MJ's little flock

[BY Bob]

Ivy will be broody in a few months, so I'm thinking about what sort of eggs to give her for hatch attempt, take two. At present the shortlist is buff Orpington, pyle Brahma, salmon Faverolles, Welsummer/black copper Marans, Araucana/creme Legbar. (I'd prefer bitsas but they're surprisingly hard to come by.)

I'm trying to reduce the list the 3 breeds. Any thoughts?

What would you like for your tribe? Think of what will balance it out.

 

[MaryJanet]

What would you like for your tribe? Think of what will balance it out.

All those breeds have potential to balance it out in different ways.

Maybe I'll go for a range of quiet types. The Brahmas and Orpingtons seem to tick that box. So do the Faverolles.

 

[BY Bob]

All those breeds have potential to balance it out in different ways.

Maybe I'll go for a range of quiet types. The Brahmas and Orpingtons seem to tick that box. So do the Faverolles.

They are all big girls as well.

 

[MaryJanet]

They are all big girls as well.

I like all hens, so it doesn't bother me if there are a few larger ones.

I just hope the hatch goes better than last time.

 

[Shadrach]

Ivy will be broody in a few months, so I'm thinking about what sort of eggs to give her for hatch attempt, take two. At present the shortlist is buff Orpington, pyle Brahma, salmon Faverolles, Welsummer/black copper Marans, Araucana/creme Legbar. (I'd prefer bitsas but they're surprisingly hard to come by.)

I'm trying to reduce the list the 3 breeds. Any thoughts?

Ivy is a multiple cross and not in the same size league as your choices except for the Crested Cream Legbar from what I can see from her pictures.
I would be tempted to pick a breed where the chicks won't be as big as mum in three months from hatch. I would consider Welsummers from your list. The original breed didn't lay more than 150 eggs a year and were considered a hardy breed. How the breed has fared with the breeders in Australia I don't know.

 

[LozzyR]

Ivy will be broody in a few months, so I'm thinking about what sort of eggs to give her for hatch attempt, take two. At present the shortlist is buff Orpington, pyle Brahma, salmon Faverolles, Welsummer/black copper Marans, Araucana/creme Legbar. (I'd prefer bitsas but they're surprisingly hard to come by.)

I'm trying to reduce the list the 3 breeds. Any thoughts?

My salmon Faverolles didn’t live for very long.

 

[MaryJanet]

Ivy is a multiple cross and not in the same size league as your choices except for the Crested Cream Legbar from what I can see from her pictures.
I would be tempted to pick a breed where the chicks won't be as big as mum in three months from hatch. I would consider Welsummers from your list. The original breed didn't lay more than 150 eggs a year and were considered a hardy breed. How the breed has fared with the breeders in Australia I don't know.

That is really helpful, thank you.

 

[MaryJanet]

My salmon Faverolles didn’t live for very long.

I remember

 

[BY Bob]

Ivy is a multiple cross and not in the same size league as your choices except for the Crested Cream Legbar from what I can see from her pictures.
I would be tempted to pick a breed where the chicks won't be as big as mum in three months from hatch. I would consider Welsummers from your list. The original breed didn't lay more than 150 eggs a year and were considered a hardy breed. How the breed has fared with the breeders in Australia I don't know.

What issues have you found with large chicks and small moms? In my youth this happened every year with no issues at all.

 

[BY Bob]

My salmon Faverolles didn’t live for very long.

I remember.