Chickens, Ducks, Fertile Eggs, Dorper Sheep, Beef Calves & much more ...
at Poultry Valley & Lifestyle
About the breeds
& our own experiences with
the breeds we keep !!
& our own experiences with
the breeds we keep !!
Poultry
Wyandottes, Orpingtons, Barne-velders, Rhode Island Red and many more. Click the picture at left or here for photographs.
Wyandottes, Orpingtons, Barne-velders, Rhode Island Red and many more. Click the picture at left or here for photographs.
Other Poultry
Geese & Ducks inc. Muscovy, Buff Orpington, Magpie & Swedish Blue ! Click the picture at right or here.
Geese & Ducks inc. Muscovy, Buff Orpington, Magpie & Swedish Blue ! Click the picture at right or here.
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each Image to enlarge
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Langshan
Eggs are lovely large & Brown.
Excellent layers, laying up to 290 + eggs per year, in their first years.
Another large heavy docile bird, We have found these birds to be of a very quiet friendly nature. They are quite rare and lacking in numbers around New Zealand, maybe due to their large size and feathered legs, in the past they seem to have been perhaps less appealing to keep, although their popularity is becoming more apparent now....
If you like the Orpington you will love these big friendly
gentle birds too ! We have found them to be both
excellent layers as well as super friendly, and are now
up there as one of our most favorite breeds !
The Black Langshan has a beautiful healthy green sheen
through their shiny black feathers, which is also seen
amongst the Black Australorp & Orpington alike !
A 5 star winner in our book *****
We keep both the blue & black beauties here !
Eggs are lovely large & Brown.
Excellent layers, laying up to 290 + eggs per year, in their first years.
Another large heavy docile bird, We have found these birds to be of a very quiet friendly nature. They are quite rare and lacking in numbers around New Zealand, maybe due to their large size and feathered legs, in the past they seem to have been perhaps less appealing to keep, although their popularity is becoming more apparent now....
If you like the Orpington you will love these big friendly
gentle birds too ! We have found them to be both
excellent layers as well as super friendly, and are now
up there as one of our most favorite breeds !
The Black Langshan has a beautiful healthy green sheen
through their shiny black feathers, which is also seen
amongst the Black Australorp & Orpington alike !
A 5 star winner in our book *****
We keep both the blue & black beauties here !
Orpington ~
Black, Blue & Splash....
Eggs are tinted to a pinky - brown, Black, Blue & Splash....
Laying up to 250 eggs in their first years....
We have had this breed from the very beginning, as well as being one of our favorites, we have also have found them
to be one of the most gentle and docile of birds, making great pets and egg layers alike for those whom delight in owning them....
They are generally a very good forager,
a large dual purpose bird that are greatly desired not only for their looks, but also
for their easy going nature, not to
mention their egg laying, and meat
value. They are very fluffy to the point
of disguising their lovely dark gray legs !
We rate this beautiful large bird a 5 star winner ! *****
Photo shows a couple of our own Black
girls & one of our beautiful Blue girls....
We also keep this breed in White which is very rare, see photo on our Gallery page.
Rhode Island Red
The Rhodey !! A wonderful and
very popular breed, which we have found to be highly sought after !!
A Beautiful, dark mahogany Red Bird, with great laying capacity....
A very bright, alert bird, which we have found to be both very talkative & entertaining !
Our own Experience with this breed
has found them to be both active as
well as friendly, making them excellent foragers, easy to free range, and will also cope well in a good size coop situation....
A very hardy, large dual purpose
breed, with yellow skin, making it
a great utility breed for both eggs
& meat, although very prone to
going broody !! A 4 Star choice due
to being prone to broodiness ****
The Rhodey !! A wonderful and
very popular breed, which we have found to be highly sought after !!
A Beautiful, dark mahogany Red Bird, with great laying capacity....
A very bright, alert bird, which we have found to be both very talkative & entertaining !
Our own Experience with this breed
has found them to be both active as
well as friendly, making them excellent foragers, easy to free range, and will also cope well in a good size coop situation....
A very hardy, large dual purpose
breed, with yellow skin, making it
a great utility breed for both eggs
& meat, although very prone to
going broody !! A 4 Star choice due
to being prone to broodiness ****
Australorp
The Australorp was developed in Australia, not surprisingly from Orpington stock....
Although smaller, tighter feathered and longer in the leg than their larger cousins,
very well noted for their egg production !
Both an active and striking looking bird with a beautiful beetle green sheen to
their black plumage ( only with the Black variety ) and lays tinted - brown eggs !
Our own Experience with this breed
has found them to be both active as
well as quiet, docile birds, making
them excellent foragers, easy to free range, but will also cope well in a good
size coop situation....
A very hardy, large dual purpose
breed, with white skin, making it a
great utility breed for both eggs &
meat ! Another 5 Star winner *****
The Australorp was developed in Australia, not surprisingly from Orpington stock....
Although smaller, tighter feathered and longer in the leg than their larger cousins,
very well noted for their egg production !
Both an active and striking looking bird with a beautiful beetle green sheen to
their black plumage ( only with the Black variety ) and lays tinted - brown eggs !
Our own Experience with this breed
has found them to be both active as
well as quiet, docile birds, making
them excellent foragers, easy to free range, but will also cope well in a good
size coop situation....
A very hardy, large dual purpose
breed, with white skin, making it a
great utility breed for both eggs &
meat ! Another 5 Star winner *****
Lavender Araucana
A light breed whom are often kept
not only their different looks but
also are renowned for their lovely blue / green egg shell colour !
We have had this breed in various
colours, but now mainly keep the very
popular Lavender ( grey ) colour you
see pictured....
We also have a couple of Black girls in the pen with them and have the odd black offspring as well.
Generally a very good forager,
A light breed whom are often kept
not only their different looks but
also are renowned for their lovely blue / green egg shell colour !
We have had this breed in various
colours, but now mainly keep the very
popular Lavender ( grey ) colour you
see pictured....
We also have a couple of Black girls in the pen with them and have the odd black offspring as well.
Generally a very good forager,
and a smaller type of breed, which
can sometimes be a little more flighty
than the larger breeds ! ***
can sometimes be a little more flighty
than the larger breeds ! ***
Barnevelder
~ Originally from Holland ~
Laying up to 250 lovely brown & often speckled eggs per year, in their first years....
Good natured, hardy quiet birds ~ suitable for most
NZ environments....
Quiet and unassuming, easy care & friendly ! Noted for
it's attractiveness, easy going nature and lack of broodiness !
We keep both the standard color that lays the lovely brown and often speckled eggs, plus the stunning Blue laced variety as well ! ****
~ Originally from Holland ~
Laying up to 250 lovely brown & often speckled eggs per year, in their first years....
Good natured, hardy quiet birds ~ suitable for most
NZ environments....
Quiet and unassuming, easy care & friendly ! Noted for
it's attractiveness, easy going nature and lack of broodiness !
We keep both the standard color that lays the lovely brown and often speckled eggs, plus the stunning Blue laced variety as well ! ****
Standard colour
Barney's above....
Below; Blue laced Barnevelders....
Barney's above....
Below; Blue laced Barnevelders....
Andalusian
This lovely breed was developed in Spain,
they lay a good size
white egg and are not
known to go broody !
This lovely breed was developed in Spain,
they lay a good size
white egg and are not
known to go broody !
Pekin Bantam
~ Cute wee garden
Ornaments ~
These little birds are very popular with fanciers, both for showing and as
backyard pets, as they
are both very tame and pretty. They are also popular as broody hens, being able to cover a fair number of eggs & sitting very tightly, as well as making great little mothers !
A Lighter Breed, not unsimilar to the Leghorn,
although not as flighty in their nature ! Like the Leghorn, these too have the white ear lobes, and so white eggs, and are classed as a 'light' breed !
While not as docile as their larger cousins, we have found these birds to be both a delight to watch as well as excellent layers, are very inquisitive and are great foragers ! Also being quite rare, they are a breed well worth keeping ! ****
although not as flighty in their nature ! Like the Leghorn, these too have the white ear lobes, and so white eggs, and are classed as a 'light' breed !
While not as docile as their larger cousins, we have found these birds to be both a delight to watch as well as excellent layers, are very inquisitive and are great foragers ! Also being quite rare, they are a breed well worth keeping ! ****
The large Plymouth Rock
Barred Plymouth Rocks, most commonly known & often sold as Barred Rocks, are one of the most popular of the dual purpose breeds for backyard flocks....
A heavy breed renownly kept as a
great utility bird, for both eggs and
meat !
A large friendly bird, generally very good foragers, with stunning zebra stripes, making them very striking to have around !
'Plymouth Rocks' are often crossed with white cob birds ( more often the white colour variety overseas for colour purposes only ) making an excellent roasting chicken, such crosses can be found in many supermarkets overseas.
We choose to only keep only the very
popular Barred Veritey now ! *****
Barred Plymouth Rocks, most commonly known & often sold as Barred Rocks, are one of the most popular of the dual purpose breeds for backyard flocks....
A heavy breed renownly kept as a
great utility bird, for both eggs and
meat !
A large friendly bird, generally very good foragers, with stunning zebra stripes, making them very striking to have around !
'Plymouth Rocks' are often crossed with white cob birds ( more often the white colour variety overseas for colour purposes only ) making an excellent roasting chicken, such crosses can be found in many supermarkets overseas.
We choose to only keep only the very
popular Barred Veritey now ! *****
The Leghorn
Renowned for their laying abilities, a light breed that lays a generous size white egg ! Leghorns are prodigious egg-layers laying up to 300 eggs in their first years, and perhaps one of the best known breeds of chicken, (more especially the White ones) which produce the majority of the worlds' white eggs.... The breed originated in Italy, but most of the other color varieties were developed in Great Britain, America and Denmark.
While not as docile as their larger cousins, we have found these birds to be both a delight to watch as well as making excellent layers, are very inquisitive and are great foragers ! A good choice if you want great layers with an almost seemingly complete lack of broodiness !
We keep these guys in the rarer seen Blue & Black colours ( which also gives us a few Splash coloured offspring as well ) plus the lovely golden Buff colouration & the more common White colour verity. *****
Preferring not to keep the more commonly found brown verity after having them and finding them far too flighty, just like road-
runners !
Wyandotte's
So many colours !!
Silver Laced ( right )
Gold Laced ( far right )
being the more
renowned colours,
but there is more....
Blue Laced & Splash -
Buff laced & White,
White Colombian &
Buff Colombian & Coronation,
just to name a few....
A good natured, hardy bird with the
looks to boot ! They have rose combs making them suitable for all NZ environments, as they are not as prone
to frost bite ! Easy Care and generally
a good layer ! However we have found
some to be far better layers than others !
Laying tinted coloured eggs to browner shades....
We keep the Silver laced, Buff Columbian & Coronation as well as the stunning Blue laced & Splash / Buff laced varieties as well - which also gives us the Gold laced colour !
So many colours !!
Silver Laced ( right )
Gold Laced ( far right )
being the more
renowned colours,
but there is more....
Blue Laced & Splash -
Buff laced & White,
White Colombian &
Buff Colombian & Coronation,
just to name a few....
A good natured, hardy bird with the
looks to boot ! They have rose combs making them suitable for all NZ environments, as they are not as prone
to frost bite ! Easy Care and generally
a good layer ! However we have found
some to be far better layers than others !
Laying tinted coloured eggs to browner shades....
We keep the Silver laced, Buff Columbian & Coronation as well as the stunning Blue laced & Splash / Buff laced varieties as well - which also gives us the Gold laced colour !
The Wyandotte breed are all quite stunning to look at and very popular
birds for all poultry keepers alike !
Our own Experience with this breed
has found them to be an easy bird to
keep, active & bright, making them
excellent foragers, which have proven easy to free range, but will also cope well in a good size coop situation....
A very hardy, large breed,
that make great mothers and layers !
We have found the Silver Laced variety
goes broody a lot, while the others colours seem to be much better Layers !
We did at one time keep the whole range
of colours, preferring now to only keep the most painted colours of all, including Silver Laced, Blue & Gold laced, Splash / buff laced & Buff Columbian / Coronation.
We have most of the poultry colours in a lot of our other poultry breeds ! But not all the colours in just one breed as the amount of room required to keep all the colours in all the breeds serperately was just getting out of control.
****
birds for all poultry keepers alike !
Our own Experience with this breed
has found them to be an easy bird to
keep, active & bright, making them
excellent foragers, which have proven easy to free range, but will also cope well in a good size coop situation....
A very hardy, large breed,
that make great mothers and layers !
We have found the Silver Laced variety
goes broody a lot, while the others colours seem to be much better Layers !
We did at one time keep the whole range
of colours, preferring now to only keep the most painted colours of all, including Silver Laced, Blue & Gold laced, Splash / buff laced & Buff Columbian / Coronation.
We have most of the poultry colours in a lot of our other poultry breeds ! But not all the colours in just one breed as the amount of room required to keep all the colours in all the breeds serperately was just getting out of control.
****
Dorking
This ancient breed was brought
to England by the Romans.
A heavy bird with a large, square frame, can be found in both single or rose comb, and all have five toes....
They come in many colour verities,
most commonly found in NZ are the Silver Grey Dorkings, with single combs....
Hens are good layers, whom seldom go broody, laying a good oval whitish egg.... Roosters are of a magnificent stature & are totally different in their looks to their plainer female counterparts !! ****
This ancient breed was brought
to England by the Romans.
A heavy bird with a large, square frame, can be found in both single or rose comb, and all have five toes....
They come in many colour verities,
most commonly found in NZ are the Silver Grey Dorkings, with single combs....
Hens are good layers, whom seldom go broody, laying a good oval whitish egg.... Roosters are of a magnificent stature & are totally different in their looks to their plainer female counterparts !! ****
The " Hamburg "
** The Silver Spangled Hamburg **
~ the Dalmatian of the chook world ~
A light breed with small white eggs.... Both friendly and inquisitive, we give them ***** stars for looks but only *** stars for egg size & laying....
Good natured, hardy wee birds, all Hamburgs have rose combs.
This breed appears in more than 10 varieties, in varying sizes around the world.
Here at Poultry Valley we only keep
the Silver Spangled Variety.... ( above )
** The Silver Spangled Hamburg **
~ the Dalmatian of the chook world ~
A light breed with small white eggs.... Both friendly and inquisitive, we give them ***** stars for looks but only *** stars for egg size & laying....
Good natured, hardy wee birds, all Hamburgs have rose combs.
This breed appears in more than 10 varieties, in varying sizes around the world.
Here at Poultry Valley we only keep
the Silver Spangled Variety.... ( above )
* Sussex *
Coronation, Buff
& Light Sussex
* Heavy Breed *
Coronation, Buff
& Light Sussex
* Heavy Breed *
The Sussex chicken is an alert, docile breed
that will easily adapt to any surroundings,
they are excellent foragers, being both comfortable
in a free range situation or a large size run....
The breed are known to go broody on occasion, however we have not found this to be a problem here at Poultry Valley !
The Sussex ~ Originally from England, is a greatly productive bird bred in NZ to be an excellent dual purpose bird, laying good size eggs that are tinted cream to a lovely brown colouration by the Coronation & Buff's.
In their first years they are capable of laying up to 260 eggs yearly.
We keep all three colours, but our Coronation Sussex are the top ranking Sussex here laying well even through out the Winter !
Our Coronation girls get 5 stars ***** Buff Sussex **** Light Sussex ***
that will easily adapt to any surroundings,
they are excellent foragers, being both comfortable
in a free range situation or a large size run....
The breed are known to go broody on occasion, however we have not found this to be a problem here at Poultry Valley !
The Sussex ~ Originally from England, is a greatly productive bird bred in NZ to be an excellent dual purpose bird, laying good size eggs that are tinted cream to a lovely brown colouration by the Coronation & Buff's.
In their first years they are capable of laying up to 260 eggs yearly.
We keep all three colours, but our Coronation Sussex are the top ranking Sussex here laying well even through out the Winter !
Our Coronation girls get 5 stars ***** Buff Sussex **** Light Sussex ***
Click on each image to enlarge Photo
An interesting fact for those wishing to breed easily identifiable sexed chicks at hatching time by colour, which is called "Sex linked."
This occurs when you cross a Rhode Island Red male over Light or Coronation Sussex females' you will get what is known as a sex linked colour, as in all the resulting female chicks will hatch out a rusty orange colour, affectionately known as " Ginger Nut Rangers " and all the boys will hatch out yellow & will be white when feathered up !
This will not work the other way round, only with Red male over White females !
This occurs when you cross a Rhode Island Red male over Light or Coronation Sussex females' you will get what is known as a sex linked colour, as in all the resulting female chicks will hatch out a rusty orange colour, affectionately known as " Ginger Nut Rangers " and all the boys will hatch out yellow & will be white when feathered up !
This will not work the other way round, only with Red male over White females !
Click on each image to enlarge Photo
