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The chook run on the allotment is all but finished apart from one essential ingredient - Some chooks!

We are ideally looking for around six traditional/rare/old breed hens to start with. Trying to find a breeder on t'internet in my area is proving to be quite difficult. Of the ones I have called I have only had one callback telling me that they are sorry but have nothing until spring!

We are in the South Lancashire/North Cheshire area. If anyone can help of point me in the right direcion then it would be greatly appreciated (esp by the chooks - it's quality accomodation )

Thanks,

Matt.

We were lucky with our first lot, someone we knew had too many chickens and wanted rid of half their stock. They were a bit of a poor looking lot at first because they were mostly rescued ex-battery hens with 4 cross banties thrown in but they're thriving well and up until recently laying well. We were looking for some pure breeds and had no luck with breeders over the internet then we saw an advert in the local paper so we ended up getting a selection of marans, welsummers and light sussex. Just keep looking - that's all I can advise.

I had the same problem when I got my first chickens - wrong time of year and the fact that I couldn't drive to pick up didn't help and at. In the end I found an advert on free ads for someone getting rid of a load of his older stock and he agreed to deliver them too

su wrote:We were lucky with our first lot, someone we knew had too many chickens and wanted rid of half their stock. They were a bit of a poor looking lot at first because they were mostly rescued ex-battery hens with 4 cross banties thrown in but they're thriving well and up until recently laying well. We were looking for some pure breeds and had no luck with breeders over the internet then we saw an advert in the local paper so we ended up getting a selection of marans, welsummers and light sussex. Just keep looking - that's all I can advise.

I wouldn't mind some marans, welsummers and light sussex to be honest. The L sussex and marans are quite striking (sorry but the wellies look a bit drab in comparison). Something like the Wyandotte - very pretty. I am thinking batams so that the kids aren't too overawed whilst they get used to handling poultry.

Thanks for your replies so far.

Matt.

at risk of being ostracised by the "pure breeds" brigade - if all else fails, go and buy some ex-battery chooks - they'll take a very short time to "come back to life", and usually thrive on their new found freedom - no waiting for large eggs either, they will be mature birds! Most of the commercial flocks are modern crosses based on the old Light Sussex/Rhode Island Red cross - treat them well, they can be smashing birds!:cooldude:
If you've got small kids, be VERY careful around poultry - beaks can take eyes out! - and to be honest, although Bantams look small and inoffensive, they can be pretty flighty and unstable

I have hybrids and welsummers and would say the hybrids are better than the welsummers with children. The welsummers are really flighty and nervous, even of me when I have food but my little girl, who's 5 can easily pick up and hug the other girls, one in particualar seems to quite enjoy it too

Another place to try is www.henhut.com who have an egg exchange.

I've never had any luck with eggs that have been posted the practical poultry forum have a for sale section too

especially for beginners, they're a blessed hassle - then sod's law, they'll all be cockerels!
There is an organisation out there somewhere that rehouses ex-battery chooks - have a few of them get your hand in, THEN if you get a broody, try some eggs!
The other thing to consider is that you can probably buy point-of-lay pullets for a few quid from a local free-range poultry farmer - because they're reared "en masse", it's probably a heck of a lot cheaper than rearing your own! (feed is bally expensive!):dave:

Thanks all, I'll keep looking.

Matt.

My ex-battery girls are wonderful and friendly and they are much easier to handle than the banties (who are quite bad tempered and flightly) and the pure breeds who are still scared of everything. You do get a sense of achievement when you get miserable looking ex-battery hens and nuture them into beautiful, friendly, happy hens who follow you all over the place and lay big tasty eggs.

The Battery Hen Welfare Trust can be found here

http://www.thehenshouse.co.uk/

Practical Poultry www.practicalpoultry.com have directories in the mags that include breeders in your area but most don't have websites.


Wassail

Karen