What breeds would you get?

[dawg53]

Nice video. Coco sure loves bananas lol.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

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I know. Right?

Funny thing is she's not crazy about being touched but she'll roll you if she see's a banana. I think I'll have DH distract her w/ a nanner tonight while I try to get the BO to eat some crickets. Pains me to put her to bed with an empty crop when Coco's just just about busting open.

 

[kittykat01]

I have a small flock of 5 including 2 Australorps, 1 Barred Rock and 2 Buff Sussex. I have found that the breeds of my girls do not necessarily predict their personalities! The sussex are lovely girls, but one of them is very outgoing, friendly and a bit crazy, whilst her sister is timid and shy and frets if she is alone. The Aussies have similar, laid back personalities, but were both aggressive just before they started to lay. The Barred rock is the smartest, and was the kindest when I introduced the new chicks, but she does not tend to be 'friends' with anyone in particular. She is a bit of a loner and does not participate in the whole 'pecking order' thing. She is also very vocal, and is my loudest chicken. After giving them a few weeks to settle down they now all get on and no one is pecked or bullied.

Maybe getting a few different breeds of chicks and being prepared to give away or sell the ones who try to dominate your BO would be the way to go? She would probably be lonely by herself, so I hope you find some lovely friends for her

 

[Pele]

You should try Red SexLinks, they normally are very docile and the bottom of the flock pecking order. I have a flock of 4 and they live like a hippie commune of peace love and happiness. I can't remember ever seeing them peck each other. I think it interferes with keeping a lookout for treats.

And as a bonus, they'll do their best to bury you in eggs! Lots and lots and lots of eggs.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

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Can you explain a Sexlink to me? I know it's a breed where you can tell the males from the females after they hatch. But what confuses me is they are not listed on the breed index on BYC when you go to look them up. So I'm unclear where I would go to buy one or two.

 

[Niss]

What are you gals for? If mostly pets a silkie might work well for you.
Also, I am new, so I may be wrong, but getting rid of the JG might mean Ginger has to join the new flock, as opposed to the new birds joining the existing flock. Even if Coco is above Ginger, they are use to eachother.
I have red sex links from 2 places and one set is agressive, one not. My silkies are not, and my silver spangled hamburgs are very sweet to the flock but down right afraid of me.

 

[Farm_Maven]

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HMMM. My BR's are my friendliest! My BR roo is friendlier than some my other hens are.

 

[Farm_Maven]

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Can you explain a Sexlink to me? I know it's a breed where you can tell the males from the females after they hatch. But what confuses me is they are not listed on the breed index on BYC when you go to look them up. So I'm unclear where I would go to buy one or two.

They are not actually a breed. They are a cross bred egg production layer. Bred to distinguish sex by the color of chicks. Red Sex Links are White=male, red=female. I'm not sure about the colors of Black Sex Links as chicks.
My Golden Comets are Red Sex Link, as are Red Stars and Cinnamon Queens. Black Stars are a Black Sex Link.

 

[chickenhawk73]

I have five delawares,2 bo`s,and 1 wheaten maran.Three are delaware roos.The rest are hens.They all get along great.You might want to try some delawares they are large,quiet,and generally docile birds.But whatever you choose good luck.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

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My girls are definitely pets. We LOVE them for entertainment. The eggs are an added bonus but what I'm really please with is how many slugs they can choke down. So even after they stop laying, they will live their lives out until they choose to leave us, living in my yard, eating my bugs and making my compost rich.

I'm not a big fan of silkies. I don't know why. Maybe because they are on the smaller side. I really like big, fat hens.

I hand fed Ginger 100 crickets last night while DH distracted Coco with a banana. And both had a good time. This morning Ginger's appetite is up and I fed them together. Ginger didn't seem intimidated by Coco's presence. I mixed in meal worms into some powdered feed with warm water. I was handing the worms to Ginger and giving the feed to Coco. But it's tough trying to feed two birds at one time. And Coco is so big and tall, she got a look into the bowl and saw there were worms in there and a frenzy ensued.

I've got bits of dried up feed stuck to my black sweater this morning.

So I think we've turned a corner now and my sweet Ginger will be okay. She's definitely molting as well. Poor thing.

Provided Ginger sticks with us and I don't drop down to one hen, I'll wait till spring, pray Ginger goes broody, and get her two BO and two BR chicks to raise. I'll watch their interaction as they grow and keep the two that best bond w/ Ginger and Coco. Then the other two can go off as a pair to another home.