New Chickens and why we went for hybrids

This week we welcomed our new girls to the run. Say hello to Honey & Soy - our new hybrid layer Lohmann Brown and Australorp. https://www.instagram.com/p/BpQ5SN4lJDK/?taken-by=loveofdirt After almost 18 months of owning heritage breed chickens, and out of that 18 months only getting eggs probably 4 months out of the 18 we decided we wanted to add some 'never let us down' layers. Especially with a baby who loves them and is already eating us out of house and home. With the move to the new house, we no longer have landlord restrictions on our poultry. Yes we are still governed by our council regulations - which for our size block is 6 chickens (no ducks to the dismay of Nathan who has been dreaming of home grown pekin duck).

The upside of hybrids

We want chickens for eggs. As much as I love the look of some of the heritage breed and yes we do like them as pets as well the reality is, I want eggs. I want to be able to share with the family! To make omelette (that the kids won't eat)! And Pavlova! And Dippy Eggs!

The downside of hybrids

Their egg laying is only estimated to only be around 18 months. However, when they finish laying they will stay in the family... as pets, which was kind of a reason for getting them (see above).

Kid friendly for the win!

Soy has been a bit of an escape artist so we will have to clip her wings, the old hens we never had to do as they are too fat to fly. I don't mind that she's escaping though as she's quite friendly and comes up to the door to let me know she's there (or wanders to the construction site next door). The escaping also gives the animal loving toddler an opportunity to give her a pat before returning her home. We are hoping to add some more kid friendly smaller breeds in the future (Frizzle/Pekins are on my list but I'd love to know what you would recommend), for now I am quite happy with the size of flock we have and wont look at extending it too soon (I may look at fertile eggs for the Wyandotte if she becomes Broody though). Pesto our Plymouth Rock is on probation, after attacking myself and more recently my toddler, Nathan thinks she wants cuddles, but who cuddles with claws out... seriously. The new girls have settled in quite nicely (even if the original two have been bullies, but not as bad as I was expecting) and they are extremely friendly which means they are great with the kids already which I am loving. What chickens do you have and would recommend for a young family?