Shetland Hens

[TJAnonymous]

A local breeder here just started offering them, not sure where he got the stock, likely Greenfire as they do ship to Hawaii (very few places do...) He is asking $50 straight run so they are expensive. I would love one, but not sure I want to take the chances of getting a cockerel at that price. I live at 2500 ft, so fairly cool here, but the breeder is on the more tropical side of the island, so temperature, I imagine is not a real problem.

yeah, they are pretty expensive through Greenfire too. Obviously being a reputable breeder, Greenfire can afford to charge those prices. However, before I even begin to think about paying that kind of money, I'd like to talk to other backyard flock owners who've actually owned and raised them. Thus, the purpose of my post....

 

[LadiesAndJane]

yeah, they are pretty expensive through Greenfire too. Obviously being a reputable breeder, Greenfire can afford to charge those prices. However, before I even begin to think about paying that kind of money, I'd like to talk to other backyard flock owners who've actually owned and raised them. Thus, the purpose of my post....

I was responding to the temperature issue that came up, that's all
Point being if you can keep them in tropical Hawaii, then you can probably keep them anywhere.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I was responding to the temperature issue that came up, that's all
Point being if you can keep them in tropical Hawaii, then you can probably keep them anywhere.

That is a very good point. My apologies for missing that the first time around!

 

[dayth]

I had a small flock of Shetlands in central CA and they were definitely fine with the heat- we had a horrible weekend of 110 degF in the shade where we kept spraying the run down. The Shetlands did fine that that mitigation.

Personality-wise, they're very docile and a bit of the sweet dumbness like a silkie. The head poofs on the girls means they can't see well and are low on any mixed flock pecking order due to this and their smaller size. The eggs we get are a bit more green than blue, small (same size as a Polish) and very pointed.

 

[Don Lee]

Does anyone have any of these hens in their flock? I'm wondering what their temperament is like? Are they heat hardy? Cold hardy?

https://greenfirefarms.com/shetland_hen.html

I do and have hatched a couple dozen or last year and are just starting to lay. The heat didn't seem to bother them last summer and the does not seem to bother them at all. The come in all colors, a very beautiful flock and I do sell them for 35 each