Table of Contents. Foreword 5 Reasons Why I m a Chicken Keeper Best Chicken Breeds For the Homestead Best Egg Layers

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2 Table of Contents Foreword 5 Reasons Why I m a Chicken Keeper Best Chicken Breeds For the Homestead Best Egg Layers Rhode Island Red Pearl White Leghorn Red Star Black Star Dual Purpose Meat/Egg Production Birds Chicken Yard Layout Speckled Sussex Black Australorp Silver Laced Wyandotte White Wyandotte Cuckoo Maran Barred Rock Black Giant White Giants Buff Orpington Buff Rock Dark Cornish Delaware 2

3 Light Brahma New Hampshire Red Partridge Rock Welsummer White Orpington White Rock Dominique White Egg Layers and Lighter Breeds Ancona Silver Leghorn Meat Production Birds Pioneer Cornish X Rock Red Ranger Boiler Saving Heritage Breed Chickens 3

4 Foreword This book is for all those who love the freedom of homesteading and being as selfsufficient as possible. If this book makes managing your flock a little easier, I will be happy. Many thanks to Murray McMurray Hatchery for the use of chick photos of the breeds we chose. We ve tried many hatcheries over the years and McMurray s has always been dependable and easy to work with especially when it comes to the heritage breeds we love. As always we strive to help the community of The Farmers Lamp have a Happy, Healthy, Homestead by providing books and articles to inspire and light the way. You have permission to share this book with your friends as long as it remains unaltered in any way. After all, sharing is caring. Copyright 2016 by thefarmerslamp.com 4

5 5 Reasons Why I m a Chicken Keeper Being raised on a farm, chicken keeping is a natural thing for me, but when someone asked me about my personal reasons for keeping them, I had to stop and think. Is it because we "always have" or are there more personal beliefs and reasons? The answer is both. My grandmother had chickens so caring for them and helping to butcher them was part of my upbringing. There were always Rhode Island Reds, Domineckers, Black Australorps, and the usual mutts running around everywhere. Not to mention ducks, geese, guineas, and turkeys. She taught me most everything I know about chicken keeping from feeding them to eating them to breaking roosters...i just can't list it all. We are sustenance farmers so they are not a hobby, they are not pets, they are contributors to our livelihood by their meat, their eggs, and the many other benefits to having them on a farm. She instilled the love of chickens in me and I've stayed in love with these feathered friends for 30+ years of keeping them myself. There are, for me, 5 main reasons I keep chickens. 5

6 Fresh Yard Eggs: I guess this is the first reason most every chicken keeper has for keeping chickens. Eggs that come fresh from your coop to your kitchen are immeasurably better tasting and healthier than any commercial egg you can buy. Their yolks are brilliant in color and texture. Of course, the degree to which this is true depends largely on what you feed your chickens. Our birds are free ranged so they get free choice of food and it's mostly protein in the form of bugs, rodents, and worms. We supplement their diet with garden produce; kitchen scraps like dairy, (most) fruits, and grains; and an organic, non- GMO prepared feed, when we don't have feed we produce ourselves available. We have a series of posts on feeding chickens. Hens begin to lay between 5-7 months of age depending on the breed and its general well-being. It takes a hen about 24 hours to lay an egg and they lay at different times of the day. I have one that lays before I get out to do chores and one that lays just before evening chores. Everyone else is in between. 6

7 Granny always had me toss a little grain at night because a warm, well-fed hen is a happy hen and a happy hen lays happy eggs. I love her sayings. My Black Australorps and Speckled Sussex are champion layers. I don't bother to keep laying records unless I have a slacker and I'm trying to determine who the slacker is. A couple of years ago I had to cull some older girls and so to decide who needed to go, we went through the long process of recording the laying patterns of the hens. Out of the 120 days of recording them, these two breeds lay an average of 115 eggs, each! The Rhode Island Reds aren't too far behind them. Meat production: Being sustenance farmers, the breeds we choose are dual purpose birds. They provide egg and meat for us. The breeds we chose dress out between 5-9 pounds, depending on the breed and whether it's a hen or a rooster. The peace of mind that comes with knowing how the animal I'm eating was treated, what it was fed so in turn, what I'm eating, and how it was butchered and processed is important to us. 7

8 Critter Control: While chickens won't eat the same number of bugs as a guinea, they still eat plenty of nasty guys. They are known for eating: Mice Yes, the first time I saw it, one of the hens was running from the others with something in her mouth. I went to investigate and it was a mouse...she ate it all! Spiders I had a friend tell me she got chickens the first time to help with a black widow problem she had. They fixed it for her. Termites They see them flying and start jumping in the air to catch them and if they can reach it, will dig out where they're hatching from; Worms we vermicompost so I don't let them into my compost area, but they have their own spots. In the fall, we turn them loose in the garden to bat fall cleanup. 8

9 Not to mention grubs, beetles (they love these guys), ticks...you get the idea. Virtually Free Fertilizer: I say virtually because of the cost of any feed you provide them. Let's face it, there's really nothing free it all cost someone, somewhere, something. To us, our time and energy are just as valuable as money. It's not good to put fresh chicken manure on your plants because its raw nitrogen content can burn plant roots quickly. We put the coop manure in our compost pile and in the back of the chicken yard. They like to scratch through it in their yard and in a year there'll be a nice top layer of rich chicken yard dirt for my potting soil mix. If you just mix it in your compost pile and let it be, it will be 6 months to a year before it's ready. You can shorten this time to 4-6 months by turning your compost regularly. There's also manure tea. Your garden and flowers will love it. Just be careful not to pour it on the leaves. Manure tea is easy to make. Put the manure in a burlap sack and place that into a large container and cover it with water. The size of container you use depends on how much manure you have. We have over 30 laying birds and I use a thirty-gallon trash can for this. Let it sit for a couple of days and it's ready. I don't do this often, only once a year, because of the other ways I use the manure. My favorite way to use it is to spread it on the garden in the fall and let the girls scratch it in as they clean up the garden. By spring, the soil is enriched and ready to go! 9

10 Cheap Entertainment: That's right. If you've never sat and watched a flock of birds, especially free ranged birds, you don't know what you're missing. If you have chickens, then you're smiling right now because you're thinking about the comical flock you own. There's such a wide range of shapes, colors, and sizes which adds variety of color, personality, and interest to a flock. I find some breeds are more friendly than others. The Rhode Island Reds and Speckled Sussex are the friendliest out of the ones I've owned over the years. My Black Australorp hens are friendlier after they've been in the breeding yards and hatched out. I think it's because they form a bond with me as I'm in their personal space every day and bring their babies feed. Chickens are basic creatures, but there's always some who stand out in the flock. They have quirky personalities, some like to talk more than others, some like to be held and petted, some just like to be stroked, some just like to cause trouble. 10

11 You can find other articles and people to answer your homesteading questions at The Farmers Lamp. 11

12 Best Chicken Breeds for The Homestead We ve had quite a few chicken breeds over the years and can say from personal experience that some breeds are as different as night and day. I once had a Brahma which grew up in the flock. I called it Big Bertha. I had one rooster in the flock, Cogburn, who was a Rhode Island Red and even though Bertha was a few pounds heavier than Cogburn, I had no idea that Bertha was a Bert. There was no fighting, Bert didn t offer a single crow or even an attempt at one. That is, until the day Cogburn was taken from the flock. I didn t pay much attention to Bertha until he started to crow. I guess he finally got tired of being called Bertha. My point is that all breeds are different, some having strengths where others have weaknesses and vice versa. When it comes to choosing a chicken breed for your backyard flock, it s important to know what you want to accomplish. You need to answer a few important questions, some of them being: Why do you want to keep chickens in the first place? Do you want to produce eggs or meat? Or both? How many eggs do you need per year? Are you looking to be self-sufficient or to also able to sell eggs on the side? What color and size of eggs do you want? Which chicken breeds will suit your weather conditions? Some breeds do better in different climates. What level of hardiness do you want in your flock? Some are hardier than others and easier to manage, so this should be considered. There aren t many vets who deal with chickens. How big do you want your flock? A flock too small or too large can have dramatic effects on you and your flock. Will your flock be able to free-range or will they be kept in a run, if so how large or small of a yard will they have? This goes back to the size of flock you want. 12

13 What kind of disposition do you want your chickens to have? Some seem to love to be around humans even liking to be held, while others will go crazy if you try to touch them. Choosing the right Chicken Breed is the difference between success and failure. If you pick the right breed or breeds, you ll have success. Selecting the wrong breeds can lead to all sorts of trouble. Like not getting the eggs, meat, entertainment or reward you re after. The wrong breed selection for your goals will cost you time and money you could have saved with a little thoughtful planning. The wrong breed in the wrong region and situation can waste all your work only producing unhappy chickens who probably won t survive the weather in your area. The wrong breeds in a high predator area will do nothing but keep the local wildlife living the good life on the meat of your flock. Without the proper preparation and research, you can find yourself discouraged and with nothing to show for all your hard work and investment. After many requests from my newsletter subscribers to help them choose the right breed for their homestead and situation, I ve put together this book so we can all have a happy, healthy, homestead flock. Safe and Happy Journey, Rhonda The Farmer s Lamp 13

14 Best Egg Layers Who doesn t want to find eggs in the morning for breakfast? Whether you just want to supplement your health with quality non-gmo nutrition or want to supply your friends and family with a good source of food while making some extra cash, finding the right breeds for eggs is important to achieve your goals. Unlike most common breakfast staples like cereals and yogurt, eggs don t contain sugar or carbs and they re the least expensive source of high-quality protein. Did you know eggs have 6 grams of high-quality protein? Eating a protein packed breakfast helps sustain mental and physical energy throughout the day. Choline, another nutritional part of eggs, promotes normal cell activity, liver function and the transportation of nutrients throughout the body. It s also key in the development of an infant s memory functions. What's in an average egg? 70 Calories 6 Grams Protein 250 Milligrams Choline 0 Sugars 0 Carbs The price of a dozen eggs has soared in the last few years because of outbreaks of Avian influenza virus H5N1. In 2015, around 48 million turkeys and chickens either died from the flu or were euthanized. This was more of a problem for commercial chicken keepers than backyard flock owners. Many consumers are becoming concerned about the source of their eggs, even more than the price per dozen. This is being brought on by an awareness of the living conditions of hens in layer houses, the quality of their feed, and the resulting decrease in the quality of the eggs. Some people prefer to eat eggs from chickens they ve raised themselves rather than buy eggs from their local store, I m one of them. In some areas, backyard 14

15 flock owners are allowing people to rent a chicken. This system works kind of like cow sharing. You pay the farmer so much money to feed, house, gather the eggs and otherwise care for the chicken then you come out and pick up the eggs from the farmer. However, on the rent a chicken sites I found, it works out to be about six times more expensive to rent a chicken than buying a dozen free ranged, organic eggs at a supermarket. In rural areas like ours, the grocery stores don t carry these. Aside from the control of the health of your flock, there are other reasons to produce your own eggs. You also avoid supporting industrial farms. Egg-producing hens on factory farms are often kept in such cramped quarters they can t stretch their legs or wings, walk around or participate in normal social behaviors. Homestead raised eggs have two to three times more omega-3 fatty acids and have one-third less cholesterol than industrially raised eggs. Like Granny said, A happy hen lays happy eggs. Costs of Raising Chickens More and more people are starting to keep their own chickens again. Getting newborn chicks is the first expense in starting your flock. Prices for newborn chicks vary wildly from around $5 to $50 per chicken, depending on whether the breed is popular or rare. If you don t already have an outbuilding which can be used for a coop, you ll have to build or buy something. The average coop will cost around $500 unless you re handy and can repurpose materials you have on hand. The cost of feed and bedding, such as straw, hay or wood shavings will cost at least $25 a month for ten hens. Of course, it will be much cheaper for those who live where you can grow some of your own feed, rake pine straw for nests and bedding, let the hens free range to get most of their food, supplement with garden or kitchen produce, cut your own hay... 15

16 Most chicken breeds will begin to lay between 5-6 months of age and lay most of their eggs during the first three years of life. After three years, egg production starts to decrease. Hobby farmers tend to keep their chickens on after their egg laying years and let them die a natural death. Sustenance farmers, like us, tend to see things in a more practical way. A chicken can live eight to ten years and if given a healthy lifestyle, she may even make it to twenty. On a sustenance homestead, if you don t pull your weight, you don t get to stay. We would cull a hen once she stops laying and enjoy her contribution to our table. There are exceptions to every rule as you know. There are some birds who just become special because of their personalities or what they survive on the homestead, whatever the reason, there is a sentimental attachment and they are allowed to live out their days. There are hundreds of breeds with different personalities and colors to choose from. Heritage breeds have proven their worth for over a hundred years and are usually hardier and have good dispositions. There are a lot of other reasons people like to grow their own flock. Chickens are good for the soil they scratch. Some people use them in the fall garden as they aerate the ground and eliminate weeds as well as bugs. Some people like them because they eat ticks, grasshoppers and other bugs that need to be kept in check on the homestead. If your reason to keep chickens is to produce your own eggs, then you will be wise to find the chicken breeds which can be counted on to produce the most eggs with the best feed to egg ratio in your climate. Brown Eggs or White? I m sure you ve noticed in the grocery store brown eggs are a little more expensive than white. Does that mean they are better? Some old-timers say brown eggs are better for you. Most eggs on the homestead are brown, but most eggs produced by the egg industry are white. This is because the white egg layers seem to have a little better feed to egg ratio to them. 16

17 I would say the reason some old timers thought this is based on the difference between the quality of life and feed of the traditional brown egg laying chicken on the farm and the cramped commercially raised chicken s egg. If you eat a farm-raised brown egg and a store bought white egg, it would be impossible not to notice the richer taste and the school bus yellow vibrant yolk of the brown egg. It's not the color of the egg that accounts for the better taste. Rather, it's the quality feed and exercise that was given to the brown egg laying chicken. Feed plays a big role in the color of the yolk and taste of the egg. So, which breeds are the best egg layers for your happy, healthy homestead? Well let s look at the best egg layers and you can make a well thought out decision to accomplish your goals. 17

18 Rhode Island Red QUICK GLANCE The Rhode Island Red was developed as a utility breed in the state of Rhode Island. The goal was to have a productive egg layer and still retain a meaty frame. It s the only breed recognized by the APA standard of perfection to receive the honor of being named a state bird. The breed was developed by crossing native birds of mixed bloodlines with Brown Leghorns, Cochins, Brahmas, and Red Malays from which they are said to get their color. The Rhode Island Reds have maintained their reputation as one of the best dual purpose birds for their meat and egg production. Since the RIR is possibly the best heavy breed layer in the world, I put it in the egg layers section instead of the dual purpose section. Although we choose to raise it as a dual purpose bird ourselves as do many other homesteaders. RIR chicks are a rusty red color and the mature birds are a beautiful shade of mahogany red. I love these birds because they re a dependable addition to my flock. They produce eggs efficiently and do a pretty good job of producing meat when needed. They re a great choice for anyone who wants a bird that s hardy, dependable and easy to manage

19 Pearl White Leghorn QUICK GLANCE Leghorns originated in Italy and made their appearance in North America in 1835 and then in Great Britain in the 1870 s. Over 50 years of breeding research has gone into the development of this layer through a blending of special strains of White Leghorns. The pullets weigh about 4 lbs at maturity, start laying at 4 1/2 to 5 months, and will continue laying 10 to 12 weeks longer than most other good layer breeds. Their viability and resistance to disease is very high and the feed to egg conversion ratio is excellent, holding down the cost of egg production. They will lay the most eggs of top grade and size, uniform shape, and overall quality. They do all this on less feed and require less space than other breeds. They hens tend to not be broody and won t set. 5 They are very active and "flighty". Most white egg laying breeds are high strung. They re cold hardy and also tolerate the heat well. The white leghorns do have a large comb. You can coat the comb with Vaseline to help prevent frostbite. 19

20 They re active and do well with free-ranging, but white colored birds tend to attract predators so you should consider this and what kind of setup you have before deciding on this breed. These birds are not friendly and tend to be skittish around people. 20

21 Red Star QUICK GLANCE Red Stars lay large brown eggs and have a good feed to egg conversion ratio. They are a Sex-Link chicken, which means when they hatch they can be sexed by color. The female chicks are reddish orange and the males are white. The hens will mature with feathers that are reddish brown with flecks of white throughout. The males are all white with yellow skin. At approximately 22 weeks, these hens will start to lay. She lays eggs right through hot or cold weather making it a dependable egg producer. These hens are hybrids - they have different breeds of father and mother and their own offspring will probably not be the same or true to type. They were developed in the 1950s when commercial chicken breeders selectively bred a hybrid hen to produce the most number of eggs on the least amount of food. Generally gentle, calm, curious, and friendly they have a sweet disposition. However, they re too active to enjoy being held for long. They re happiest when free ranging, but who likes to be cooped up all the time? 8 21

22 Black Star QUICK GLANCE Black Star chickens are a cross between a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster and Barred Rock hen and are like the Red Star in many ways. Like the Red Star, these are sex-link chickens. They are easy to raise and have a good feed to egg conversion ratio. They also do best when they are given an area to free range as they are an active breed. Black Stars generally begin laying around 22 weeks of age. At maturity, Black Stars weigh 5-6 lbs. The females are black with gold hackle and breast feathers, and they are excellent layers in all seasons. I prefer the Red Star to this breed but they are close on all accounts so I would say between the two you can t go wrong for egg laying abilities and a nice disposition. 8 22

23 Dual Purpose Meat/Egg Production Birds Most heritage breeds make excellent dual purpose birds. I have been asked if there s a heritage breed that will give you eggs and looks like the chicken on steroids you can buy at the grocery store today. The short answer is No. Commercially bred, steroid fed birds are not to be compared to healthy, happy homestead birds. Besides their breeding difference, there s the feed, housing, and health issues involved which sets the two worlds apart. Most dual purpose breeds will have nice meaty thighs and legs but small breasts when compared to breeds of meat birds. Dual purpose breeds are my choice because our goal is to raise meat and eggs from a healthy, heritage flock. While heritage breeds won t produce enough meat to compare with the Cornish X or other meat birds, they still produce a good size bird for meat while producing a lot of eggs. When rating the meat production side of these breeds, you must consider that unlike the pure meat birds, these birds are much easier to reproduce from year to year. Many of these breeds have hens who sit and are great mothers. This gives you a steady supply of meat and egg birds for your flock. Meat bird breeds will not be great mothers, don t lay much, and some don t breed well. If you do manage to keep a breeding pair of meat birds, you will have better luck putting their eggs under a broody hen or using an incubator. We maintain our heritage breed flock of dual purpose birds with selective breeding. We can control which traits to encourage from generation to generation and breed the best producers for their desired traits without ever having to leave the farm. We like to keep the best rooster from our top three breeds. One has the flock while the other two live in their own special yards. A couple of times a year, we put a choice hen of the same breed in with them to breed and set. The breeding yards are closed off from the rest of the run so the hens can raise their chicks for the first few weeks in sight of the main flock, but out of the way. 23

24 Dual purpose birds do it all and when managed correctly they do it the best for my time and money. Our yard was constructed with mostly recycled materials and cost us around $ to build. This included the chicken tractor and breeding coops which sit on a small concrete square to keep the spring and winter rains from flooding them. 24

25 Chicken yard layout: The chicken tractor was built so it could be towed to the fall garden or another area for free ranging with its attached water system. The chicken yard is laid out so that you can access any area of the yard easily by gates. The main yard is connected in two places with the breeding and rooster yards as well as the chicken run. Breeding and rooster yards are covered with bird netting to deter hawks and predators. 25

26 Speckled Sussex QUICK GLANCE The Speckled Sussex was developed in Sussex County, England over 100 years ago and although the breeding history is unclear, it was well established by For almost a century it was the most common breed around. It was famous as a table fowl with pinkish white skin ideal for fattening. Some of the roosters I ve had have been 11 lbs, while the hens have been 6-7 lbs. They lay light brown or tinted eggs and the hens are great at setting and wonderful at raising chicks. Their plumage is beautiful. They have a mahogany base with individual feathers ending in a white tip separated from the rest of the feathers by a black bar. With every molt they become more beautiful. Baby chicks vary greatly in color from a creamy buff too dark chestnut and some also have alternate dark and light stripes lengthwise on the back. These are my all-time favorites among breeds I ve raised. They have great personalities and are wonderful 10 26

27 production birds to boot. Their ALBC Priority is listed as recovering, however, I have found they re still hard to find. 27

28 Black Australorp QUICK GLANCE This breed originated in Australia developed from Black Orpingtons imported from England. The emphasis of the breeding program was on egg production without sacrificing too much in size and meat quality. The Australian program recorded one hen setting a laying record of 364 eggs in 365 days. They were introduced into America in the 1920's, and are certainly one of the best layers of light brown eggs of all the heavy breeds. Their glossy black plumage with a greenish-purple sheen combined with their larger than average bright red combs make an unusually handsome sight. They are big birds, cockerels weighing around 9 pounds at maturity and pullets up to 7. They have a pinkish white skin and plump bodies which dress out nicely once the birds have their final plumage. Pullets mature early and many will be in production between 5 and 6 months of age. This is my husband s favorite breed mostly because the roosters have been more aggressive and watchful when it comes to 10 28

29 predator patrol and the hens are great mothers. They are also known for standing confinement well although they are great at foraging. Baby chicks are black with a good deal of white in the underparts and small white patches around the head and wings. We have handled this breed for years and think it is one of the best of the heavy breeds. 29

30 Silver Laced Wyandotte QUICK GLANCE The Silver Laced is the original Wyandotte and the other varieties were developed from it by selective breeding. They are broad feathered and their silvery white plumage has definite borders of greenish black. The close-fitting rose comb and good body size are suitable for winter laying. While not the greatest of layers, cold weather doesn't seem to bother them at all as they seem to lay about the same straight through the winter. They lay a good sized egg, varying from light to rich brown. Baby chicks vary from almost black to light silvery gray and many have contrasting light and dark stripes on the back. I can t say these are one of my favorites as they don t seem to have a great disposition, yet they are beautiful birds. I also found them to be unreliable layers. Very similar to these is the Golden Laced Wyandottes. The ancestors of Golden Laced Wyandottes originated in Wisconsin and were called Winnebagoes. By 1880 they received the name Golden Laced Wyandottes. 7 30

31 This variety of Wyandotte is a beautiful combination of rich golden bay laced with lustrous greenish black. The general feather pattern is very similar to the Silver Laced Wyandottes. This beautiful bird is often bred for exhibition. 31

32 White Wyandotte QUICK GLANCE The White Wyandotte is striking with its snow white feathers running all the way through to their yellow skin. They have deep, well-rounded bodies, making them an ideal bird for meat production. The cockerels are plump and mature earlier than most heavy breeds. With their rose combs, they can stand cold weather very well and flocks of this variety are excellent for northern climates. The hens are heavy layers of light brown eggs. The White Wyandottes are a wonderful dual purpose breed. They blend in pretty well in the snow but not much foraging happens in the winter months. Their white plumage makes them easy for predators to spot other times of the year when free-ranging is possible. 8 However, they do seem to do good with a large chicken run or coop. 32

33 Cuckoo Maran QUICK GLANCE This breed was developed in France in the mid-1800s in the town for which it s named, Marans. They made their way to England in the early 1900s and quickly became very popular for their very dark chocolate brown eggs This is one of the reasons I first purchased these birds for the homestead. The CUCKOO variety of Maran, which I purchased, resembles the Barred Rock in color by displaying feathers which are all crossed throughout with irregular dark and light slate colored bars. Maran's lay the darkest eggs of any breed I ve ever seen. They are a nice dual purpose breed and I love the disposition of every rooster I have raised of this breed. Sweetie Pie was a Cuckoo Maran hen of mine who had a great personality and was an excellent mother when I set her. 9 33

34 Barred Rock QUICK GLANCE The Barred Rock is one of the all-time popular favorites of my farming heritage. Developed in New England in the early 1800's by crossing Dominiques and Black Javas, they ve spread to every part of the world. They re heavy layers of brown eggs and the hens don t seem to be affected by cold weather. Their solid plumpness and yellow skin make a beautiful roasting fowl. These chickens are often called Plymouth Rocks, but this title belongs to the entire breed, not just the Barred variety. Whatever you call them, you can't beat them for a steady, vital flock. Baby chicks are dark gray to black with some white patches on head and body. A great rooster to have in your flock for breeding purposes especially if you breed meat birds in the spring. 9 34

35 Black Giant QUICK GLANCE This is the original Jersey Giant developed in New Jersey in the late 19th century. It was developed by crossing some of the large, dark Asiatic breeds: Black Java, Dark Brahma, Dark Cornish, Black Langshan. A little larger than the white giants, it s usually referred to as the biggest chicken breed in the world. The plumage has is much like that of the Black Australorp. Its shanks and toes are black except for yellow skin showing on the bottoms of the feet. With the straight red comb and tremendous size, it makes an unusual, showy specimen for exhibition. Hens are good layers of brown eggs and lay consistently through cold weather. Baby chicks are mostly black but do show creamy patches on the underbody, wing tips, and around the face. The white persists in the plumage until they get their grown-up feathers. Even though they are the largest meat bird you ll see on the homestead, they re feed to meat ratio isn t good. They don t mature as fast as the best meat bird breeds either. 8 With a laid back disposition and large size, they are a visual treat in the flock. 35

36 White Giant QUICK GLANCE This heavy white variety of the Jersey Giant breed was developed from white spots of the Black Giants and is a comparative newcomer to the ranks of purebred standard chickens. As you would guess from its name, it s primarily a meat bird with an extra-large frame. It s a little slower to mature than Rocks, Reds, and other more common heavy breeds but it will eventually surpass them in size and weight. Yellow skin color and white plumage make an easy fowl to dress. This breed has some distinctive features in addition to its size. Their shanks and toes are a dark willow color and they have dark brown eyes. The hens are good layers of brown eggs. Baby chicks are a smoky gray ranging from almost black to quite light. Like the Black Jersey Giant in many ways, this bird may be a little easier to dress but its color makes it harder to hide from predators if free-ranged. 6 36

37 Buff Orpington QUICK GLANCE The Buff Orpington makes a good choice for colder climates. Introduced here from England in the late 1800s, they quickly became one of the most popular homestead breeds in North America. In the early 1900s, when some breeders bred for looks instead of production, the breed was on its way to extinction. The birds were lethargic and often infertile. William Cook, a successful breeder of the Buff Orpington, and his children continued their breeding efforts for production. The Buff was bred from the Golden Spangled Hamburg, Buff Cochin, and the Dark Dorking and is the most common Orpington breed today. These stately birds have a quiet disposition. As a meat bird, they re easy to dress and have white, plump skin. Their heavy, full plumage make them excellent winter layers. They also make excellent setters and mothers. Baby chicks are a soft light buff color. 9 These are a solid breed choice for any homestead. 37

38 Buff Rock QUICK GLANCE Buff Rocks are truly a gorgeous color, pure golden buff from feather base to tip. They look a lot like the Buff Orpington but are slightly smaller. The intense yellow of their legs and beaks, combined with the bright red comb and wattles along with the deep golden plumage make these a real delight to the eye. They make good winter layers of brown eggs and are good setters in late spring. Baby chicks are a soft buff color right from hatching. I ve never had a Buff Rock in the flock but many of my friends have them and it s one of their favorites. They re beautiful birds and seem to do well for most homesteaders. 8 38

39 Dark Cornish QUICK GLANCE Dark Cornish chickens are great birds to consider if you have a problem with predators. You won t find many birds better at free ranging and avoiding predators at the same time. The name Cornish should tell you these handsome birds originated in Cornwall, England. They re unique looking with their thick, compact bodies, unusually wide backs, and broad, deep breasts. These qualities have made the Dark Cornish a truly gourmet breed to raise for eating. The hens are reliable layers of brown eggs and are wonderfully hardy. This variety will come as close as any to rustling grub for themselves under rough conditions and make good setters and mothers. Because of the close fitting, rough textured feathers, and compact build, they will fool you on weight. Baby chicks can vary greatly in color from a light reddish buff to a darker reddish brown with dark markings on the head and sometimes a dark stripe on the outer edge of the back. 8 39

40 Delaware QUICK GLANCE This breed was founded, big surprise, in the state of Delaware around 1940 from an original Barred Rock and New Hampshire cross. The Delaware is considered a heavy breed. The hens are reliable layers of a brown egg but aren t as broody as similar breeds. As far as disposition, well, they talk a lot and have a little bit of an attitude. Males are medium size and large enough to raise for meat while the hens will make a nice "stewing" bird when they re done laying. The feathering on these beautiful birds is almost all white. The hackle and the tail sport a slight barring. The Delaware can be a nice quiet bird when well-tended, a lot has to do with environment and feed but that true of every creature, right? Although they re good at foraging, their coloring may attract predators. 8 40

41 Light Brahma QUICK GLANCE The Brahmas are an ancient breed from Asia, probably originating in India. They were brought to this country around 1850 by Yankee sailors returning from trade voyages in Far Eastern ports. Because of its massive size, full feathered shanks and toes, and striking black and white plumage pattern, it has always been one of the most interesting varieties to work with. Brahmas are exceptionally quiet, gentle, and very easy to handle. They are big diggers and their feathered feet can become dirty instead of fancy. Their small pea comb, great size, and heavy plumage make them almost immune to cold weather. The hens are good layers of brown eggs, especially in winter, and will also set. Baby chicks are creamy white, but some have shades of gray on the back. 7 When we had these in the deep south, I liked them, but the heat was hard on them. Now that we re in the cooler panhandle of Idaho, I will add these back to our flock. 41

42 New Hampshire Red QUICK GLANCE This breed originated in the state of New Hampshire, naturally. Farmers started with Rhode Island Reds and after many chicken generations of selective breeding, they intensified the characteristics of early maturity, rapid full feathering, and production of large brown eggs. The hens are not considered good mothers and tend to not be broody. Most New Hampshire Reds will be docile, sweet and quiet when in a happy environment. The mature birds are a rich chestnut red, of a somewhat lighter and more even shade than the Rhode Island Reds and the baby chicks are also a lighter red. 8 42

43 Partridge Rock QUICK GLANCE The highly colored male has black hackle and saddle feathers with an edging of rich brilliant red, a lustrous greenish black breast and body touched with reddish bay on the wings. The females are completely different. They have brown plumage with distinct penciling of black following the outline of each feather. These are fairly good sized birds but not quite as large as their cousins, the Barred and White Rocks. The yellow skin and plump body make a nice eating fowl. The hens lay brown eggs fairly regularly. The baby chicks are a rich dark brown resembling the color of an expensive fur coat. Temperament from some hatcheries can vary as with most all breeds. Different breeding techniques and care cause the differences. It seems the rarer the breed the more difference between strains from place to place. These birds can be skittish in some strains but with the heritage stock they seem to be watchful more than skittish and make good predator alarms for other less attentive breeds. 8 43

44 Welsummer QUICK GLANCE The Welsummer is a single comb, clean legged breed originating from Holland. This bird is known for its docile temperament. It s cold hardy and has a reputation for good production of a beautiful dark brown, speckled egg. The plumage of the males is very different from the plumage of the females. The male's saddle, head, and neck feathers are rich golden brown while the back, wing front and wing bows are bright reddish brown. Each feather on the back of the female is reddish brown with black stippling and distinctly lighter colored shaft. It is said this breed is the best free-range foragers of all the layers. Because of their docile nature, they ll probably be low in the pecking order of a mixed breed flock. The Welsummer makes a great all-purpose backyard breed and when selling eggs is on the agenda, customers love the unique eggs they deliver. 9 44

45 White Orpington QUICK GLANCE These large, quiet, gentle, pure white birds are breathtaking, especially in a mixed breed flock. They re large frames with pinkish white skin which makes them easy to dress. The hens are good brown egg layers even through winter. They are known to get broody and set. I think the White Orpington is just majestic and quite appealing to look at. They may be the rarest to find of the Orpington breeds. For those of you who like the characteristics of the Orpingtons but want a white chicken, these are the answer. Just remember white birds attract predators. 7 45

46 White Rock QUICK GLANCE White Rocks are outstanding for egg production the entire year. They do especially well through the cold winter months when lighter breeds slack off. They lay a large brown egg but don t tend towards broodiness. Their rapid growth, white, easy-to- dress feathers, and golden yellow skin make them a desirable meat bird as well. Raise some for the frying pan or roaster. They re compact and well fleshed by 16 weeks. A flock of these pure white birds ranging busily over a grassy field is one of the prettiest sights you ll ever see. Baby chicks are a creamy white and may show a touch of gray smokiness. They re known for a good temperament. This breed of rooster does seem to have a loud crow which may concern some but I don t see a problem. I love the sound of a good crow in the morning. 8 46

47 Dominique QUICK GLANCE This breed is one of the first breeds to have an impact in North America. The Dominique dates way back to the early days in New England. Pioneers brought these brilliant birds west with them and they quickly became the symbol of the homestead flock. In the old days, almost any black and white barred plumage chicken was referred to as a Dominecker. They have rose combs and medium sized bodies with black and white barred plumage. Rose combs are my least favorite on a chicken. I don t know why but I just don t like the look of them. They seem to have long lifespans for chickens of like breeds and most have a good temperament. They are perfectly designed to live on any North American homestead. 8 47

48 White Egg Layers and Lighter Breeds The Leghorn is the most prolific white egg layer you can get. In fact, it set the world egg laying record with 371 eggs in a year. They are hardy and heat tolerant. We ve already covered them in the section on egg layers earlier in the book. However, if you just want a white egg to add to all the shades of brown and speckled eggs in your morning basket, we ll cover a couple more breeds which just may be what you re looking for. 48

49 Ancona QUICK GLANCE Famous as layers of good sized white eggs, this beautiful breed has lustrous black plumage with white scattered sparsely over the tips of its feathers. They are closely related to the leghorns. When they first arrived in North America, some people referred to them as Mottled Leghorns or Black Leghorns. The first time I added this breed to the flock, I was surprised how much earlier they started laying than the other breeds. They re one of the best at predator patrol. Their dark color and active temperament make them a good bird to raise in areas where hawks, eagles, or owls are a problem. They don t show up like white breeds so this gives their quick, alert disposition extra time to sound the alarm. The Ancona is a hardy old breed which originated from the area around Ancona, Italy. It was introduced in England in the mid- 1800s and soon after made the move to the United States. Baby chicks are very cute with their half and half combination of black and white patches. The ones I ve raised seemed to grow faster than my dual purpose breeds, reaching maturity faster than I expected. Of course, they re much smaller. They are energetic and a bit flighty in my experience. 8 49

50 Silver Leghorn QUICK GLANCE This rare and beautiful variety has especially handsome plumage. The males are a combination of silvery white and lustrous greenish black. The females are quite different with silvery gray neck, back and wing feathers, and beautiful salmon shading in the breast feathers. They re good layers of white eggs but aren t likely to get broody or set. They have a vigorous, quick, and alert disposition. If you re looking for something a little different and a white egg layer, try some Silver Leghorns. Baby chicks are striped like Brown Leghorns, but their stripes are a lighter brown with a more grayish cast to their base color. One of the best feed to egg ratios of any pure breed. 6 50

51 Meat Production Birds Raising chickens for meat is an excellent way to provide organic, non-gmo meat for your family. It can be a nice little sideline business as well. You can find a multitude of ways to be creative and recycle materials to build your yards and shelters. You can do everything on a shoestring budget with a little perspiration which is generally spelled W.O.R.K. With this in mind you can get started with very little equipment and resources especially if you only raise them during the non-winter months. But what if you don t have the time to put into creativity and pulling it all together? What should you expect to have to invest? Cost Breakdown for Raising Meat Birds: Coop $150 Brooder box $75 Lamps, feeders, waterers, etc. $175 Electric poultry netting $150 Fence charger, wire, ground posts $250 Total fixed costs: $800 Then you need to take into consideration how much feed it will take and if you don t want to butcher the birds yourself, an abattoir for processing. However, if you raised around 100 birds a year for meat, you could easily make around $1500 in profit with the right breed selection. We like meat birds for their ability to turn feed into meat so we can stock the shelves for the coming year. These birds are among the best feed to meat ratio you can find if you re looking to produce your own meat as quickly as possible. 51

52 Pioneer QUICK GLANCE The Pioneer chicken, also called Rainbows or Dixie Rainbows, is considered to be a dual purpose breed by most. But what this bird does best is produce a nice feed to meat ratio if it s allowed to free range in a food rich area. With its unique markings, no two birds look alike! The hens lay large brown eggs and the males reach market weight at around 12 weeks. Because the hens aren t likely to set, I would keep a few and put some of their eggs under a good setter in the spring to provide next year s meat harvest. The Pioneer grows faster and is heavier than the Red Ranger. Breast meat production is similar to the Red Ranger and their dark meat is proportional on a long keel. Live to dressed weight yield averages 70% - approximately 5 lbs. The Pioneer has yellow skin, shanks, and beak. Their general feather color is black, yellow, red, gold, copper, orange and white. This breed is suited for almost any region. I would not recommend these birds unless you have a very large free range system set up. 8 52

53 Cornish X Rock QUICK GLANCE The Cornish breed has been the foundation of our modern broiler industry for some time now. The Aseel, which was imported from England in the 1700s, provides the foundational bloodline for this breed. Other breeds making breeding contributions are the Old English Games and Malays and more recently the White Plymouth Rock. Special breeding has produced chicks with broad breasts, big thighs, white plumage, and yellow skin. The rapid growth of these chicks is fantastic and the feed efficiency remarkable. Females have a fine smooth finish when dressed and reach beautiful roasting size. Males will dress from 3 to 4 pounds in six to eight weeks and females will take about one and one-half weeks longer to reach the same size. Most modern homesteaders just order a batch of these chicks every year and after 9 10 weeks put them in the freezer or can the meat for the rest of the year. 7 Although it s possible to keep a hen through the winter, it takes excellent management. She will require exercise to keep her weight down and since it s hard to free range in the winter you ll 53

54 have to watch her feed intake carefully. If she makes it through the winter, you can try to breed her to something like a Plymouth Rock in the spring. I wouldn t keep these birds past their butchering date. They re not the smartest birds and grow so fast they can labor under the weight of their own bodies so it s not fair to them, I don t believe. Also, the extra work involved isn t worth the investment. 54

55 Red Ranger Boiler QUICK GLANCE The Red Ranger has an outstanding growth rate reaching approximately 6.7 pounds in just over 80 days. These birds have high viability and a 70% live to dress weight yield. The breast meat is in natural proportion to the leg meat. It has yellow skin, shanks, and beak with dark red feathers showcasing black highlights. They re excellent foragers as the Red Ranger can withstand the free-range or natural living environment very well. They seem to have better meat quality, better foraging behavior and a lower mortality rate than most meat birds. They are faster and more consistent growing than dual purpose chicken breeds. These wonderful traits aside, you should know they have a slightly lower feed to meat ratio, longer grow-out time, and larger weight spread than Cornish X chickens. They may be worth a try if you re looking for a good meat bird to fill the freezer with high-quality meat. 7 55

56 Saving Heritage Breed Chickens Did you know there are many endangered heritage breeds of poultry? Chickens, turkeys, geese, and more are on the American Livestock Breeders Conservancy list of at-risk breeds. The risk levels run from Critical to Studied. Over the years, the old breeds have been interbred in an attempt to control and reproduce characteristics like egg production, egg color, and meat production for commercial breeders. During one of my talks on choosing your breeds, establishment, and care of your flock, a man interrupted me to say, I m sick and tired of hearing people like you talk about old breeds and how we should be raising our birds like the old-timers. We don t have the same birds they had, we know more than they did, and our feed isn t the same. In my best southern I answered him, Bless your heart, by the inflection I placed on all three words my meaning was clear. If we establish our flock with heritage breeds, they are very close to, if not the same our grandparents, greatgrandparents, and maybe even further back had. You re right, our feed is not the same. It s made with GMOs. That s why I free range, grow some of our feed, and when we purchase feed, we purchase organic, Non-Gmo feed. By doing this, I can feed my heritage breed chickens the way my grandmother and greatgrandmother did. He had no further comment. What is a heritage breed? The term heritage breed can be simply defined as breeds that were raised by our ancestors. They are animals we d find on our great-grandparent s farms. Most all heritage breeds are on the risk list. You will find a thorough definition of heritage 56

57 breed chickens and standards they must meet on the ALBC site. There are dozens of chicken breeds on The Livestock Conservancy list. Choosing a breed: Deciding to help an endangered breed is just the first step. To choose a breed or breeds you have to consider a few things. Your climate You want to pick a breed that will do well where you live. Purpose of your birds Do you want dual purpose birds (birds for meat and egg production), or do you want birds just for meat or just eggs? Size of bird you want Standard or bantam. Most people have a preference as to which temperament, size of egg, and look they prefer. The size of housing and yard you have will be a deciding factor. Me personally, I don t like bantam breeds. That s just me, my grandmother liked them. Will you free range or not If you want or plan to free range your birds, you ll need to be sure your birds are good foragers. Do you want breeds that get broody Today s chickens are bred to not get broody so their egg production will stay up. A heritage breed hen will have the desire to set and hatch eggs. Some breeds are more broody than others. Once you have made these decisions, you can determine which breed you want. The ALBC has a handy chart that will help you compare the different breed characteristics. Most hatcheries have something similar for you to use also. We ve chosen to raise at risk heritage breeds not only for their sakes but for ours as well. We have two breeds that my grandmother had and I enjoyed as a child. We used to have 5 different breeds, but have narrowed it down to our three favorites. We narrowed it down to three because we are set up to maintain the bloodlines of three breeds as you saw in our poultry yard diagram in an earlier chapter. The Heritage Breeds We Raise We raise dual purpose birds because we are sustenance farmers. This gives us both eggs and meat. The breeds we ve chosen are also our favorites personality wise. 57

58 Black Australorp: We started keeping this breed years ago because it s one my grandmother had and enjoyed so much. When we first began keeping them, they were on the ALBC Threatened list. Now they re on the Recovering list. This breed originates from Australia and was introduced in our country in the 1920s. They lay large brown eggs, are heat and cold tolerant, have great personalities, and are excellent foragers. They ve proven to be an excellent meat bird as well. The roosters will dress out between 8 to 9 pounds and hens between 6 to 7 pounds, on average. One hatchery site stated these hens are not likely to sit on eggs. In all my years of keeping this breed, I ve found these hens to be excellent setters and mothers. 58

59 Rhode Island Red: The RIR is the other breed my grandmother and my husband s grandfather had. We began keeping them for nostalgic reasons several years ago. They ve proven to be a great asset to our flock. They were bred in the early 1900s in the state of Rhode Island. They re on the ALBC Recovering list. The RIR are heat and cold tolerant, good foragers, excellent layers of extra-large brown eggs, and have a friendly disposition. They re also excellent meat birds with the roosters dressing out between 8 to 9 pounds and hens between 6 to 7 pounds, on average. husband s favorite breed. Our Rhode Island Red rooster, Red, is one of the best roosters we ve ever had as far as watching out for the girls, friendliness, and general disposition. This is my 59

60 Speckled Sussex: This is my favorite breed, edging out the other two only slightly. We find their dispositions, productivity, beauty, and reproduction habits unsurpassed. We ve never had a better setter or mother than the Speckled Sussex. This bird was developed in Sussex County, England well over 100 years ago. When we first began keeping them, they were on the Critical list. Now they re on the Recovering list. I m not questioning The Livestock Conservancy, but these birds are increasingly more difficult to obtain than when we first began keeping them. Maybe it s their popularity that makes them hard to order? They lay large brown eggs, are heat and cold tolerant, good foragers, and excellent meat producers. The roosters dress out between 9 to 10 pounds and hens between 7 to 8 pounds, on average. Our Sussex rooster was named Chief because of his size and plumage. We lost our last Sussex to predators a couple of years ago and have been trying to re-establish them since. To do this, we had to pre-order our chicks in November to arrive the following June. They arrived safely and are healthy, happy homestead birds. As organic, non-gmo farmers, it s important to us to help preserve our heritage in the poultry, livestock, and seeds we use and reproduce here on the farm. 60