Rhode Island Red
These birds are one of the most disease resistant free range chickens I have bred.
A top layer, with beauty to boot!
She will give you 6 to 7 eggs a week in her prime.
As with all laying birds egg production drops off during the winter months. This is caused mainly by the shorter daylight hours.
We manufacture and market a weather proof laying light to counter this. Our automatic unit utilizes an economical 11 watt energy saver bulb which is sufficient for approximately 100 birds or more, depending on your housing conditions. The laying light increases egg production to almost the summer highs and it will also give you optimum summer egg production
We sell both the Rhode Island Red and the Rhode Island Whites from a few weeks old and up. But It is seldom that we have point of lay birds available. However for those people who want older birds we offer a "growing service." What this means is that we grow the required number of chickens to the age our client needs. This can be any number of chicks, any age or any sex. A delivery or collection date is given and a price is quoted for the chicks at that age. For this we ask a small deposit and balance of payment on delivery
Young Rhode Island Reds and Whites
It is good practice to inspect your chickens on a regular basis for parasites such as lice and mites and to also de-worm them twice a year or more often if needed. A severe infestation can reduce egg production or render them totally infertile. If this occurs it can take up to 3 weeks for normal fertility to return to the flock.
Buff Orpington and a "friend"
The Buff is highly sought after for the serious breeder and commercial farmer to sell on the open market at prices far exceeding the average laying chicken.
A very popular bird for the home owner and private breeder to supplement the family income and for a regular supply of fresh eggs
They are relatively easy to breed but are a bit delicate as youngsters. Their hatch rate is lower than the "free range" chickens. Moralities in the first few weeks after hatching are often higher than other species.
Some of them will become broody and rear their own chickens
Bred for:
Show purposes and their beauty
Egg production:
– 4 to 5 per week*
Temperament:
Very tame & placid fowls
Recommendation:
I would suggest beginners start with another species of bird.
Buff Cock
The Buff is also very popular in the rural areas. By adding them to their existing flocks results in a very big and colourfull chicken which not only lays larger eggs but becomes a hardy disease resistant free range breeding chicken.
The old laid out birds fetch a very high price due to their size. They make tame and interesting pets if time is spent with them. They will eat out of the hand and come when called too.
Buff Orpingtons are perfectly at home with people and any animal that is not aggressive toward them!
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This is one of the most popular free range combination meat & laying birds in South Africa!
The Potch Koekoek was evolved, by the University of Potchefstroom from the English Barred Rock. They line bred and selected these layers over a period of years to adapt to South African conditions. The result is a large hardy, dual purpose fowl producing a regular egg a day. The hens will become broody and successfully hatch and rear their own chickens, fiercely defending them against any predator foolish enough to try and add them to their lunch. Some cocks become aggressive and will occasionally attack a person especially if they sense fear. Women seem to be their favorite target! One is tempted to lash out at the offending cock with foot or newspaper, this however only results in a redoubled effort and a scratched leg.This behavior can usually be cured by dumping a few litres of water on the offender!
The question often arises about keeping a number of cocks together with hens in the same area. This is acceptable in a free range situation if they have grown up together and there are a sufficient number of hens to go around. There is also be no problem if caged, providing the space is large enough to accommodate all the birds. But the breeder must not make the mistake of adding a strange cock, even a youngster to a flock with existing cocks ruling the roost. A cock can be used for breeding till about 6 years of age. 5 Hens to one cock is a good ratio for successful breeding. No cocks are needed if the hens are used only for egg production, but I do believe that the occasional cock will stimulate the hens to lay better.
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The spurs on the cocks legs can be used to estimate the age of the bird. These start to develop at about 25 weeks, the longer and thicker the sput the older the cock. These spurs are the birds weapons and can do serious damage to a threatening predator or an opposing cockrell. They can also inadvertently wound a hen during mating, I have seen the whole back of a hen cut to the bone as if by a surgeon's scalpel! This can be avoided by trimming the tips carefully with a nail clipper and then using a medium sandpaper wrapped around a flat block of wood to round the spur till no longer sharp enough to inflict a wound. Care must be taken not to draw blood by cutting too deep or sanding too much.
Blue Australorp
Blue hen
Blue Australorp chick
The Australorp is a very popular large, egg laying free range chicken used extensively in large poultry industries and to add beauty to homes and estates.
We, unlike most poultry breeders supply five different Australorp colours! A rare find indeed! our most popular is the Blue!
They get very tame and make wonderful pets too, following the kids around and even eating out of the hand!
Also good pest controllers in the garden
White Australorp
White Australorp
Lilac Australorp
Black Australorp
The black is by far the best known and most widely used.
