Backyard Poultry Forum

Well I thought I should start a new thread for Dads chickens. As mentioned on 'my first flock' I bought Dad a trio of Redcaps and Dutch Bantams for his 70th birthday. When trying to decide which breeds he wanted from Avgen he had been trying to decide between the Redcaps and Crevecoeurs and having chosen the Redcaps hadn't been able to stop thinking about the Crevecoeurs - especially after Lynn from Avgenkept talking about what a lovely temperament they had on her Facebook site. Well I think we can safely say Dad is now officially a chicken addict as we picked up a Trio of Crevcoeurs today making it his third breed!

I have to say the Crevcoeurs are really beautiful and a lovely calm temperament - I'm a bit in love after day 1. They have that beautiful beetle green sheen on black feathers. The rooster is a really handsome, striking looking bird and the girls are lovely big girls with soft feathers. It's hard in words to describe how impressive and beautiful they are in real life compared to photos.

The redcaps continue to grow well and really strike me as a strong active breed that would be a tough hardy freeranging farm bird.

The Dutch Bantams are simply a delight - they are tiny but perfectly shaped birds. They are really calm and fascinated by people and come up to say hello and see what we are doing. I am already planning for my own flocks so dad and I can swap roosters between our two flocks.

It feels really special to have one of the oldest of the French and English breeds and one of the oldest bantam breeds - feels like we are helping keep some really special breeds going in Australia in even a small way.

I would also like to say how fantastic Avgen have been. The birds we have been sold are vaccinated and clearly really healthy. Lynn has made a real effort to select great starter flocks and is happy to help us to breed to the standard in the future.

The whole experience has been great and Dad is so excited and happy to have these lovely breeds.

And yes I know more photos will have to wait until we get some more fine days to get some photos.

Ok I am now officially in love with Crevcoeurs - they weren't sure where they were meant to go to bed in their new house so I went into the cage- the girls came up to me and let me bend down and pick them up without a struggle and put them up into their house- just incredibly calm and friendly! The rooster was a bit more concerned but still let a complete stranger pick him up and put him into his new house. They have a really amazing temperament! My langshans are a calm lovely tempremented birds but the Crevcoeurs are whole other league! Their feathers are so soft - almost like soft fur is the best I can describe! These are truly a lovely breed!

I am quite envious of you - crevecoeurs are on my wish list as I keep polands and I have always wanted to try CCs to see how they are similar and where they differ in looks/temperament and laying. I know you can eat them too! They are not common in the UK, in fact I'd be tempted to go to France and pick some personally (impossible for you guys I know). I wish you luck with them

Dont tempt me Trillian.
They sound lovely

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Erika

A huge congratulations to you and your dad Trillian ! they sound absolutely beautiful.
And how special for you with your dad getting on board the chook wagon.
If i had more room , pens,time,money....i would like to take on a breed such as the Dutch Bantams , or even the English Pheasant Fowl - they both look stunning.
All the best with them !

I'm so pleased the Crevecours are settling in and it was lovely meeting both you and your dad.

Mrs Biscuit I am completely envious that you could go to France and get some!! I think you would really like them- they are a really calm temprement, curious about their people and coming up to say hello whenever we are outside. They are a beautiful looking bird- the rooster has a proud elegance- the girls are friendly busy girls - almost like matrons wearing bonnets!

Redjoanna, you would love them given you like the australorps and langshans- very similar in terms of calm temprements. Just a lovely lovely bird! Go on you know you want to

Angel cake thanks so much- yes it's really great being able to share the chicken adventure with Dad. The Dutch Bantams I think will end up being really popular in Australia- they are just so cute, very pretty colouring and again a lovely calm temprement - really curious about what their people are doing. They have this beautiful quiet trilling voice and they are constantly having a chat with each other and with their people. Dad says when they go to bed they are really sweet - having a quiet chat with each other about how the day has been instead of the normal argument about who gets the best roosting spot which is the normal bed time chook conversation!

Now your just teasing us Trillian... Photos please..

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Guineafowl
'Dare to Dream'

So these aren't great photos- iphone camera through the wire.

Redcaps

Crevcoeur Rooster

Crevecoeurs hens are much harder to photograph- they are trying to get so close to you to see what you are doing that most of the photos look like the closeup head shot!

These are the yellow Dutch Bantams- just love these little chickens!