Winter Layers? Maybe Blue!

[Pony Trotsky]

Hello.

I hadn't planned on adding to my teeny, tiny flock of three Wyandottes till next spring, but now I'm thinking that maybe it would be fun (er, I mean sensible and thrifty) to add three winter layers this fall.

I've been searching breed descriptions, but am still completely undecided, so I thought I'd ask for some BYC suggestions.

Here are my criteria:

~ Cold tolerant and winter laying
~ Long-lived and hearty
~ Medium-volume egg layer
~ Decent forager and all-round happy barnyard bird
~ Easy-going and non-aggressive

And (this is the fun part)

~ I'd like it to be somewhat colorful, and to look good strolling about with the black and white birds I've already got. I love blue, but that might be too much to ask. . .

So. What do think? Does such a creature exist, even?

Oh! And just to make it harder, I'm looking for started or young adult birds, preferably from a known breeder - though they needn't be show quality by any means. I simply want them to be as happy, hale and healthy as possible.

Thank you, BYC.

 

[Mattemma]

My red sex link and EE hens laid in the winter.They are in an old metal shed with a few holes cut/covered with plexi to give some light.

 

[teach1rusl]

If you're focused on aesthetics and color coordinating (lol), then white, black, or blue birds would "go" with your wyandottes (assuming you have silver laced?). Australorps, blue orpingtons, light sussex, light brahmas, lots of nice (docile) breeds that would complement what you have. You can always post in the "wanted" section, and be sure to list your area if you're wanting to buy locally.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Hmmmm...maybe a lavender orpington? They do occasionally go broody though, I'm not sure if that is something you don't want or not.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Here are some lavender orps

http://chirpychicks.com/images/Lavender Orpingtons 3.jpg

 

[Pony Trotsky]

Wow! Those lavender orps are lovely!

Two things, though: the single comb (wouldn't it freeze in Maine?) and the brightness of the feathers (wouldn't they be a predator magnet?)

I love to look at the super-showy varieties, but I wonder if they'd really be suitable for an old-fashioned farm life?

 

[sjarvis00]

Quote:
You just described a Wyandotte, my wyandottes have always laid decent during the summer and great in the winter. Cochins and Brahma would also fit your desciption though.

 

[Pony Trotsky]

Really? Wyandottes lay in the winter? I didn't know that! That's absolutely great . . .

. . . except that you've now wrecked my whole excuse for buying more chickens. (Clearly, SJarvis, you are a very kind and helpful person, but a very poor enabler.)

 

[HBuehler]

Wyandottes are a cold hardy breed and do much better in the cold than they do in this wonderful heat we are having now but they will keep trudging through it with us waiting for winter to come.But Blue laced red is much prettier than the rest..bias opinion

I would definitely be getting those

 

[sjarvis00]

Quote:
if you lived closer you would know I am one serious enabler, I often give things to teh kids so the dad can't complain.. If it happens to be what the wife wanted too thats a real win.
My dottes lay very well all through winter, thats when I hatch more dottes and cochins the heat is hard on them they still lay just slow down. I will also say that the wyandotte will lay much longer into life than anything else I know of. I have 1 currently 5 year old hen that still lays 4 days a week and thats how she started laying.
I tell you what if you want to make the trip this way I'll give two columbian wyandotte pullets, that will color up the yard some, might even through in cochin or two (LF of course)