Hi, I'm narrowing down the breeds I'm interested in:
Black Star
Golden Comet (Red Star?)
Buff Orpington
Marans
Barnevelder
Serama
Light Brahma
Speckled Sussex
Is there a difference between the Cuckoo Marans and the Cooper (Copper?) Marans?
Are there breeds that should not be put together?
Is there any one breeder where I can order all these at once? I want only hens.
I'm also planning to get a pair of Sebastopol geese and a pair of Runner Ducks.
Thanks!
Gwen
Breeds
Hi Gwen,
There is a difference between the cuckoo and copper marans because they have different colors in their feathers. The copper marans are usually called black copper marans and they are black with a little coppery brown toned feathering on their necks (the rooster has a lot of gold/red on him, thus the copper name). The cuckoo marans look more like barred rocks or Dominiques - they are black and white, but not distinct barring, more of a mottled look. This site has pictures of both if you scroll through the various pics.
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGK/Marans/BRKMarans.html
I don't think you should have any problems putting any of those breeds together. The only concern I might have is that the serama are much smaller than all the rest, but that should still be fine.
I don't know of a breeder offhand that could send you all those at once in females only. It is harder to get sexed chicks rather than straight run. I know that www.mypetchicken.com will allow you to select females only. Other hatcheries do also, for an extra fee, but I think the minimum is usually 25 birds and you didn't say how many you wanted. Even the sexed birds sometimes include mistakes.
I really like my Buff Orpingtons. They are docile, friendly, talkative, and good layers. They are also good eaters - not too economical - and quite meek; they tend to be bullied by more aggressive hens.
I would think the Seramas are way too small to be in with the big ones.. depending on the conditions.. penned up? I doubt that would work..
Free ranging or with plenty of room would probably be okay.
Good Luck!
Based on a long conversation with Haystack yesterday, I have modified my list. He agrees with you guys that the Seramas are too small to go in with the other birds. I may put them in a small chicken tractor in another part of the yard, right next to the house and where they can free range onto the porch and all. He also said the feather feet of the light brahmas will get awfully muddy here in my PNW climate. I have to think about that tho because we do have a cat. So Seramas are on hold for now.
I also am now considering changing the location of the coop and maybe even putting in a tractor in the area I was thinking of putting the coop with 2-3 chickens in it and then putting the big coop back into the position I had originally years ago thought about. Decisions decisions. I'm thinking that to put the whole coop and chicken yard out in the vegie bed is too far away from the house and that in the winter I'll be reluctant to go out there as often as I need to to care for the chickens.
Anyway, location is another story. My current breed list, after my professional consultation :) with Haystack is:
Chickens:
Black Australorps
Dominique
Black Star
Buff Orpington
Red Star
Marans
Barnevelder
Wellsummer
Buckeye
Ducks:
Runner Ducks, either fawn or fawn and white
Geese:
Sebastopol
I'm continuing to look for chickens with the same coloring as the Seramas and the Light Brahmas as I really do like those colors.
Yesterday I went over and spoke with a local man who has a Sebastopol sitting on eggs, so I may have a couple of those at a very reasonable price soon.
I know the Buckeye and the Barnevelder chickens will be difficult to come by. I probably won't get all the chickens right now, but will just get what I can now to get started.
Thanks for the mypetchicken link. I'll check that out. I'm only getting 6-12 chickens. There's a hatchery in Oregon that I don't mind driving down to. The place where I'm thinking to get the ducks is also down there so maybe I can drive down and get all in one trip. That way I'm not having to get 25 at once.
On the chickens I can't find now, the man with the Sebastopol has many rare breeds and he may be willing to help me out. I'm not sure where he got his. But the fair is coming up and we have a pretty big 4-H program so I may also make some connections there.
Wow, so close! I was re-reading my chicken book last night and started getting wet feet again. The books make it sound like so much more work than when you talk to folks that have chickens! All this stuff about drafty coops and having them face the right direction and of course none of my possible locations face in the 'right' direction. sigh. Hopefully just putting in windows in the 'right' direction will suffice.