farmerjan
Well-known member
If I were to say what my favorite chicken is it's the New Hampshire. They are pretty, lay good and have pretty decent dispositions. Since I am going to keep chickens, I raise purebreds so that I can also show them which I have been doing off and on for nearly 50 years. I also have standard size Black Langshans. They are such a stately bird, but lay a somewhat small size egg for the size of the bird. I have also had the langshans in bantam size; and I have raised S.C. light brown leghorns, s.c. dark brown leghorns, cochin bantams, and some others over the years. I have always had the commercial sex-links for just the egg production. We also have raised the cornish-rock cross for meat and still think they are about the best for that. I have had welsummers that have the basic color pattern of the light brown leghorns, but lay a real dark brown egg and are hardy and have a body that will provide a good table bird. There are also Marans that lay a real dark brown egg. If you like to look at different chickens, order from a hatchery like Ideal in TX and get an assortment of chicks and you will get some real "different" ones. Or go to a poultry show and gawk at all the different kinds. "Poultry Press" is for poultry breeders and lists shows all over the country.
JSCattle, that's a nice coop you built for your wife. My sister had white leghorn bantams as a kid and had one that would also sit on her shoulder and she put a cat harness on it and walked it on a leash.
HDRider, the buff orpington is a favorite of alot of home flocks around here, they are a pretty bird. The RI RED is one of the "parent" breeds in making the N Hampshires. They are a good old standby breed. Dominiques have been in this country forever and are a very hardy bird also. Not as much in favor as they were at one time. The australorps are not raised by many and you don't see them at many shows. They were a good bird for the table also.
CB I sympathize about the predators. If it's not the night time ones, then the eagle, hawks and daytime runs by the foxes and coyotes are all looking for free meals here. There are alot of people who are using guardian dogs now to help protect their stock. My german shepard years ago would also keep the worst of the predators away.
I had 2 smaller camper trailers that we gutted and made into moveable "coops" for the free range layers. Worked good. Opened them up in the morning, closed them in at night which meant 2 trips a day EVERY DAY or there would be feathers and less chickens...had the nest boxes hanging on one wall, roost poles on both ends and the feeders and waterers inside. The birds always went back there to lay. Yes it was alot of work and I didn't realize much in profit but I enjoyed them. Then the eagle started picking one a day and I finally gave up. They did a good job of spreading some of the cow manure piles and eating bugs. Had less flies those couple of years, bothering the cows. If they were home at my place it would have been okay but they were at a rented pasture. If I could have kept a dog there to protect them I think I would still be doing it. Now, I have small "moveable" type coops that I just move around the yard/garden/field and they fertilize as they go.
JSCattle, that's a nice coop you built for your wife. My sister had white leghorn bantams as a kid and had one that would also sit on her shoulder and she put a cat harness on it and walked it on a leash.
HDRider, the buff orpington is a favorite of alot of home flocks around here, they are a pretty bird. The RI RED is one of the "parent" breeds in making the N Hampshires. They are a good old standby breed. Dominiques have been in this country forever and are a very hardy bird also. Not as much in favor as they were at one time. The australorps are not raised by many and you don't see them at many shows. They were a good bird for the table also.
CB I sympathize about the predators. If it's not the night time ones, then the eagle, hawks and daytime runs by the foxes and coyotes are all looking for free meals here. There are alot of people who are using guardian dogs now to help protect their stock. My german shepard years ago would also keep the worst of the predators away.
I had 2 smaller camper trailers that we gutted and made into moveable "coops" for the free range layers. Worked good. Opened them up in the morning, closed them in at night which meant 2 trips a day EVERY DAY or there would be feathers and less chickens...had the nest boxes hanging on one wall, roost poles on both ends and the feeders and waterers inside. The birds always went back there to lay. Yes it was alot of work and I didn't realize much in profit but I enjoyed them. Then the eagle started picking one a day and I finally gave up. They did a good job of spreading some of the cow manure piles and eating bugs. Had less flies those couple of years, bothering the cows. If they were home at my place it would have been okay but they were at a rented pasture. If I could have kept a dog there to protect them I think I would still be doing it. Now, I have small "moveable" type coops that I just move around the yard/garden/field and they fertilize as they go.
