Bovan Nera Hybrid
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POL Bovans Nera
The Bovans Nera is a Rhode Island Red hybrid bred to be a hardy free ranging bird. Colours range from pure black with a hint of green iridescence, to black with some red on the throat. They are a confident friendly bird, easily tamed. Mine feeds from my hand and follows me around the paddock just to make sure I'm not hiding anything. They lay large (approx. 72g) eggs of a pale tinted brown, very similar to the standard supermarket egg in colour. You will notice a big difference in the contents and taste. They can go broody and allegedly make very good mothers.
I would recommend the Bovans to any beginner and think they would be great with young children.

Last edited by nigel on 22 Dec 2006, 06:24, edited 1 time in total.
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Introducing "Atilla the Hen" - now lovingly known to everyone as "Tilly"...

I picked her out of about 20 others as she had the most gold on her neck for a Bovan Nera. With Nigel's picture I hope that gives you a good idea of the variation in colouring.
She has a great character and a lot of confidence - hence her name as she tried to take on the exisiting hens when I first introduced her as one a new pair to my little flock.
Now she's settled in she is really friendly and inquisitive. She's even been over the fence once to say "hi" to my rescue German Shepherd dog
Her eggs are a typical brown egg colour. Hers are a tad on the small size, only about 60g on average, but then she is a little on the small size herself (she was ill when I first got her and I think this has stunted her growth and resulted in the smaller eggs). She is certainly a tough cookie to come through all she went through...
She has gone broody twice this year, but has come out of it within less than a week with very little intervention from me, so that's not so bad (I didn't want a broody, but it can happen with any sort).
In my experience I totally agree that they would make a great chicken for a first timer - very friendly and lots of fun

I picked her out of about 20 others as she had the most gold on her neck for a Bovan Nera. With Nigel's picture I hope that gives you a good idea of the variation in colouring.
She has a great character and a lot of confidence - hence her name as she tried to take on the exisiting hens when I first introduced her as one a new pair to my little flock.
Now she's settled in she is really friendly and inquisitive. She's even been over the fence once to say "hi" to my rescue German Shepherd dog

Her eggs are a typical brown egg colour. Hers are a tad on the small size, only about 60g on average, but then she is a little on the small size herself (she was ill when I first got her and I think this has stunted her growth and resulted in the smaller eggs). She is certainly a tough cookie to come through all she went through...
She has gone broody twice this year, but has come out of it within less than a week with very little intervention from me, so that's not so bad (I didn't want a broody, but it can happen with any sort).
In my experience I totally agree that they would make a great chicken for a first timer - very friendly and lots of fun

TRIPLE MAGPIE
Hello,
Does anyone have any information regarding the triple magpie. I believe it is a hybrid of Bovans Nera?
Does anyone have any information regarding the triple magpie. I believe it is a hybrid of Bovans Nera?
Re: Bovan Nera Hybrid
my 3 girls are the most un healthy birds ive ever owned! they loose feathers and get bald bums so easily. does anybody else have this experience with these birds? although one was a good mum last year to my cream legbar chicks i certainly wouldnt get them again and the lady who i bought them from has stopped selling them and now stocks black rocks instead. all my other birds are fine. no lice or mites just these ones!
Re: Bovan Nera Hybrid
My 2 bovan nera's are the complete opposite, there the healthiest bird's ive ever owned lol, my oldest now and still run about very nicely 
