choosing a chicken
Modern hybrids
There are lots to choose from , not all of them little brown jobbies . Black Rock , Maran , Bovans Nera , Calder Ranger , Goldline , Meadowsweet Ranger , White Star , Sussex Star , Bluebell , Speckedly , Isa Brown to name a few . Mostly they are produced by individual breeders which have their own favourites . There isn ’ t a great deal to choose between them , and a trio of birds might cost as much as £ 45.00 from most good breeders .
Ex Batts ( ex-battery hens )
These are birds ‘ rescued ’ from caged bird farms which have undergone a year ’ s laying , and are entering the moult . They often look a mess , with few feathers , but they are often remarkably healthy in most cases . Starting out with ex batts might be a little beyond the new poultry keeper simply because the transition from the cage to a garden is stressful , and sometimes one of the birds can die , which can be distressing . However , many a successful flock has been built on ex-batts .
Buying
“ On the whole , hybrid hens are sterile , and since you don ’ t need a cockerel to initiate egg laying , it is unusual to find hybrid males .”
We recommend going to a good local breeder where you can not only get your hens , the feed you need ( which is really important - hens do not live off scraps , but a well balanced feed regime of pellets ), the equipment you need , but really good advice as well . Most breeders are really enthusiastic about their hens , and selling them to the public , whom they hope will be long term customers . So the rule of thumb is , if in doubt , find someone else .
Want to know more ?
Try ‘ The Urban Hen ’ by Paul Peacock , an informative , practical and fun guide to keeping chickens in a town or city . The book will help you choose the right hen and look after it in a small space .
Buy now from Amazon
Click the book to visit the page !
Our LBJs in the garden