The Poultry Keeper

phil and charlotte · Joined: 01 Aug 2005 Posts: 114 Location: South Somerset

Just had 3 poached - purfick !

Aussie Chick · Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:05 pm Post subject:

Delicious!

phil and charlotte · Joined: 01 Aug 2005 Posts: 114 Location: South Somerset

I got 4 eggs this morning at 8 am- does that mean that they're all laying? I last checked the coop at 3 pm yesterday.

Knobby · Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 9:11 am Post subject:

Maybe.........But one of my Orps has taken to laying at 6pm recently ! Confused

richard · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 258 Location: somerset

I'm going to buy some 17 week old Black Rock pullets, can anyone tell me what to look for/ what a healthy rock should look like etc? Rolling Eyes

Bhindi · Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:09 am Post subject:

I'm still on my first flock of 6, so don't really have buying experience, but I think from the info Ive gleamed from this site one of the most important things(which is probably appropriate to most animals) is that the eyes are bright & free of discharge, and the nostrils are not showing any discharge. Check the top and bottom of the beak is not showing any overhang. It would be a good idea to try to familiarize yourself with scaly leg so you know how to look out for that.. other than that, just an all round healthy bird as you should expect at that age. The colours can vary quite a bit.. of my 6 I have two that are jet black, two that are mid range, and then two that are very light coloured, (one of which is the true Bhindi and in my opinion the prettiest of them all).

I hope it all goes well for you and look forward to some pictures maybe? ...

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2064 Location: North Cornwall

Two of my Black rocks. Some of them are really golden in colour and I find these golden birds are the ones most likely to go broody. They have made good mothers, hatching out some nice little foster banties.

They lay a nice large egg.

richard · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 258 Location: somerset

this is ginger, the boss black rock, she's really friendly. The other black rock is nearly all black but with a greenish sheen. Is that a normal colour for a black rock?

phil and charlotte · Joined: 01 Aug 2005 Posts: 114 Location: South Somerset

One of my four BRs has more brown than black - not as ginger as yours, must be the Somerset water. The irridescent green is normal in most 'black' birds and quite beautiful.

richard · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 258 Location: somerset

Actually, mine came from Dorset, Hookins in Gillingham.
Do you know them?

phil and charlotte · Joined: 01 Aug 2005 Posts: 114 Location: South Somerset

Yep, same source!

richard · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 258 Location: somerset

I thought his chickens looked a bit cramped in those pens but I suppose they're not kept there for too long.
If you're in south Somerset, you can't be too far from Evercreech.

phil and charlotte · Joined: 01 Aug 2005 Posts: 114 Location: South Somerset

Crewkerne.

richard · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 258 Location: somerset

ah, quite a long way from Evercreech.

Nursie · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 162

Any of you Black Rock buffs know how long they lay for? Mine are just over a year old and I think they're going off lay a bit. It's hard to tell as I've 12 other birds but egg production is well down.