- Jul 10, 2014
- 1,969
- 185
- 206
Hello, Long Post
I got to the point, the Large Fowl eat and poop so very much, very messy, gentle and sweet natured true but they can get expensive to feed way up here in the mountains when it snows half a dozen times just in the fall and they barely lay Dec-Jan.
The Bantams are just as sweet natured as their larger counter parts. They do not eat as much nor mess as much but their eggs are smaller but they also cross their legs when it dips in temp.
To me after having a mid size makes sense. Now that I have a few mid sized it makes even more sense. Just as sweet natured, true they too cross their legs when it freezes, true eggs are not as large as LF BUT they are not as small as Bantam.
For many up here in the mountains feeding a bird as much as is necessary in colder weather through the winter and getting less eggs makes sense to have a mid size bird year round. Less to clean up after, straw lasts longer, feeders stay full longer, just makes more sense all the way around. If getting huge eggs to eat or sell even during the winter is so important to anyone/someone there is always a Leghorn, Barred or Australorp. They lay giant eggs compared to their body size. They love to run around the grounds even in the snow. And it does not seem to matter to them that is it freezing out they drop and an egg a day.
Even my Calico Cochin Bantams lay less eggs during the winter and they are such angels! Cleanest stalls around, effecient with their feed. And the sweetest personalities on our farm. Eggs are so cute and small. But those Australorp, Barred and those three little leghorns are all laying machines.
These three silly white leghorn girls were picked up on a whim at TSC while getting feed for the expensive flocks We have. They started laying around 4 months. My expensive LF English Orps started laying around 8 months and they are not too kneen on free ranging in the snow. Sure the inexpensive white leghorns are not much to look at, but they serve their purpose and they are funny to watch. Major clowns.
Dont get me wrong, I love my sweeties the English Orps. The LF are gentle giants. And the Bantams are such cuddy little things. Really like to be picked up. Orps are very good layers also. Beauties.
A lot of people dont give a hoot about showing their chickens at shows. They love the beauty of an English Orp. They love the sweet nature of an English Orp. They love the amount of eggs put out by an English Orp. But up here, a Bantam may be too fragile and a LF is too expensive in feed and clean house to keep through harsh weather. For us, a mid size works out best. No one up here thinks rules will change for us for the bird size. Really not what we are after. Another thing is variations in colors. So really we would like to see more color on each bird. Spangled Chocolates, and chocolate cuckoos is a nice start.
I know, there are some people that would not own a calico of anything but after breeding Calico Cochins for so long,...oh gee!
Well I am done rehoming and thinning down my flocks.
Will be selling chicks come this March an a few mated and laying pairs of many different breeds. I really can not carry so
Many through the winter next fall.
I have a problem with separation and yes, I refer to myself as mommy to all of them. I kept back the best of the best an when my
Surgery happened in the fall, I was giving away just about all that I had kept back, the best of the best were being given away. Not keeping back any this coming Spring and Summer. This coming fall I will keep back only mid sized.
I got to the point, the Large Fowl eat and poop so very much, very messy, gentle and sweet natured true but they can get expensive to feed way up here in the mountains when it snows half a dozen times just in the fall and they barely lay Dec-Jan.
The Bantams are just as sweet natured as their larger counter parts. They do not eat as much nor mess as much but their eggs are smaller but they also cross their legs when it dips in temp.
To me after having a mid size makes sense. Now that I have a few mid sized it makes even more sense. Just as sweet natured, true they too cross their legs when it freezes, true eggs are not as large as LF BUT they are not as small as Bantam.
For many up here in the mountains feeding a bird as much as is necessary in colder weather through the winter and getting less eggs makes sense to have a mid size bird year round. Less to clean up after, straw lasts longer, feeders stay full longer, just makes more sense all the way around. If getting huge eggs to eat or sell even during the winter is so important to anyone/someone there is always a Leghorn, Barred or Australorp. They lay giant eggs compared to their body size. They love to run around the grounds even in the snow. And it does not seem to matter to them that is it freezing out they drop and an egg a day.
Even my Calico Cochin Bantams lay less eggs during the winter and they are such angels! Cleanest stalls around, effecient with their feed. And the sweetest personalities on our farm. Eggs are so cute and small. But those Australorp, Barred and those three little leghorns are all laying machines.
These three silly white leghorn girls were picked up on a whim at TSC while getting feed for the expensive flocks We have. They started laying around 4 months. My expensive LF English Orps started laying around 8 months and they are not too kneen on free ranging in the snow. Sure the inexpensive white leghorns are not much to look at, but they serve their purpose and they are funny to watch. Major clowns.
Dont get me wrong, I love my sweeties the English Orps. The LF are gentle giants. And the Bantams are such cuddy little things. Really like to be picked up. Orps are very good layers also. Beauties.
A lot of people dont give a hoot about showing their chickens at shows. They love the beauty of an English Orp. They love the sweet nature of an English Orp. They love the amount of eggs put out by an English Orp. But up here, a Bantam may be too fragile and a LF is too expensive in feed and clean house to keep through harsh weather. For us, a mid size works out best. No one up here thinks rules will change for us for the bird size. Really not what we are after. Another thing is variations in colors. So really we would like to see more color on each bird. Spangled Chocolates, and chocolate cuckoos is a nice start.
I know, there are some people that would not own a calico of anything but after breeding Calico Cochins for so long,...oh gee!
Well I am done rehoming and thinning down my flocks.
Will be selling chicks come this March an a few mated and laying pairs of many different breeds. I really can not carry so
Many through the winter next fall.
I have a problem with separation and yes, I refer to myself as mommy to all of them. I kept back the best of the best an when my
Surgery happened in the fall, I was giving away just about all that I had kept back, the best of the best were being given away. Not keeping back any this coming Spring and Summer. This coming fall I will keep back only mid sized.
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