Java

I got 10 chicks last year from my daughter....6 roos and 4 hens. I lost a few and ended up with 2 hens and 2 roos as breed quality keepers. The last roo I butchered at 22 weeks and he was over 6 lbs dressed out. They were June 2011 babies and both hens started laying at 5 mos. I found them to be very quiet hens. I very seldon hear a peek out of them all day. They also lay late in the day.s

I have 2 Java chicks. They are moltted. They do seem very sweet and get handle a lot..very excited to have them

I have free-ranged in our yard a Marans, a couple Leghorns, an Ameraucana (my avatar) and a couple Silkies and we have a chicken hawk (Cooper's Hawk) and Red-tailed Hawk that come around the neighborhood. In 3 years we haven't lost one chicken, even the so-called predator-bait breeds (Silkies). What we've done to predator-proof from aerial stalkers is to set up several low-to-the-ground shelters like plywood planks on cinderblocks, benches, a couple large recycled doghouses, a pop-up canopy, an old wheelbarrow, and some stickery evergreen, rose, and berry bushes for the chickens to dive/snooze under so they aren't in a very open yard for a predator to swoop down on them. Open areas are where the predators want to hunt the running chickens so we've set up these scattered shelters so there are no really open areas to invite aerial attacks. We and all our neighbors have chopped down our old trees so the hawks can't sit in them to watch the poultry. People say certain breeds are predator bait but you can't get more gentle than our Silkies but they are savvy enough to sound barnyard alerts and dive for the nearest shelters. I once saw 4 hens dive into a doghouse after a hawk alert! Hawks prefer aerial swooping and won't go after a hiding hen even if she's only 5 feet away hiding in a bush or doghouse - darnedest thing I ever saw.

I love what you listed as a "con."

UPDATE:
These original hens are now 5yrs old and still laying very well - daily in fact. They proved to be excellent mothers, with nearly every hen going broody at some point during the spring and early summer. While molting, their lay rate decreases greatly - but that is to be expected.

The flock has expanded to where I'm getting a dozen eggs a day from more or less 20 layers (layers - broodies - molting hens = number of active layers).

We're on Roaster #5, as we switch out roasters annually so that no hen is related to any particular cockerel. I return to Garfield Farm Museum to their Rare Breed Show to obtain new chicks - chicks are now a bit more expensive, as their breeding program gets better and better.

I am still awed by these terrific hens. Mostly friendly (some bashful) but no mean hen around...unless she's broody and being picked on by other hens. Roasters have proven to be easy-going and typically not hard on the hens, although their favorites still show signs of feather-wear. I HIGHLY recommend these hens!

These are such pretty birds! Look a little like Austrolorps, which i love.

tripleG said:

I have 2 Java chicks. They are moltted. They do seem very sweet and get handle a lot..very excited to have them

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I love Mottled Javas and I agree! 10 chicks 8 wks old now and they're huge, handsome birds.

laura877 said:

I got 10 chicks last year from my daughter....6 roos and 4 hens. I lost a few and ended up with 2 hens and 2 roos as breed quality keepers. The last roo I butchered at 22 weeks and he was over 6 lbs dressed out. They were June 2011 babies and both hens started laying at 5 mos. I found them to be very quiet hens. I very seldon hear a peek out of them all day. They also lay late in the day.s

Click to expand...

Good to know that they lay late in the day... I'm new to chickens anyway so it lets me know what to expect.

I love my Mottled Java so much I'm thinking of getting more and selling my lavender Ameraucana. Beautiful, calm, large birds with excellent laying!

I have a mottled java. Sweet bird and a good layer. She is finishing her winter molt and looks different than last year. She has way more white in her plumage than before. She gets along well with the others and never starts any arguments with the other misfits.