I have shared the last 15 weeks of my life with fifteen chickens; two Cuckoo Marans, three Rhode Island Reds, four Delaware, and six Plymouth Rocks. We purchased them as chicks with the intention of eventually having our own farm fresh eggs. Two of the fifteen turned out to be roosters, and this past week our Cuckoo Maran rooster has been practicing his crowing. He crows in the morning, and throughout the day, particularly after the sun peeks back out from behind a cloud. The cock-a-doodles were pretty pathetic initially, but his diligence has paid off and he sounds like quite the stud now.
Zeus
I know every chicken owner has their favorite breed, I would have to say that mine is the Delaware. Although none of them are laying just yet, and my opinion may change when that time comes, based purely off personality I like the Delaware chickens the most. They’re the bravest (less chicken?) out of the breeds I have, followed by the Reds, Rocks, and lastly the Marans (who really do deserve the name Cuckoo).
A young Delaware
We are eagerly awaiting our first eggs, but in the meantime we’re enjoying having the chickens around for entertainment. Watching 15 chickens run towards you is very amusing. Even more amusing is watching them run away from you with their poofy behinds swaying back and forth. And the bug control has been outstanding! I have only seen one slug since we’ve had the chickens in the yard, compared to what seemed like hundreds this time last year.
I wanted to put the chickens away earlier than usual on the Fourth of July, but they just weren’t interested in going back in their enclosure so early. So, several other people and I ended up chasing chickens around my yard trying to herd them back inside. It was quite a scene. I think we have a new game to play each Fourth from now on, though.
Kim Smith
Hello and welcome! Once upon a time I was a licensed animal nurse. When I had my first child I decided to leave my career and stay at home with baby. Having a child changed my perception of everything...food, products, environment, education, work, life. Everything. Since then I've been on a journey to create a more simple, holistic way of life for my family, to include the cats, dogs and chickens (and any other feathered or furry creature we have). I believe that every choice we make can bring us closer to, or take us farther away from, a harmonious existence. And our wellbeing is multi-faceted, if one area of our life is out of whack it effects everything else about us. What we eat, what we put on and in our bodies, how we integrate with our environment, how we spend our time with loved-ones, how we nourish our brains and imaginations...it ALL matters. I want to share information with you that I find truly valuable in living holistically; taking care of our whole selves. Thank-you for visiting! Kim Smith All photos used are my own, unless otherwise noted.