Mini Chickens

[Anonymous]

Although we have kept hens for years we are complete beginners when it come to breeding.

My wife likes to collect Bantams but we had a whole run of bad luck and they never survived very long.
(Badger, Rat, Coccidiosis, other unknown departures)

This year one of the Black Cochin Bantams went missing. (More bad luck we thought) Then one day she turned up with 4 Chicks. 2 Black, 1 Yellow & 1 Orange (Really Orange).

On further investigation, we discovered a nest with several intact (cold) eggs and 4 egg shells, 2 Bantam sized and 2 Hen sized.

We now have 2 more Black Cochin Bantams, a half size Warren and a half size Light Sussex. As the only Cockerel is a Black Cochin Bantam, we can only guess that he was having more success with the Warrens than we thought.

I wondered where the Light Sussex (look alike) had come from, but having read Tim's post that said Warrens can be a cross between a Rhode Island Red and a Light Sussex, this made more sense.

Does this mean I now have Warren & Light Sussex Bantamised Hens or just small ones.

 

[Tim]

RIR (cockerel) X Light Sussex (hen) is commonly called Bovan Goldline but there are various other names given, one of which (I 'think') is the Warren - they are basically your commercial 'hybrid layers' you find on the front of many egg boxes and in the dreaded battery cages. Fantastic layers of course when young if they are bred from good egg laying strains of RIR / Light Sussex.

You have created hybrids by crossing hens, they will not breed true - so what you have created is a small hen / bantam rather than a pure breed 'light sussex' bantam. The original cross for the Warren is from light sussex so this is most likely why you have a hen that is throwing up these colours. She has inherited the Black Cochin Bantams (father's) size.

Hope this kind of makes sense :?

 

[Anonymous]

The other thing they have inherited from their father is ridiculously feathery feet.