Breed Overview
Ixworth Chickens were originally created by Reginald Appleyard in 1932 and named after the village in Suffolk in which he lived. The breed is now considered extremely rare and was standardized in 1939 in England.
Ixworth chickens nearly died out entirely in the 1970s but breeders managed to revive the numbers. The breed is extremely rare outside of England and is not recognized by any other poultry clubs. Ixworth Chickens were intended to be a good table bird that could also be a good layer. Their genetic makeup included White Sussex, White Orpington, White Minorca, Jubilee, Indian and a white game.
The bantam version was stabilized and released in 1938 but has virtually disappeared.
Males weigh on average 9lbs (4.1kgs) and females weigh on average 7lbs (3.2kgs).
Eggs
Size
Large sized eggs
Color
White color eggs
Production per year
250 eggs per annum
When do they start laying eggs?
From 20 weeks old
Ixworth Characteristics
Temperament / Are they good as pets?
These birds are active foragers and will do well as pets as long as they have enough space.
How do I tame Ixworth chickens?
If you have chicks you can hold them in your hands to tame them. If your chickens are older and can’t be picked up, then you can tame them by having them eat out of your hand.
How many do I need to buy?
Chickens should always be kept with at least one other chicken as they have a tendency to get lonely. If you don’t have lots of space to keep a large flock of chickens we recommend that you buy 6 as a perfect small flock size.
How much space do they need?
This breed needs to be kept free range; this means you need at least 250 square feet of space for each bird outside of the coop for them to roam around on.
Will they mix with my other chickens?
Yes, this breed should mix with your other chickens.
Appearance
Ixworth chickens have a plain white plumage and either orange or red eyes. They have white skin and white legs which are clean of feathers. They have a red pea comb and a light colored beak.
Feeding
What should I feed them?
As chicks they need to be fed growers mash which is a 19{cfcd481556a8b43fba6af451761032bd323e94372a0c1e607} protein refined chicken feed which has all the good stuff in it to help your chickens grow up healthily.
At 6 weeks they can be switched to standard chicken pellets, this should usually have between 15-16{cfcd481556a8b43fba6af451761032bd323e94372a0c1e607} protein content.
At 16 weeks they’ll need extra nutrients to help support them with egg laying so you can gradually introduce layers mash or layers pellets; this typically has around 16{cfcd481556a8b43fba6af451761032bd323e94372a0c1e607} protein.
How much should I feed them?
A chicken usually eats ¼ of a pound (113g) of feed a day. Start by giving them exactly this amount and then if they appear to eat it all quickly you can up the feed weight. You can either leave the feed in a feeder for the to eat throughout the day or you can give them set meal times.
What can’t they eat?
Our feed section on our website is a good guide which lists pretty much everything chickens shouldn’t eat. The most important foods to remember not to give to your chickens are chocolate and beans.
This is because they have theobromine and phytohemagglutinin, which once ingested can be fatal or at the very least make them very unwell. Anything that has visibly gone off or is well past its sell by date shouldn’t be given to chickens as this can make them very sick.
What do I need to keep chickens?
The most important bit of kit you need to keep chickens is a coop. The coop needs to be 11 square feet per chicken and each chicken needs a perch on which they can sleep on in the evening. There should also be laying boxes filled with wood shavings where they can lay their eggs. Your coop needs a fence round it in order to keep your chickens safe from predators, make sure it goes over the top and is sunken into the ground.
This breed likes to be kept free range which means you need an extra 250 square feet per chicken of space. Chickens need water so buy a container that they can’t tip over. They also need grit, especially as they reach laying age, if you don’t have natural grit you’ll need to buy some and keep it within reach of your chickens so that they can help themselves as they please.