One of my favorite things about this community is their willingness to share what they have learned and talk about their favorite breeds! Everyone will have different favorites for many reasons, but there is no denying that some chickens do better where you live than others! Please share your Whats and Whys!!! Here's what I found from my flock experience...
My first flock was 11 "mutts" hatched at the school where my husband was teaching at the time. I learned some of the possible breed crosses of my flock by studying here. I added a few breeds the following Spring. I tended to go for Heritage breeds and "pretty" ones.
This year, I looked over my record book and this is what I found for the mixed breeds as well as the other breeds I have had. While some of this information may be breed specific, it may also have to do with the area we live and how it affects that breed.
First, every White Leghorn I've had, tended to suffer from being egg bound at some point. My first one was treated carefully several times and finally died, but the others only had to be treated once or twice. Lack of proper minerals? Too much heat? I don't know. I won't have that breed again.
Second, my flock is allowed to free range. While this inevitably has risks, I take precautions and find the benefits outweigh the risk most days. Red sex-links tend to be the first to be picked off when stray dogs wander into our neighborhood without my notice. I don't know if they are slower, not as cautious, or just explore farther than the rest of the flock. It may also be that in the past, I had more Reds than other breeds and the odds were against them due to that.
Third, Wyandottes and Black Jersey Giants, whether a cross-breed or full breed, tend to be the sturdiest birds in my flock. Weather is nothing to them. I'm guessing also due to their size, they have no real challengers to their position in the flock even when they get older. My oldest hen, Jasper, is a 7 year old Wyandotte/Americana cross and she has been the dominant hen from the time she was a chick. My 2 Giants and one that is half Giant and half (what ever Beakman is) have never challenged her even when she suffered from Wry Neck. I have since retired Jasper to the Senior Coop with Beakman even though she is pretty well recovered. Let's not chance it, right?
I love every one of my feather babies, but this Spring my adopted chicks will be chosen based on the breeds that seem to last around this place. The Wyandottes and Giants will be ordered for that reason. They are my oldest birds. But, I will also be adding some Speckled Sussex because they are pretty and they look like they will be able to hide well in the brush behind our fenced yard. And let's face it... I'm a sucker for a pretty bird!
My first flock was 11 "mutts" hatched at the school where my husband was teaching at the time. I learned some of the possible breed crosses of my flock by studying here. I added a few breeds the following Spring. I tended to go for Heritage breeds and "pretty" ones.
This year, I looked over my record book and this is what I found for the mixed breeds as well as the other breeds I have had. While some of this information may be breed specific, it may also have to do with the area we live and how it affects that breed.
First, every White Leghorn I've had, tended to suffer from being egg bound at some point. My first one was treated carefully several times and finally died, but the others only had to be treated once or twice. Lack of proper minerals? Too much heat? I don't know. I won't have that breed again.
Second, my flock is allowed to free range. While this inevitably has risks, I take precautions and find the benefits outweigh the risk most days. Red sex-links tend to be the first to be picked off when stray dogs wander into our neighborhood without my notice. I don't know if they are slower, not as cautious, or just explore farther than the rest of the flock. It may also be that in the past, I had more Reds than other breeds and the odds were against them due to that.
Third, Wyandottes and Black Jersey Giants, whether a cross-breed or full breed, tend to be the sturdiest birds in my flock. Weather is nothing to them. I'm guessing also due to their size, they have no real challengers to their position in the flock even when they get older. My oldest hen, Jasper, is a 7 year old Wyandotte/Americana cross and she has been the dominant hen from the time she was a chick. My 2 Giants and one that is half Giant and half (what ever Beakman is) have never challenged her even when she suffered from Wry Neck. I have since retired Jasper to the Senior Coop with Beakman even though she is pretty well recovered. Let's not chance it, right?
I love every one of my feather babies, but this Spring my adopted chicks will be chosen based on the breeds that seem to last around this place. The Wyandottes and Giants will be ordered for that reason. They are my oldest birds. But, I will also be adding some Speckled Sussex because they are pretty and they look like they will be able to hide well in the brush behind our fenced yard. And let's face it... I'm a sucker for a pretty bird!
I would like to see how well they do on our side of town. We have fewer stray dogs, but living in the country, I guess we all see our share of stray dogs.
