| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Stacey |
Anyone bought chooks from here?http://www.goldenvalleypoultry.co.uk/I'm asking on behalf of a friend. Yes, I do have friends 
I don't recognise any of the breeds on the site 
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| Ixy |
That's because they're not breeds - they're hybrids. it says the 'white' is a white leghorn...I think not - it's a white leghorn based hybrid I've seen labelled as a white star elsewhere. the blue one looks like a bluebelle, the black one a black rock/bovans nera, golden is your warren/isa brown and the speckley is probably based on a maran or something. | ||
| chicken feed |
hi
most poultry outlets have their own names for the same crosses black rocks,blacks nera black etc. sliver link, ambers red co's, columbian black tails is it eggs your friend is looking for or a chicken that lays some eggs. the light sussex, marans and rir they also list are what they use to breed these prolific layers they are not cheap are they 
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| Stacey |
I couldn't see the prices.
I think he just wants layers. |
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| Bebo |
It says from 18quid at the top.
Sure he doesn't want some nice Light Sussex? Got a couple of 15 week old ladies here and I'm only looking for 14 quid a bird. |
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| Chez |
It says from £18 a bird - that's a *lot* for hybrids - you should be paying round about a tenner at POL.
Isn't that Bebo's neck of the woods? Perhaps she could recommend someone? |
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| Chez |
Oooooh! Cross-posted! | ||
| Bebo |
There's a place down towards Bexhill near me that does hybrids (and a few proper breeds as well). Think he charges about 16 for POL hybrids. The prices seem to be a bit inflated in the SE compared to other parts of the country, from what I've seen anyway.
The other option would be an auction. There are a couple of auctions on in kent on the 11th October. I can dig out the details if they would be of any help. |
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| Stacey |
I don't think he wants them right this minute. They're about to move house so it's something he's looking into for then. I already recommended light sussex as it goes. My ndn has some and we've hatched some from his lot. They're nice looking chickens and he gets a regular supply of eggs (unlike us  )
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| Tavascarow |
If he only wants eggs & not into pure breeds tell him to consider ex batts.
At £18.00 a bird cheaper to buy the eggs from you. 
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| gorbut |
We pay about £16 for pol hens and are also in the SE so think it is another high cost of living here. | ||
| bodger |
I pay £4.00 for POL Warrens from a company in Cheshire. Those
prices are ridiculous. |
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| toggle |
Re: Anyone bought chooks from here?
IDK, but you can recomend a supplier of birds in our area for me to wave at parental unit |
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| Stacey |
Mine are all from auctions. I did buy some pol black rocks from a dealer but I can't find him anymore
I'm recommending light sussex to everyone atm 
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| Bebo |
Keep up the good work. |
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| Ixy |
Yea, light sussex = great  (and ixworths, of course)
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| toggle |
why? | ||
| Chez |
They seem to be fantastic laying machines, they are good to eat if you want to do that and they have lovely crinolines that rustle when they run.
I prefer barnevelders, though, obviously
It's still quite far from you, but these guys are good: http://www.fentonpoultry.co.uk/index.htm |
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| Stacey |
They are purdeee - Light Sussex that is | ||
| Chez |
I think they are quite boring-looking ...
*ducks and runs*
... but they are a 'traditional' looking farmyard bird and are pretty from that point of view. |
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| Bebo |
I agree. They aren't the most spectacular in terms of colour, but I quite like them anyway. |
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| Stacey |
I think they're pretty. I like my blue and cuckoo marans but the bustly white hens are nice. | ||
| Ixy |
I love the columbian pattern. they are also hardy, fair foragers, probs the most eggs you'll get from a pure breed IF you pick the right strain (utility) and a decent carcass from old layers/spare cocks.
same goes for ixworths. |
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| Annette H |
A friend is ordering from Cyril Bason and is adding on three speckledys for me. The delivery is around £15 and the birds about £9 each. Seems a good deal if you share the delivery costs
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| Lorrainelovesplants |
Steven Blake Langore nr Launceston POL Lohmann Browns (hybrid brown hens) £4.50 each fully vaccinated.
Or Light Sussex or Buff Orps from me (waiting list). |
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| Tavascarow |
Thats the guy I was trying to remember. I bought 20 from him years ago & they did really well till my neighbours huskie descimated them. I'm a little worried about the rise of different types of hybrids (black rocks, speckleds, bluebelles etc). I don't doubt that the original strains are exceptional layers & some more suited to outdoor living than commercial brown hybrids but it is all to easy to recreate most of them using second rate stock & selling them at inflated prices. I've seen any number of them at auction from various sellers (& a lot of websites as well) & am sure not many of them have any of the original breeding stock in their genes & probably wont perform as they should. As has been said elsewhere here birds like black rocks have been created after many years of trap nesting & selection of two stains which are finally put together to produce the final hybrid. The original breeders of these birds haven't released their breeding stock onto the market (they would be fools to), so how come so many people out there are now breeding them? |
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| bodger |
Black Rock is a protected trade name. The people who, for want of a better word invented these birds have agents throughout the UK who sell them. Because so much work has gone into producing these hybrids, I would be very suprised if these agents had the means to actually produce the birds on their premises. Its far more likely that the BR people ship out batches of day olds to them to rear.
I think they are quite protective of their trade name. Cyril Bason is a big producer of laying and meat birds. A number of people will have heard of the company, its in Craven Arms. Up until a while ago, he was an agent for BR but recently, I saw an advert for the birds, that pointedly stated that he was no longer an agent for them and that people should get them from a different company. There must have been a falling out somewhere, because when I checked CBs website, there was no mention of BRs. I think that most of the modern hybrid names are produced by their originator, or under licence. The chances are, that if you go and make your purchase from someone other than a recognised agent, then you'll be buying a faked cobble up of the real thing. |
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| Ixy |
Well there are different names for the same crosses - black rocks and bovan neras for example, bred by different companies but still essentially the same cross.
But yeah, there's nothing stopping me going to market now, buying a rhode island red and a barred rock and fobbing the offspring off as a legit hybrid. er, 'cept my conscience!
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| bodger |
I love a woman with concience
I've been thinking of trying to produce my own blue egg laying hybrid for sometime now. Aracuna crossed with something or other, but its the thought of all the space needed and the wastage of cockerels thats stopped me. It shouldn't be too tricky but you'd have to keep a pen of Aracunas and whatever you chose to cross them with. |
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| Woodburner |
I suspect that a lot people sell hybrids so that the purchasers don't/can't breed their own, so have to go back to the commercial producers if they want reliable replacements.
That's one of the reasons I have LS, and encourage others to get purebreeds too. They are great layers, mine have been laying almost contantly since last christmas, with only occasional hiccups, they've had a bit over a week off all told. I haven't got as far as eating any yet, but it'll be chicken for Christmas dinner this year.
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| Tavascarow |
As the birds at Golden valley aren't listed as black rocks, bluebells, white star etc but just black, blue, white I'd hazard a guess they are their own creations not licenced hybrids. Of course that doesn't mean they are no good but I would want some proof of their merits before I would pay £18.00 for a 16 week old pullet. |
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| bodger |
I wouldn't pay that much for them if they were hall marked. 
How do you feel about those sort of prices ? I think its an absolute rip off. If Warrens can be produced at a profit by some people and sold for a fiver why can't other hybrids be produced at a similar price ? The answer is that they can and that they are. I understand that its up to other people as to how they spend their own money but having said that, please do shop around. I'd expect three good quality hybrids for 18 quid. |
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| Tavascarow |
Personally I wouldn't pay those prices but it is a supply & demand market. I've seen so called BR & specks hybrids selling for £15.00 a bird at auction. By the time you add on commision & VAT that's probably more than £18.00 each. The commercial hybrids are raised intensively & you know when you buy feed at 100 tonne prices it's a fraction of the bag price most pay. Plus the big boys profit margin isn't great. They are producing for the commercial market not the hobby keeper & their profit is pennies per bird, they only get by because of the huge numbers they produce. |
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| bodger |
The hybrids that I speak of, including Black Rocks are produced for the commercial market. Surely all hybrids are commercial, otherwise you might as well have pure breds. | ||
| liz |
Until recently I was an agent for Black Rocks, they are a really good bird. And yes it does cost a lot to rear them to POL, and the only way to get hold of them is from an agent.
I have seen Black Rock hatching eggs for sale, please do not buy from these people, eggs do not leave the hatchery. There has been a lot of problems within the hatchery and there are now very few agaents left. |
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| Ixy |
I think what makes warrens the cheapest is that they really are raised in their MILLIONS globally. That kind of economy of scale is way beyond what even the black rock breeders can achieve. However, £18.00 a pullet. I'd get a pure breed. Remember that's £18 every two years, whereas a pure breed gives you it's own replacements and won't need replacing so fast. | ||
| ninat |
I paid £5 each for POL Isa Browns, and last winter they only stopped laying for abut 8 weeks- really pleased with them. |