Expansion Plans
Consider these eight characteristics before you grow your flock.
Consider eight characteristics before you grow your flock.
Wi th thousands of years of genetic tinkering, humans have created a wide range of options when bringing home baby … chicks, that is. Given the large number of breeds to choose from, it’s no wonder first-time chicken-keepers (or even those that are experienced in “all-things-chicken”) can become overwhelmed with the decision-making process. It’s best to define your goals before heading to your local feed-supply store or visiting a chicken hatchery’s website. Is egg production your main purpose for owning chickens? Some breeds lay more than others. Do you have a small backyard in the city with zoning considerations? Certain breeds will adapt to smaller spaces better than others. So, when making the decision to start (or grow) your flock, make sure these eight characteristics are at the top of your list.
Heirloom Status
Also known as “heritage” breeds that have this designation were established prior to the mid-20th century. Chickens with this status must be an American Poultry Association breed; predisposed to live long lives; thrive in the great outdoors; and have a low to moderate growth rate (as opposed to quick growing, factory-farmed chickens that were introduced during the industrialization of chickens as a food source). Some of these breeds are in danger of becoming extinct, so by raising them your efforts will take on a deeper meaning. Black Australorp, Plymouth Rock and New Hampshire are a few heirloom breeds.
Egg-laying Capacity
If your number one goal of raising chickens is to have farm-fresh eggs, then deciding how many and for how long a breed produces eggs will help you decide. Most egg-producing breeds can reliably lay for the first
11⁄2 to 2 years. After this point production drops off dramatically.
Heritage breeds can potentially lay steadily for longer — up to three years — and then see a gradual decline until about the fifth or sixth year of life. Another thing to keep in mind is each individual chicken within a given breed may have their own idea (physiologically speaking) of how many eggs they produce within a given year. Other factors that impact egg production are temperature and length of day.
Extreme cold and hot temperatures will cause a decline in production and less sunlight will impact many breeds’ production rate. A couple of top egg-producing breeds include the Golden Comet and Speckled Sussex.
Egg Color
This may not be a concern for those who just want to know where their eggs come from and how the chickens live their lives while putting eggs on the table.
But, for those who do want to mix it up in the egg carton’s color palette, Ameraucanas, Araucanas and Easter Eggers fit the bill well. The first two are pure breeds and both lay blue eggs.
Easter Eggers are a mixed or “mutt” breed and can lay eggs of different colors: blue, brown, green or pink in color. The individual chicken’s genetic makeup will determine which color of egg she will lay. Other breeds that produce colored eggs are Marans (chocolate/dark brown) and Olive Eggers (dark green).
Meat
One of the easiest ways to raise meat on your homestead or in your backyard is to own chickens. This is a step in the direction of living a more self-sufficient lifestyle. Raising chickens for meat also allows you
to decide how your chickens live (free-range? organic feed? hormone free?) up until the point of harvesting them.
Chickens bred for this reason are also known as “broilers.” They grow quickly and can put meat on your plate in a few short weeks. The Cornish Cross is a hybrid that is capable of this kind of quick growth. If you can wait longer until harvesting your birds, the Jersey Giant will produce more meat for consumption than other breeds.
The Bresse breed will produce meat that is considered tender and — to some — the best in the world. This breed is expensive to purchase, but once you establish reliable breeding pairs the only expense will be the feed required to raise them.
Heat Hardiness
The reason some breeds are more heat tolerant than others is they have large combs and wattles and a small body size. Starting at this point in the decision-making process, selecting a breed that is tolerant of high temperatures is important if you live in southern climates. This seems like straightforward advice, but
sometimes this characteristic (and, conversely, breeds capable of dealing with colder temperatures) is overlooked to the detriment of the chickens’ well-being.
In general, lighter weight breeds are better suited for hotter climates. A few breeds that are considered heat-tolerant include the Brahma, Delaware and Leghorn.
Cold Hardiness
Conversely, if you live in cooler climates it is important to consider the more cold-hardy breeds. It is easier to keep chickens warm than to keep them cool. You can provide high-quality feed, an extra source of heat and a draft-free coop to help offset extreme cold temperatures.
Lacking any or all of these can put stress on any breed, including those considered cold tolerant. In general, heavier breeds tolerate colder climates. Black Australorp, Buff Orpington and Barnevelder are all breeds capable of dealing with the temperatures found in cold regions.
Temperament
Purchasing chickens with this characteristic in mind is dependent on a few considerations. If you live in the city or have small children,
then choosing a breed that is known to be calmer than other breeds is a good option.
It’s also important to note that differences in temperament can be present depending on the bird line, so a breed considered “sweet and docile” may have a few girls and boys who behave in ways contrary to their breed’s reputation. Some breeds that are known to be more Zen than others include the Buff Orpington, Jersey Giant, Wyandottes and Plymouth Rock.
Noise Level
Determining whether this characteristic is of importance to you depends on a few things. If you have a backyard flock and live with neighbors close by, roosters may not work out for your situation. Some municipalities will even prohibit owing roosters within their jurisdiction, so this decision may already be made for you. The noise level can also be a concern even if you live out in the country with some distance between you and your neighbors.
You may be OK with waking up when the rooster crows, but your not-distant-enough neighbor might want to sleep in on weekends. This setting may create fences that need mending; a delicate task that could be handled by offering farm-fresh eggs to your neighbors every now and then.
On the other hand, hearing the (hopefully) distant crow of a rooster throughout the day may be part of the experience of living out in the country for some and not be an issue. Just remember: There isn’t a volume control or pause button on these guys’ vocal cords. If you do choose to exclude roosters from your flock, hens will be quieter, although not completely noise free, especially in large numbers.