Bluebelle Chickens

[Happy Alun]

Hello everyone,

I recently bought four chickens, just enough to supply the family with enough eggs for the week, I bought a Sussex star, Speckled star, Black star and a Bluebelle.

I have only had them a week and all three hens are giving me eggs nearly everyday apart from the bluebelle who is showing no signs at all of nesting, she is also a bit of pain in trying to escape all the time where as the others seem very happy.

Have I just bought a dodgy hen? Or are all bluebelles nutters!?

I would be interested to know if other people have had issues with them or is it just a case of being more patient with her.

Anyway all the best!

[MissEllie]

My bluebell can be a noisy nutter but she lays like clockwork every day, mind you she did take about 5 weeks to start. Fingers crossed yours will lay before too long

[julie62]

My bluebelle isn't the brightest of sparks - she makes a lot of growly noises and is very greedy. When I let her and the speckledy freerange with my ex-bats (I'm still trying to integrate them ) she is the one that gets sat on ... however since she's started laying she's laid everyday without fail.

[Princesslayer]

I am an utter novice, but my golden star is tame as anything after 2 days, Bluebelle is a scaredy cat... Hoping she will settle down,plan to try handfeeding some corn maybe.
(no eggs yet, hoping soon!)

[Grannyof4]

My Bluebelles are fine it is the crested legbar who is the nutter...

[Nefertari]

Had my Bluebelle a year now and she is laying regularly too.

How old is she? Is she doing the sumo-stomp?

[Mrs B]

My Bluebelle was always a bit nervy and one of the last to lay but once she started she didn't stop until she had a prolapse earlier this year. She did start to eat from my hand once picked up would settle down but really did not like being handled but happy enough to sit and chatter to me.

Mine used to lay eggs with pink speckles they were very pretty.

[Mad Chick]

My Bluebell (sadly with us no longer) was an absolute sweetie. She was very docile and always the first to come up to me at treat time (interpret that as a bit of a pig!). She did take a bit longer to lay than the others but when she did start, she was very regular

[fabindia]

I am thinking of getting a Bluebelle to replace an ex-battery hen that we lost recently. Meadow Sweet Poultry is just a few miles from where I live, but they don't have any in stock at the moment.

My other three girls are well settled, so I am a bit unsure now whether a Bluebelle would settle in well with them.

[fishpond]

I am led to believe that introducing one hen to three existing is a bit of a no-no as they may all pick on her, instead introducing 2/3/4 new ones, or even more, seems to be the way to go.
If you ever needed an excuse for lots more Cluckies- this may be it.

[Lyn]

Hi - we have 3 bluebelles, they are taking a lot mroe time to get used to us and do seem a bit nutty!! However, when we let them out to free range they are the first to come running when we go back up to them and get very close and almost friendly!! - they mix ok with all them others when free ranging. Sure it is just a matter of time!

[fabindia]

introducing 2/3/4 new ones, or even more, seems to be the way to go.
If you ever needed an excuse for lots more Cluckies- this may be it.

Thanks for the tip. I was planning on getting a brown hen of some description at the same time.

It may seem a bit daft but then I'll have one white, one black, one copper head, one grey and one brown. I am not so bothered about the breeds just the variety looks good in the garden

[ChickyBoo4]

Hi, we have 1 Bluebell who is the biggest of the bunch but shyer than the Speckled Maran & the 2 Warrens we have. I'm hoping with time she'll become a bit more sociable as well. The Warrens are a lovely shade of brown, very friendly & even jump up to sit on my knee

[julie62]

I really dont think you can beat the warrens for friendliness .. they are the sweetest hens in the world

[anne1234]

hi i have 1 bluebell shrily and 2 light sussex dariy and egna shrily is the boss and she is the wee one of the three but i have all wise got a egg every day from her only had her 1 day and she layed a egg every day since she is greedy hen and steals of the other 2 anne