Re: Choosing a new breed - help please

Thanks Jill, appreciate your comments. As I said before, friends of
ours had black rocks just like ours, in a smaller environment and they
had NO problems. We've been through all the advice but ultimately they
weren't happy birds. Perhaps it is just the luck of the draw.

My wifes suggesting that we try Sussex light or Bantans and I
originally fancied trying Maran. Is your view on these ther same as
SPR - just as aggressive?

Maybee we just try another breed and see how goes. I will look through
the links you have suggest. Again, many thanks

On Wed, 19 Sep 2007 17:51:52 +0100, "Jill"
<news@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Steve Newport wrote:
The reply below is what I received from SPR folloiung my question to
them.

My comments are simple. They weren't and have not been happy let alone
thrived and it has taken a great deal of effort to stop them pecking
holes in each other.

Compared with the one we kept by herself, these were srawny and pecked
to pieces.

Having kept Black Rocks for over 15 years I can safely say that laid back,
robust and fullsome is a more normal description and am sorry that you have
had a bad Black Rock experience.

The most docile of birds are those for the intensive conditions, its a
confirmed trait that has been positively bred in to the strains way back,
which helps them adjust to the confined conditions. Look for dealers or
growers of ISA Brown, Hisex, maybe Calder Ranger, the Bovans and Lohmanns
will probably be fine too.
Try here for rearers
http://www.pulletrearer.co.uk/ - forget that - its not functioning
properly

www.bfrepa.co.uk or www.theranger.co.uk is probalby more useful
Around the site are plenty of links to the commercial pullet producers. A
bit of sensible work will find you more local contacts. And / Or find a
place within driving distance who are larger producers and ask for 4 of
their next batch of point of lay.

The pure breeds should be out and about and there is no reason to make them
so brain dead. ;)
They do not need to be uber aggressive but it is definately part of normal
chicken behaviour to resent being on top of each other and be able to hold
their own.
All the sayings have come from history -- henpecked, pecking order etc etc
;)
.