Anyway, these two are what's known as Goldtops. They are a cross produced by a white silkie cockerel and a light sussex hen. They really are a lovely golden colour, and are very pretty. I bought them because I was looking for a hen who might go broody fairly easily and hatch out some chicks for me, as I've found the trio of Marans chicksI've been looking after to be quite a lot of trouble, though I'm sure they'll be worth the effort in the end. At the moment the chicks are in the garden during the day, and brought back into the house in their large cardboard carton overnight. They will go outside permanently as soon as they are fully feathered, probably in about a week from now.My Goldtops came from my new friend Niall Jones who has a lovely smallholding down near Marlborough, not too far from here, where he raises chickens, pigs, sheep and other lovely stuff, on a smallholder scale. What he doesn't need for himself he sells to help support the smallholding. More or less what I'd like to do if I had the space.....
When released from the Henitentiary, the birds have been having a great time sifting through this old compost heap, that I dug out last week. The remaining bits and bobs are just full of bugs and worms, and the chickens love it. I think I will let them clear the area of any pests and then maybe plant it up with some maincrop potatoes. It should be a lovely fertile area.
They are beautiful. Diane
ReplyDeleteBeautiful hens. :)
ReplyDeleteLovely looking hens, and how come you are left with a plantable compost heap, when ours has become reduced to nothingness by our flock of hooligans!
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous birds.
ReplyDeleteI've got another clutch of Lavender Pekin Bantams due to hatch this week, very exciting.
Sue xx
What a lovely colour the new hens are.
ReplyDeleteA good "setting hen" is great to have. I once had the best, we called her Judy. I did an old post about her back when I was blogging just as a personal diary ( "The Tale of Judy and Squeaker" Jan. 21, 2010)Hope these two work out for you.
ReplyDelete...and here I was thinking I had an original idea of letting my chickens work my compost heap for me.I know folks acoss the big water are really into garden and all sorts of things in a more natural way.I think that's great,if the folks here in the USA would only take more interest in doing the same.I love gardening and my chickens,and I've enjoyed finding and reading your blog today.(another Sue,but from Kentucky,USA)
ReplyDeletelol..Henitentiary is a clever name you have coined. Your two Goldtops look really very cute. Loved reading through your blog :-)
ReplyDeleteyes pretty hens.....funny how hen lovers always seem to "collect" more
ReplyDeletex
We have found that it is much easier to raise chicks using the services of a mother hen - saves a lot of effort! We have a broody at the moment, and we are debating whether to go for chicks or not ...
ReplyDeletePomona x
Chickens can do wonders for a garden! They're great at seeking out pests and make fertiliser as they go!
ReplyDeleteYour new girls are lovely!
ReplyDelete