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Hi All

Going to collect my chickens tomorrow, really excited but not sure whether I have done the right thing or not. I have decided to get some hybred (sp? sorry) hens, instead of waiting for the ex batts.

Do you think hybreds will make good pets for my family??

I think most hybrids are bred to be egg productive and friendly. You can't go wrong with warrens (Rhode Island red x Light Sussex hybrid), they are so calm when you pick them up, once they are used to you. On the other hand, some pure breds such as Buff Orpingtons are extremely placcid and friendly. Mine are fairly new so are not used to me but they are still very calm considering they are new. Pure breds and old fashoined breeds can go broody. Hybrids tend not to as it has been bred out of them.

What hybrids are you thinking about?

Good luck! I don't know about pets exactly as mine have always been too timid for any petting or cuddling, one of mine hasn't even been touched after 6 months as she is just a complete nervous wreck. She's getting better though...... But they are still great fun.

I was going to get ex-batts but as I'd never even been close to a chicken before I thought it would be better for me to gain experience with some that hadn't had such a hard life. Also, my nearest ex-batt place was quite a distance away, and I wanted to have them in a box in the car for as short a time as possible.

I assumed that the chickens at the local place would be hybrids, but it turns out they're not. Don't forget to find out what breeds yours are, or what they are crossed with. The first thing someone asked me when I got mine is what type they are. I said a white one, a black one and a red one Being a total novice, I had to do a bit of searching in order to find out I have a Light Sussex, a Black Rock and a Rhode Island Red. I felt too embarrassed to ring the place up and ask them.

Rosie we buy from the markets and here they are labelled by their colours, apart from the 'Sussex' (which is a light Sussex). So to me all red hybrids are just red hens, even the breeders here just call them 'les rouges'.

They are Copper Black, Coral Nick, and Amber Link.

WISH ME LUCK PLEASE, orin and I are off in 30 mins.

OOOOO this is really exciting ,hope all works out really well for you.

You are going to love having them. but be careful they are highly addictive, Mrs Gert is convinced I love hens more than her

Millymollymandy wrote:Good luck! I don't know about pets exactly as mine have always been too timid for any petting or cuddling, one of mine hasn't even been touched after 6 months as she is just a complete nervous wreck. She's getting better though...... But they are still great fun.

She will just get used to you and let you pick her up..... in time to neck her.....

I was at a garden centre yesterday a few iles away and saw a large selection of birds, cages, huts and all the ancuillary stuff so I was quite happy that when I come ot get the birds I won't have to drive miles and miles for the. Black rocks and golden browns were on display along with aruncla cockrels.

Big Al wrote: I was at a garden centre yesterday a few iles away and saw a large selection of birds, cages, huts and all the ancuillary stuff so I was quite happy that when I come ot get the birds I won't have to drive miles and miles for the. Black rocks and golden browns were on display along with aruncla cockrels.

That's interesting Al, we sell hens via the web and word of mouth, but we are talking to someone about to open a farm shop nearby, the idea being that we would sell hens at the shop. So if your local garden centre is selling them, thats a definite trend to hen keeping becoming a much more acceptable practise. hoorah

Got them, they are in their house and seem happy enough.

I got a Copper Black Maran, a Coral Nick, a Amberlink, and a Mendlesham Ranger. The last one is so friendly, her and the Coral Nick will let you pick them up. So hopefully they will make good pets, my girls love them.

They sound great. I'm sure they will become more friendly as time goes on and they get used to you.

Good luck!

thesunflowergal wrote:
I got a Copper Black Maran, a Coral Nick, a Amberlink, and a Mendlesham Ranger.

Now, having looked these up, I'm doubting that I have correctly identified my ladies. Think I'll go back to white, red and black.

Me too, I have one of those Copper Black Marans or is it a Black Rock? All called rouge in France. There's complete black ones here too so they are the noirs!

Gert wrote:

Big Al wrote: I was at a garden centre yesterday a few iles away and saw a large selection of birds, cages, huts and all the ancuillary stuff so I was quite happy that when I come ot get the birds I won't have to drive miles and miles for the. Black rocks and golden browns were on display along with aruncla cockrels.

That's interesting Al, we sell hens via the web and word of mouth, but we are talking to someone about to open a farm shop nearby, the idea being that we would sell hens at the shop. So if your local garden centre is selling them, thats a definite trend to hen keeping becoming a much more acceptable practise. hoorah

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