Why buy Isa Browns

stretchman · **Posted:** Fri Mar 05, 2010 3:42 pm

I notice that people are buying Isa Browns as backyard chooks and I was wondering why you aren't buying "proper" breeds? Sorry, not trying to sound like a chook snob (and we do sometimes take Isas in as a favour to people who don't want them), but there seems to be far to many generic layers in peoples backyards, at the expense of some rare and beautiful breeds.

From our experience Isa Browns do not play with others. All fowl will set a pecking order early on in the relationship, but it seems to us Browns like to take things to a whole new level. We think it is part breeding and part upbringing, especially when they come from layer farms, then they can have some "interesting" habits.

I understand they are cheap and they are good layers. But for $10-$20 at an auction (check for your local poultry club for their "pencil or silent auctions". More on these later) you can pick up a young Australorp hen (expect 290+eggs) or one of a number of other breeds. They will lay nearly as many eggs, and they are fair on the tooth too! Minorcas (300+ eggs) and Rhode Island Reds also lay well ( the R.I.R is another multipurpose bird). Aracuana's are a fun bird, they lay a blue or green egg! Oh, and before you go thinking eggs from different breeds are healthier they are al the same.

Maybe you want a chook for scratching around your backyard. Browns are famous for the holes they dig, all over the grass/lawn, in the vegie patch or the flower patch. Sure, other chooks might dig around or dust bath but I am yet to see any of the other breeds we have had go quite to the same efforts as the Browns to destroy a backyard. Why not try Wyandottes (Gold or Silver look great, but they come in all sorts of colours)

Pets for the kids or a "lap bird"? Try a bantam breed. Silkies or Pekins make awesome pets. A little over half the size of a full breed these little chooks come in a wide range of colours and feathering. Silkies are also brilliant broodys. There is much more pretty than a Cuckoo Pekin, or a white Silky, IMHO.

The best place to discover new breeds is your local poultry club or association. You will find people passionate (read: obsessed) about poultry. Have a look when there is a show on, chat to the breeders. Most are more than happy to share knowledge.

If you know what you want, and are willing to pay inflated show prices you will get some good show birds here. My advice though is to wait for the auctions. At auctions you will have a fantastic time and maybe even get some bargains. The auctions are normally pencil auctions where you write your name and the price you are willing to pay on a card. If the bird you want is popular, expect to have fight on your hands. I can guarantee you will pay more than you had budgeted for. But I also guarantee that you will walk out with some bargains too! Be aware though that breeders get rid of their surplus and poor quality stock at these sales, so have some idea of what you want.

Albany has a couple of big auctions. Harvey. Katanning and Narrogin also have auctions, maybe a little smaller but just as much fun. There are also specialist breed clubs, e.g. for game birds, ask the relevant breeders at the shows.

Anyway that's it. I was just wondering. Isa Browns do have some good things going for them (like 320+ eggs a year and not as flighty) but when we are losing so many breeds each year, why not look at some really cool chooks for the backyard garden?

oldute · **Posted:** Fri Mar 05, 2010 4:56 pm

The only reason I got them is because people told me thay are the best layers and they were the most common ones for sale.
I'll try others in future especially for a bit of variety.

earthbound · **Posted:** Fri Mar 05, 2010 6:52 pm

The only reason I had Isa's last time is because that's what was available. I hadn't researched a lot and when I went looking for chooks I found my local City Farmer store had Isa's at point of lay ready to go.. And thats all they had, only the Isa's.

Now I'm a little older and wiser I will definitely be putting a little more effort into getting a different breed.

Thanks for the thread Stretch, it is an important subject, something we all try and take a little more notice of.

Lord Viykor · **Posted:** Fri Mar 05, 2010 7:05 pm

I'll be going for Australorp Hybrids they are a cross between an Isa Brown and black Australorp.

http://citychicks.com.au/products/2/

pistolknight · **Posted:** Fri Mar 05, 2010 7:56 pm

I got isa's because they are delivered and cheap, 3 chooks = 3 eggs a day can't beat it, they are sociable as well and sorta trained them where they can dig holes

Jaymie · **Posted:** Fri Mar 05, 2010 11:24 pm

preaching to the choir here ;)
we have RIR and light and buff sussex birds

Simo · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:28 am

+ 1 I have Australorps, but they are not a friendly as Isa Browns, but i guess this is a good thing as it will make it easier to dispatch them. :devil:

earthbound · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:43 pm

Are the Isas friendly or just a bit stupid?

fizzyj · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:47 pm

I agree stretchy - all for anything but commercial breeds.
Backyard farming is not supposed to be as productive as a heartless commercial operation. There is value in being able to say gee my chook looks good!

ali_celt · **Posted:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:51 am

I used to have 2 barnevelders, 2 australorps and 4 belgian d'uccles. Then I had a fox.

After that I had one barnevelder.

So now I've got one barnevelder and 3 rescued 'barn laid' chooks from the egg factory up the road.

My barnevelder is still the best chook out and when I make a bigger, foxproof pen (they are in a maccallum chook tractor with fort knox set up so no more foxes thankyou!) I will be trying to source more barnevelders. Love them.

pistolknight · **Posted:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 11:06 am

fizzyj wrote:

There is value in being able to say gee my chook looks good!

My chooks look delicious :thunbs:

Ali I only have a small pen of chook pen wire, has same for a roof and buried the wire in ground about a foot and chucked some bricks on top of buried wire and filled in, chooks have free run of part of the yard during the day, we don't have fox problems during the day, neighbor lost 10 to a fox they dug under his pen

stretchman · **Posted:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 1:13 pm

fizzyj wrote:

I agree stretchy - all for anything but commercial breeds.
Backyard farming is not supposed to be as productive as a heartless commercial operation. There is value in being able to say gee my chook looks good!

Too right, if not we might as well go to the local supermarket and buy the rubbish they sell there. :spew:

ali_celt wrote:

I used to have 2 barnevelders, 2 australorps and 4 belgian d'uccles. Then I had a fox.

I feel your pain, I went away on holiday and came back to an empty backyard. The sly fox must have known the dog was gone and came for dinner. All our chooks and pigeons were gone, a mate saved 4 ducks and a rooster. Now we have restocked with new birds (Light Sussex and Indian Game).

Lots of people around town have lost their birds. It would be nice if the council were as proactive with fox control as they are with the more revenue friendly tasks.

earthbound · **Posted:** Wed Mar 10, 2010 3:58 pm

Damn the barnevelders are a nice looking chook.... Had to look them up because I hadn't heard of them, I love their colours.. :clap:

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pistolknight · **Posted:** Wed Mar 10, 2010 5:22 pm

serious looking things aren't they, remind me of a british politician or lord, least Isa's smile a bit

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