I'd like to add a few RIR hens to my flock just to have some white eggs :) Color doesn't matter to me but some people like them.
Pictures of my blue,splash,black and buff orpingtions
Um, might want to consider somethong like one of the Leghorns :). My RIR's lay brown eggs...
I like a mixed basket, myself. Ufortunately, my white eggers lay smaller eggs, but they were unplanned adoptees, and once I had them I was at the "too many chickens" point...
My "Easter Eggs". Blurry, but you get the idea :)
cajun,
Thanks on the heads up on the red sex links. 3/24 I ordered 25 of them. They arrived on the 30th. They are having fun with their new found feathers on their wings, lol
I have them in a horse tank, in the greenhouse. They will start at one end and by the time they are half the length they are about a foot in the air. I am always having to clean the wood shavings from their water.
One has mottled gray brown feathers for wing feathers ??? Think the hatchery slipped a Partridge Plymouth Rock in to make up the 25 ordered.
I did a little researching before ordering them and the consistent egg laying was one of my reasons for that choice,
I also have 12 Barred Rock, that are about a month older. They are also special as every time they see me they come a running. They know I will have a treat for them. They like a lot of things but the one they really like is bread. I can hold it and they peck and twist off a piece and another will try to swipe it from that one but they jump over one another and such just to get at the bread. Lot of fun, so I bought some ( animal feed bread) from the bakery for them. $2.50 for about 15lbs. I had room in the freezer so I keep it fresh for them.
I know it will be late summer or fall before they start laying but you have to start somewhere. Now to be able to sell enough eggs to pay for their keep is my next hope. Or I'll be eating a lot of eggs. LOL
I like the look of the barred rocks and they are good layers but I have found they can be bullies.
LOL at the feeding frenzy with the bread. All mine are pigs when it comes to treats.
RIRs are brown layers.
I accidentally ended up with some Minorcas (they were supposed to be Jersey Giants) but they lay well and produce very large white eggs - for variety. They are not as friendly as the Buff Orpingtons or the Barred Rocks, or the real Jersey Giants, but they are great foragers - as are my Buckeyes.
I was hoping to put the Barred Rocks in with the Red Sexlinks but there is at least a month difference in age and and I'm not sure it would work out. I do have room for them to be in separate coops, so that may be best. If I were further from the road I would consider letting them free range during the day but a chicken run will have to do.
My experience has been that Barred Rocks will bully younger chickens. Perhaps if they are sufficiently outnumbered it might work.
I wish I had room to have several breeds and keep them seperated.
Me to
I may try to put them together once the sex links get a little bigger but it won't be too much bother to keep them separate either. Just have to see if they accept being mixed in or not. It would simplify things / but whatever.
Ouch, my little sex links have started being vultures.
I noticed one with a bloody tail. I captured it and powdered it's little tail with talcum powder. When I took that one back there were more. This time I added Vicks vapor rub. I then gave them more room. and a flock block, and put a TBL spoon of vinegar to their water. All little tricks I picked up from the web. Got my fingers crossed.
They aren't really big enough to go outside and know enough to get in out of the rain, so I'm going to try giving them lawn clippings too.
Looking for more suggestions!!
Well something seems to be working, as I don't see any fresh wounds.
They seem to be lost though but that is a lot better than letting them peck one another to death. The vinegar ratio to water was 1 Tbl. spoon to a gallon of water. and instead of a nice bed of wood chip, they have dirt. Boy are they ever confused. They like the grass though.