Hybrids :)

[Eirwen]

I have 8 hens, 6 of which are hybrids, other two are legbars.
My hybrids are-
2 x Whitestars
Bluebell
Blackrock/ Rhoderock
White sussex
Speckledy.

The Whitestars are the most petite, and agile! I have seen them 20ft up the tree in their pen, they're good climbers and jumpers! They will quite happily sit beside me, and one will jump on my shoulder to say hello! Neither like to be picked up though, even though I've been handling them since they were 3 weeks old. They are good foragers, often find them having just cought a worm! They are top of the pecking order even though they are the smallest i'm looking forward to seeing their white eggs soon, they are meant to be good layers!

The Bluebell is a chunky bird, not so agile, quite happy on the ground! She's been the first to lay, and was first developing red combs and wattles. She has risen from bootom of the pecking order to about half way since beginning to lay, I think all the noise she was making scared the other ones! She's not the brightest of the bunch, was the last one to figure out how to use the ramp to go up the coop, and last to work out the treaddle feader, but not by too much.

The Blackrock isn't a 'proper' blackrock from the scottish hatchery but is the result of the same cross of breeds. She is very greedy and was the first to take food from my hand as a chick. Though near bottom of the pecking order, she is quite confident with me, not being afraid to give me a peck or two! I often find she has hopped the electric fence, but always comes running to be let back in when she sees me, doesn't want to be left out of any treats! Good forager!

The White sussex is a hybrid sussex, looks similar to Light Sussex, but they're meant to lay more eggs. She's a heavy girl, but quite good at jumping up considering. She's quite calm and reserved, will come and sit with me though, often find her picking at my clothes, curious nature, not a fan of being handled.

The Speckledy is my special one, she was more tame and friendly right from the beginning. Wouldn't mind being handled, but preferred hopping up on my shoulder and roosting there! She hops on my shoulder every day for a little chat, and runs towards me when she see's me. In fact she gets so excited she flies over the net to greet me every day! And just follows me back in, she really is lovely! I think she is lowest on the pecking order, bless her! She is very clever though, was the first to use the treadle feeder and the ramp to the coop. She's a good forager too. Will often make crooning noises we have our little chats

Thought I'd share my experiance!

 

[Eirwen]

Some pics of my hybrids

 

[Marigold]

What a lovely gallery, they look a great gang. And you are very good at taking photos of them as will, Eirwen. I always find it so difficult to catch them on camera, they move so fast. It must be because yours are so tame.
I think it would be nice to get someone else to take a pic of you with one or more of them, to complete the set, though.

 

[Eirwen]

Thank you Marigold!
Well that's me with the red jacket lol! The birds are much prettier than me I will try and get a good shot of both of us the next time one of them hops on my shoulder. My husband doesn't spend as much time with them as I do, he thinks I'm a little crackers I think They are very theraputic, they seem so content and happy it rubs off
I think the reason they're so used to me is I spent so much time in their little pen with them when they were in the house they didn't have any choice but to carry on as normal whilst I sat in the middle of them. They probably think I'm a giant bald chicken! It does take litterally hours of me sitting with them outside to get good shots though, I have hundred of photos on my phone of chickens that are useless!

 

[Eirwen]

There you go Marigold!

 

[Marigold]

Fantastic picture, ?eirwen. That one would make a lovely avatar for your posts, wouldn't it?

 

[dinosaw]

Yes, some lovely pictures Eirwen, like you I take hundreds to get maybe a dozen good ones to post, I have a few good ones with them on my head and on my shoulders that Mrs Dinosaw has taken but probably another 40 or 50 with them turning away from the camera. Your whitestar is tamer than mine ever were, the interesting thing about Whitestars is that they are actually 100 per cent white leghorn and to this day nobody has been able to explain to me why they are classed as hybrids rather than just a smaller strain of leghorn.

 

[chrismahon]

I guess to class them as Leghorns they would need to comply with breed standard Dinosaw. The hens should have a floppy-over comb that doesn't flop so much as to obscure vision, but unfortunately in my experience can be prone to frostbite. Suppose the term 'utility modified leghorn' may apply. But we did buy two Gold Stars that laid brown eggs. Don't know how they were derived?

Lovely photos Eirwen. All that time you spent with them early on has paid off.

 

[dinosaw]

They do get the floppy overcomb once mature Chris, but I'm not sure about the rest of the breed standard, will take a look at it, I think Gold Star is just another derived name for Goldlines from pictures of them unless I have the wrong end of the stick, which would be a RIR X Light Sussex.

 

[Eirwen]

I just tried to use the pic as my avatar Marigold but my pic resizer won't go that small!
Only that one of the two whitestars will go on my shoulder Dinosaw, the less mature one is much more weary.. Just goes to show that they all have their own personalities I could never raise them for meat, I get far too atached!!
All the pics I took myself, including me and the whitestar selfie hehe, my husband doesn't have the patience! All he's gotten excited about is the eggs!! which are very tasty so far!