The Yellow Bug Tuesday, Jun 25 2013
Uncategorized 10:47 am
Honeybuns….forgotten sweetness…. Saturday, Mar 2 2013
Uncategorized 1:02 pm
BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Saturday, Oct 16 2010
Uncategorized 11:17 pm
There are hundred’s of breeds of chickens. You can google “breeds of chickens” and see some delightful pictures of chickens, many of them unfamiliar to most folks. You should decide if you want small chickens (bantams, aka banties) or large, standard size chickens.
Bantams are fun to watch and have a few advantages. They are small and do not require as much space and food as a large size chicken. But, the main disadvantage is their egg size is relatively small. Bantam roosters are characterized by “little man syndrome”….they are feisty and cocky and in their mind they weigh 40 lbs. I have had several little roosters over the years that have had various names, Mussolini, Geronimo and Slammer and they acted like James Cagney! Their names should explain a lot. If you have a bantam rooster on the yard and no banty hens, they will pick out a rather “large” wife….it’s really quite comical. Looks like Ma and Pa Kettle.
There are many different varieties of bantams. Most of the standard breeds of chickens have the “banty version”, sort of like “mini-me’s”. Some of the footed breeds (those with little feathers on their feet…they look like they are wearing chaps), are Brahmas, which come in light, dark and buff colors. Cochin Bantams are have large feathered feet. They come in white, buff, birchen, black, mottled, barred, red, blue, golden laced and partridge. Frizzle cochins are the same as regular banty cochins except that they have an “electrocuted look”….if that floats your boat. Then there is the family of Belgian Bearded d’uccle, which not only have feathered feet, but little muffs on their face….kinda like the grunge look. The two varieties of Belgians are Millie Fleurs (which are some of my favorites) and Porcelain. Silkie bantams are rather unique….some of them have not only feathered feet, but silky tophats. Their feathers also have a feel of silk….hence the name “silky” for those who might not have already picked that up…. 🙂 Silkies are the only breed of chicken that has black skin. Then there are Japanese Bantams (no they do not eat fried rice) but are “clean legged”, although they are short and squaty. These are really pretty and come in colors as black-tailed white, black, white and black-tailed buff. Other clean legged bantys are rhode island reds, partridge rocks, silver penciled rocks, cornish, white laced red, partridge wyandotte, quail antwerp belgian, aracuana (they lay pastel eggs), white crested black polish and black rosecomb.
Some of my favorite bantams are the Old English Game Bantams. They are very alert and confident…I think a better word for them is cocky…pardon the pun. Some varieties of Old English games are silver duckwing, red pyle, B.B. red (black breasted red), silver and golden sebrights. I personally love the Old English Game Bantams. They are lots of fun to watch.
If you are interested in standard size chickens, there are hundreds of varieties. To me, the main advantage of standard size chickens are “standard” size eggs. I will list some of the most popular varieties, although there are some really old varieties from yesteryear that you would have to research to find. One of the most popular common standard varieties are the Rhode island reds, which are excellent brown egg layers. Here are some of the others that are rather easy to locate; Rocks…buff, partridge, barred and white. Another nice breed is Black Australorps, just a large, gentle, brown egg layer. New Hampshire Reds, Speckled Susex (very pretty), buff and white orpingtons (kinda like the black australorps, except blonde…so depends if you like blondes or brunettes..), Delawares, Light Brahmas, Dark Cornish and Wyandottes (white, columbian, silver laced). The big mama jamas of the chicken world are the Giants (white and black) which are about the size of a Shetland pony 🙂 My favorite large variety is the Araucana/Americana, also known as the “Easter egg chicken” because of the variety of colored eggs they lay, they also have a muff. There are also the topknot chickens such as Polish, Mottled Houdans, Sultans and Crevecoeurs. These are really cute chickens to look at, but to me they are extra dumb….Of course, the standby variety of Leghorns (Rose comb, single comb, red and white). I’m sure you could possibly find a Foghorn in the crowd. Other varieties are Cochins, Langshan, Salmon Faverolles, Cornish,modern BB Red games, Golden Penciled Hamburgs, Lakenvelders, Buttercups, Cuckoo Maran (I dont know if they live up to their name), Dominiques, Egyptian Fayouomis, Rocks, White Faced Black Spanish, Golden Campines (very pretty), Silver Leghorns and Red Caps. A rather unique chicken is the Phoenix which has a long tail of several feet. If you really want an ugly chicken order/buy a naked neck…..looks like someone was going to have him for supper and he got away.
If any of these varieties pique your interest you can google them and see pictures. If you want brown eggs, buy a chicken with dark ear lobes. If you want white eggs buy a chicken with white ear lobes….yes chickens do have earlobes.
Free chicken coop plans! Saturday, Oct 9 2010
Uncategorized 12:10 am
Here are a couple of links that have free plans, these pages also contain more links! http://www.freechickencoopplans.com/
http://www.i4at.org/surv/poultry.htm
HENHOUSE CHATTER: To Cluck or Not to Cluck….. Friday, Oct 8 2010
Uncategorized 4:18 pm
First things first. If you think you might enjoy a few backyard chickens here is a little food for thought.
I’m a strong proponent that if you are going to keep chickens as pets, you must have a safe environment for them, i.e., housing, fenced yard and a coop. Chickens are very defenseless and are at the mercy of dogs, hawks, foxes, coyotes, possums, raccoons and even large cats. You simple cannot buy a few chickens and throw them out in the backyard and think they will survive more than a day or two.
Chickens need to be shut up every night inside their coop. Some folks think it’s okay for them to sleep/roost in the trees, which is the natural instinct of a chicken and cheap housing. Your flock will slowly dwindle every night. Raccoons and possums love chicken….”taste like chicken”…..and they way they kill them is not humane.
Coops can be built from scrap lumber, a converted shed or really nice “rolling” coops on wheels can be ordered off the internet. The advantage to the rolling coops is fresh bugs and grass for your chickens. Coops should have windows for summertime breezes, roosts at several different heights and at least two nest boxes for the girls, so you can enjoy fresh eggs.
There are many plans you can download free from the internet for chicken housing or cheap, used books from websites like Amazon.
My own personal chicken yard is rather large. It is tall enough to walk inside comfortably with a large chicken coop in the middle. I have a smaller side yard with a smaller chicken coop for younger/baby chickens. I also have a standing cage up off the ground for very young babies. My entire chicken yard is covered with netting, which can be purchased from a local hardware store or the internet. If you do not cover your chickens, the hawks and owls will swoop in and carry them off daily for snacks.
Two of my favorite chickens, Boudreaux and Clothilde are sticklers about their housing. Clothilde and the girls keep the coop swept, hay fluffed and fresh bedding in their maternity ward. Boudreaux and the boys are typical men, they stand around and offer encouragement.
I’ve said all this in my first post to let beginners know that if you would like to try your hand at raising a few chickens, then be a responsible owner and give them a safe, nice home. You will have happy chickens and hours of enjoyment!!
“NEST BLOG” Different kinds of chickens.
Henhouse Chatter Thursday, Oct 7 2010
Uncategorized 1:23 am
Okay folks, here’s the poop…..er….I meant scoop!!….I’ve decided to start a blog about chickens. My Dad had chickens when I was a child. I spent many hours with him just lollygaggin’ out in the chickenyard, trailing after him….enjoying his lessons on the life of a chicken.
I’ve had chickens the last 14 years….since we moved out of a subdivison and acquired some land. (The homeowners association would not approve my pleas for a coop in the finely manicured neighborhood. Can you imagine?) Anway…I will incorporate my tidbits of knowledge into sort of a Chicken 101, with funny personal stories from my own backyard gang that I’ve experienced over the years. I will occasionally talk about my chicken’s next door neighbors…..4 goats.
Oh, a small detail I forgot to mention….my chickens talk….we converse….and I myself speak “chickenese”.
So whether you are a beginning backyard hobbyist or an ol’timer who enjoys our little feathered friends, I welcome comments and questions to my blog.
Footnote; I will not be giving lessons or advice in butchering, decapitating, plucking, frying, eating, or makin’ dumplins’ of our poultry friends….so don’t even ask….my chickens all have names, which makes them unedible.
Hello world! Wednesday, Apr 21 2010
Uncategorized 11:24 am
I am 54 years old, married and live in Powder Springs, Georgia. I have 3 grown sons, 2 stepdaughters. My parents are my next door neighbors, they are 86 & 84. I graduated last year from Mercer University with a Bachelor’s degree in Historical Studies & Liberal Arts. I love life and have several hobbies. I love animals and have dogs, cats, chickens and goats. I also love gardening, piano and books/reading. I like to sew, crochet and I’m learning to knit, although rather slowly. I belong to Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, where I play the piano when needed.
I come from a long line of ministers. My grandfather was a minister and preached in south Louisiana in Cajun French. My great aunt was a french speaking missionary in Louisiana. My father-in-law, brother-in-law, brother and nephew are also ministers.
I’m grateful each morning for God’s mercies and another day of life.
Beckyw329's Blog 