As I plot and plan for 2026, I am evaluating this past year. Breed(s) that didn't work out: Brown Leghorns=I thought wow! not as noticeable to predators but lay like white leghorns? nope. I had 10 and they spent all spring & summer with about 6 being broody at a time. Silver Phoenix= a hatchery sent me 6 or so to replace fayoumis I had ordered. These schizoid little devils are everywhere. They look like roadrunners, are almost that fast and fly/jump/helicopter every fence I own. What they don't do? lay eggs. (they are for sale if any one wants them). On the bubble= Buff Minorcas. Very slow maturing, skittish, sneaky and unable to figure out how or why to follow a flock. At 8 months, they shouldn't still look like 1/2 grown teenagers.
The Rhode Island reds, 2 white leghorns, a Sussex and a barred rock have done eggselently this year, gold stars to them!
I tried converting extra 5 gallon water bottles into nest boxes but only 2 hens ever used them. Those 2 hens would go in and have to back out, I guess those bottles are too small for my big butt birds.
Someone said that chickens shouldn't eat tomatoes. If that is true then why did my hens pop holes in every tomato they could hop up to or reach when they got in my garden. Scarecrows, scare plastic owls and scare plastic snakes do not work. I will be putting aviary netting over the whole garden if I don't get rid of those silver phoenix hens.
Any suggestions for hot weather abiding laying breeds?
The Rhode Island reds, 2 white leghorns, a Sussex and a barred rock have done eggselently this year, gold stars to them!
I tried converting extra 5 gallon water bottles into nest boxes but only 2 hens ever used them. Those 2 hens would go in and have to back out, I guess those bottles are too small for my big butt birds.
Someone said that chickens shouldn't eat tomatoes. If that is true then why did my hens pop holes in every tomato they could hop up to or reach when they got in my garden. Scarecrows, scare plastic owls and scare plastic snakes do not work. I will be putting aviary netting over the whole garden if I don't get rid of those silver phoenix hens.
Any suggestions for hot weather abiding laying breeds?
