Poultry

Who has got what, and what are the plans for this year?

I've got my hybrid layers - 3 light sussex x, bluebelle and a black rock.

3 breeding turkeys - currently have 18 eggs in different incubators (we don't have an incubator at the moment).

3 ducks - 1 cherry valley, 1 runner x khaki campbell and 1 aylesbury type. All drakes unfortunately, so either looking to get rid of them all or keeping the aylesbury and finding a couple of ducks to put to him.

6 silkie x light sussex to be used for brooding grey partridges as part of a reintroduction scheme.

I am looking for some speckled sussex this year. OH wants bantams but we are struggling to find them so might have to go for full size. Might have sourced some fertile bantam eggs but they will have to be posted and not convinced about that. Ideally, I would like a trio so I can start breeding myself this year.

Finally, going to get some welsummer eggs back from a trio we gave to a friend.

Helen

Sounds like you are going to be busy Helen

I don't have any fixed plans at the moment, but still have our rhode island red, cream legbar and maran hens and our silver welsummer cockerel.

We have hatched black leghorn, rhode island red, maran x welsummer chicks from our incubator - and have about 24 chicks doing well now. Will probably keep the hens and either give/sell or eat the cockerels. I think as the incubator has been a success then we will try some other eggs, but haven't decided what yet.

OH and I are hoping to get to a fur and feather fair on the first Saturday of May, to get see what is avaliable and decide on a plan of action from there!

We weren't able to catch up our 2 remaining hens and 8 remaining cockerals before we moved. We had 30/40 chickens last year, but slowly they started getting out the pen, which wasn't an issue, but then they started to disappear! OH managed to get the last 2 hens and the cockerals in the pen before he went on holiday, so we could catch them up before we moved, but someone opened the pen gate and they all got out and we couldn't get near them to catch them!!

Luckily the shepherd that moved into the house next to our old one is keen on chickens and keeps a load himself, so he said he'll have them!

Any advice on what the best chickens to get and what I should be looking out for when picking them?

Sounds like your having fun Helen.

We just have our 8 Rhoda Islands and Cockeral, but they are just layers, I wouldn't mind getting a few more but that will be way into the future as I have alot on with other animals Best wishes to you xxx

We went to one in Clitheroe a while ago and it wasn't particularly nice as some of the poultry were in appalling condition

Oh no, how annoying . What breed did you have?

The world is your oyster I always have hybrids for laying as they will give me eggs throughout the winter. I then just hatch off whatever I like the look of.

If you are buying at an auction, make sure they are healthy looking. It's hard not to feel very sorry for them but you will only end up with a very ill chicken, which could also bring in disease to the others.

Let me know how you get on.

Helen

Lots of chickies then lol. A lot of people round here have the RI and one keeper has black leghorn. We are tempted with them as I did like my white leghorn we had, which ended up being a pet really. If you can sell a trio of the pure breeds, you will sell them better, and for more money. Are you going to sell the eggs or do you eat a lot of eggs lol?

We are looking into buying an incubator but will have to be a cheap and cheerful one as we can't really afford it. I just love hatching eggs!

Helen

Another RI keeper lol. They do seem a popular breed.

Helen

We have our 3 breeding pens set up already... they have been in for 3 week, so eggs should be pure now (cross fingers)... just waiting for the incy to arrive

I have now picked the breeds I love, and so this year, we have got in breeing pens: Welsummers, Vorwerks and Barnevelders (Dutch and German breeds).

I am not convinced with the Welsummer cockerel, he is becoming rather aggressive, so if he is not fertile, he is for the pot, and I will replace him...

Our Vorkwerk girls have only just started laying, so I may not be able to set any eggs until later in the year, which is a pain, as I've already got a waiting list for eggs and birds

I've also got a flock of hybrids and bitsa-birds who are my staple layers, and I'm sure I'll be adding to them this year. I may even try hatching from them, as they are running with a rooster too!

I don't think I'll hatch from the ducks this year though... ducklings are too messy!

What incubator have you got? We're looking at gettong one but can't afford an all singing, dancing one.

Don't talke to me about welsummer cockerels! I gave a trio away as he was a pain in the bum! Our neighbour has chickens and he was always up there chasing them around. He went to someone who has a better setup for him. He was a gorgeous looking bird but just didn't suit here.

Have you any turkeys this year?

What breed of duck have you got? Ducklings are messy but they are soo cute! We're lucky in that they go off up the field, that has a stream along the bottom so we don't get much of the mess once they are on their own.

Helen

I'm trying to keep my levels below 50, so we dont have to DEFRA register, though I'm on the poultry register voluntarily..