Australorp
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Origin: An Australian breed created from the Orpington/Leghorn, cross around 1930 for its egg laying abilities.
Classification: Large.
Egg colour: Tinted to light brown.
Eggs: 250 - 280 per year (1st season)
Weight: Male 4 - 4.5 kg (9 - 10 lbs).
Female 2.95 - 3.6 kg (6½ - 8 lbs).
Our
Experience: Docile quiet birds, generally good range birds. Large bird of dual purpose (egg and meat). Mature 5½ - 6 months.
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Barnevelder
|
Origin: Holland.
Classification: Heavy.
Egg colour: Dark brown.
Eggs: 200 - 240 per year.
Weight: Male 3.2 - 3.6 kg
Female 2.7 - 3.2 kg
Our
Experience: Good
natured, quiet bird, loves foraging, suitable for most environments in
N.Z. Docile and friendly, easy to care for. Noted to be one of the
easiest chickens to look after. |
Dorking
|
Origin: British.
Classification: Heavy.
Egg colour: Tinted white.
Eggs: 160 - 180 per year.
Weight: Male 4.5 - 6.4 kg (10 - 14 lbs).
Female 3.5 - 5.0 kg (8 - 11 lbs).
Our
Experience: Another
breed with declining numbers. One of the oldest breeds in Britain.
Originally a meat bird. but later work helped to increase the number of
eggs. A white skinned, five toed bird, low to the ground and
comes in a few different colours. Reported to have been around
since the Roman invasion. |
Langshan
 |
Origin: Asia.
Classification: Heavy.
Egg colour: Brown.
Eggs:
Weight: Male 3.0 - 4.1 kg (7 - 9 lbs).
Female 2.5 - 3.2 kg (5½ - 7½ lbs).
Our
Experience: These
birds are large and are of a docile nature, we have this season
hatched nearly 100 chicks, looking at keeping those with the best
characteristics to maintain their size, their feathered legs and their
brown eggs. This is another lacking in numbers around New Zealand. Due
to their size and feathered legs they have become less appealing to
keep. They are a proud standing breed, quite docile in nature, friendly
with it. |
New Hampshire Reds
 |
Origin: America 1930's . Derived from Rhode Island Reds.
Classification: Large.
Egg colour: Light brown.
Eggs: 250 - 290 per year.
Weight: Male 3.8 kg (8 lbs).
Female 2.9 kg (6½ lbs).
Our
Experience: Good
layer of brown eggs, good size, excellent free rangers, quiet bird.
Godd early maturity birds, dual purpose. Roosters can develope
aggressive streak during breeding season. |
Orpington
 |
Origin: British.
Classification: Heavy.
Egg colour: Brown.
Eggs: 250 - 280 per year (1st season)
Weight: Male 3.6 - 4.6 kg (8 - 10 lbs).
Female 2.7 - 3.6 kg (6 - 8 lbs).
Our
Experience: The
black and blue being the most popular, the Buff not so much as it is a
lot harder to maintain its colour. Originally developed as a dual
purpose breed, moderate to good layer of brown eggs. Reportedly very
good eating, best for laying winter eggs, summer temperatures can slow
it down somewhat, can be a good mother if broody. Have heard of one
hatching 21 eggs. |
Barred Plymouth Rock
 |
Origin: America.
Classification: Heavy/Large.
Egg colour: Light tinted brown.
Eggs: Around 240 - 260 per year.
Weight: Male 3.8 - 4.8 kg (8½ - 10½ lbs).
Female 2.7 - 3.4 kg (6 - 7½ lbs).
Our
Experience: Hardy,
easy to look after breed, friendly natured, good farmyard birds with
dual purpose qualities. Lay well even as they age. A bit clumsy as
first time mums and do tend to go broody during the hotter months.
Excellent mothers, We have 2 girls that are six and still laying well. |
Sussex
(No Photo) |
Origin: British.
Classification: Heavy.
Egg colour: Tinted.
Eggs: 180 - 210 per year.
Weight: Male 4.1 kg (9 lbs min).
Female 3.2 kg (7 lbs min).
Our
Experience: The
most common of this breed are "Light Sussex", we have kept these
previous to some of our other breeds, but have found them to be
inconsistent, they are supposed to be moderate layers, but used more as
meat birds or for crossing with other breeds to produce birds that are
sex linked i.e. males hatch one colour and females another. We
have Coronation Sussex which instead of being white with black neck and
tail are white with blue/lavender tail, these we hatched from eggs sent
to us from the South Island. We will use these and try and secure a
good line of Light Sussex. |
Wyandotte
 |
Origin: America.
Classification: Heavy.
Egg colour: Tinted off white to light brown.
Eggs: 180 - 240 per year (1st season)
Weight: Male 4 kg (9 lbs).
Female 3.3 kg (7½ lbs).
Our
Experience: We
have 3 colour variations of Wyandotte, of which our pure whites have
been the better layers, being consistent and of a good size egg. They
all are quiet and but active and love to roam and graze. Golds tend to
go broody more than the whites or silver laced types. Very attractive
in all colours with good body shape, are a dual purpose breed. |
Campine
 |
Origin: Belgium.
Classification: Light.
Egg colour: White.
Eggs: 250 per year.
Weight: Male 2.5 - 2.8 kg.
Female 2.1 - 2.4 kg
Our
Experience: Very
active breed, excellent foragers, tend to be flighty, but can be won
over if time spent on them. Lay a good sized egg from a small
bird, likes lots of space to live in. |
Houdan
|
Origin: France.
Classification: Light.
Egg colour: White.
Eggs: Unknown at this time.
Weight: Male 3.2 - 3.6 kg (7 - 8 lbs).
Female 2.7 - 3.2 kg (6 - 7 lbs).
Our
Experience: To
date these are our fist Houdans, but as their numbers are declining, we
feel a need to prevent serious deterioration and thus are willing
to work with anyone who takes this breed on board. Originally
considered
a dual purpose breed by the French, today they seem to be more one of
the "Fancy Breeds". |
Leghorn
 |
Origin: Italy - Mediterranean.
Classification: Light.
Egg colour: White.
Eggs: 280 - 300 per year.
Weight: Male 3 kg (6½ lbs).
Female 2.5 kg (5½ lbs).
Our
Experience: Very
active bird, fine layer of large white eggs, good range bird, can be
flighty, lots of people contact will quiet them down. Non broody bird,
primarily an egg layer. Not suitable as a table bird. |
Minorca
 |
Origin: Spanish.
Classification: Light.
Egg colour: White.
Eggs: 260 - 290 per year.
Weight: Male 3 - 3.6 kg (7 - 8 lbs).
Female 2.7 - 3.6 kg (6 - 8 lbs).
Our
Experience: Excellent
layer of large white eggs. Good steady layers, can be skittish as
pullets, but as they get into laying, settle down. Good forager if
given a bit of space. Very active and alert birds. None broody. |
Sicilian Buttercup
 |
Origin:
Classification: Light.
Egg colour: White.
Eggs:
Weight: Male
Female
Our
Experience: Our first season with them, good layers at the moment, will keep you posted. |
Welsummer
 |
Origin: Holland.
Classification: Light.
Egg colour: Brown to dark/deep brown.
Eggs: 240+ per year.
Weight: Male 3.2 kg (7 lbs).
Female 2.7 kg (6 lbs).
Our
Experience: Until
recently we have been unable to locate this breed. This will be our
first season breeding Welsummers. We look forward to developing this
breed further, with the help of other breeders. It is a utility breed
with good productiveness. It is an excellent forager doing well in less
confined living conditions. |
