My Chickens

I have been researching chickens again. I only have 14 hens left and too many roosters! Four to be exact, and that's three too many. Three reds that I think are either Red Sex Links or New Hampshires, either way, they are destined for the crockpot. I only need one, and my favorite is my 5 year old Buff Orpington. He's a good and wise ruler over the foolish hens *U*

Here are my newest additions from last fall, the Deleware girls. This is such a nice breed! Read more about them below. Aren't they pretty little ladies?

Here's my Buff Orpington rooster. He's a handsome fellow, who is gentle, quiet, and follows me around hoping treats just fall from my pockets. Even though he's grown enormous spurs, he's never used them on us or anyone else except the dumb red roosters who occassionally try to hijack the Buff's harem. They are never successful.

My chickens free range on 10 acres of pasture, so they must be hardy, live according to pecking order rules, and forage well in order to be healthy. I don't want a flock of pampered birds that get sickly and die when the weather changes.

My fluffy Buff Orpington. These are so cold ad heat resistant, they lay a good supply of medium brown eggs, they are large enough to be conidered a dual purpose (meat and egg) breed. They are gentle mothers, do get broody and are my favorite practical bird. They are not so pretty as the flashier breeds, but I do like my hens to hatch out their own nests from time to time, so these are great birds to keep in the flock.

My pretty and hardy Light Brahma hens. We first got this breed a few years ago when my oldest son chose two pullet chicks at the feedstore. They grew up to be such nice birds that we always have some in the flock. They lay medium size light brown eggs.

Delawares in front with the "mutts", the last Buff Orpington hen, and Light Brahma behind. I will need to order more chicks soon, and have decided the best and hardiest are the Buff Orpingtons and the Delawares. The Delaware hens are more prolific layers than the other breeds I have. More eggs make me happier! I will most certainly buy mostly those, they are an heirloom breed. I appreciate that all these birds are good foragers, because I like free-range eggs and meat. I'm trying to focus on heirlooms suitable to my area. Turkeys are next on the list!

One of the mutts, which I believe to be an "easter egg chicken" laying small green eggs. These are quite hardy, good foragers, and good mothers. Two or three of these girls came up to live at our ranch from the horse traing ranch next door. They wanted babies, and we have roosters! I don't mind them, because even though they aren't friendly at all, they are consistent layers and forage very well.

I love watching my chickens. It's good therapy.

I think everyone who is able should keep a little flock.

Not only do I get cheep (ha ha!I know- what a dork!) therapy, but fresh free-range eggs, free-range meat, and pest control. When we first moved here five years ago the amount of ticks was out of control! Now we have very few because the chickens eat them.

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