Hey everyone! I'm Monty, from over on the Iris forums and I've been reading up on the antics of my garden, including our recent grab of chickens and ducks alike.
Currently, we're actually thinking on going into a business of egg selling and possibly chicken breeding and butchering, but for now, we're looking at all the options before we decide anything big.
Currently, we've got 24 chickens and 6 ducks and I love them all equally. Each bird we have is unique and they are all fun in their own way.
This is Gretel, one of our roosters. Next to him is Des(perado), our biggest and sweetest rooster. We all love Des because he is gentle with us and most of the time to the other chickens.
They have both recently begun crowing, although Gretel has done it one day only, and hasn't since.
We have two other possible roosters in this photo. The black birds of Comet (left) and Eclipse (right) are likely roosters because of the certain aspects to them. I.E: Large waddles and combs and beautiful blueish tail feathers among other things. Stevie is the red/white chicken, and she hates being touched lol. End of the world if she is touched!
Currently, Comet and Eclipse are on the fence of being given away. They have more "aggressive" personalities and can be mean to the other chickens, but having read comments of how bad roosters can be, they are definitely not the worst roosters ever, despite their slight attitude. I do not want to rid them, because they're handsome!
Luna, the other little black chicken is the sibling of Comet and Eclipse is likely a hen, but she, too is developing blue tail feathers, but is smaller than her brothers and doesn't have large waddles or combs. The duck is Quackerjack. We're now certain that he is a boy, but he is sure pretty.
These eight birds, (Reba is the only one not pictured) all came from a friend of ours. Gretel, Des and Reba are the oldest three, and the younger five were little chicks when we got them.
This is Reba. She is one of the sweetest of the older eight birds. She won't let you touch her, but if you do catch her, she is calm and trills lightly. She is the only bird who was not mean to the youngest batch of chickens we brought out recently, or the older group of 11. She, though no eggs yet, might be quite broody and both Gretel and Des "want" her.
Here are the oldest eight birds in a group.
Sorry about the mess. These are older pictures (upwards of two weeks), but all of the birdies are now in an electrified fence area which needs to actually be electrified.
Top to bottom: Dolly the Delaware (white chicken), Ruby (top left), our New Hampshire. Super sweet birds both of them. Redhead hidden behind the tub, is either Drumstick or Paprika. They are Rhode Island Reds and they're friendly, but Drumstick (white band) is very friendly.! Violet (below Ruby) is our Sapphire Gem, and she is very shy. Parsley, one of our Lavender Orpington roosters is midair jumping to the tub. Next to him is one of the female Lavender Orpingtons, Sage. The roos are both very friendly, and once held, the females are calm and docile. Below Sage is one of our Rhode Islands, next to Caiyan, our rather fiesty Rhode Island Red on the tub.
There are 11 chickens in this group, being Group 3 (Group 1 is the trio of Des, Gretel and Reba. Group 2 is the black and red/white chicken, Stevie, and our duck). Originally, the group came with nine from Rural King, our local store, but two of three Lavender Orpingtons died, so we went in to replace them. Ended up with four Lavender Orpingtons and Penny, the Penedesenca. Penny isn't pictured in these two pictures.
Furthest right is Sage. Next to her is Violet. Rosemary is below Violet, who is next to Father Thyme (Thyme for short) with the white band. Elvis Parsley (green band) and Father Thyme are our roosters of the four Lavender Orpingtons. Stevie is the red and white chicken below Parsley.
Here is a group shot. Penny is the chicken next to Dolly, and he is beautiful!
Penny, (or General Penn), Violet and Dolly!
This is Penny, our Penedesenca chicken and he is our wildest chicken and most unique chicken we have. If you want a chicken that is friendly and a lap chicken, Penny is NOT the bird you want. But, he is handsome and always aware. Even while in a fenced in area, you still can't catch him. He is FAST. Once you eventually catch him, he is very calm. He doesn't like being held (what chicken does?) but he won't bite or scratch you. Well, at least intentionally.
Until this month, all of these birdies were free ranging, but we finally got the fencing set up to the point where they're staying put now.
Group 4 is another group of 11 birds, five are ducks, and the other six, chickens.
The ducks grew so fast, they were outside in three weeks from just a day old, but the chickens are still inside.
It's hard to see, but in front, the ISA Brown of Mabel. Followed by the Black Jersey Giant of Raven. The next is a Golden Laced Wyandotte of Gloria and her "sister" Sylvia, a Silver Laced Wyandotte. Ole' Hawkeye in the back is Lilly, our Speckled Sussex and she is very, very fiesty and hesitant like Penny is. She is the only chicken that hasn't eaten out of my hand. I'm trying to train them that we're not there to hurt them and it is working for five of six...but Lilly refuses to eat out of my hand. She'll come over to it, but it is like she cannot get the motivation to eat out of my hand.
Regardless, the last chicken in this group is Midnight, our Midnight Majesty Maran. She took awhile to begin eating out of my hand, but she will, and she is not as fiesty.
Side look!
This is our enclosure so far. Currently, we have a dog crate in there, and a coop made for 3-5 chickens, but why our duck and chickens (the little ducks stay in the crate) like to cram into the top of the coop...I'll never know.
You can see our five other ducks, three Pekin and two Fawn/White Runner ducks and the place where they all drink from.
Hopefully, when our Chickshaw is done, several new birds will be added to our flock, and the current birdies have more room.
Speaking of, we're making our own Chicken shaw, or chickshaw made out of reused wood, nails and other materials for it.
It is coming along!
Last picture for today...Comet is staring at me!!
I look to become active on the Farming forum and endow you all in farming photos and chicken antics. We may have other animals than just chickens in the coming days...
