Belgian Bantams
No. of Eggs 3.5/5 Easy to Keep? 2.5/5 Uses: Exhibition. Eggs: 200 – 250 tinted / brown.Origin: Belgium.Weight: Cock: 680-790g max, Hen: 570-680g max.Colours: Many colour varieties. The main ones are Porcelain, Millefleur Quail, Blue Quail, Silver Quail, Lavender Quail, Cuckoo, Black, Black Mottled, Blue, Lavender and White.Useful to Know: A true bantam, […]
Australorp Chickens
No. of Eggs 4.5/5 Easy to Keep? 4.8/5 Uses: Dual purpose utility meat and eggs. Eggs: 200 – 250 tinted / brown.Origin: Kent, U.K.Weight: Cock: 3.85 – 4.55Kg, Hen: 2.95 – 3.6Kg.Bantam: Cock: 1.02Kg Max, Hen: 2.95-3.6KgColours: Black, Blue, White (Standardised UK).Useful to Know: Available in Bantam size, the Australorp is docile and […]
Poultry Grit
In this article, you will learn about the purposes of the two different types of poultry grit and how you can feed these together as mixed poultry grit. I also have a suggestion for a chicken grit feeder and will leave you with some tips on making a chicken grit from crushed eggshells at home. […]
Asil (Aseel) Chickens
No. of Eggs 0.3/5 Easy to Keep? 0.5/5 Uses: Originally Cock Fighting, now exhibition.Eggs: 5-20 tinted.Origin: South Punjab / Sindh area of Pakistan and India, Asia.Weight: Cock: 1.8 – 2.7Kg, Hen: 1.35 – 2.25Kg.Bantam Cock: 1130g, Hen: 910g.Colour: No fixed colours (British Poultry Standard).Useful to Know: Once used for cock-fighting, they have a […]
Asian Hard Feather
No. of Eggs 1/5 Easy to Keep? 1/5 Uses: Originally Cock Fighting, now exhibition. Eggs: 10-80 white / tinted depending on the breed.Origin: Asia.Weights: From 0.5 Kg (Nankin Bantam) to 5Kg (Malay)Colours: Mainly Light and Dark Red / Black but some White, Spangled and Pile.Useful to Know: A gap between primary and secondary feathers (known as split wing) is […]
Araucana Chickens
No. of Eggs 2.8/5 Easy to Keep? 3.5/5 Uses: Exhibition / Eggs. Eggs: 170-200 Green / Blue.Origin: Chile, South America.Weight: Cock: 2.7 – 3.2Kg Hen: 2.25 – 2.7Kg.Bantam Cock: 740 – 850g Hen: 680 – 790gColours: Black, Black-Red, Blue, Blue-Red, Crele, Cuckoo, Golden Duckwing, Lavender, Pile, Silver Duckwing, Spangled, White (Standardised).Useful to know: […]
Appenzeller Spitzhauben Chickens
No. of Eggs 3.9/5 Easy to Keep? 2.7/5 Uses: Exhibition. Utility: eggs. Eggs: 230 – 280 white. Origin: Switzerland (Appenzel Canton). Weight: Cock: 1.6 – 2Kg, Hen: 1.35 – 1.6Kg. Bantam: Only Large Fowl Standardised in the UK. Colours: Black, Silver Spangled, Gold Spangled standardised UK. Barred, Black-Mottled, Blue, & Chamois Spangled. Useful to Know: A very active breed capable of laying […]
Reading Bantam Show 2015
The Reading and District Bantam Society Championship show was held last weekend (21st-22nd February) and I was thrilled to have been there for the first time to take some photos. It was a really enjoyable weekend, and certainly one of the best shows I’ve been to. Thank you to everyone who brought their birds up […]
Litchfield Spring Show 2015
Litchfield Poultry Club members produced a great entry for us to judge on the day with the hall full of around 350 exhibits. Most classes were well supported especially in the True Bantam, Asian and Game sections
Appenzeller Barthuhner Chickens
No. of Eggs 3/5 Easy to Keep? 3.7/5 Uses: Exhibition. Utility: eggs. Eggs: 190 – 220 white / cream. Origin: Switzerland (Appenzell Canton). Weight: Cock: 2.26 – 2.94Kg, Hen: 1.36 – 1.81Kg. Bantam: Only Large Fowl Standardised in the UK. Colours: Black, Blue, Laced, Black-Red. Useful to Know: A very active breed so […]
Andalusian Chickens
No. of Eggs 2.8/5 Easy to Keep? 2.5/5 Uses: Exhibition, rare breed conservation. Origin: Mediterranean. Eggs: 160-200 large white eggs per year. Weight: Cock: 3.2-3.6Kg, Hen: 2.25-2.7Kg. Bantam Cock: 680-790g Bantam Hen: 570-680g Colour: Blue with black lacing. Useful to Know: A rare breed but good layer of large white eggs. As with […]
West of England Geese
Uses: Utility – meat and eggs. Useful autosexing characteristic. Eggs: 20 to 50 white eggs per year. Origin: UK. Weight: Gander: 7.3 – 9.1 Kg. Goose: 6.3 – 8.2 Kg. Colour: Ganders: White. Geese: Pied Grey and White. Useful to Know: An autosexing breed. Photo: West of England Goose, BWA Best of Breed at the […]
Toulouse Geese
German Toulouse with a smaller keel than British/American varieties. Uses: Utility – meat, especially when crossed with Embden Geese. As a broody although due to their size, can break their eggs.Eggs: 20 to 40 white eggs per year.Origin: France.Weight: Gander: 11.8-13.6Kg. Goose: 9.1-10.9Kg.Colours: Grey, Buff and WhiteUseful to Know: A popular fast-growing commercial hybrid is […]
Steinbacher Geese
Uses: Utility – Meat & eggs. Eggs: 30 to 50 white eggs per year. Origin: Germany. Weight: Gander: 6 – 7 Kg. Goose: 5 – 6 Kg. Colours: Blue, Grey (standardised), Cream and Buff (non standardised) Useful to Know: Some strains can be aggressive. The Steinbacher was after all named ‘the fighting goose’ in France […]
Sebastopol Geese
Uses: Showing / Attractive unusual pets. Eggs: 30 to 50 white eggs per year. Origin: Eastern Europe. Weight: Gander: 5.7 – 7 Kg. Goose: 4.5 – 6 Kg. Colours: Buff, White. (Curled feather and smooth breasted varieties) Useful to Know: Light Grey feathers can appear in white females during their first year. Photo: A White […]
Feeding Chicks
Feeding chicks when there is no broody hen to take care of them and what you can feed in an emergency if you run out of chick crumbs.
Roman Geese
Uses: Utility – good meat to bone ratio. Eggs: 40 to 60 white eggs per year. Origin: Germany / Poland. Weight: Gander: 5.4 – 6.3 Kg. Goose: 4.5 – 5.4 Kg. Colours: White. Useful to Know: Occasionally, the odd grey patch can appear in offspring. This is a fault, although light grey feathers on the […]
Pomeranian Geese
Uses: Utility – traditionally breast meat. Eggs: 35 to 70 white eggs per year. Origin: Germany / Poland. Weight: Gander: 8.2 – 10.9 Kg. Goose: 7.3 – 9.1 Kg. Colours: Ganders: White, a little grey. Geese: Light Grey. Useful to Know: Must have a single lobed paunch. Photo: A Pied Grey Pomeranian Gander. Pomeranian Geese […]
Pilgrim Geese
Uses: Utility – meat, relatively fast growing. Autosexing. Origin: UK. Eggs: 20 to 40 white eggs per year. Weight: Gander: 6.3 – 8.2 Kg. Goose: 5.4 – 7.3 Kg. Colours: Ganders: White, a little grey. Geese: Light Grey. Useful to Know: Most Pilgrim Geese are very tame if hand reared and have good parenting qualities. […]
Embden Geese
Uses: Utility – meat. Eggs: 10 to 30 white eggs per year. Origin: Northern Germany. Weight: Gander: 12 – 15 Kg. Goose: 10 – 13 Kg. Colours: White. Useful to Know: Embden Geese are one of the main breeds used in commercial Goose production. Photo: An Embden Gander at the Hannover Show 2009. Embden Geese […]