Opinions wanted - Golden Comet hens

[Fred's Hens]

What can be said with some accuracy is this. The high wire laying act of most sex links isn't going to play on forever. All hens slow down as they age, so that isn't unique, but if the owner gets accustomed to that high lay rate, to sustain production, a sex link flock will need to be turned over every two years, on average.

 

[fifelakelooper]

Thanks...that is what I figured and I appreciate the feeback.

 

[farmerinKC]

I am new to chicken keeping and the first chicks we bought were golden comets. I wanted a few more chickens that were different to have a little variety-so I bought two Buff Orpington chicks and two Easter Egger chicks.

My first egg was from one of the golden comets at two days shy of sixteen weeks. At twenty weeks all five of the golden comets were laying and for the most part each have laid an egg each day since.

This is what I can tell you about mine-

-They are generally friendly and nice...but they kind of pick on my two Easter Eggers, just a little-not too bad. Mainly chasing them away from treats.

-When they started laying they all will sqaut-when I reach down to pet them, as they are out wandering around my backyard-so they are very easy to catch. (I really like that).

-They are pretty quiet as a rule-EXCEPT when they really want out in the afternoon to run around, when they think it's time for a treat, or when they have knocked over their water-that makes them really mad and they start GROWLING!!! I did not know chickens could be such growlers and complainers!

So, in my limited experience with chickens I think they are good chickens.

 

[JodyJo]

I had 2, one just died on me at 25 weeks, I think from an impacted egg...the other one is wonderful...lays great eggs and is friendly.

 

[Stephen518]

Thanks to everyone for replying. It was great bedtime reading. I think I will watch my daughters flock grow and produce and get myself a dozen next spring. Thanks again.

 

[Stephen518]

There were questions ask during this conversation that I did not answer. I am sorry but I do not know the answers. I ask my daughter and she does not know what hatchery the chicks came from. She just bought them locally from a farm supply store. I have not been able to get her to call and ask them, not important to her I guess. Also, I was ask about my culling process. In the past I have not been a good keeper of hens and before they were two years old I always had a break-in and they have been killed by animals. I am doing a much better job now and I suspect that I will cull one in the future just to say I have done it and then my wife and I will decide then if we are going to cull them or sell them for $5 to someone that wants an older chicken for slow egg production, friendliness - as all mine are very friendly, or for them to cull at their house. Time will tell.
Thank you for all your responses.
Stephen

 

[Fred's Hens]

While "some" of the hatcheries might "roll their own" sex links, it is my opinion that most hatcheries also have large commercial accounts to supply. It isn't likely that merely selling through mail order or selling through feed stores would account for the HUGE number of egg these hatcheries set each year. We're talking into the millions of chicks.

Extrapolating from that, many of the hatcheries are indeed likely selling commercial sex link laying hens. The backyarder ordering 6 chicks likely gets the same birds as the big hen house down the road that orders 20,000 pullets. Just speculation, but it would seem so. Perhaps someone knows, but the hatcheries are all fairly tight lipped about their breeding stock.

 

[Pele]

I love love love my Golden Comets! They lay like it's going out of style, are very friendly, and are fairly quiet.

I get large sized eggs every day from my girls, and they each lay a really pretty terracotta brown color. They don't tend to go broody (but not out of the realm of possibility), and don't wander far from home.

Very good beginner flock birds. I know a friend of mine who has Comets docile enough to carry around under her arm while she does her chores.

 

[Manningjw]

Quote:
Our experience with this hybrid breed has been the same. She is a fairly small bird next to some of ours but lays a extra large brown egg every day (somewhere around 55/56 days so far). She also matured very early and started laying around 18.5 weeks, several weeks before any others. She is quiet and friendly which is a bonus. Initially one of my least favorite pullets because she is fairly plain looking but fast became our favorite bird because of how amazingly productive she is.