Advice on Friendly Hens please

[TPeers]

My daughter who will be ten in a few weeks, has been nagging me for nearly a year to get some hens as pets. Does anyone know of any notably friendly breeds? We are not great egg eaters as I suffer from raised cholesterol and am not allowed to have many eggs so I am also looking for a breed that won't produce too many eggs (may I be so lucky).

Hazel likes the idea of Silkies, but given that they can't fly and we have a major fox problem around here, not to mention my two cats, is this advisable?

The hens (I was planning on two or three) will be in a traditional triangular ark, and only have access to the garden when I can be out there with them.

Thanks in advance!

Terry

[serenity]

I belive orpingtons are supposed to be friendly birds, planning to get a couple myself this year. I have a polish which is pretty tame, doesn't mind being handled and will feed from your hand. I also have a pekin cockrel and he will happily follow me around the garden, he sees me as a corn dispenser he too will feed from my hand but doesn't like to be picked up much.

the least friendly bird I have is a rhode island red but then I have't had her long so she may come round eventually

[SuzieP]

Hi TPeers
Serenity is quite right, Orpingtons are lovely birds, I started with an Orpington and a Brahma but my personal favourite is the Brahma (she is a real character - Big Mama we call her). They are big dopey birds so don't tend to fly off (they struggle to even get on the perch!) and they only lay small eggs for such a big bird (that is when they decide to lay, mine is always going broody so stops laying ). They are very friendly and will eat out of your hand and are real characters.

If your daughter is quite confident she would love them though their size is a bit offputting to some small children as they are so big (big softies ).

Try to go visit a breeder to see what she thinks. I don't know where you are but I can give you the name of a great breeder in Kent if that helps (it's where I got mine) who are very helpful and wouldn't mind you visiting.
SuzieP

[TPeers]

Thank you both - I suppose being in Kent the Orpington is a logical, not to mention local, choice - I originally hale from Bromley! I would love to have details of a Kentish breeder SuzieP thank you. I currently live in Coulsdon, near Croydon, Surrey. The nearest breeder I found using the internet is near Windsor!

[Prickety-prackety]

Most breeds will be friendly if handled early on and regularily. My Brahma was the most friendly and very funny running to you when you call, yes you can tame them to come to you for food. I also have a rodddie and she too is friendly to a point but has a very determined beak, not to bite but eating out of your hand hurts ! I recently bought a couple of Russian orlofs and they are both very skittish at the moment and run like mad ! Bantams lay small eggs, but neighbours will be happy with your surplus eggs !

[TPeers]

Thanks - so like most pets, regular handling is the key to friendliness. However this begs another question from a newby chicken fan - how young?

I had assumed that as I did not want to go to the expense of a brooder that I would have to get pullets as a young chick wouldn't survive without extra heat, is this in fact the case? (And with two cats and two kids, not to mention a OH who is less than thrilled, money is always an issue!)

Anyway, thanks for all the fantastic advice from everyone, I've told Hazel she will have to wait until her birthday to actually get the hens - grumpy anticipation is an amazing combination!

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks - so like most pets, regular handling is the key to friendliness. However this begs another question from a newby chicken fan - how young?

I had assumed that as I did not want to go to the expense of a brooder that I would have to get pullets as a young chick wouldn't survive without extra heat, is this in fact the case? (And with two cats and two kids, not to mention a OH who is less than thrilled, money is always an issue!)

Anyway, thanks for all the fantastic advice from everyone, I've told Hazel she will have to wait until her birthday to actually get the hens - grumpy anticipation is an amazing combination!

My mum bought my brother, sister and I some 2 day old chicks one year instead of easter eggs - I think we had all had a run at the dentist and she was going for a health option! We kept them in a big cardboard box with a hot water bottle wrapped in newspaper and an old wool jumper. Have to be honest, though we handled the little darlings every day they were no friendlier than the other rhode islands when they got to the run.

[yoanbob]

we have a very friendly moran, by far the friendliest chook weve ever had, likes a stroke, will eat gently from your hand and our 3 year old nephew loves picking her up and letting her go to see her wings flap and shes not the least bit bothered by this treatment. and they play happily together at digging for worms.
shes a good layer and lays occational double yolkers which all our friends and familly fight over, we have no problem giving eggs away and our feed suplier even sells some for us.
good luck.

[CountryFayre]

I would go with bramahs. My son now 4 spent hours carrying around our huge cockerel last summer. They are so dopey and love attention.
If you go for younger birds, there is always the problem of a young pullet turning into a cockerel. You are best to wait until the breeder can be sure of the sex.

[Birdie Wife]

I recently bought a couple of Russian orlofs and they are both very skittish at the moment and run like mad ! Bantams lay small eggs, but neighbours will be happy with your surplus eggs !

Ooh, I was thinking of getting some orloffs to breed crosses for meat... Do you know if yours came from a show strain or utility? They are such beautiful birds.

Friendly birds - bantams are well-known for their good nature which makes them ideal pets. Many bantams are quite flighty and need a secure pen though. Should be fine to let them out in the garden so long as they don't get startled!

[SueA]

I seem to remember reading that it's best to buy hens 'at point of lay' rather than as chicks especially if you are a beginner, as the hard work has been done for you by then. I would love to have some rescued battery hens if I had a suitable garden but think they may be difficult for a beginner as you have to teach them to perch & forage etc.

[SuzieP]

Breeder details

TPeers I've PM'd you details of the breeders I bought mine from.
Suzie

[yoanbob]

sue they do need a bit more attention at first than other hens but say compared to a cat its really very little, just give them food water shelter and clean bedding for a week till they settle in and know its thier home and they are safe then just gently lift them on the perch every night when you shut them in for the night, at first the'll just get down again, thats ok just do it again the next night, they soon get the idea, they are quite clever really and throwing a handfull of food on the ground when you fill up there feeder doesnt take any time, their natural instincts return really quickly once they realise they are safe.
Ducks on the other hand are a bit dim bless em, plum duck spent 2 weeks hiding from the sky, then we had to teach her to swim! god knows how but she brought up a lovley clutch of chicks and taught them all really well!

[TPeers]

Thanks to eveyone for all the advice - I am off to SuzieP's breeder this morning - don't think I will actually get hens today as I am less than convinced that the Ark I collected over the weekend is sufficiently clean, oh lets be honest, it was covered in green slime and stank . If I can smell it it's too dirty! I'm tempted to attack with flash followed by the jetwasher but I'm not sure how well the wood will hold up!

Still, once it is clean and has a coat of wood preservative (child and pet friendly in a tasteful shade of green) we will be fine.

Then again, silly question, how tall does a chicken grow and what is its wing span? Neither of the books I have give this important detail! The ark is a typical triangle, just under 3 foot high, would I be better off getting the hammer and saw out?

These and other idiot questions from a would be chicken keeper.....

Terry

[SuzieP]

What did you think of the hens Terry? Did you fall in love like I did?
SuzieP