Still Trying To Decide on New Hens

[dawn]

They have to be bantams and I've narrowed it down to sablepoots, wyandottes,welsummers or autralorps but have questions about them all. Do sablepoots go broody much and how are they for producing eggs ? I've heard that wyandottes do go broody, but are they as bad as pekins ? Will welsummers be too big for my pekin rooster to get on top of ? Where on earth can I find someone to supply australorps within reasonable distance of me (suffolk/norfolk border) and how are they for going broody ?

My pekins hens are broody yet again, I'd like some eggs and the rooster would like some company (and nookie. )

Hoping that someone out there will be able to answer, and any other suggestions would be very welcome

 

[elmwood]

Hi Dawn,

I can offer a little advice re sablepoots. Our youngest has just come into lay, whilst we were on our hols, and her eggs are so pretty and dainty. As this week has progressed they have got bigger. She doesn't seem to make half as much fuss as the Pekins! All done and dusted in under 30 mins, averaging 15-20mins, our Pekins take anything up to 2 hours. This is the same for our Barbu d'uccle, who lays about 6 eggs in a week. Our Poot is very beautiful, but doesn't quite have the same loveable personality that our Pekins have. She is far more independant, and towers over the rest of the girls. Plus she flies very well, up onto my shoulder and above my head..... But she clearly doesn't want to go outside her boundary just yet...... As for broodiness, I can't imagine such a busy bird sitting down long enough. Both the poot and d'uccle just dont seem to have that nesting instinct about them??

Hope this has helped a little. Sharron

 

[dawn]

Thanks Sharron, I was hoping you might have some advice on sablepoots, it is the pictures of yours that tempted me as she is so pretty. My pekins take upto 2 hours to lay too. The info on flying is really helpful though, I hadn't thought of that and I certainly don't want them escaping into next door and showing our pekins who haven't worked out that they could probably fly over the fence if they really tried.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Dawn

My pekin cock manages to get on top of my welsummers. It was funny watching him try it the first few times, I thought I was going to have to get a box for him to stand on but he manages it okay now. I think it was just a case of him getting his technique perfected. My pekin hen isn't particularly broody, but two of my buff orps are sooooooo broody at the minute.

Osric

They have to be bantams and I've narrowed it down to sablepoots, wyandottes,welsummers or autralorps but have questions about them all. Do sablepoots go broody much and how are they for producing eggs ? I've heard that wyandottes do go broody, but are they as bad as pekins ? Will welsummers be too big for my pekin rooster to get on top of ? Where on earth can I find someone to supply australorps within reasonable distance of me (suffolk/norfolk border) and how are they for going broody ?

My pekins hens are broody yet again, I'd like some eggs and the rooster would like some company (and nookie. )

Hoping that someone out there will be able to answer, and any other suggestions would be very welcome

 

[dawn]

Thanks Osric, that's good to know. My rooster has had a go at next doors bantam sussex and still can't manage even with a long run up, they're total tarts too and just stand and wait for him but he still can't manage.

 

[girlracer265]

my black pekin managed a black rock the other day, that surprised me a bit :? :lol:
i had some children round looking at the growers
of course they noticed :lol:

 

[dawn]

my black pekin managed a black rock the other day, that surprised me a bit :? :lol:
i had some children round looking at the growers
of course they noticed :lol:

Probably surprised the black rock even more :lol:

 

[victorias poultry]

Sablepoots dont go broody, I have 5 colours and have had them for around 3 years and have never had 1 go broody. They are great layers of a small pale egg.
Pekins go broody at a drop of a hat, I have 12 broody at present, make great mums and are not bad layers of small white / cream eggs

 

[ncotb]

Wyandottes are really nice (on my wishlist for next year!!) but do go broody a lot.
Have you thought about bantam brahmas? Ive got a couple of buff columbian & they are so sweet, one has just hatched some chicks & the other one hasnt gone broody.

 

[elmwood]

Hi, May I chirp in please?

Having just read VP comments- DO Barbu D'uccles along with sablepoot not go broody then? have you any more info generally about your experiences with either or both of these breeds please? (I have one of each)

Also, NCOTB - have you any pics or further info of Bantam Brahmas and Buff Columbian or are they the same?

Many thanks Sharron

 

[Davidd]

Hi sharron, buff columbian is a colour buff (obviously :lol: ) and columbian markings are as in light sussex- i.e. black tail and neck hackles-you can get blue columbian as well- as in coronation sussex-hope this helps!
regards, David

 

[girlracer265]

Hi, May I chirp in please?

Having just read VP comments- DO Barbu D'uccles along with sablepoot not go broody then? have you any more info generally about your experiences with either or both of these breeds please? (I have one of each)

Also, NCOTB - have you any pics or further info of Bantam Brahmas and Buff Columbian or are they the same?

Many thanks Sharron

My d'uccles have not gone broody yet, altho i have heard that they do

 

[ncotb]

Pic of buff columbian brahma bantam

theses come in different colours

check out http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKPoultryPage.html for the different brahma colours & other different breeds.

 

[victorias poultry]

If amyone wants a buff columbian or blue/buff columbian bantam brahma cockerel I have one of each free to a good home only, lovely boys that run around with my Warrens.

Never had barbu duccles but sablepoots are great - friendly, cheecky, good layers and have never gone broody. I get an egg a day from my girls, they lay a small white eggs. Any other questions regarding sablepoots just ask
Regards Sue

 

[elmwood]

Sorry Dawn, I didn't intend hijacking this post.

Thankyou - that site is great- have just spent 20 mins looking at brahmas- just beautiful, as is your lovely
columbian. I think I favour this colour, I am really drawn to Lemon cuckoo Pekins too.

VP- Thankyou, I regularly take a peek at your site- all your birds look lovely, pity you are so far away....

 

[victorias poultry]

Sorry Dawn, I didn't intend hijacking this post.

Thankyou - that site is great- have just spent 20 mins looking at brahmas- just beautiful, as is your lovely
columbian. I think I favour this colour, I am really drawn to Lemon cuckoo Pekins too.

VP- Thankyou, I regularly take a peek at your site- all your birds look lovely, pity you are so far away....

Hi Dawn also sorry for hijacking this post.
Elmwood thankyou - keep meaning to update my website with new pics, just not enough hours in the day at mo, another 100 chicks just hatched this morning

 

[dawn]

I'm learning all sorts about lots of hens, thanks everyone and feel free to hi-jack. Can't find Welsummers locally, but went to a country show at the weekend and there was a man there from the next village to me who breeds all sorts of bantams. Even better, he had an austrolorp with him. She was lovely, and he says you can do anything with them so it looks as if I'll be getting them - if his just hatched chicks include two girls. I shall have a lovely evening soon visiting his hens to see what he's got - and trying to resist more pekins. He had a salmon one at the show, sooo pretty and I've never seen one before.

I've managed to cure the broodiness in three days this time, with both hens, by using the broody coop to isolate them.