Isn't a Chicken Just a Chicken?

When I first saw the chickens at the feed store, I wondered what the name on each box meant. Leghorn, Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Red, Wyandotte. At that time, a chicken was just a chicken and I had NO IDEA that the world is full of chicken breeds.

Before getting your chickens, sit down and give it a moment’s thought. What is it you want from your flock? Eggs? Meat? Both? Just beauty? Then search online; study some breeds on a superficial level. You’ll never be an expert on all of them, but just glancing at pictures and a quick read of their temperament and use will give you a start. Determine what you want to look at when you see your flock. As you study the breeds some things to consider are:

1)    body type

2)  size

3)  temperament

4)  color

5)   type of tail

6)  type of comb

7)   special feathering on legs, head, etc  

You can even go further. Do you want to raise chickens? If so, do you want to breed something super rare or help save a breed from extinction, or help better a common breed?

It might sound daunting, but it’s really quite fun, and doesn’t take as long as it seems. Here’s how the above played out for me:

I knew right away that I wanted breeds that would produce lots of eggs and enough meat for a decent meal. Those desires fit right in with my liking for the round, chunky birds (rather than the strictly egg-laying breeds like the Leghorn). So I focused in on breeds like the Wyandotte and Plymouth Rock. Even better, I also liked the calm, quiet temperament of these breeds over the flighty lighter birds. An additional factor that narrowed my choices was that I didn’t want special feathering on the legs or head.

Color was harder to narrow, and since it is basically like a breed (more on this in another post), I was only down to about 20 different color breeds. Compared to all the birds out there, that wasn't much but it was way more than I would be able to raise. 
After more study, more color eliminations from photos, and a decision that I liked shorter tails, I ordered from a place that had a large selection, getting 2-3 of each kind I thought I was interested in. That enabled me to see the temperament of several different breeds, their size and egg-laying capacity, and the color in real life instead of a photo. I now know that I love the laced breeds, and am planning to work with Gold and Silver Laced Wyandottes, Barnevelders, and a project bird which will basically be a Double Silver Laced Wyandotte.

So that’s an idea how to go about picking your chickens. It’s certainly what worked for me. Chickens can be around for years, and it’s worth a certain amount of effort to find the right ones for you.

Happy hunting!

So...you want to get more chicks?

When I bought my first chicks, they were from the local feed store at the end of the “chick season”. I rushed over there because I was told it was the last day to buy chicks. Well…that was a while ago, and boy have I learned a lot!

Looking into the process, I quickly discovered that I could place a private order from the same hatcheries the feed stores buy through at almost any time of year. Then I discovered that it gets even more delightful- I could buy from small breeders who care very much about their flocks, and keep their breeds up to standard.

Most people’s complaint with small breeders is that they sell straight run- in other words, you can’t order all pullets, you’re going to get a certain number of cockerels, too. For my dollar, that’s a bonus. Cockerels can make great 4-H birds, they can be grown to 20 weeks (or older if you want) and humanely butchered for a tasty meal, but most importantly, you know that the supplier is not chopping up little chicks in a grinder. These people care about their birds.

Shipping fear is a common thing. People who’ve never ordered wonder how such a thing can go smoothly. But those chicks at the feed store were shipped in, too. Most good breeders offer a live arrival guarantee. I’ve had three batches of chicks come in so far; all survived in two of them, and I lost three from the third, but the breeder sent 4 extra so I was covered.

Here’s how it works. After finding your breeder and choosing your breed/s, you place your order, often months in advance. Expect to pay when you place the order, not when the chicks are shipped. Then you wait through the long months, and receive confirmation that they’ve shipped. The tracking number lets you know if they are on time, and you pick them up at the Post Office, usually verifying with an employee that all are alive. You rush your fluffballs home to a brooder- a box, a tote (my favorite), or anything large enough that they can have a place very warmed by the heat lamp and a place to get away from the heat if they choose, a clean water provider and food bowl. That’s all there is to it.

Can Several Roosters Run with the Same Flock?

I have been running across this question several times as I search various sites, and the answer is YES. But there are factors that can help make it work out well. I'd like to share with you the tips I've picked up after having a total of 21 roosters in and out of my flock.

To make it work, your most important consideration is timing. Growing cockerels up together is a great way to have them get along. They will establish dominance early, and even when removed from each other for a few days, when placed back together the skirmishes are quickly over or don’t occur.

It is also important to release new cockerels into the flock at the right age. They have to be big and fast enough to get away from aggressive flock-mates (I have never found this to be the roosters, just the hens!), but not old enough to be full-fledged cocks themselves. I recently introduced a group of 4 month old chicks- including 3 cockerels- to the flock, and all went very smoothly. All 3 of my large roosters paid no attention to them at all. My little Dorking cockerel actually worships one of my Bielefelder roosters and stays by him constantly. That’s good- my Bielefelder is a perfect “gentleman” to humans and his ladies, so I’m thrilled if the Dorking wants to be like him; don’t laugh- I’ve read that young cockerels will imitate what they see the older roosters doing.

I’ve also just started letting a group of 12 week old Barnevelders- a group that has 6 cockerels- run around as well. The very first day, one of my Biele roos took them in his charge and watched over them during their first hours out of the coop.

Finally, don’t be too quick to step in to a fight. When my Bieles were setting up their pecking order, they leaped in the air and pummeled each other. I watched to make sure things didn’t go too far, but after a few attacks, and a little bit of blood on the combs, the winner and loser were established and they’ve been peacefully co-existing.

Every rooster is different, and some may never get along with other roosters. But I believe most can be trained to do so provided:

1)     they grow up with other cocks

2)     new cocks are introduced at a young age

3)     there is enough space for escape should it be necessary