What with rising food prices and gardens in need of de-bugging and de-slugging, the time has come for us to find us some chickens! The beauties you see above are the breed I've been most impressed with in my research. They're called Barred Plymouth Rocks and they're an outstanding dual-purpose breed (egg and meat birds) with easygoing personalities (I admit I have no idea what this means when talking about a bird) and hearty constitutions. Though we do have the bones in place for a good permanent chicken coop, it's far from ready, so with the help of this website http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/tractors.html we're going to build a chicken tractor! A chicken tractor is a mobile chicken coop of sorts that you can pick up and move all around your garden or farm. If anyone has any tips or ideas for us please don't be a stranger! We need all the help we can get.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Chickens: Full Speed Ahead
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7 comments:
yeah we got the barred rock thinking she would be easy going... not so much. but she's a good hen, albeit a GIANT bully. my favorite is the silkie, she's all cute and fluffy. the description of her breed said she was mothering. but i don't really know what that means. get an americuana for sure. people will give up their first born for a few of those blueish/green eggs. they are really a novelty. also she far out produces the others. but really call me anytime in the next 2 weeks before my trip and i'd love to talk to you about it. you guys are going to LOOOOVE having chickens. they are so fantastic and low maintenance.
You are deinifltey making me turn green overhere. I am so jealous..I have always wanted a whole bunch of chickens...and the farm to go with them :-)
THANKS, Christina! See, this is why it's good to just talk to people. Because book learnin' is smart and all, but getting down with the folks who have chickens themselves is so much better! We'll talk more soon- I promise! Also, how many chickens do you have and how many eggs does that give you? Just curious...
Mandy, you're welcome to visit my flock and farm any time! I'll owe you one after my trip to Jersey!
we have 3 chickens. lately production has been WAY up. perhaps the longer days and warmer weather. we have been getting about 18 or 19 a week!!! seriously look into getting a silkie. you will want to snuggle with it because they are bantams and all little and fluffballs. so sweet too. unlike the domineering barred rock.
seriously though, less work than cats.
Our next door neighbors just got a batch of chicks that they'll be raising organically, so we'll have a ready supply of organic, farm-fresh eggs in a few months without having to do the work ourselves. We've volunteered to have our kids (with some adult help!) learn to care for them any time our neighbors are out of town, so we'll get the benefits without the long-term commitment.
I can't remember which breed they said they were getting, but they were also supposed to be good for both eggs and meat. I'll let you know if I get any more details from them.
Our neighbors now have their chicks, which are Black Sex-Links, aka Black Stars. They are a cross between a Barred Rock hen and either a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster. Or something.
Here's a link to an online hatchery that has some customer reviews.
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/product/black_star.html
Thanks Karen! These are great tips. We're going to try to start working on our chicken tractor this weekend, so we'll keep y'all posted.
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