Chicken Breeds

The chicken breeds articles on our blog at Hedgerow Henporium

Silkie

Chicken Breeds, Poultry For Sale, Silkies / By / 4th March 2023 / ,

Silkie Breed Description

Silkie chickens are amazing looking birds. No-one seems to know exactly where they originated. Some say China, others say Japan or India. Either way they have the most unusual feathers of any other chicken. There are various types of Silkies with some having just crests, others have beards and muffs. They come in large fowl and bantam versions. Ours are USA Silkies which are a smaller version of the bantam. The Silkies we have here are multiple colours from gold, gold partridge, gold blue partridge, black, white and lavender. They have crests, beards and muffs so are called bearded Silkies.

Silkie feathers are more like hair and it makes them unable to fly. The wing feathers are more twisted than regular wing feathers so they cannot get much lift, if at all. The beard, muff and crest can obscure the eye so they are more easily surprised and skittish than other chickens. Due to poor eyesight, they may not eat or drink much. A careful trim is helpful to give them a better chance to see. They are not big eaters anyway.

Silkies have black skin, 5 toes, and a mulberry comb which is both mulberry coloured and shaped like a cushion. The male has a larger mulberry than the hen. Wattles are very small and the ear lobe is a bright blue.

This hen is a good broody, as they fall broody often during the year. So much so that they might rarely been seen out of the nestbox. Silkie cockerels are somewhat defensive simply because of their poor visibility. They are always on their guard. A trim tends to sort this behaviour, as once they can see properly they know what they are up against.

Care Needs of A Silkie

Silkies are not good in a mixed flock due to their timid nature brought on by poor vision. Their feather is very fine and should not get wet. Feathered feet are also prone to picking up lots of mud in unsuitable ground conditions. An ideal Silkie habitat is clean, dry, mud free and only with other Silkies for company.

Breed Temperament

Silkies are not good at mixing with other chickens or rather they are not safe with larger chickens. They are quiet and curious. Due to their broodiness, they need care to avoid being malnourished in repeated broody episodes. See our blog article on broody behaviour

Breed Size

The USA Silkie is a small bird. Probably about the size of a pigeon.

Silkie Eggs

This chicken is classed as a poor layer of small eggs. Our Silkies lay about 10 eggs on consecutive days and then stop for a few months at a time.

Further Information

If you would like to know more about keeping chickens and which are good equipment choices then consider our online courses.

Silkie Read More »

Choosing a Chicken

Ex-Batts, General Chit Chat, Hybrids, Popular / By / 7th February 2024 /
Colourful egg basket

Choosing The Right chicken

How to choose a chicken is a question that many people ask us. This is a huge topic. There are many many different breeds of chicken – over 300 in face, and within those breeds there are many colour variations. For example: the Sussex chicken, comes in white, coronation, red, speckled, light, buff and silver. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder because not all hens are brown. It is nice to get a variety of hens for your garden flock, either to be able to tell them apart or just for interest. Garden hens don’t need to be kept in flocks of the same type or colour. Chickens are not focussed on colour or breed differences. Their society is much more complex than that but at the same time, refreshingly simple.

Our advice is always this:- choose your chicken based on what you like the look of. Almost all chickens will lay eggs, some more than others. Egg numbers depends on the breeding, age, health status and the time of year. Show chickens tend to lay less because they have been selected for breeding based on beauty, not egg numbers.

Which is the best chicken for children?

This topic has potential to be a can of worms. The quick answer is most chickens will be happy around children, but not all children are suitable around chickens. Thorny issue in some parents eyes. So, look at it from a chickens’ point of view. They are a prey animal, and as such they are always on high alert for anything which may consider them an easy meal. This is common for most birds. An ever vigilant bird will feel anxious if there is unknown noise or behaviour coming from another creature or object in their territory. Their first thought is going to be “is this thing a threat”? If a child dashes over to the chicken, invading its’ space then it is surely going to answer that question with a resounding YES and act accordingly.

With that in mind a child (or adult) needs to learn to work to gain the trust of the bird, and only then, will it allow close and trusting contact. A word of warning: if that trust is pushed beyond a boundary or the trust is abused then it is very unlikely to be recovered. Chickens don’t forgive and they don’t forget. Their lives often depend on those lessons which is why they are set in stone.

Will a chicken peck my children

Chickens have no teeth. They only have a beak which is quite pointed. These creatures do not normally attack anything unless they feel very threatened. You can hand-feed a chicken quite safely, although a young chicken (like most children) does not always have the finesse to do it gently. This is very apparent if they have trust issues as they rush to take the food, rather than taking their time. They have pin-point accuracy when taking food from a hand and are going for the food, not the skin of the hand. A tap on the hand however can be upsetting for a child.

Which hens lay the most eggs

It is all too easy to get hung up on doing your research on how many eggs a hen will produce. Choosing a chicken this way comes under the banner of “how long is a piece of string”. Sure, a commercial hybrid such as a Warren or a Hy-line brown will lay an egg virtually every day but they will only do so up to the age of about 72 weeks. After that you will get a very diminishing return. A pure breed will lay fewer eggs, but over their laying lifetime, they could well lay the same number in total but over a longer period. It’s horses for courses. Hybrids will generally live fast die young, but pure breeds are more slow and steady wins the race.

We actually think that the value of a chicken is worth much more than just what they produce. They have hidden depths which are revealed to their lucky keepers as time goes by. Eggs are exceedingly fresh, very delicious and exciting to receive as a gift from your hens, but it will eventually dawn on you that hens are way more than just a quirky garden ornament. Choosing the right chicken for you is a matter of personal preference.

A chicken can be summed up as

  • Friendly
  • Interactive
  • Interested in you
  • Accepting of affection
  • Therapy
  • Provider of purpose to lost souls
  • Provider of the most delicious eggs
  • Companions
  • Education
  • Ambassadors for all bird-kind
  • Garden designers extraordinaire
  • Source of mirth and joy
  • Huntresses
  • Intelligent
  • Beautiful

This is a very concise list but I could go on and on, but I will leave that up to you. Once you have discovered the joy of chicken keeping, you will be able to compile your own list. Some of the items on my list will I am sure find their way onto your list too.

Choosing a Chicken Read More »

Norfolk Grey

Chicken Breeds, Norfolk Grey, Poultry For Sale / By / 30th April 2023 /
Hedgerow Sussex Rock pullet

Norfolk Grey Description

The following describes the history of the Norfolk Grey and was lifted straight from the Rare Breed Survival Trust website. The breed was developed by Fred Myhill of Norwich between 1910 and 1912 under the name Black Marias. He went off to fight in the First World War but came back to find all his work undone. He started again and then took them to the 1920 Dairy Show. In about 1925 he changed the name to the more appealing Norfolk Grey. They were mainly the result of a cross breed between Silver Birchen Game and Duckwing Leghorns.

Unfortunately this bird, which was developed as a hardy utility breed, never really caught on. In the 1970s stocks therefore reportedly dwindled to just 4 birds which were then acquired by Andrew and Sue Bowden. This quiet hen is a black bird but with a beautiful beetle green sheen to its feathers. It has silver neck hackles and small but refined head with a single comb and small wattles. They are a fairly upright breed with dark grey or black coloured legs. The males are black in the body and have abundant white/silver neck feathers. As a breed they are not particularly broody however which could be why it is so rare.

Breed Temperament

The Norfolk Grey has a quiet and fairly timid nature so they are unlikely to cause a problem with their coop mates in a mixed flock.

Breed Size

A Norfolk Grey is classified as a large fowl – light

Eggs of Norfolk Grey

This chicken should lay between 200 and 220 medium brown or tinted eggs in their first laying year. The eggs are a good size too.

Sussex Rock Pullet
Hedgerow Sussex Rock Adult hen

Norfolk Grey Read More »

Marsh Daisy

Chicken Breeds, Marsh Daisy, Poultry For Sale / By / 15th November 2022 /
Marsh Daisy hen and cockerel

Marsh Daisy History

Marsh Daisy chickens were developed in Lancashire from a number of breeds such as Hamburg, Leghorn, Malay, Old English Game and Sicillian Buttercups. They thrived on marsh lands which is why it ended up with the name. It is very rare and the colours are now not as exact as they were in the breed’s heyday. It fell out of favour at one stage but a pocket of dedicated followers have revived its fate.

Breed Description

This breed is a small to medium-sized but slender bird which is most often seen in the Wheaten colour. There is also a brown, white and black version but they are even rarer and many think they are now extinct. The wheaten is a soft cream colour on the breast with a slightly darker brown wings and back. The legs are willow green and the earlobes are white. A Marsh Daisy has a rosecomb. It is considered a fault if the Marsh Daisy has any ginger colouring, but with so few examples it is tricky to get a bird that conforms to the standard required by the Poultry Club of Great Britain.

The Marsh Daisy hens we have are bred by a dedicated breeder who supplies his surplus hens to us for re-homing. They have not quite made the grade of the breed standard as he strives to improve the quality of his lines. Nevertheless they are still good examples.

Marsh Daisy Temperament

They are a very active bird which makes them undesirable to some people. They can fly well so are likely to need wing clipping to keep them out of harm’s way. If they are well handled when young they can be positively velcro-like and totally trusting. They are non-aggressive. Marsh Daisy cockerels can be very over amorous to the hens if you keep more than one boy at a time.

Breed Size

The Marsh Daisy is classified as large fowl – light.

Eggs

A small tinted egg is produced by the Marsh Daisy. They are really good layers despite the small size of the egg

Marsh Daisy Read More »

Hedgerow Blacktail Bluetail

Blacktail, Bluetail, Chicken Breeds / By / 13th December 2023 /
Bluetail x Rhode Island Red

Blacktail Bluetail Description

The Hedgerow Blacktail Bluetail is a lovely and friendly hen that’s just a little bit different. She has been produced from specially selected highly productive strains of Sussex and Rhode Island Red. Similar to a Columbian colouration but with a slight variation. The Rhode Island Red cockerel has had his wicked way with Light Sussex and Coronation Sussex hens. This means that the Coronation colouration is coming out in a lot of these with the blue neck and blue tail. Some are more Blacktailed with black round the neck. She makes a traditional and yet interesting addition to any flock of garden hens. The Blacktail is identical in appearance to the Brown Rock, but have not come from the Muirfield Hatchery in Scotland

Breed Temperament

Blacktail and Bluetails are calm, inquisitive and friendly. She can be very attentive, especially when she is on the lookout for a treat. Just try to pick up a spade to do some digging and these hens will appear out of nowhere to take a very keen interest in your efforts.

Breed Size

A Hedgerow Blacktail or Bluetail is classified as large fowl – light. They mix well with breeds of a similar size except very timid birds.

Blacktail Bluetail Eggs

She will be expected to produce 180 to 200 large brown eggs in her first laying year. The eggs will start off quite small but will increase in size as the hen matures.

Further Information

More info on our birds for sale can be found here. If you are looking to join us on one of our courses please check out our courses page

Availability

We don’t currently have any of these in stock at Hedgerow Henporium because these were happy accidents!

Hedgerow Blacktail Bluetail Read More »

Ixworth

Chicken Breeds, Ixworth / By / 23rd April 2024 / ,
Ixworth Cockerels head picture

Ixworth Chickens

Ixworths are one of the rarest breeds in the UK but in our opinion one of best. We are very fortunate to have been able to source some excellent breeding stock.

Ixworth Breed Description

The Ixworth was created some time ago by Reginald Appleyard who also designed some other chickens and ducks. Ixworths are pure white with white legs and a pea comb. They also have small wattles in the hen and quite small wattles in the cockerel. They are a solidly built bird with a neat head and beady eye.

The Ixworth breed was created by Reginald Appleyard, starting in 1931 and launched at the 1938 London Dairy Show, and named after the Suffolk village of his birth.

His aim was to produce a top quality, fast maturing table bird that would also lay more and avoid the other utility problems associated with the Indian Game breed.

Breeds used in its make included White Sussex, White Orpington, White Minorca, White Old English Game, Jubilee and Dark Indian Game. 

The breed nearly went extinct in the 1950s as faster growing hybrid broilers arrived.  Rare breed conservationists began to revive Ixworth’s in the 1970s and now there are now about 20 enthusiastic breeders but only four exhibitors.

Appearance

  • The Ixworth is a deep-bodied, medium to large breed. They are solid and heavy.
  • Birds should have white legs with a pinkish tinge, orange eyes, a red pea comb and hold their tail fairly low
  • Ixworth is only in one colour, white.
  • This breed has small wattles in the hen. The comb and wattles on the cockerel are also quite small.

Uses

An Ixworth is a dual purpose chicken. This means it is suitable for egg production or a table bird. It is white fleshed and some say it provides the best quality meat of any pure breed.  However like most pure breeds it is best to prepare for the table at no more than 12-14 months. Depending on the strain the Ixworth hen should produce about 150-180 medium-sized off-white/cream eggs in a year.

Ixworth Breed Temperament

As a breed in general Ixworths are a mild mannered chicken. Both the hens and cockerels are good in a mixed flock with no behavioural problems. The Ixworth hen is a really sweet chicken, because they are not aggressive at all in a flock. Ixworths are quite chatty but I have noticed that their voice and phrasing is different to other chickens. The Ixworth cockerels in particular are lovely. Both males and females are somewhat skittish, but nowhere in the same league as a Leghorn.

An Ixworth hen will go broody during the year, but they are easy to pursuade otherwise. They are capable of covering 30 or more eggs in a nest, surprisingly which is more than I have ever seen from any other chicken. Even our massive Brahmas couldn’t control such a huge number of fertile eggs. Needless to say we removed some so that her workload wasn’t as much.

Breed Size

An Ixworth is a large fowl, heavy in terms of size. They are fast growing.

Eggs

Eggs from an Ixworth are pale tinted (off white)

Further Information

You can read further information on our other chickens here on our chickens for sale page. If you are keen to learn more, we run an online instant access course in Chicken Keeping. Find out more about our Courses Here.

The Ixworth hens are the all white chickens in this video above. Swedish Flower Hens are currently in the same run.

Ixworth Read More »

Swedish Flower Hen

Chicken Breeds, Poultry For Sale, Swedish Flower Hen / By / 4th January 2025 /
Group of Swedish flower hens

Swedish Flower Hens – Skånsk Blommehöna

Beautiful Swedish Flower Hens are as the name says, a native landrace Swedish chicken. They are exceedingly rare in Sweden and have been brought back from the brink of extinction by a few enthusiasts who have nurtured them and tried to keep them alive and kicking. These are now consequently finding their way across the world as people discover how beautiful they are.

Skånsk Blommehöna description

There is no breed standard for them because they are a landrace breed. This means that due to local conditions there has been a natural cross breeding taken place over many many generations until the chicken eventually became what it is today. A process of natural selection with no human intervention.

The characteristics of Swedish Flower Hens are that it can be with or without a crest. They can also have yellow, pink, white or pale mottled legs but the feathers all have a “flower” on each tip. There should be no “barring” on the feathers at all. Other than this the breed is not supposed to be selectively bred for colour or any other traits thus keeping it entirely as wild as it is. To add in selective breeding would destroy what makes them so special in the first place. The base colours for Swedish Flower Chickens are red, brown, blue, white, black and yellow. They have genebank status in their home country.

Our flock of Swedish Flower Hens (even the boys are named the same) is as multicoloured as possible with several boys to make sure the genes are well mixed to preserve the variety of colour which happens when nature decides the result.

The curious thing about Swedish Flower Hens is that until they are fully grown, you cannot tell what their final feather pattern is going to be. The grower chicks are often therefore a completely different pattern. They go through several changes of feathers until they earn their flowers by being mature enough to wear them. Although they are multi-coloured and may seem bright, they are actually superbly camouflaged in a field or natural setting. They just melt into the background.

Swedish Flower Hen Temperament

These chickens are not generally a friendly breed in that you could describe them as often standoffish. There are always some who don’t conform to this and reserve the right to be their own “person”. They are not aggressive to their other coop mates. Whenever you have any treats on offer they are then quite happy to be in your company. It is usually on their terms.

Breed Size

These chickens are a large fowl light category.

Swedish Flower Hen Eggs

Swedish Flowers lay a good number of pale cream eggs. Eggs size is medium to large

Cost

A Swedish Flower hen is a rare breed of chicken. The price starts at £11.50 for a day old chick up to £45

Sources of Further information

For more information about the chickens we sell please look at our chickens for sale page. There is a dedicated Swedish Flower Hen website which gives you a more thorough low-down on the history of these beautiful chickens. If you have burning questions about how to look after chickens and have been stumped by the confusing contradictions online join us on one of our courses.

Close-up of Swedish Flower feather patternPair of Swedish Flower ChickensSwedish hensCrested Black Based Red Swedish Flower HenYellow Swedish Flower BoySwedish Black based yellowA group of Swedish Flower HensClose-up picture of Swedish Flower cockerel headCockerel Black based red

Swedish Flower Hen Read More »

Hedgerow Speckledy

Chicken Breeds, Hybrids / By / 15th December 2023 /
Hedgerow Speckledy

Hedgerow Speckledy Description

The Hedgerow Speckledy is a pretty commercial quality hybrid with her beetle green black shining through her feathers like jewels. Her genetic breeding is part Marans and part Rhode Island Red. The Speckledy (pronounced Speckle Dee) makes a “spectacular” addition to your flock, and everyone invariably wants one. From a distance she looks grey but when you get closer you can see that she has a beauty that is particularly noticeable in the sun when the black shines though. Her vivid red comb and wattles contrast beautifully with the colour of her feathers.

To an untrained eye our Hedgerow Speckledy looks similar in appearance to a Coucou Marans, but there are some marked differences. She doesn’t lay a dark brown egg as a Marans does. Her neck feather look more like a Sussex (columbian) pattern. Her legs are clean and unfeathered too. She is not quite as stockily built as a Marans.

Hedgerow Speckledy Breed Temperament

She is a very calm and peaceful hen and will therefore enjoy a cuddle once she has decided she can trust you. This breed often has a tendency to be quite chatty. Speckledy hybrids are expected to be non-broody which is normal for most hybrids however, there may be the odd one who didn’t read the manual.

Breed Size

The Speckledy is classified as a large fowl – light.

Eggs

A Speckledy will lay over 300 large light brown eggs in her first laying year. Her first eggs will be smaller however, she will produce larger eggs over the coming weeks.

Further Information

To find out more of our other types of chickens please see our chickens for sale page. If you feel the need to learn more about garden chicken keeping you can try one of our courses. It will fill in all the blanks in your knowledge, even those you didn’t know you had!

Hedgerow Speckledy
Speckledy
Speckledy Grower
Speckledy on table
Speckledy hen

Hedgerow Speckledy Read More »

Waiting List

Chicken Breeds, Chickenguard, Equipment, Faverolles, General Chit Chat, Incubation, Latest News, Swedish Flower Hen / By / 6th October 2024 / , , ,
Waiting List Image

Waiting List Information

Our waiting list is a Brevo list whereby we can send an email to all our waiting list subscribers who would like to know as soon as we have some chickens for sale. You can find the waiting list option on our contact form here

HOT NEWS

We have plenty of stock at the moment of all ages so the waiting list is not needed. Please contact us if you wish to purchase hens via our contact form or call us on 01244-/646/026

WE HAVE BEEN INCUBATING IN 2024 SINCE APRIL AND WE HAVE SOME STOCK READY TO GO

Wrapped up chicken
A chicken is the gift that keeps on giving

Avian Influenza

Many years of lockdowns due to Avian Influenza has meant that a growing number of breeders will keep their stock very low again over the 2024/2025 winter period. Feed prices have sky-rocketed, therefore both events will take their toll on general chicken supply. In response to the almost weekly rising price of feed, many poultry breeders are cutting their losses and reducing their breeding flocks. Demand is brisk but mainly for point of lay birds which obviously take some time to grow.

This year 2024

So far in 2024 we have been getting NO deliveries of Black Rocks from the Muirfield Layers hatchery in Scotland. We also cannot supply a Brown Rock which is a Rhode Island Red over Light Sussex resulting in a brown chicken with a black tail. We are hatching as fast as our incubators allow so there is usually something we can offer you. Give us a call on O1244646O26 to find out what is available or to ask any questions.

How old are chickens when we sell them?

Chicks are sold whenever people want them. Unsexed chicks are available from day old. (There is a risk that they could be cockerels so please bear that in mind). We can determine the sex of our chicks at 6-8 weeks old and we offer a hen guarantee with those. Any that turn out to be boys will be swapped in line with our guarantee. We don’t swap boys when we have specifically sold them as unsexed. If you are looking for hens (albeit rather cute youngsters) then take a look at our latest stock post. We update our availability here on our blog page. We will be having Swedish Flower Hens, and Salmon Faverolles. Hyline Brown hybrids will be available at some stage during year. We also have “guest” hatchings of breeds such as Cream Legbar, or Marans from time to time.

Essential things to do while you are waiting

Research the Care Requirements by joining our Instant Access Online Course

While you are on our waiting list, you may wish to research some good chicken husbandry minimum requirements. Chickens don’t require much but they do require the correct care to enable them to lay well and remain healthy. Get a jump start in your chicken knowledge by looking into doing our online Chicken Keeping Course. The course can also make you realise that perhaps chicken keeping is not for you once you have more knowledge on the subject. This is a two edged sword because if your heart isn’t in it, you will have wasted money on setting yourself up to no avail if you decide at a later date that it doesn’t fit into your lifestyle. Either way it is money well spent.

Day Old and Young Chick Care Research

If you are looking for day old chicks or young chicks then it is very wise (essential) to consult our blog article on the care needs of these more delicate creatures. We will be asking for proof of your preparedness. It you don’t get the conditions right to look after young chicks, they will die. We have another course running on incubating and rearing chicks if you want to start from scratch.

Horror Stories

It is coming to our attention that some people are of the opinion that they can just dump chickens in the garden and they will stroll around popping out some eggs every day. Chickens require housing for safety and also some weather protection. We have been hearing of people feeding them on old bread and left-over takeaway rubbish. Their welfare needs to be high priority so this is quite shocking. Chickens need to be fed well with a diet that is properly formulated and best suited for avian digestive systems. They are not feathery dustbins. Feeding them household scraps is not legally allowed and is certainly not going to give them a diet which will allow them to be their most productive or healthy. Based on the saying rubbish in, rubbish out; with hens it is definitely rubbish in, nothing out.

Attend to Foxproofing as high priority

Most important is how to avoid your new hens from becoming a convenient take-away snack for a hungry fox or badger. Check out our chicken foxproofing post for tips to safeguard your chickens

Avian Influenza Current Information

We have a blog page devoted to the current regulations relating to Avian Influenza which had raised its head again in the winters of 2020/2023 in the UK. Make sure you are up to date with what you MUST do to comply with the current laws. There are unlimited fines and probably imprisonment for those not heeding the requirements.

How to get notified of new stock

Please use our Contact page to be added to our waiting list. Tick the waiting list option along with the “opt-in” to give us permission to contact you. Our mailing lists, which are infrequent, have an easy unsubscribe link to unsubscribe at any time. We do not wish to annoy you by emailing you unnecessarily. Please know that we take your privacy very seriously and will not spam you without permission. As we say, spam is for fritters and we hate fritters.

Update your Chicken Coop equipment

We are now stocking fabulous coops called Henlays Roost which are easy to clean and are easy to manage from a Red Mite eradication perspective. If you need to have a lie-in in the morning instead of living in “chicken-time” then invest in a Chickenguard. This will let your chickens out at a time of your choosing so you don’t have to rise with the lark at stupid o’clock. It will also shut them away safely at night thus rushing back to close your coop is now a thing of the past. We now have Chickenguard for sale on our web shop. Nestera Coops (previously Green Frog Designs) have approached us and we are happy to be providing these coops also in the very near future.

Waiting List Read More »

Hedgerow Blue

Chicken Breeds, Hybrids / By / 13th December 2023 /
Hedgerow Blue chicken

Hedgerow Blue Description

This Hedgerow Blue chicken is a very popular powder blue beauty and we normally sell out of these very quickly. She is a commercial hybrid created using top producing strains of Blue Plymouth Rock and Barred Plymouth Rock. Her blue colouring can vary enormously from pale grey right through to a darker blue/grey. She has lovely darker lacing around the edge of each feather which is more noticeable in some hens than others. Her neck feathers are darker too and again it is more prominent in some hens rather than others. These hens are very similar looking to a hen known as a Bluebell.

Hedgerow Blue Temperament

Personality wise, she is a calm hen with a good character, however, they can vary enormously in terms of bravery. Some birds can be very skittish whereas others are very “in your face”. They don’t generally cause any problems within a mixed flock. This blue chicken is a sweet-natured beauty and is a pleasure to own.

Breed Size

Our Blue has quite a matronly build, but neither too big nor too small.

Eggs

Our Hedgerow Blue will lay in the region of 300 delicious largish darker brown eggs in her first laying year. The eggs size will start off fairly small as she is learning her “craft” but they increase in size gradually over the course of the following few weeks. She is considered to be point of lay between 22 and 25 weeks

Eggs are laid in their highest quantity in the hens first laying year which is 52 weeks after point of lay. The second laying year will, therefore, have a slight reduction in eggs numbers. The third laying year will have an even more marked reduction in the numbers of eggs produced. Egg production is a big strain on the hens resources, therefore, hybrids – due to their high numbers of yearly eggs – will stop laying sooner than pure breeds. The term live fast – die young is applicable to most hybrids.

Further information

More info on our birds for sale can be found here. If you are looking to join us on one of our courses please check out our courses page

Cute Blue chick at day old
A day old chick of the Hedgerow Blue
Hedgerow Blue hen
Here a Blue pullet is busy investigating whether there are any tasty morsels behind the feed tub
Blue pullet on the hunt
A Hedgerow Blue in hunting mode
A darker Hedgerow Blue grower
A grower at 6 weeks old in Hedgerow Blue
Hedgerow Blue chicken
She is not paying attention to the camera is our Blue pullet

Hedgerow Blue Read More »

Chicken Maths = How many chickens?

Brahma, General Chit Chat, Swedish Flower Hen / By / 11th December 2023
Chickens ready for sale

Today I spent a good few hours rearranging all my pens to keep the age groups in one place. I have chickens all over the place so it was time to make it more organised. As some pens become empty I move them around to make the best use of the space.

Well after I caught them up, they ran off, so I caught them again. They didn’t like their new pen because it was obviously a very scary place. So inconsiderate! Considering I spent ages digging in some lime to disinfect the area. It also rearranged my hair as I got it caught in the netting. Dragged through a hedge backwards is a recurring theme for my hairstyle these days. They then made a bolt for the door every time I brought another 2 over. I don’t know about them, but I found it quite stressful. It certainly increased my step count for the day according to my fitness phone app so not all bad!!

When I finally finished I took a picture so I could see what I had and which colour mixes I had. This is not the only batch of chickens I have either so I might have to give myself a stern talking to.

These are now ready to go to their new homes. We have Brahma in Pyle, and Buff Columbian. We have some Orpingtons in Lavender and some Swedish Flower Hens Crossed with either Leghorn or Ancona.

That moment when you realise exactly how many chickens you have. Chicken maths – aka chicken addiction – is a real thing, especially here.

For the uninitiated, the term Chicken Maths relates to a Phenomenon (or an excuse) for why numbers of chickens get out of control. It starts off by getting a flock of 3, then because you cannot add a single chicken to an existing flock, you end up with 2 more. If you lose one and need to replace it, you end up with another 2 minimum. And so it goes.

I often get asked how many chickens I have and the answer is invariably “I don’t know”. It is impossible to count chickens for fear of double counting. You would never actually want to suggest the real number because there lies madness. Approximate is the best guess as with all chicken keepers, especially those trying to avoid telling their better half how many they actually have. A guilty pleasure for sure. Sneaking a few more in under the “approximate” banner is always an option.

Chicken Maths = How many chickens? Read More »

Bantams – 8 reasons why we don’t keep them

Chicken Breeds / By / 19th November 2023

What is a Bantam

First of all, a bantam is a size of chicken, not a breed. They are divided into true bantams, which includes Pekins, Sebrights, Serema, Dutch and Booted bantams amongst others. True bantams have no large fowl equivalent. Many large fowl do have a bantam equivalent, these are roughly a quarter of the size of the large fowl version. There is a bantam version of Wyandotte, Brahma, Leghorn, Sussex, Rhode Islands, Faverolles, Welsummer, Araucana to name a few.

An interesting fact regarding the Pekin and the Cochin which causes some confusion when viewing Facebook groups which have many nationalities as members. A Cochin has no bantam equivalent, however chicken keepers in the USA call Pekins a Cochin. As ever, the Americans are often at odds with the way we name stuff. A Pekin has no large fowl equivalent.

8 Reasons why we don’t keep bantams

  1. They are a quarter of the size of a regular chicken and they might not mix well in a large fowl flock. Sometimes bantam sized chickens can suffer with bullying when in with the bigger girls.
  2. They can have a “Napoleon Complex” which can actually show aggressive tendencies much bigger than their size in a mixed size flock.
  3. They are usually very broody. Broody hens can be aggressive with other hens and also their keepers. Broody hens won’t lay eggs.
  4. They have repeated attacks of broodiness throughout the year and it’s often difficult to get them over it. Broodies can die from malnutrition or dehydration in particularly warm periods. The broodiest by reputation are Silkies, Goldtops, Pekins and Wyandottes.
  5. Their eggs are too small for your average chuckyegg. They need very small dippy soldiers to fit. Bring on those proper sized eggs!!
  6. They are no more easy to handle than large fowl even for children.
  7. The numbers of eggs are poor because they have repeated bouts of broodiness.
  8. They are more at risk of danger when a cat is involved or larger birds of prey.

We only stock Large Fowl – However……

Large fowl and very large fowl can be just as friendly and cuddly as bantams. The largest chickens are fluff balls which are easy and calm to handle. They are not prone to panic running about as some bantams are. There is nothing standard about a chicken however as they all reserve the right to be individual characters, just like us.

We Relented and we got Silkies – Ahem

It has to be said that we have always had a bit of a downer on Silkies. On a whim I got some USA Silkie hatching eggs with the sole purpose of just selling the chicks. After having kept them, I decided to breed them and now I have a little flock of fluffy nodding Silkies that I actually do like – a lot. I did not expect them to lay very well, but they have laid when none of the rest were laying and I hatched loads. They do have a downside however, they are very easily spooked because they have so much facial fuzz and poor vision. Those small eggs are a deal breaker though but they do have a surprisingly large yolk.

Bantams – 8 reasons why we don’t keep them Read More »

Hatching Eggs

Chicken Breeds, Incubation, Poultry For Sale / By / 23rd September 2023
Hatching eggs in incubator
Hatching Eggs and chicks
Chicks and eggs
Eggs in basket
Selection of coloured eggs
Egg picture
Egg mountain

Hatching Eggs For Sale

Fertilised chicken eggs for hatching are available throughout the year, however some breeds are on shorter supply than others. If you are looking for a particular breed please get in touch via our contact page

Eggs for hatching from our flock of lovely chickens are available as shown below:

If you are wanting to make use of a broody hen then you will need to obtain some fertilised eggs for incubation. These can also be put into an incubator if you have no broody hen.

Supply warnings

Our hatchery eggs are no more than a few days old at most and are available for collection directly from us. Collection in person is much the best way to get your eggs for hatching.

Alternatively we can post them. It should be noted that Mr or Mrs Postperson may not be very gentle with your hatching eggs despite our very careful packaging. Fertile eggs can suffer broken or ruptured air sacs, or displaced yolks if they are vigorously shaken. This can drastically affect your hatch-rate. If the postal service has mistreated the parcel then you will get at best a poor hatch-rate or even no hatch at all. This is entirely beyond our control unfortunately.

We hatch throughout most of the year from our own fertilised chicken eggs so know that the fertility is good.

Choice or reliability of your incubator and incubation method is also a major factor in a successful hatch. Again, this is totally beyond our control and is no reflection on our egg viability.

Eggs will be posted on Monday through to Wednesday each week only. This avoids them sitting in sorting offices over a weekend. We sell them for £2.50 each. Postage and packing is extra and will depend on the weight and size of the parcel.

Hatching egg returns policy

Please note that our hatchery eggs are supplied as believed fertile because we hatch regularly throughout the year. However please view our returns policy before purchasing because we can offer no guarantees on the success or failure of the eggs. This is especially true for posted eggs. To rule out any spurious claims we need to verify the eggs as ours and their opening up during a Zoom call. We ask that you DO NOT crack open any suspect eggs if you are wanting to raise a dispute before the Zoom session. This is regrettably because we have been scammed in the past by some dishonest people.

Hatchery Eggs for Incubation for sale

Our hens are classed as large fowl light and large fowl heavy with the Silkie being small bantams. The Faverolles and Ixworths are both heavy breeds.

We also have fully automatic incubators and brooders to hire to help you hatch and raise the baby chicks safely and successfully. Our hire package is only available to local addresses.

Hatching Eggs Read More »

Coronation Sussex

Chicken Breeds, Sussex / By / 12th December 2023 /
Grayson Coronation Sussex Chicken

Coronation Sussex Description

Coronation Sussex are very rare. We were breeding these since 2017 and are very similar to the Light Sussex however where the Light Sussex has black neck hackles, wing tips and tail tip, the Coronation Sussex has a pale grey in those areas. We no longer keep this breed but they are added on our site just for breed interest. Our previous breeding flock was headed by a magnificent cockerel called Silas. Sussex chickens come in various colours such as Light, Speckled, Red, White, and Coronation.

Son of Grayson Coronation Sussex
Female Coronation Sussex Hen
Sussex breeder group

Coronation Sussex Breed Temperament

She is a typical Sussex chicken temperament. A Coronation Sussex is confident but also not a lover of being cuddly. They are not usually the sort of chicken that dominates a flock. A Sussex mixes well with other chickens and are good layers.

Sussex Breed Size

This breed is classified as a large fowl – light. Sussex chickens in general have a rather matronly build. They tend to look rather stocky compared with something like a Leghorn for instance.

Eggs

Eggs are a biscuit colour or pale tinted and are produced in good numbers. Approximately 4-5 eggs per week in their first laying year. They come into lay at around the 25 week mark. The egg size is medium to large

Availability

We no longer breed these chickens.

Sources for Further Information

For more information about the chickens we currently sell please look at our chickens for sale page. If you have burning questions about how to look after chickens and have been stumped by the confusing contradictions online join us on one of our courses.

Coronation Sussex Read More »

Latest Stock

Chicken Breeds, Copper Black Marans, Cream Legbar, Dayold chicks, Faverolles, Hybrids, Lavender Leghorn, Opal Legbars, Popular, Poultry For Sale, Silkies / By / 30th October 2025 / ,
Basket of newly hatched chicks

Latest Stock For Sale

and Breaking News

Latest stock page so you can see at a glance what we have going on and what is the latest chicken availability for sale.

Latest Chicken availability as at 5th January 2025

Our breeding stock have just just finished their moult and the hens are beginning their rest period. We have some hens at close to point of lay available now. Our plan is to get some dayold Hyline Browns in during February. These should be ready to lay late Autumn which will give eggs over the winter. Winter eggs are only available in new hens. Hens that have been through a moult will probably not lay over winter. We have some beautiful Swedish Flower Hens now and a few Salmon Faverolles left from our 2024 hatchings. Faverolles are not yet laying and the Swedish are due to start laying in the next few weeks.

New Breeds Available

We are planning two new breeds for 2025. Lavender Leghorns which will lay a white eggs and Opal Legbars. I have no idea what colour the Legbars are going to lay. I am hoping for blue, but who knows.

Hatching Eggs – Not Available now Till 2026

We don’t have hatching eggs available now till Spring 2026. We should be having Salmon Faverolles, Swedish Flower chickens, Opal Legbar, Lavender Leghorn and USA Silkies.

Enquiries – please use Our Contact Form

You can ask us questions using our contact form. We also produce a newsletter when we have stock available or better yet – actual news!! We don’t email very often so we won’t be filling your mailbox with weekly spam.

Latest stock Available Listed below. Price rises with age each Monday

  • Cockerels – All £15 each (Swedish Flower) – stunning,
  • Faverolles – available next year
  • Black Rock ® – Delivery awaited
  • Brown Rock ® – Deliveries at intervals during the year – Awaiting a delivery
  • Cream Legbar – available from Summer 2026
  • Swedish Flower hens – available next year
  • Marsh Daisies – available summer 2026
  • Ixworth – Not currently available
  • Norfolk Grey – available summer 2026
  • Opal Legbar – available from spring 2026
  • USA Silkies – not currently available
  • Hy-line Brown – available in chick form mid March 2026
  • Lavender Leghorn – available summer 2026

Breaking News!!!!

Teacher chicken

Exciting development. Our chicken keeping and incubation courses are now ONLINE. See our Poultry Courses Page for details so you can START ONE TODAY.

Easy to follow

We are hoping that people will find the easy-to-follow bite size chunks an enjoyable experience. It is crammed with masses of information you should know about keeping chickens. It will take you on a deep dive into the fascinating world of this wonderful creature. We guarantee that you will therefore learn things that will make you think about chickens in a totally new light.

Getting it right

It will help you to make good equipment choices, and get your husbandry right. Spotting illness quickly is a biggie because unless you are able to spot sickness, it can rapidly get way out of hand. A slow or wrong diagnosis can then be catastrophic for the chicken.

Easing the burden

Getting the right coop for example will make the cleaning out of your chickens a 10 minute job rather than a real thankless task. We help you get it right, first time. This saves you money and time and who doesn’t need some of that?

Benefits

Chickens are enjoyable however making poor choices can take the shine off it very quickly.

Premium Chickenguard

We are now able to offer Chickenguards for your coops

Having chickens is great but getting up early in the morning however to let them out especially in Summer is not so great.

Fitting a chickenguard on your coop means you can have that lie-in or even just get up at normal time rather than chicken time.

Chickenguards will allow you to go out of an evening and not have to get back at dusk to shut your chooks away. Chickenguard will do it all for you. Your chickens will not demand that you become party poopers.

Battery powered with 4 AA batteries which last from 6 to 12 months.

Visit our shop page for more info

Henlay Coop

We are now stocking Henlays Roost chicken coops.

Perfectly designed coops that are manufactured from 12mm thick recycled plastic sheets. That is thicker than most other plastic coops.

Built with both chicken welfare and human welfare in mind because humans matter too. They look and feel solid.

No more back breaking stooping or crouching to clean out. Contortionism is also not required. Just open the roofline, lift the well spaced perches out and hey presto, the entire coop area is at the mercy of your shovel and scraper.

Red mite will be spotted in double quick time so therefore you can treat if necessary as they have no where to hide.

Visit our shop page for details

Latest Stock Read More »

New Delivery of Black Rock

Black Rock®, Chicken Breeds, Dayold chicks / By / 17th January 2022 / ,
Black Rock Hens

We are expecting a delivery of Black Rock hens and Brown Rock hens direct from the Muirfield hatchery week commencing 17/1/2022.

We have have placed an order for young chicks which are ideal for youngsters. They are past the delicate stage but are still small enough to be easy to handle. We have also added some point of lay birds to our order.

If you want to know more about these birds we have a page devoted to the breed. The breed page also a link for the Muirfield hatchery website. Eddie Lovett is the owner and breeder of the famous Black Rock birds which originated in Scotland. He (Eddie) took over the breeding line when Peter Siddons passed away. Before he died, Peter had given all of his knowledge to Eddie. This has enabled Eddie to could carry on Peter Siddons’ work of breeding the birds he loved. Black Rock hens also have a facebook page.

As we are an official Black Rock agent we get a regular delivery of Black Rock hens. Keep watching our site for news throughout the year. Our area is North West of England and North Wales. You could also join our newletter list to be updated.

Get in touch via our contact page if you would like to book any.

New Delivery of Black Rock Read More »

Chicks for Easter is Upon Us

Black Rock®, Blacktail, Dayold chicks, Faverolles, Hybrids, Latest News, Poultry For Sale, Swedish Flower Hen / By / 13th March 2024 /
Newly hatched chicks

Easter Chicks

Chicks for Easter are very popular with young families. Schools are very keen to uphold the typical imagery of Easter. This excitement passes to parents who keep the traditional events of Easter going. Of course, Easter is an original religious celebration which is very important to those of faith.

In nature, whenever you think of Easter, it is normal to also think of it as a Spring festival. Spring heralds new beginnings when birds begin nesting and gardens wake up after the long Winter’s slumber. Snowdrops, Daffodils and Crocuses poke their heads through the cold soil to give bees and other insects their first feasts of the year.

The animals often thought of as Easter icons are baby rabbits, and baby chicks. Both animals feature heavily on Easter cards because they are so cute and fluffy. Chocolate Easter eggs also appear on cards but come a close second. Adding pictures of chicks on almost every product is common around this time of year

Chicken breeders often begin to incubate chicken eggs in Spring. Easter is the date in the calendar when hatching starts in earnest. Fertility and egg numbers increase as the daylight hours become longer. This is good news for us as we can then start to think about building up our stock of chickens for sale. Raising baby chickens is definitely one of the nicest things about what we do. It is very much a guilty pleasure handling as many as possible.

Our pure breeds are Swedish Flower Hens, Salmon Faverolles, and USA Silkies. We also take delivery of official Black Rock, & Brown Rock at intervals during the year. Hy-line Browns are also available during the year. Hy-lines lay as many eggs as the better known Warrens or Lohmann Browns but they lay a darker egg.

Pitfalls of chicks to be aware of

If you are wanting to buy chicks for Easter then we will have plenty by then. We will want to know that you have done your research, so that they will be well looked after. If you want to check out our blog page on how to care for chicks, this will stand you in good stead. Baby chicks have specific care needs otherwise they can die. We want to avoid that at all costs.

Male or Female chickens – that is the question?

Our pure breed chicks are not sexed at the fluffy stage so there is a potential high risk of boys. Boys will turn into loud cockerels and are difficult to re-home if you cannot keep them.

Need a Guarantee of Hens?

How early can you sex a chicken? It depends on the breed. Some breeds are easy at 3 weeks, whereas some are impossible until some weeks later. We don’t offer a return on chicks that we sell as unsexed. If you want a hen guarantee, then you will need to wait until the chicks are roughly 6-8 weeks old before purchasing. This means they are beyond the fluffy stage but they still look quite cute because they are diddy versions of the older birds. We could sell male chicks like some other breeders do and promise that we have sold hens, but it is not our way. Honesty is important and our customers appreciate that.

Guaranteed Hens at Day Old

Hybrid chicks like our Hy-line Browns, Black Rock and Brown Rock are hatchery sexed. We offer a female guarantee with those at day-old.

Brown chicks peering out of a basket

Eggs and Science

As a bit of excitement for parents with children. Check out this website to have fun with eggs.

Chicks for Easter is Upon Us Read More »

Araucana

Araucana, Chicken Breeds / By / 12th December 2023 /
Araucana Black Cockerel

Araucana Breed Description – Not currently available

Araucana chickens are amazing birds. Pronounced Arra-carna. They have a beard, muff and a crest and most interesting of all, they lay a blue egg. We keep them in Black, Blue and Lavender varieties which are quite rare colours. Originally from Chile, they were brought to the UK many years ago and have been used in the creation of many crested breeds such as the Cream Legbar.

Indigenous Araucana are a rumpless chicken, so they have no “parsons nose” to grow feathers from. Americans bred with them with some of their local fowl and created a tailed version. The tailed version is more correctly known as Ameraucana. This differentiates the two kinds. Most UK Araucana are actually Ameraucana but the name Araucana has become a one size fits all kind of name.

Breed Temperament

Araucana are a fairly reserved chicken. They exhibit the full range of possible personalities, from skittish to velcro-like. Careful handling is the key. They are good in a mixed flock.

Breed Size

The chickens we have are large fowl – light, but they can also be found in some places in a bantam version. Large fowl in this breed are on the small side of large we feel.

Eggs

Araucana are very respectable layers of medium-sized blue eggs. Interestingly enough the genes that make a blue egg are different than those of a common or garden egg. The colour is deposited into the shell at the outset and the inside of the shell is as blue as the outside. Other breeds of chickens apply the colour as a final flourish just before laying. The colour on the outside of regular eggs does not go right through the shell. Rest assured that the egg once it hits the frying pan is just the same as any other regular hens egg. They just look rather nice additions to your egg box.

Further Information

If you need any further information on how to look after chickens then a course might be a good option.

Araucana Read More »

Hedgerow Goldilocks

Chicken Breeds, Hybrids / By / 13th December 2023 /
Hedgerow Goldilocks hen

Hedgerow Goldilocks Breed Description

The Hedgerow Goldilocks is a new version of a hybrid that we haven’t stocked before. We are now delighted to offer some for sale. She is a commercial quality hybrid which comes from a Brown Leghorn and Sussex recipe. She is more golden round the neck than the Brown Leghorn in her genetics hence her fetching name. We have not got adult birds yet so the gallery picture is a picture of a grower. The other Goldilocks picture in the gallery is a hen balanced on my hand. I wanted to show the colouring of her back feathers. When she grows up she will be rather good looking we reckon. A hen changes quite a bit from their grower colouring. The adult hen is going to be more golden still.

Goldilocks Breed Temperament

The Sussex in her makeup will tone down the liveliness of the Leghorn so this Goldilocks is a rather more mellow bird in comparison with a standard Leghorn.

Breed Size

Our Hedgerow Goldilocks is classified as a large fowl – light. She looks more like a Leghorn shape rather than a Sussex shape.

Eggs

A Hedgerow Goldilocks is expected to lay 280-300 cream eggs in her first laying year. The Leghorn in her will drive egg numbers for sure so she certainly won’t disappoint in egg laying terms.

Further information

More information is to be found on our chickens for sale page. If you would like to learn more about chicken keeping you will find more about our courses here

Availability

We don’t have any of these hens available at the moment at Hedgerow Henporium.

Goldilocks Grower
Looking at the camera is over-rated
Close up of Goldilocks
Chickens wiggle when balanced on your hand

Hedgerow Goldilocks Read More »

Happy New Year

Chicken Breeds / By / 4th January 2025 /
Snow on a shrub

Happy New Year 2025

Snow on a shrub

Wishing you all a happy new year with peace, prosperity and goodwill to all men, women and chickens!! We hope that this coming year is a fabulous one not forgetting those less fortunate than ourselves.

Our thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones before their time.

2024 was a wonderful year in terms of the number new poultry keepers it generated. We have also sourced some exciting new breeds which have been growing in order to breed in 2025. 2024 was the year of no Black Rock or Brown Rock as they were impossible to get hold of. We believe they will become more available this year.

We are open and have a limited selection of hens at point of lay as at 5th January 2025. This will increase as the year progresses so please visit our current stock post or ask us on our contact form.

Our planned breeds for this year

  • Lavender Leghorn
  • Salmon Faverolles
  • Black Rock
  • Brown Rock
  • Opal Legbar
  • Swedish Flower Hens
  • USA Silkies
  • Hyline Brown hybrids
  • Prices range from £11.50 at day old up to £45 for our point of lay birds.
Always nosey
Black Rock
Gold Silkie hen avoiding the camera
Camera shy Gold Silkie
Blue Silkie hen avoiding the camera
Camera shy blue Silkie
Gold Partridge Silkie hen avoiding the camera
Camera Sky Gold Partridge Silkie
Opal Legbar rare breed chicken
Opal Legbar coming soon in 2025

Happy New Year Read More »

Shopping Basket
Scroll to Top