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Thanks, Jo! True, they look like battery hens. But much happier.

If you google chickens and Warrens, you come up with all sorts of sites that talk about breeding chickens and rabbits in warrens... Well, some on Warren chickens as well, but none with a photo.

Cheers
Ina

I call them red hens. They are the same (I think) as my two red hens, but maybe mine are a bit lighter coloured around the tail and neck. Labelled 'Sussex' at the market. I think they are a hybrid of them - but what is a Red Sussex as I've never found a photo of them on the internet?

These hens' photos are on all the egg boxes for free range eggs in France. Someone lent me some Country Smallholder magazines and there are loads of adverts for these types of hens with 'new' names such as 'Red Something-or-other'.

I was hunting for something on the internet and came across another info page at:

http://www.omlet.co.uk/files/public/oml ... ickens.pdf

This gives a list of the more common types of hen with the average number of eggs laid in a year (when they are younger).

Jo

Has anyone kept Marans or Welsummers, both look 'pretty' (sorry for being a bit shallow there but appearence does have its effect) and were suggested by a breeder for gardens. They would be egg laying pets and would never find their way to the table. Oh yes my neighbour is a bit concerned about them ending up in her garden.

And another thing any recommended books on keeping chickens. I'm going to look up the web sites recommended on one of the other threads when I've got time but just now my husband is cooking dinner and I want a quick shower first.

Ta ta Lucy

i had Golden Comets.

I think they are RIR female and RIW male. may be reversed.

Either way, they lay an egg every day.
Light brown in colour and tastey.

They are friendly they alctually come to you and down mind being picked up.


mark

I've got some marans. They are 'personality' hens. They object to being petted but aren't hysterical around people the way welsummers can be. They will quickly learn that people mean food and within a day or two will be happy to eat from your hand.
If you'd like a large breed that is happy to be petted as well as laying fairly well and able to sit a clutch of eggs, my recommendations would be:
buff orpington



These birds are big bundles of feathers and fluff, complete gentle giants. I love 'em.

Silkies (large breed as well as bantam varieties available).



Very friendly birds, especially good for children. The feathers lack the central rib so they feel furry.

Both of these breeds will lay an egg almost every day until the days get short in winter or they go broody.

Hepsibah wrote:Silkies (large breed as well as bantam varieties available).

'Strewth, that's camper than a tent shop. Put a gold plated piano in front of it, and it would pass for Liberace.

I know! They're a bit mad looking aren't they. They are real sweeties though and you won't find a better broody.

I've seen some Blue Orpingtons and they were lovely. At this stage I don't intend to hatch any eggs so would being broody be a problem?

I have to speak up for light sussex here! my girls have bundles of personality and during the summer Camilla loved to sit on a lap and have her wattles scratched-honest! maybe been watching the cat! when I'm out in the garden I can hear them clucking very loudly and scratching at the chicken wire for me to come an get them. And we've had at least one egg a day between the pair of them.
kind thoughts
Deb

Camilla is being held by OH in my avatar

How do cats and chickens get along? My three cats are scared by my Dutch rabbit, so I'm expecting them to be kept in their place by chickens. My OH is worried about the cats.

Lucy

I reckon the chooks keep the cats in order... our cat was attempting to stalk the chickens recently.. it was rather comical to watch. She obviously has a taste for big game.

No harm was done either way - the cat ran away when the chooks flapped at her.

I've got light sussex too and they are wonderful - and the buffs... come running whenever you go out. Very friendly indeed.

Lucy Robyn wrote:Has anyone kept Marans or Welsummers, both look 'pretty' (sorry for being a bit shallow there but appearence does have its effect) and were suggested by a breeder for gardens. They would be egg laying pets and would never find their way to the table. Oh yes my neighbour is a bit concerned about them ending up in her garden.

Hi Lucy, I keep Marans. Perhaps why they are good for gardens is that some of the Marans have feathered legs and they don't dig as much.

They lay a beautiful dark chocolate brown egg. Apparently the French claim the pores of the eggs are also much closer and this makes them less supsceptible to salmonella. But I personally think that's a bit of French speak!

I've got 2 cuckoo and 2 fench maran chicks about 7-8 weeks of age in the brooder box at the moment. You can see them live here :

http://www.henhut.com/cams

If think if you are looking for a bird that won't jump over a 6ft fence then you are best with Orpingtons. I have a white star and she's so flightly she could jump a 12 ft fence!

Hope you are all well.

Wombat wrote:Two Steps,

If you intorduce new chooks to exisitng ones (particularly if the newer ones are smaller) they wil cop a bit of a pecking until they re-sort out the pecking order. After that things should be fine!

Nev

We have an introduction house and run. I made it from scrap timber and wire and it's big enough for four birds. I sit it in the middle of the big chicken run and put the birds to be introduced to the flock in that.

They then spend about four days with the flock ranging around them, before I put them into the main hen house with the other birds. I do this after dark and come morning, they all think they're part of the same flock.

Little or no pecking, no squabbling and little effort on my part!

Stonehead