My Happy, Healthy Chickens
Every day I make it a point to visit all the animals at my Bedford, New York farm. Among my stops is the poultry-yard where all my beautiful chickens, Guinea hens, and geese reside.
I began raising chickens primarily for their eggs, but over the years, I’ve also grown fond of caring for them and learning about their many different breeds and varieties. I have four coops that house more than 100-birds in a large and enclosed space, well-protected from predators. I make sure they are all fed the best, most nutritious foods, and have lots of room to roam and range happily.
Enjoy these photos.
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- I am very lucky to live on a farm where there is so much to keep me busy, especially during this crisis. I vowed to always have my own coops where I could keep happy, healthy, beautiful birds.
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- When laying, hens appreciate privacy – my coops are open all day, so the hens could go inside to their nesting boxes. For most breeds, chickens generally start laying eggs around four or five months of age. The black and white bird in front is a Guinea fowl hen. The white bird is a Super Blue Egg Layer, and the golden-yellow hen is a Buff Orpington.
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- Recently, we added a new layer of gravel to one side of the yard. Gravel is easy to keep clean, drains well, and looks pretty.
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- The water bowls are checked frequently to ensure there is always fresh, clean water for drinking.
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- And twice a day, early morning and late afternoon, the birds are given cracked corn. They also eat plenty of vegetables and fruit matter and trays of wheatgrass that I grow especially for them in my greenhouse.
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- The largest rooster at my farm is this handsome black Langshan. I bought a trio of this breed from Northeastern Poultry Congress in Springfield, Massachusetts last year. The Langshan is a rare, endangered breed from China. It is a graceful, nicely-proportioned bird with feathered legs. These birds are also quite active for large fowl, and this male is very friendly.
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- Inside the first coop is our “nursery”, where the youngest birds are housed until they are big enough to join the rest of the flock. Remember the goslings? They are growing very fast.
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- I’ve raised many different chicken breeds and varieties over the years. This is an Ayam Cemani. Ayam means “chicken” in Indonesian. Cemani refers to the village on the island of Java where this breed originated. The beak and tongue, comb and wattles, even their bones and organs appear black.
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- And this is one of my two Brown African Geese – also from the Northeastern Poultry Congress. This is a breed of domestic goose derived from the wild swan goose. The African goose is a massive bird. Its heavy body, thick neck, stout bill, and jaunty posture give the impression of strength and vitality.
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- Geese make excellent guardians for my flock of chickens. Naturally territorial, geese fit easily into the guardian role and don’t need any training in how to protect. This Sebastopol is watching over mealtime.
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- Sebastopol geese have been called ‘pantomime’ geese because of their fancy plumage. They have a curled feather mutation and the shaft of the longer feathers splits, so the vanes are fluted. The plumage of the head and upper two-thirds of the neck remains smooth, while that of the breast and underbody become elongated as they mature.
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- Chickens love to roost on high levels. In their fenced enclosure, the chickens are provided ladders and natural roosts made out of felled trees.
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- These hens are perched on a ladder nearby watching all the activity.
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- And this hen is on a natural log supported by short stumps at each end. On the other side of the fence, one can see this season’s vegetable garden beds.
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- I also have Toulouse geese. The Toulouse is a French breed of large domestic goose, originally from the area of Toulouse in south-western France.
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- This is a Serama rooster – Serama is the smallest chicken breed in the world.
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- The Heritage Barred Rock Rock is a beautiful breed of chicken. It is a long-standing favorite in the United States because of its reliable laying capabilities, docile nature, and dual-purpose conformation.
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- Visitors love going down to see all the breeds and the different colored eggs they produce.
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- Here is a Salmon Faverolle rooster. The Faverolle is a French breed developed in the 1860s in north-central France. They are very unique looking with their muffs, beards, and feathered feet. These birds are very friendly and curious.
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- The Sebastopol goose is also referred to as a Danubian goose. The name ‘Danubian’ was first used for the breed in 1863 Ireland. Both males and females have pure white feathers that contrast with their bright blue eyes and orange bills and feet. Sebastopols have large, rounded heads, prominent eyes, slightly arched necks, and keelless breasts.
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- Chickens are not difficult to keep, but it does take time, commitment and a good understanding of animal husbandry to do it well. Before choosing to raise chickens, always check with local planning and zoning authorities to be sure chickens are allowed in your area.
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- It’s always such a joy to see the animals at my farm thriving. In this photo, the Heritage Barred Rocks are in front, and the smaller black and white chicken is a Silver Spangled Hamburg.
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- And here’s Dawa with the day’s collection of eggs – quite a full basket. I’ve always had enough egg-laying hens to provide me and my family with fresh, nutritious, organic eggs all through the year. What are your favorite chicken breeds?
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