Hamilton Heritage Hens

13/10/2026

21/07/2026

Day-Old Hy-Line Chicks Available

We have day-old Hy-Line chicks ready now. Perfect for anyone wanting to raise some great layers.

$12.50 each
Guaranteed female (Hy-Line layers)
Vaccinated
Limited amount available

These chicks will need:
Heat for at least 6–8 weeks
Quality chick crumble (we recommend Sharpes)

Pick up: Glenview, Hamilton by appointment

Message the page if you have any questions

— Hamilton Heritage Hens
Ph or text 0211171748

12/07/2026

We had a great day at the Waikato Poultry & Pigeon Show this weekend.

It was fantastic to catch up with other breeders, admire so many beautiful birds, and see some of the incredible quality on display. There were some outstanding poultry and pigeons exhibited, with plenty of deserving winners across the different breeds.

We also came home with a few (maybe more than a few 😂🤫) new additions to our breeding programme that we're excited to work with over the coming seasons!

A big thank you to the Waikato Poultry Club and everyone involved in organising another successful show.

13/06/2026

As our breeding groups finish their winter break and begin laying again, these are the breeds we are planning to hatch this season at Hamilton Heritage Hens.

Our Planned Breeds for the 2026/27 Season here at Hamilton Heritage Hens

Large Fowl
• Blue Orpington
• Black Orpington
• Splash Orpington
• Lavender Orpington
• Buff Orpington
• Rhode Island Red
• Light Sussex
• Barred Plymouth Rock
• Double Silver Laced Barnevelder
• Barnevelder
• Silver Laced Wyandotte (including some Blue Silver Laced offspring from our blue rooster)
• Gold Laced Wyandotte
• White Leghorn
• Black Araucana
• Lavender Araucana
• Dorking

Bantams
• Silkie
• Black Pekin
• Black Frizzle Pekin
• Blue Pekin
• Blue Frizzle Pekin
• Buff Pekin
• Cuckoo Pekin
• White Pekin
• Black Mottled Pekin
• Blue Mottled Pekin
• Lavender Mottled Pekin

Please note that availability will depend on fertility, hatch rates and which breeding groups decide to start laying first after winter. Some breeds will be available earlier than others.

We are not taking pre-orders. We'll post updates on our page as chicks and pullets become available throughout the season.

Hamilton Heritage Hens

11/06/2026

Meet the Breed - Barred Plymouth Rock

The Barred Plymouth Rock is one of the most recognisable heritage chicken breeds, known for its distinctive black and white barred plumage, calm temperament, and reliable egg production.

Originally developed in the United States in the 1800s, Barred Plymouth Rocks have earned a reputation as a hardy, dual-purpose breed that performs well in a wide range of conditions. Their friendly nature and dependable laying ability have made them a favourite with poultry keepers for generations.

In quality Barred Plymouth Rocks, breeders aim for crisp, even barring throughout the plumage, strong body type, and rich yellow legs. These traits help preserve the traditional appearance of the breed and are important considerations when selecting breeding stock.

Egg Production: 200–280 large brown eggs per year
Temperament: Friendly, calm and easy-going
Broodiness: Occasionally broody
Best For: Families and backyard flocks

Barred Plymouth Rocks are excellent free-rangers and are known for their inquisitive nature. Their distinctive barred feather pattern makes them an eye-catching addition to any flock while still being practical, productive birds.

Hamilton Heritage Hens
Preserving Heritage Breeds

05/06/2026

We're looking at expanding our shop here at Hamilton Heritage Hens.

It can be quite difficult finding poultry supplies here in the Waikato without having to order them in, so we'd love to hear from you.

What would you like us to stock?

• Heat plates
• Health products
• Wormers
• Mite and lice treatments
• Vitamins and supplements
• Drinkers
• Feeders
• Leg bands
• Treats
• Cleaning products

Would you be interested in any of the above, or is there something else you'd like to see us stock? Any favorite products you'd like us to have here?

Let us know in the comments so we can focus on keeping the products you actually want on hand.

04/06/2026

Heritage Breed Update

Our heritage breeds are just like everyone else's heritage breeds — we certainly haven't found any heritage breeds that lay all year round!

The shorter days and cooler weather have well and truly kicked in, and all of our heritage girls have decided it's time for a winter break. In fact, we're getting so few eggs around here that I bought my first carton of supermarket eggs the other day!

Our breeding girls are currently enjoying their annual leave, and as soon as they start laying consistently again we'll be firing up the incubators and getting hatching season underway.

We're expecting a selected number of heritage pullets to be available from approximately October onwards, depending on what the girls decide to do.

For now, we're letting them rest, recharge, and enjoy being chickens. After all, they've worked hard all season and deserve a few months off.

Pic of one of my favorite girls just because 🥰

01/06/2026

....When will you have laying Hy-Lines available?

We get asked this all the time!

Our Hy-Lines come from the hatchery as day-old chicks and are raised here until they're old enough to sell.

Because of this, when we sell out of laying-age birds, we can't just order more in. We have to wait for the next batch of chicks to grow up, which takes around 18–20 weeks.

What many people don't realise is that a large number of our Hy-Lines are sold while they're still growing. A lot of customers like to buy younger birds and watch them develop into laying hens themselves, so by the time a batch reaches point-of-lay age, there are often only a few left, if any.

At the moment our current batches are still growing, so we don't have any laying-age Hy-Lines available.

Any available birds will always be advertised on our page when they're ready.

Hamilton Heritage Hens

01/06/2026

It's officially winter!

One of the best parts of winter is opening up the breeding groups and letting our chooks enjoy their off-season. They spend their days free ranging, scratching around the paddocks, chasing bugs, dust bathing, and just being chickens!

We often get messages from people worried because their hens have stopped laying. Don't be too quick to replace them. The shorter days and moulting mean many hens naturally slow down or stop laying for a while. Chances are they're simply taking the same winter break as ours are.

Winter is also a great time to worm your chooks and get them ready for spring.

For now, we're enjoying the quieter season, and the chickens are making the most of their holiday.

We are still open by appointment for chicken feed and wood shavings pick ups.

Hamilton Heritage Hens

29/05/2026

Day-Old Hy-Line Chicks Available

We have day-old Hy-Line chicks ready now. Perfect for anyone wanting to raise some great layers.

$12.50 each
Guaranteed female (Hy-Line layers)
Vaccinated
Limited amount available

These chicks will need:
Heat for at least 6–8 weeks
Quality chick crumble (we recommend Sharpes with coccidiostat)

Pick up: Glenview, Hamilton by appointment

Message the page if you have any questions

— Hamilton Heritage Hens
Ph or text 0211171748