Training Log Archive: barb

Chickens!
Today's topic is chickens!

I have become seduced by the idea of getting an eglu, and 2 chickens.

I vaguely remembered Cristina thinking she could have chickens in her back yard so I asked her about it, when are you getting your chickens? Soon! she said. I think it's all the rage. So for all of you readers I have some more information.
Here is what my (rural French Canadian now living in Concord) friend Louise says about chickens. She knows; she has a dozen or so:

Each breed is good at something. Here is what I have. Many of these are heirloom breeds and will survive in the winter without heat in the barn given that there are enough of them. I have mostly layers, no meat breeds.

2 Barred Rocks, 1 White rock, 2 Laces: good layers, they also lay in the winter, not great pets, sexing is relatively accurate

1 White Leghorn: very flighty, great layer per pound of food eaten, will not make good pets.

2 Australops: Good winter layers, sexing is accurate but not fool proof, they make good pets.

4 Araconas: Great pets, intelligent, great winter layers, lay green eggs rooster large to keep predators at bay, sexing is inaccurate so I have 2 roosters

1 The Black star: Sexing is fool proof (the rooster are brown and the hen black so you have 100% chance of getting a hen), intelligent but not great pets, one of the best layer

2 Speckled Sussex: Average layers, a mixed breed, decent pet

Buff Orphington (got eaten by hawks last year) can be good pets but they are more of a mixed breed (meet and eggs) and not great winter layers in my hands.

1 Campine: My favorite, she loves me, hates roosters, only lays when she is outside (will not lay in captivity), great tick catcher, sexing inaccurate

1 English game: One of the most beautiful breed, flies away and confuses halks when they attack, the rooster is aggressive and attacks my kids.

2 Bantam Cochins: The are setters (have feathers on their feet and will sit on eggs), make great mothers, fabulous pets (one is carried everywhere in my 5 year old arms), good layers of small eggs, sexing is inaccurate.

1 with feathers on head: very gentle rooster, hens are decent layers of mid size white eggs, not good pet

1 giant white: Not a good pet, not sure how well she lays, flighty

2 Buff rocks: average layer in the winter, not great pets but wise and can be pesky. They come to the front porch and sneak inside the house when the door opens and will not get out unless given food. Will follow us around if they run out of water or food, otherwise, they don?t care about us.

C • Fowl in Cambridge? 19

Climbed Wasson (?) Peak in the West Saguaro Natl Park. Sweet, gentle trail.