of coming anywhere near them ever again. Plus, the rooster we had was as good as stew. Meanest little buger I ever had the misfortune to come across.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

It's good to know they have crazy temperaments! They were a breed I've had my eye on for a while, but I keep my chickens as pets and don't want to get a breed that's going to drive me nuts. I like my birds tame and friendly. Sorry you have to deal with such craziness! They really are pretty, though.

 

[EweSheep]

I hve SSH Bantams and they are a little better than the LF cousins. They are friendly as they go if you take the time to mess with them. If I do not take time to socialize with them, they get flighty sometimes. They are terrific egg layers and eye candy and frugal eaters. I'd prefer my Spitzhaubens over my Hamburgs. Both of them talk alot LOL! Good beginners for chickens, you bet they are good birds for beginners as my first chickens I had was the two SSH LF pullets I got from McM.

If you live in the city, it might be worthwhile to have a good home on standby if you got one that talks too much or too loud.

 

[taylorgirl6]

You mean silver spangled hamburgs?

BlueMottie, you are correct. Thanks for pointing that one out. I'm new to chickens. That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.

At least I'm not the only one who thinks these chickens are complete bird-brains. I keep telling my partner that I want to get a Welsumer and a Sussex, and she continues to say, "As long as there are only six, you can have whatever you want. But you've gotta find somewhere to stuff Ellen and Portia!" Perhaps once they start laying they might redeem themselves. *fingers crossed*

SilverPhoenix, I would definitely steer clear of Hamburgs if I had it to do over. Our Dominiques are so friendly, I'd happily have a whole flock of them. They're also huge, very fluffy with all their feathers, and easy to handle. The Campines have been a ton of fun, and they're beautiful birds, especially since their tails have grown so long. Norma Jean has a comb that needs a little vaseline to avoid frost bite this time of year, and Ingrid was the runt, literally half the size of the other five for the first three months. She doubled her size very quickly once they were out in their coop.

Ewesheep, it's good to know someone else has had success with Hamburgs. I haven't given up on them yet, but I don't know many people who choose to raise them. I'm really holding out for those eggs! As for neighbors, since we do live in the city, everyone around us is simply fascinated with our chickens and their coop. Once we start handing out fresh eggs, I doubt they'd complain much. Still, it's good advice to have a back-up home. I'll start asking around work. Several of my friends have farms nearby.​

 

[BlueMottie]

Hey, don't worry about it

if the worst thing you do in a day is mix up a chicken breed, I would love to have your bad day

for a second I thought that someone made a new variety of hamburgs!

Welsummers are beautiful

Maybe you could convince Ellen and Portia to fly the coop, haha. Unless they're realllly good layers.

 

[Jim from Cincinnati]

I have 3 SS hens that I adore. Though I have not had experience with other breeds. It is true they only tolerate being held( as stated they do better the more you hold them), but will eat from my hand and are fun to watch...always doing something and can they fly!! and very cheap to feed and I mostly keep them in a coop. Hate to tell you the eggs are small but they lay GREAT. I have to be honest if other breeds are less active, I think I would find them boring.

 

[bantyhen'sfriend]

I do like the hamburgs, they are simply beautiful to look at, the roosters are so striking. But, their eggs are a little small (but get bigger over time). They are small birds themselves, not much meat and no good for stew, and you must keep their wings clipped if you don't want to be poking them out of the rafters every night. As far as pretty goes, no one can deny they are the best eye candy around, and boy do they make good crosses. Hamburg hens crossed with my Partridge Cochin roo made the most stunning chicks. They hatch out the same but when their feathers grew in the pullets were brown with black lacing/spots and the cocks were silver and gold with black lacing/spots. We sold the pullets before they grew up, but I wish I had kept them, the roosters are so pretty. I enjoyed them, although the purebred rooster I had went to stew as soon as he turned mean. Got to keep your eyes peeled for the roosters when they grow up.

 

[NEK38583]

They are great if you are going to let them run around and if they have a great area to do it, because they are able to get a way from other animals more easly, but if you want them in a croop they are terrible. I had some and a hen got out. It took me a week to catch her. I sold my flock of them. They are not a great breed if you want them as "pets". There way to flightly and the rooster can be kind of mean. I hope that helps.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I think they are a good breed if you need a bird that's self-sufficient and will lay eggs larger than a bantam's. Mine liked to find roosts for themselves up in the trees and one of them hid out in a nest she made for herself and hatched out 10 chicks before we realized she was missing. Most of the chicks seemed to have had a bantam cochin for a dad but she must have had a date with the Americana rooster because 2 of the chicks are larger and have poofy cheeks. Those 2 are 19 weeks old now, both mid-sized black pullets, one has white lacing & the other has golden-brown lacing around their shoulders & heads. I am curious to see what color their eggs will be.

SSH are pretty with their iridescent green-black spots, but I probably won't get any more to keep with my flock. But I may get a few with the annual pullet-chick order I buy to raise for showing & selling at the county Fair. They really stand out in the crowd.