The Poultry Keeper

stephen · Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 9:25 am Post subject: Derbyshire Redcap

Derbyshire redcaps

traditionalbritishfowlco · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 243 Location: lancashire

Here's 'Chatsworth' - my new redcap cock

and one of his hens:

and some unrelated 8 week olds:

lovely pretty birds and I'm getting 3 big white eggs a day from a pen of four hens.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

They are handsome birds aren't they ~ now why did I not know about these white egg layers?

traditionalbritishfowlco · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 243 Location: lancashire

They're quite difficult to get hold of. i don't know anyone outside the club who has any. They're great birds though! lovely spangles and low maintenance

Henrietta · Joined: 07 Oct 2005 Posts: 40

I have these too.
Never saw any advertised so had to buy eggs to incubate.

jon234567890 · Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 1 Location: Northern Ireland

Hi all,
I'm a new member and was wondering if anyone could tell me, that what I've read about the Derbyshire Redcap is true, in that it can Forage for all it's own food, along with a handful of grain at night to entice it into the coup.
Jon.

mcleod-girls · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 4:55 pm Post subject:

My chickens are mixed and seem to get most of thier food from foraging but I like to feed them too (pellets and corn)

maybe someone more experienced can answer your question, i guess originally all animals foraged for food but we still feed our cats/dogs etc

nigel · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 9:35 pm Post subject:

redcaps are an old breed and make good free range birds, that said I wouldn't expect them to forage 100% I'd always give layers pellets/mash ad lib and a corn mix in the afternoon.

Birdxman · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 32 Location: Lincolnshire

What sort of age do the pullets start to lay please? (We have some we bought at what we thought were about 14 weeks old---that was 8 weeks ago now)

Birdxman · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 32 Location: Lincolnshire

another month has gone past and still no eggs from these Redcaps--guess they must of been about 8/9 weeks old when I bought them I suppose. Fingers crossed they will start soon.

nigel · Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:24 pm Post subject:

my guess would be that with the days still being so short that you won't see an egg this side of the new year. My money would be February

Birdxman · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 32 Location: Lincolnshire

Gee thanks----guess its going to be a while before they start to pay their way....

leghorn_guy · Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 13

very rare and endagered, deserving to be kept.

Birdxman · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 32 Location: Lincolnshire

Had a real result--was able to pick up a beautiful Redcap Cockerel at a local poultry auction (of all places). Settled in really well--now its fingers crossed but I did see him 'treading' one of the hens this morning which I see as a good sign.
Will post some pics when we get some decent weather out there to take them in

Fenn · Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 2292 Location: Shrewsbury

Are these the birds that are sold as free-range in Morrisons?