My one set of hens contain 5 Legbars and one Welsummer. Or at least I thought it did. One days egg collecting proves otherwise as Legbars lay blue eggs.
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| Eggs collected from one day |
I got these hens from a local smallholding but, as you can see from the picture above, I'm fairly sure there isn't five legbars in that little flock as then I could only have one brown egg in a day (unless that hen has been working overtime).
This is annoying really as I had plans to breed from them, but now they'll only be laying birds as I seriously doubt their lineages and it wouldn't be fair to anyone buying the future hens.
I do want to hatch some chickens this year but I think I'll have to dust off the incubator and buy some fertile eggs off eBay instead.
Anyone else been sold something thinking it was something else?
To answer your last question
ReplyDeleteWhen I started with chickens I was sold 2 black rock cockerels and was told they were hybrid females with fancy combs
something similair happened to a friend of ours and is convine a local poultry auction makes a habit of such practises
DeleteIn my defence these were very young when I ot them but your comment John made me laugh! I bet you know better now!
DeleteThey go broody really easily though so I expect you could put some certified breed eggs under them this year to get a known bloodline
ReplyDeleteWhat sort of Legbars? As there is only a 75% chance with some of them of getting blue eggs- the others lay beige/tinted eggs regardless?
Ive had Cream Legbars and they lay blue eggs for sure
Also, were they from a local supplier and if so, would you let me know who (in private) ?
It is disappointing to have something like that happen. I haven't had it happen with chooks but it did happen with a couple of sheep - luckily they were given to us as pets not for breeding. Hope you have better luck with incubating the breed you have plans for!
ReplyDeleteNow sheep I'm pretty good on! It's not the end of the world though, I'll just keep them for egg laying not for breeding.
Delete....and Welsummers usually lay dark brown eggs, either a block colour or with very dark speckles. We used to be able to tell which of our Welsummers laid which eggs as they all varied slightly but were all really dark. All our paler brown eggs come from the Hybrids.
ReplyDeleteI've had welsummers in the past and marans (they've got the darkest eggs ever) None of these eggs are that dark. i think I'll have to buy some more eggs to hatch out to make sure I get the right breeds.
DeleteGreen eggs taste better...
ReplyDeleteSo long as it's only the shells that are green!
DeleteI have heard of two cockerel chicks to be sold with a barren hen and the seller said it was the mother and chicks.
ReplyDeleteThat would be a bit of a bummer! Never mind live and learn I guess (but not those birds!)
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ReplyDeleteI didn't know that about legbars, I thought they all laid blue eggs, Maybe thats it then. I could do with learning a bit more about certain breeds.
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