chickens

[benson]

Hi all

We have just been to order our chicks but were stumped by the number of different breeds. All the chicks were about 4 weeks old and we liked the look of some pale brown ones but have no idea what breed they are. We would be extremely gratefull if some one could give us an idea of the most common breeds sold here or a web link.  (ive trawled through numerous lists of breeds to try and find a photo that matches what we've seen but it would be much easier to have a name to start with)

Many thanx

[Patf]

I'm sure you will get plenty of replies to this. It depends what you want the hens for, eggs, eating, as pets or all three. We have found that the "col nu" breed are excellent for eating as they are so easy to pluck. For eggs we have some black/brown speckled ones which are good, but don't know the breed. We once had some all-white ones which ate a lot and got very fat and heavy. Not very healthy and two died of unknown causes. The survivers were good for eating and the cockerel weighed almost 5kg. dressed weight. Try a few different ones and decide for youselves. Pat.

[Alexis]

My Girls are for egg production.  I must go down and remind them...

I bought several breed hens from Peta in Normandie - I would spell her site but dictionary is not here - so I have a Maran, Orpingtons etc.  Little Heidi lays green/blue eggs.  She is an Araucana.

Otherwise, all the others are either grey or black.  I have a weakness for grey chickens!  The cu-nue are black.  When they are sitting in the laying box, you don't disturb them as they will have you. The grey are nicer!  I don't know the race though and I doubt if the vendor knows either.  Mine gave me a lot of facts....but he also gave me four coqs too. 

They were bad layers!

Buy what you like the look off.  Just remember, you will be a slave to their every whim.

Two of mine are sitting on eggs so I will have to go and see if anything has happened yet.  So excited!