Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Backyard Chickens anyone?

My love for chickens must have started  around the age of 3, when my parents decided to homestead 2 acres of undeveloped land in the beautiful midwest countryside. I can remember hatching baby chicks and guineas and being utterly amazed that those tiny, peeping balls of fluff, actually emerged from the now crumbled pile of shells. As more and more people look for a sustainable lifestyle, going back to our country roots seems to make since. Keeping backyard chickens in an urban setting has become all the rage. There is a lot to be said for gathering your own fresh eggs. Nothing can compare to their healthy goodness.
Araucana eggs
There are many options available for housing your flock, and you can go as simple or as fancy as you'd like. Pod type houses with an attached chicken run are great choices if you are keeping only a few birds. If you have decided that you want to simulate the farm like atmosphere as much as possible and opt for a whole flock, then you can choose to go functional or elaborate.  If you're a bit of a handy girl or guy, there are many plans available on line that you can download and use. If you prefer to purchase a pre-manufactured abode for your feathered friends, they are also simple to locate. Choosing the varieties of chickens you wish to keep, can be an adventure. There are many varieties available in both standard and bantam (dwarf) types. If raising chickens for eggs is your primary motivation, you might choose
Polish and Frizzle Polish

Wyandotte
breeds that are well known for egg production such as Araucanas, Rhode Island Reds, and White Leghorns. These are all tried and true layers. Good choices if you want good egg production and chickens with friendly personalities could include Sussex, Faverolle, Plymouth Rock, and Wyandotte. Many people choose to keep backyard chickens simply for the joy of watching these comical little creatures. If pretty plumage and unusual looks is what attracts you, you might try breeds like Frizzles, Silkies, Polish or Birchen Marans. Regardless of what path you decide to take on your road to backyard chicken keeping, It will surely be one that you'll enjoy. Be sure to check my links for many great chicken related sites!

2 comments:

  1. I remember hatching chicks, when I was just an infant myself, and it's something I never forget : )

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  2. Hi. You are using my photo of the heart and eggs. Please remove it from your site.

    Thanks.

    Tammy

    ReplyDelete