Hamburg thread!

[Alaskan]

She is very pretty, but then I really like the golden Hamburgs.

 

[bhj123]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this thread and I have never heard of the Hamburg breed until... today! I own several small bantams and I was sitting at my computer today, sipping a cup of coffee, just browsing the farm & garden section on Craigslist for no particular reason. I saw this ad for "chicken - $15" with an image attached so I clicked on it and saw this precious little hen by herself. I asked my son, who is 11, to come over and take a look - I asked him what he thought about maybe getting her for his pet roo BeeBee and he thought it was a good idea, even though we both thought $15 was a little steep for a chicken. So anyhow, I called about the ad and went and picked her up. The guy I bought her from, bought her at a flea market a few months ago, along with another small white hen that disappeared from what he suspected was a hawk. He had no idea what her breed was and neither did I. That was until I got home and looked it up! I found out $15 was not a bad deal after all... here she is, I named her LuLee

 

[carrieb62]

I've been trying to read up on the breed and I'm at a loss for words - is this breed really that rare? I keep asking myself - How could she end up in a flea market, and then in someone's backyard, then to Craigslist, and no one NOT KNOW what her breed is? I guess I should just shut up and be grateful for such a lucky find, right?

 

[flower]

I've been trying to read up on the breed and I'm at a loss for words - is this breed really that rare? I keep asking myself - How could she end up in a flea market, and then in someone's backyard, then to Craigslist, and no one NOT KNOW what her breed is? I guess I should just shut up and be grateful for such a lucky find, right?

Hamburg is an old Breed but not popular since they are medium size and lay medium size eggs. Also not popular since they are self sufficient and do fly. So although they can be made "pets" they are not the first choice for pets in the backyard. The citron colored Hamburg is the most difficult to find. Gold Spangled and Silver Spangled are more commom and some hatcheries have stock availble. But in my experience people who breed them are few and far between. Maybe there are many breeders out there but they do not have web presence. I know of one person in southern California who breeds bantam silver laced and can be found at local poultry shows. One year he donated a pair for the fund raising auction.

 

[bhj123]

I've been trying to read up on the breed and I'm at a loss for words - is this breed really that rare? I keep asking myself - How could she end up in a flea market, and then in someone's backyard, then to Craigslist, and no one NOT KNOW what her breed is? I guess I should just shut up and be grateful for such a lucky find, right?

I did a research essay about them for school and the polls said that there were fewer than 1000 breeding pairs left. Even though they aren't the first choice if you want clam, docile, chickens that lay large eggs, they do make very fascinating active pets. There is almost never a dull moment in my flock because of one SSH hen I had the fortune to get for free. She will not hesitate to put my roo to shame, even though he's much larger than she is. I think that because I have larger hens like the Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, she is more docile than what the "breed description" says.
Needless to say, she has inspired me to keep this species of chicken. I have recently bought seven more SSH. 2 roos and 5 hens.

 

[Marengoite]

Quote:
I agree. I bought some SSHs from Meyers and even though they were billed as LF, they were clearly bantams. I saw one pair of LF at the Ohio National last year and none this year. There is almost no web presence for the breed, and certainly nothing current that I could locate. Hardy in GA is the only online breeder of LF SSHs that I could find. Have found a couple off-line sources that I plan on looking into the first of the year. Would like to get back up and running with my affectionately named "Silver Spangled Nutjobs." They are the most striking breed of chicken I've raise. Yes, they are independent (mine NEVER flocked with the other chickens but stayed to themselves when turned loose), love to fly (at one month of age they were roosting six feet off the ground in a mulberry tree) and crazy as junebugs. However, I have never lost one to a predator and they are about the lowest maintenance bird I've ever had. Can't say enough good things about them.

 

[Marengoite]

Hey I'm semi new to the Hamburg breed and so far I LOVE IT!!
My first was an extra "filler" chicken. This past month I went ahead and bought some more.
They are as cute as a button.
I was just wondering where I can buy any SQ SSH preferably down in the south. I have been having a hard time finding out where I can find a reputable breeder.

Have you tried: http://www.hardypoultry.com/

 

[Nancy GB]

I adopted a black Hamburg rooster who was quite beaten up when I got him five months ago. He has bloomed into a robust, handsome, and glossy bird and has a timid but sweet personality. The thing about "John Boy" is though he can crow (I have heard him), he doesn't. He lives with 12 Rhode Island Red hens who will pull the food from his mouth if he has something really juicy, and appears to be perfectly content in every way- he simply does not crow.

 

[Extra Java]

When looking for rare poultry, I always check to see if there is a breeder's club.
Most member's are very knowledgeable and share breeding tips etc.

Hamburg Club breeder's directory:

North American Hamburg Society

 

[bhj123]

Have you tried: http://www.hardypoultry.com/

I heard of him and kept him in mind I just didn't know how reputable he was. (obviously he's won MANY awards, but I'm a skeptic
I may end up buying from him in the future, so thank you very much for reminding me!! I just bought some from McMurray hatchery and they've been gorgeous so far.