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I have one chicken smart enough to fly back into the pen after having flown out. All the others just pace the perimeter complaining that they're out there all alone.

There is also a difference between the eastern and western cedar species. Eastern Red Cedar is the highly aromatic one. Additionally, it matters how old the cedar shavings are. I'm not worrying about a couple cedar saplings in my tree-trimmer wood chip pile that's been aging in my yard for 2...

Some do. Some don't.

Teeth are not required for biting, only jaws. :) One of the broodies from my in-town flock, who was the friendliest chicken when not broody and the only chicken I've ever had who liked to be picked up, would bite and hang on when I was trying to take the eggs.

Well, he's under lockdown with Avian Flu in the state -- no uncovered pens -- so it's a moot point now.

I started with the primaries on one wing. He got out. Both wings. He got out. The secondaries on one wing. He got out. Both wings. He got out. If he were destined for dinner I'd have considered a tether. I haven't had it confirmed by people with longer-term experience, but I find that it's...

My Black Langshan hen doesn't really lay the "plum" eggs that the standard calls for, but they do have a purplish tint to them.

Her father was an F-16?

I haven't personally had a crowing hen but I've seen one in person. My daughter's mother-in-law had one -- said she was the best layer in the flock too.

That's really a good thought. It could well be that people have the cause and effect backwards.

Depends on the chicken. I can ground my most adventurous Marans by trimming the primaries on one wing. I haven't figured out how to ground my leggy, rangy, lightweight cull Blue Australorp cockerel. I've clipped all the flight feathers on both wings and he still got out of the grow-out pen...

Depends on the definition of "good for" and if you're talking averages or specific individuals. :)

There are sex-linked genes for fast and slow feathering but the chickens have to be specifically bred for it.

Right. If you don't overcrowd them and keep them in an appropriate coop/run chickens are almost as easy as cats.

I don't know that I'd want an entire flock of Chipotle clones, but I intend to always keep at least one in the flock -- unless I move to an all purebred flock of some kind.

My California White does indeed fly like a helicopter and gets out of the run when she wants to. I don't worry about her though because she is the only hen I have who is smart enough to fly back in when she's ready. But this is true -- as long as you give them facilities and food that meet...

My rooster crows in the wee hours all the time. The in-town one even more. I doubt there's a week goes by without a midnight crow.