There are multiple breeds, ages and sizes.
They were so colorful that I couldn't keep my eyes off them.
They greeted me when I arrived and followed me all over the area.
Can you identify some of the breeds?
I had never seen several of the breeds represented here, but I am certainly planning to add a few chicks of those breeds this spring to my flock.
Anybody have Golden Laced Wyandottes or Welsummers ? Are they good layers ?
How many eggs, per year, on average, do they lay?
And does anyone have any Blue Laced Red Wyandottes or Swedish Flower Hens and how are they for egg production, on average?
Thanks for any and all "chick details."
Have a great week!
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Thanks for stopping by my blog. We don't really have room/desire for any bull calves at this point, and I've been told Jersey meat tastes different then other cows meat and you either like it or you don't, and I don't know at this point. We love our Jersey cows and would love to one day have some beef critters, but again don't have the room. We pray for our own place soon!
ReplyDeleteYour flock of chickens are beautiful!!!
I'm now a follower!
i love ducks. i had 2 when i was small and they were named seymore and charlie. i had no idea they ate stinkbugs! i wish i could have some especially with my ponds but teddy would eat them!
ReplyDeletebtw...i signed on to follow you and added you to my sidebar! great blog!
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful! I think I see a golden and silver laced wyandotte, a rhode island red rooster (we have one of these!), an australorp (all black feathers), some white leghorns, some buff orpingtons, and some easter eggers.
ReplyDeleteI had a gorgeous golden laced wyandotte and in her first and second year she laid well, maybe 5 eggs per week, but after her second molt she never started laying again and had reproductive issues and passed away. Some of the heavier breeds and those bred for high egg production have issues after their 2nd or 3rd year of laying.
Gosh, they are beautiful! A couple look like Araucanas to me. I have had Barred Rocks in the past and currently have Buff Orpingtons and one older Araucana. I really like the Buffs, nice big eggs and good temperments.
ReplyDeleteAre any of these links of help?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/breed-list.aspx
http://www.omlet.co.uk/files/public/omlet_guide_buying_chickens.pdf
http://poultry.allotment.org.uk/advice/eggs/shell-colours
In general pure breeds lay less and go broody more - hybrids lay more and go broody less (but die sooner)
Hope this helps you - lovely chickens in your post :-)
hi janis! i signed on to follow you and i also added you to my sidebar. you have a great blog! i thought i left a coment earlier but it seems to have not shown up!
ReplyDeletei would love to have a few chickens for my back garden. I don't know one from another. Many years ago we had chickens and I learned a few things about them that would help me from making the same mistakes. In a couple of years i may try it.
ReplyDeleteJanice
We don't have those breeds, but our favorites of our 11 ladies are the Dominiques and the Buff Orpingtons. Both breeds lay 5-7 eggs per week, ours have even been laying all winter. They're also the sweetest most personable birds in our flock. They always come and sit with me and talk to me while I'm letting them free range, it's tons of fun! We have leghorns too, which are known for laying the most eggs per year, but they're not at all friendly. They are skittish and antisocial. I'd rather have birds that are decent layers and have great personalities as well! Good luck with your research!
ReplyDelete-Meredith
www.imaginacres.com
I have a Golden Laced Wyandotte. She's not the most friendly bird in the world, but she lays a beautiful egg - almost every day. She's my only hen that's gone broody. I gave her some fertilized eggs - one hatched and she was a wonderful mama.
ReplyDeleteI just got some Black Copper Marans - they lay dark chocolate colored eggs like the Welsummers. They're laying almost every day as well.
My hen with the best personality was a White Leghorn named Scout. She was the sweetest chicken in the world, and laid a perfect white egg almost daily. One day, in the middle of my son's graduation party, she got spooked, flew over the fence and the neighbor's dog got her. One of the worst days of my life. :-(
Your friend has a really lovely flock. All the breeds of chickens you mentioned are great. I really love the Welsummers, they lay lots of pretty dark and/or speckeld eggs and are just delightfully friendly, personable, enjoyable birds. I'm also a big fan of Wyandottes of any color. They are pretty reliable as layers but also really friendly birds. I have some Flower Hens also, but they are just starting to lay, so I can't really give you an honest opinion about their production.
ReplyDeleteI also have to add that no flock is complete without an Easter Egger or Legbar to lay you blue eggs for you egg basket.
the most evil chicken website ever ~
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mthealthy.com/
every time I visit their hatchery online, I want to become the "beautiful chicken" capital of the world in my own backyard...good thing I have things like wildfire, predators like mountain lions, bears and coyotes, and neighbors whose chickens are stalked weekly by them. Sobers me up everytime....
unless I can build the perfect fort chicken stockade...
personally, I like black australorps; had them for years when living in Wisconsin - such good mommas, and with a light on during the winter, they really produced daily egg gifts for me. A gorgeous shiny irridescent black in the sun...
I had Blue Laced Red Wyandottes from McMurray this last year. As they are only sold in lots of 5, straight run, from McMurray (or were last year), I got 3 hens and 3 roosters. (I know doesn't add up. The "spare" chick they add to a 25 chick order was the BLRW, a rooster.)
ReplyDeleteOf those 3 hens, all 3 culled at good - excellent in physical attributes for a layer. Because I have so many hens and no trap nest, I don't really know who is laying what. But from a guess, I'd say they are laying about 66% ROL, 2 eggs a day for the 3 hens. (The roosters went to freezer camp.) It's possible it's higher, but I can't really know.
The roosters got to good size (3 lb. 11 oz whole bird processed weight) at 18 weeks and seem to be ok as meat birds.
Oh my heavens! I want some chickens. Something got our two chickens last week and killed it. :( Oh dear! Anyway, I told my husband maybe we can raise another batch of chickens someday. We sure enjoy having some fresh eggs though. I don't know much about the breed of chickens, but I sure enjoy having them.
ReplyDelete