Best breed of chicken for children’s enterprise

[snipe]

Which breed is a good egg layer and not prone to disease And ailments

 

[Only]

Hyline

 

[Lili]

Calder Ranger/Black Rock. Both good layers, quiet enough to be handled by children. Hardy.

 

[spin cycle]

Which breed is a good egg layer and not prone to disease And ailments

most important thing is place they come from IMO

 

[snipe]

most important thing is place they come from IMO

Please explain a bit more

 

[spin cycle]

Please explain a bit more

yes sorry.....buy at a local mart maybe ok or may come with lurg....as opposed to pro breeder who vaccinates v mareks for example..google pigotts poultry....i reared 100/100 chicks earlier this year

 

[Fossil]

Poland’s are very docile with children. Eggs may be too small though?

 

[R J]

Lohmann hens are by far the best out there

 

[snipe]

Spoke to a couple of local breeders. One has some Rhode Ireland reds, does not vaccinat, says they have a longer laying life than hybrids. Second place is a very big commercial rearer everything vaccinate. With a range of hybrids available at 14 weeks +. Any thoughts welcome.

 

[Pieces_of_Eight]

If the enterprise is laying eggs, go for any of the above Lohmann/Hyline/Ranger/Black Rock, but these are hybrids rather than breeds. Any commercial hybrid will lay plenty of eggs, some hybrids will lay white, chocolate (coloured) or blue eggs, which adds a bit of fun.

If the enterprise is breeding pullets to sell, choose a breed that everyone knows (Light Sussex or RIR) which will sell better than a more obscure breed.

 

[Old Boar]

For children I would recommend a bantam breed. They are usually really friendly and can be let loose in the garden and do no harm. Austrolorp are brilliant, friendly, will happily sit on laps and be cuddled, if you can find them. Wyandotte are also friendly. They lay well, and although the eggs are smaller, they taste better.
I gave some to some children recently and they all said they were the "bestest eggs ever!"

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

Go and buy some ex free range hens most will come good plus if they don't you haven't lost much . Don't think paying lots for Pol pullets gaurentees good birds be very careful with some chicken sellers.

 

[startinghandle]

Are you aware of the fact that if you have poultry you also have rats

 

[snipe]

Ended up with a Nero( was told it was very similar to a black rock) a speckled rock, a brown hybrid And white one. One just started to lay. Feeding them on layers pellets at the moment which has grit in it. Can I mix a bit of old wheat or barley in with it.?

 

[Wilksy]

I bought two Sussex two black rocks and two grey speckled maran looking things for my girls three years ago, all good layers to start with, lost the Sussex first then a grey speckled, one of the black rocks went off lay and then the one that did lay got sour crop and went down hill fast last week, so now we have a barren black Rock and an aggressive feather plucking grey speckled bugger but it still laying, oh they were all vaccined for everything and £12 each, kids couldn't give a knack about them but that doesn't bother me as I love keeping hens, that said these last two's days are numbered and start a fresh a think

 

[deleted user 837354]

Bantams, they are a lot friendly than the marans my mother used to keep and garden friendly, too as they don't scratch around so much.

 

[Pieces_of_Eight]

Feeding them on layers pellets at the moment which has grit in it. Can I mix a bit of old wheat or barley in with it.?

Much prefer wheat. Barley is for ducks & geese.

and an aggressive feather plucking grey speckled bugger

Try some feather pecking spray as soon as you see bald patches. It's a bit like spicy creosote. It takes a while to break the habit and looks a mess on white birds, but it will stop hens eating each other alive.

 

[MRT]

We have just aquired a mixed bag of young hens for the kids, the one that identifies as a black sumatra is the friendliest and rides around on the kids shoulders eating corn one side and ruining jackets the other. In a few months, if thier training regime is successful they will have a squad of attack chickens which will jump on unsuspecting shoulders demanding to be fed

 

[Will 1594]

Light sussex bantys ,we had them for years , easy to keep and make good money from pullets And cross them australorp and you get them opposite way round black with white kneck , or to a barred plymouth rock , or just get a rhode island banty cock and then they sex linked

 

[Blaithin]

Americaucanas or Easter Eggers, whichever you have there.

Hardy, friendly, fun, variety of colours, decent layers, lay coloured eggs. Perfect for kids.

Something with a bit more upkeep, a bit less eggs, but more appeal for kids, are silkies.