[Clansman]

Hi all, I'm new here

I've had a few chickens for the last year or so, ISA brown layers but I fancy getting a purebreed again.

I used to keep, breed and show bantams as a youngster but had to give it up once I started my 20+ year journey in the poultry industry.

Anyway, I went to look for some recently and was completely bowled over by the prices these things are making now!

I've seen £30-£50 per bird being asked for some!

Now I have no doubt this may be current market value but its only a chicken! 

So, does anyone know of any purebreeds for sale at reasonable prices? (for a tight Scotsman)

I'm looking mainly at egg production, so would probably lean towards black or white Leghorns but i'm not too fussy.

Still have the old incubator, so even if I can get a trio I could breed my own.

Any suggestions?

[chrismahon]

For near show standard birds £30 -£50 is the right price. Top quality will be a lot more. You need to be sure of egg laying quality as show stock is just that.


Chuck, on www.poultrykeeperforum.com has bred Utility White Leghorns for many years. Doubt you will find a better quality white leghorn anywhere. But you will have a bit of a drive as I think he is South England somewhere.

[john and helen]

could you not buy fertile eggs and hatch what you want..just thinking about cost

[Clansman]

Yes, could do, i'll keep an eye out and see what pops up in my area.

[hughesy]

Hatching your own is one way but you'll be waiting a long time before you see any eggs and you'll need to hatch a lot of eggs in order to have a decent number of hens. Meaning after you've separated out the cockerels and the sub standard pullets. Say you set 100 eggs, 80% are fertile, 70% of them hatch of which half are male. You're already down to only 28 birds without any deaths or culling any that don't make the grade. Buying pol hens looks better to me especially if you can get them at a reasonable price. You don't want show birds so they're not going to be the prices quoted.

[taz08]

i had 30 pure breed hens knicked  a few weeks ago ,, we think its because of the high prices being asked
every1 said fox ,, unless a fox can take 2 lots of 15 birds  and leave a few feathers and take only pure breed hens ,, they left all my hilines and islabrowns very selective  foxes 
we got cameras now ,, no problems apart from a cat taking a 3month old chick

[Hevxxx99]

You can often get nice pullets at around 10 weeks for £5-10 around here (North Yorks) and this must be just about the right time for them!

Try looking on Preloved or in local feed merchants.

[shygirl]

or get a pair and breed up a bigger flock yourself.

[Clansman]

Cheers for the ideas, i'll keep looking, i'm only after around a dozen hens and no rush for eggs etc so i'll keep my eye out.

[Rosemary]

Where are you? Poultry sale at Forfar tonight - a lot of eggs in the catalogue 

[Clansman]

Ayrshire 

[Rosemary]

Ayrshire 

Bit far  There's a sale at Lanark on 8th August.

[Clansman]

Cheers, might try that one