| Archive for The Potting Shed A forum to discuss Crafts, Cooking, Gardening, Countryside, Livestock and Pets |
| Kathy |
HensI need another couple POL and as there are no Black rocks available at the moment I've decided to go for either gold silkies or light sussexes from here. http://www.poultrybyak.co.uk/home.htm This is the nearest place I've been able to find, there doesn't seem to be much around my area at all.I want hens that lay but are docile, look nice and make good broodies if needed. Help me choose please................... |
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| TheGirlsMum |
For broodies you need the silkies rather than light sussex but the LS are really good layers and docile. Both are nice to look at but very different so can't vote as there are different reasons for each. Sorry..... | ||
| agapanthus |
Definitely light sussex for eggs. Just had a look n their site and I wold suggest orpingtons for broodies. RIR are good layers too! | ||
| Libby |
an old neighbour always kept Sussex and said the eggs where fabulous, she would not have any other for layers!
As TGM said Silkies are good for brooding but I belive any bantam is so why not get a mixture if you have the space??? |
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| Kathy |
Hmmm, the Sussex sounds the way to go for the moment then. I don't want too many, we do don't use tons of eggs. I'm not a natural hen handler and have a bit of a phobia about feathers (childhood budgie and hen trauma!). Any picking up has to be done by Coco, she does lots of  when I've tried to catch any, one flap of the wings and I'm a gonner.   However, I do love watching them, they all have different characters and perhaps a Silkie might get me over my phobia. £25 for a silkie, £20 for a sussex so not cheap for buying a few and it's a good drive away.
I'm not usually such a dither honestly.................... |
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| lottie |
Silkies go broody 'at the drop of a hat' and might need extra warmth in Scotland during the winter months.
They are pretty little things though. But if you don't really need a broody hen, then its a lot of money to pay as you get far fewer eggs from them I have had large hens and bantams - and much prefer bantams. The do far far less damage to the garden, in fact hardly any at all - the only thing mine do occasionally is scratch up some of the gravel in my paths - but not often and not much. Bantams are smaller so not so 'scary' if you have a bit of a phobia. Much easier to handle, and I find that their feathers are softer - more like fur - not hard and scratchy. The have smaller legs and tiny feet so no 'risk' of getting scratched if they wriggle when you handle them. They are so much easier to pick up because of their size, and much lighter too. Looking forward to seeing what you decide upon. Are there no local breeders or hen keepers near you? Have you looked or asked on the Practical Poultry Site? I am not voting, because I love bantams. You can have two bantams to one large hen in the same space. They make less mess, little poos that seem to disappear, and their eggs are a perfect size for eating and just as tasty and golden as the large ones. In fact their yolks are larger in proportion I find. Two eggs equal a very large chicken egg in cooking terms. |
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| lloyd |
Our LS Crystal was one very feisty bird indeed!!....But large eggs, never off lay, so good producer of fine eggs.
Kathy, why not have an Ebay frenzy, and order an incubator, heat lamp and fertilised eggs? |
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| nanny-now and forever |
sussex everytime, a good basic bird, hardy and lives a fair while.....
we had a couple of them and they were better than the ones we have had since..... |
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| Kathy |
 Not you as well, I've had Coco nipping my ear, that's why she put the idea of silkies in my head.
I like the idea of bantams too Libby and Coco suggested them at the start. Can you get Sussex Bantams? I'm sort of in the middle of the country and have searched extensively Lottie, looked on the Practical poultry site too. I've just found this place which is nearer than Poultrybak http://www.dtrbp.co.uk/index.html. I never realised there were so many different breeds of hens, it's worse than trying to buy tea from Tesco.
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| Libby |
yes I belive you canhttp://www.wylyevalleychickens.co.uk/Breeds.htm | ||
| Cabbagepatch |
Kathy, our light sussex was superb and highly recommended. However Ithink you should go the incubator route. That way you get to hatch the chicks so you can start getting used to handling them while they are tiny and cute which should get rid of any big chook induced phobia 
Ascotts do a good range of reasonably priced equipment. Not that I keep looking you understand. |
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| Kathy |
I'd love to do that CP but I don't want a cockerel and I could end up with 100% cockerel theoretically, couldn't I. 
Did you say Ascotts do a good range, it's very good of you to search extensively on my behalf.
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| Kathy |
Lost wee Nora Batty today.  She's being slowing down since Peggy went, turned her face to the wall last night so I knew she's probably be gone this morning. She was my favourite, scruffy wee thing (hence the name) and always laid the most eggs.
Anyway, I'm now down to 2, (Attila, who keeps escaping from the pen and Shanti who runs at you whenever you call) so I'd better intensify my search for Sussex's! |
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| Libby |
awwwww, its amazing how attached you get to chickens. Good luck with the search and keep us posted please I need a regular chicken fix
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