Dithering...good or bad sign?

[Bantams=Banter]

So, I have the set up, I have the money, I have all the bits and bobs required, but I still have no chickens...

I was meant to be picking up some Pekins earlier this month, but then thought that maybe some hybrids would be better...

And now, without sounding dramatic, nearly every waking hour is being taken up with researching breeds and collecting opinion and looking up availability online and...and...and... my head is spinning!!

What's worrying me is that all this indecision is dropping massive hints to me that maybe hens aren't for me...

My heart wants them but my head is full of too many pro/con lists.

What can I say, I'm a LIbra...

Any opinion would be great.

The reason I was leaning towards bantams because of space and the fact I have small children and that we are looking for pets first and foremost.

The reason I'm leaning towards hybrids is the hardiness, placid nature of most varieties and the fact they come vaccinated. Reasonable sized eggs would sweeten the deal with the husband too...

FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS FEATHERED WILL SOMEONE HELP ME!!!!! 07 07 07

 

[MrsBiscuit]

Um, no magic answers I am afraid. Are you normally a ditherer? If not, then perhaps chickens are not for you right this minute. They will still be there if/when you decide the time is right. If this is quite normal for you and you are feeling a bit overwhlemed by the choices, then my advice would be to forgetting everything else, do you want chickens right this minute? If No, well then there is your answer. If its 'Yes, but.....' then I would go and get some. If its 'I'm not sure', then I would hold back till you are sure, chickens are sentient beings and deserve the best care we can give them.

If its bantams vs hybrids then really only you can decide, all chooks have pros and cons. Have you actually seen any? If not, go and have a look, you will be the one seeing and caring for them every day. I have known adorable pekins, sweet and small enough for any child to pick up. Equally I have known terrified pekins. With hybrids I have known some to be friendly, curious and very willing to be petted, and others who will run a mile and be a bit bolshy. So, individual birds have individual temperaments and to some extent luck will be involved. If you are ready for this, go for it. If its too offputting, then hold back. Chickens will still be there in the future. And remember, there is no such thing as the perfect chicken, they all involve some sort of compromise, and that there is no 'right or wrong'; its a leap into the unknown.

 

[Bantams=Banter]

Thanks Mrs Biscuits

I feel I am ready for them now, and I've spent hundreds of pounds getting my set up ready. I'm leaning more towards hybrids if I'm honest. I'm a complete ditherer about everything in life. I never do anything on impulse, which I know makes me very dull by today's standards, but hey ho...
I've seen some lovely birds at a large poultry supplier not too far from me. I've been up there and had a really good look at the place and I think they look wonderful. I just want to get it right.

 

[Marigold]

Well, as you’ve found a good supplier and have been to see the birds, and do feel attracted to them, now is a good time of year to get launched and buy some. Get three, all different, and take the suppliers advice on which ones will be likely to be placid and settled. Within a week or so, you’ll have the thrill of first eggs, without the hassles of introducing new birds to established ones. What else will you do with all that equipment? If you wait much longer the summer will be over and you and the family have missed out on all the interest and fun of getting to know your girls. Yes there will be problems, but you’re very well informed after all your research, and we’re all on here to help you if there are hiccups.
I agree with Mrs B that there will also be no problem about doing nothing, but I can’t see that’ll help you make a decision, unless you feel so strongly anti- chicken that you want to sell all your equipment unused. You’ll never know, then, how you would have got on, and may well have missed out on a lifetime’s interest, and some great memories to share with the kids.
Re pekins v. hybrids - it will most likely be easier for you as a first-timer to obtain fully vaccinated hybrids, thus avoiding the possibility of getting pekins from a small private breeder, who is less likely to give them the full vaccination programme because of cost per bird for small numbers. Inherited diseases such as infectious bronchitis and Mareks are common in small private flocks of specialist breeds, and once you have affected birds on your land, they may pass on the virus to any others you get subsequently. Of course this isn’t so with all small breeders, but at your stage it’s perhaps a risk you should be aware of. And anyway, they will be pets whatever kind you get - so why not get some which will be useful and provide breakfast in return for all your loving care?

 

[LadyA]

I'd say go for it! I can understand the dithering. I also dithered (for about two years, actually!) before getting my first hens, years ago! Like you, everything was in place (although over the years, I've improved things, as I found some things that might work better in my own circumstances),but I was still nervous about actually making the committment. Finally, I took the plunge, with five brown hybrid girls. Bit of a baptism of fire, as one got a stray peck in the settling in period and got an eye infection! I had to put drops in her eye three times a day for a week, but how to tell which hen it was, from five identical brown girls?? A dab of food colouring on her back! And you quickly find out that hens are all very individual anyway! Within a week they all had names to go with their personalities, and I could tell at a glance who was who!

Go on. You know you want to! And your children will love them! My 18month old grandson, when he comes over, toddles across the back garden toward the chicken pen going "chuckchuckchuck" quietly to himself! He's absolutely fascinated by them.

 

[MrsBiscuit]

It sounds to me that you have made your mind up, and hybrids will be the way to go! Dithering? What dithering?! Don't worry about getting every single thing right, none of us do, not even now. You have obviously done a lot of research beforehand, indicating you are taking it seriously, and that will stand you in very good stead, and as Marigold says there is plenty of good advice on the forum to help you out in the future. If you go for it, congratulations in advance!

 

[Marigold]

We are hoping for photos by the weekend ........

 

[Tweetypie]

Hello ditherer

I am the opposite and do things on impulse, although I have a husband who reins me in at times.

I created my little set-up after seeing an advert locally for ex battery hens and had often wanted to own a couple of chickens. I also eat a lot of eggs. Anyway, I bought the coop and the other half built a pen. We then "ordered" the battery hens from the BHWT website, £2.50 each and 18 months old. We had to wait a few weeks, as they are advertised in specific areas to collect.

I've had them over a month now and I have to say they are a delight! Barbie lays an egg every day and she lets you pick her up. Cindy lays an egg every other day (a bigger egg) and although not shy and will let you pick her up, she's not bothered about being fussed. They are friendly, curious and don't have a nasty thought in their heads.

They might not be your choice, but I thought I would suggest another alternative.... having said that, I am now so addicted, I am considering another pair of younger hens, possibly sussex breed or plymouth rock or hybrids of those.

Look forward to seeing photo's of yours, when you get them.

 

[Icemaiden]

A Chinese philosopher once said "A man who's afraid to take the first step will spend his life on one leg"...

Go for it!!!

 

[bigyetiman]

I think hybrids will be better also at the start, you can branch out later once "morehens" disease strikes. You have the set up, you have researched keeping hens so go for it. You will soon wonder how you managed without them and you will also be giving the children the insight into animal lives also.
Looking forward to hearing all about your new arrivals

 

[rick]

Brown super hybrids, like Tweetiepie's, bowled me over. Good natured (amongst themselves at least) friendly, funny, full of character. Love them to bits. A more prone to hens problems and so mostly not so long lived but then that kind of comes with chicken keeping with all to some extent. Other hybrid crosses - so much choice. (and then Orpingtons are so sweet (and huge) - and Pekins - I need a bigger house!)
I say, get down to the breeder, take their advice and then leave with the ones that just wont let you leave without them!

Oh, and don't be like me and fall for the ones in the odd ball run - though they have been lovely bundles of trouble - but, yes, try not to do that!

I should explain the odd ball run - breeders will have their 'up to spec' young pullets generally in runs of a single breed or perhaps a mix of a couple that get on reasonably well together. Watch them for a while and pick the ones that are reasonably holding their own in the flock (don't worry too much, a whole run of lively speckedies etc. are all good. The odd ball run has those that have been left over from normal runs and have been harder to sell. Large fowl in with the bantams etc. These have been the ones I have, perhaps, loved the most but have also had problems generally. Bird logic is innocently unforgiving, like nature herself, and an absolute charm for being that way!
Go for it!

 

[Bantams=Banter]

Thank you all so much! What a wonderful, understanding group you are! I don't think there will be any photos by the weekend though Marigold! Hahaha!!

I'm considering a Black Rock, a Speckledy and either a Bluebelle or a "brown one" of some kind....

Watch this space xxx

 

[Marigold]

Ccongratulations!
re Black Rocks - these are a cross between Rhode Island Red and Barred Plymouth Rock, and legally, the registered name Black Rock should only be used for pullets from the Muirfield hatchery at CrossLees Farm or their registered dealers. See https://poultrykeeper.com/chicken-breeds/hybrid/black-rock-chickens/

And also http://blackrockhens.co.uk/
They were originally bred to be really hardy free range birds who could withstand the rigours of the Scottish climate. Not happy in confinement and can be quite feisty. There are lots of black RIR X BPR hybrids, which should be sold under similar names eg Black Star, - excellent birds, but as the link says, not sharing the original genes of true Crosslees Rocks. If your breeder does actually offer genuine Rocks, they are very good birds but I've heard they tend to keep themselves to themselves within a mixed flock, need to be free range, and are not so tame as some. Black Rock 'lookalikes' are OK, I have one, a beautiful bird with a green sheen to her black plumage, a good layer and as tame as the others, so don't let me put you off them. But I thought you'd like to just be aware of the issue behind using the name to describe a RIR X BPR hybrid.

 

[Bantams=Banter]

Yes, I have read about the Black Rocks only being from one place in Scotland. I think the ones I've seen are Black Rhodes or something...

Anyhoo, I've just had a really good chat with the supplier and he's now spiked my interest in Wyandotte Bantams!! Apparently they vaccinate some of their pure breed poultry as well as all their hybrids.

The Wyandotte bantams are somewhere between the size of a Pekin and a hybrid, vaccinated and he said, fairly docile.

And yes, the dithering is cranked up to 11 now

I'm not dithering over whether to get three hens or not, I'm now dithering over which breed...

I obviously want them to be super-happy, so I'm wondering if hybrids would be happy in a garden setting. Pekins would be the ideal size, but I'm not sure how much use their little eggs would be. A large fowl bantam version might be the answer...

Again, any advice or opinion would be gratefully recieved.

 

[Tweetypie]

I now let mine out all day on my garden, when I am home. I've had to put netting around my flower borders and raspberries, to stop them dustbathing in there. They love exploring and hiding under the shrubs, for shade. I sprinkle a few layers pellets on the lawn in the middle of the day, to keep them interested.

 

[Marigold]

Wyandottes are certainly very pretty, but has the breeder discussed whether they have a tendency to go broody? Unless you intend to let a broody sit on eggs, every time a hen goes broody you have to isolate her in the light until her hormones calm down and she can rejoin the flock without spending all her time in the dark nestbox. It will then take up to 3+ weeks before she returns to lay, and if she's the sort to go broody a lot, this will happen several times over the Spring and Summer, which is a bit of a nuisance. Not all bantams do go broody, but I would enquire about this before buying.

I think it's probable that egg numbers would be considerably less than from hybrids, as well as the smaller size. This chart shows the official sizing for UK eggs, and I expect your bantam wyandotte would be likely to produce small ones, ie, less than/up to 53 grams. I've been keeping egg records of my new hybrids and most of them are now up to Medium, or Large some of the time.
https://www.egginfo.co.uk/egg-facts-and-figures/industry-information/egg-sizes

It all depends on whether you want them just to look at, and they are very pretty, or for good numbers of at least Medium eggs. No worries about the garden setting for hybrids, so long as your coop and run are big enough for the number you intend to get. This doesn't really depend on the size of the birds, the little ones also need as much space as you can give them. I'm not sure how easy it might be to introduce larger birds later on, if you wanted to - my limited experience with bantams was with Silkies, especially one, Matilda, who kept 6 hulking great RIR pullets in order and bossed them mercilessly, they were terrified of her. They only got a rest when she was broody - AGAIN!

 

[Marigold]

I now let mine out all day on my garden, when I am home. I've had to put netting around my flower borders and raspberries, to stop them dustbathing in there. They love exploring and hiding under the shrubs, for shade. I sprinkle a few layers pellets on the lawn in the middle of the day, to keep them interested.

What a lovely picture! Such contented, lucky hens! Makes me feel sleepy to look at it.

 

[MrsBiscuit]

Dottes certainly do have a tendency to go broody, and frankly unless you are hatching its a right pain. I would go with hybrids for your first outing with chickens. They will supply you with plenty of eggs, which is one of your core criteria I think. They will be super happy in a garden environment so no worries on that score either.

 

[Marigold]

i think that, once the initial excitement has worn off, your children will be more likely to go on taking an interest if they can collect eggs every day, and for this you need consistent layers. There's nothing like collecting, cooking and eating your own lovely fresh eggs, it still thrills me to bits after quite a few years, and it was a great way to share and talk to our children when they were little, both when helping with the hens and learning good habits of cooking and eating. Let's face it, picking up the poo and filling the drinkers isn't so interesting as finding treasure in the nestbox, and if you get hens who all lay different coloured eggs, you can talk about who has laid that day, and weigh the eggs and keep a chart to show how many have been laid and how they get bigger as the pullet develops. Hens will get quite tame and can be stroked and handled, but being a prey species they aren't so keen on being cuddled, so children need extra (eggstra?) incentives to keep on interacting with them.

 

[Bantams=Banter]

I now let mine out all day on my garden, when I am home. I've had to put netting around my flower borders and raspberries, to stop them dustbathing in there. They love exploring and hiding under the shrubs, for shade. I sprinkle a few layers pellets on the lawn in the middle of the day, to keep them interested.

Oh my goodness! Look at their gorgeous sleepy faces!! Love this picture. I'm not particularly green fingered so I've got lots of shrubs. Nothing a hen could do much damage to, and I've dug out the azaleas which I read can be poisonous...

My mother passed comment the other day along the lines of "are you deliberately growing the dandelions in your borders for the ginuea pigs, or....?"

Who knew an 85y/o could be so sarcastic!!