NEW to the chicken owning world
- Thread starter Jay C
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #13
Hi there fellow members and thank you for the warm welcome
Thanks for your help and im sure ill meet some off you around the forum
Thanks for your help and im sure ill meet some off you around the forum
Hello from Western Australia
Quote:
Hi there,
yes they be for eggs.
so need to be looking for leghorn, production red or australorps is this correct?
thanks for your time,
Jay.
Bear in mind that answer was from the US. I have always had Warrens and Black Rocks for their hardiness and egg laying and have found them to be cheap to buy and great all rounders. My friend has teh more 'posh' breeds and finds they lay but the eggs are not as big as the ones I get. Sometnig to think about!
2 nest boxxes will be plenty - you will probably find they all use the same one! I have 9 chickens and 3 boxxes and they all lay in one nest without any difficulty.
from Wales!!!
Hi there,
yes they be for eggs.
so need to be looking for leghorn, production red or australorps is this correct?
thanks for your time,
Jay.
Bear in mind that answer was from the US. I have always had Warrens and Black Rocks for their hardiness and egg laying and have found them to be cheap to buy and great all rounders. My friend has teh more 'posh' breeds and finds they lay but the eggs are not as big as the ones I get. Sometnig to think about!
2 nest boxxes will be plenty - you will probably find they all use the same one! I have 9 chickens and 3 boxxes and they all lay in one nest without any difficulty.
Hi! Welcome from North Carolina!
Hi Jay and welcome to BYC.
I am in the UK too, I started out last year with 4 chickens. My sister had 10, she bought a variety and I went for 4 Black Rocks, and to be honest there is not a great deal of difference.
My girls were the first to lay and I have had eggs every day since they started, my sister now has all of her girls laying but they are patchy.
They are great fun, and very sneaky....lol. I caught them trying to get past me this morning and out into the garden where they have been helping me dig. I keep them in their run unless I am out there with them, but they have plenty of room in there and in the coup. But they love helping out in the whole garden.
I got mine at around 14-16 weeks as POL pullets It was then about 5-6 weeks before they started to lay, so we had lots of time to just get used to each other and they very soon get familiar with you and will eat from your hands etc.
But they are fantastic fun, and I get lovely brown eggs every day. So have a look at a variety and see which breed catches your eye, they are all characters.
Good luck to you.
Jena.
I am in the UK too, I started out last year with 4 chickens. My sister had 10, she bought a variety and I went for 4 Black Rocks, and to be honest there is not a great deal of difference.
My girls were the first to lay and I have had eggs every day since they started, my sister now has all of her girls laying but they are patchy.
They are great fun, and very sneaky....lol. I caught them trying to get past me this morning and out into the garden where they have been helping me dig. I keep them in their run unless I am out there with them, but they have plenty of room in there and in the coup. But they love helping out in the whole garden.
I got mine at around 14-16 weeks as POL pullets It was then about 5-6 weeks before they started to lay, so we had lots of time to just get used to each other and they very soon get familiar with you and will eat from your hands etc.
But they are fantastic fun, and I get lovely brown eggs every day. So have a look at a variety and see which breed catches your eye, they are all characters.
Good luck to you.
Jena.
Back again ,
Just to add that Black Rocks that both Jaci Jones and I have are bred here for their hardiness. Mine were laying all through this winter so they are good, and in America they have a similar bird they call a black Sex Link. (same breeding)
They are bred particularly for their egg laying approx 280 a year, and their hardiness. My sister has a varitey and they are not all as consistent.
It is true that you will find different capacity from each type and different egg colours. The black rocks lay large brown eggs.
One nest box is all they will use generally, mine all use the same one.
Just to add that Black Rocks that both Jaci Jones and I have are bred here for their hardiness. Mine were laying all through this winter so they are good, and in America they have a similar bird they call a black Sex Link. (same breeding)
They are bred particularly for their egg laying approx 280 a year, and their hardiness. My sister has a varitey and they are not all as consistent.
It is true that you will find different capacity from each type and different egg colours. The black rocks lay large brown eggs.
One nest box is all they will use generally, mine all use the same one.
Welcome from the former colonies. Glad you are here.
The Sussex, Australorp, and Orpington are larger breeds, suitable for eggs and meat, but they cost a little more to feed than the smaller egg-laying breeds. They should be readily available in the UK. The only Sussex readily available in the States is the Speckled. These three breeds are reputed to have docile, mellow personalities. I'm not familiar with many of the breeds your countrymen mentioned other than the black rock, which is really a mix and I'd also consider a good choice. With the black rock, you know if you are getting male or female. With the other breeds, you may wind up with unwanted roosters.
You might look into what breeds or mixes the egg producers in the UK raise. Those will be the most efficient egglayers.
As far as age, you do want young birds. With young children, you may want them to see the birds grow from babies. It will not take that long for them to grow up and it can be quite an experience. It is easier to train chickens to be handled if you start young, but you can tame older birds. Just more work. If you are planning on eating them after their productive egg laying days are over, that could cause some difficulties with young children. You know your children and your goals, so your choice.
Point of lay pullets could be another good choice but a little more expensive. People want to recover cost of food, get some return on taking the risk of mortality, and get a little money for their time and effort. These are pullets about 16 to 20 weeks old and will begin laying in a month or two. Some advantages are that you know they are pullets, not roosters, and you don't need the brooder facilities.
It can vary quite a bit by individual chicken, but generally chickens produce eggs most efficiently during their first two years of life. Then, after each molt, egg production drops about 15% each year. You might want to consider this if eggs are your primary goal.
Good Luck!!
The Sussex, Australorp, and Orpington are larger breeds, suitable for eggs and meat, but they cost a little more to feed than the smaller egg-laying breeds. They should be readily available in the UK. The only Sussex readily available in the States is the Speckled. These three breeds are reputed to have docile, mellow personalities. I'm not familiar with many of the breeds your countrymen mentioned other than the black rock, which is really a mix and I'd also consider a good choice. With the black rock, you know if you are getting male or female. With the other breeds, you may wind up with unwanted roosters.
You might look into what breeds or mixes the egg producers in the UK raise. Those will be the most efficient egglayers.
As far as age, you do want young birds. With young children, you may want them to see the birds grow from babies. It will not take that long for them to grow up and it can be quite an experience. It is easier to train chickens to be handled if you start young, but you can tame older birds. Just more work. If you are planning on eating them after their productive egg laying days are over, that could cause some difficulties with young children. You know your children and your goals, so your choice.
Point of lay pullets could be another good choice but a little more expensive. People want to recover cost of food, get some return on taking the risk of mortality, and get a little money for their time and effort. These are pullets about 16 to 20 weeks old and will begin laying in a month or two. Some advantages are that you know they are pullets, not roosters, and you don't need the brooder facilities.
It can vary quite a bit by individual chicken, but generally chickens produce eggs most efficiently during their first two years of life. Then, after each molt, egg production drops about 15% each year. You might want to consider this if eggs are your primary goal.
Good Luck!!
- Thread starter
- #20
Quote:
thanks for your help Jena,
Yes the Black Rock sounds like it could be the birds for our family
Can you compost the waste bedding and wood shavings from there floor?
Anyway Jena, would you mind if i PM'd you if i need any help?
Thanks for your time,
thanks for your help Jena,
Yes the Black Rock sounds like it could be the birds for our family
Can you compost the waste bedding and wood shavings from there floor?
Anyway Jena, would you mind if i PM'd you if i need any help?
Thanks for your time,
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