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 On our little farmstead we keep poultry for the purpose of yard maintenance, meat, eggs, pest control, fertilizer AND a little barnyard entertainment! I also hatch a few times throughout the year to sell, to offset the costs of raising the chickens and to replenish my own flock.
All in all, I’d have to say that the free ranging Bantam Cochins and our 3 Geese are the lowest maintenance of all the fowl. I used to have a variety of breeding stalls of Orpingtons in a variety of colors, but have come to the conclusion that they are not the best fit for our space or needs. This is who we have now, and what their contribution to the big picture actually is:
Table Egg Layers: A mixture of Orpingtons, Green Egg Easter Eggers, Australorps, Bantam Red Cochins, Marans and mixed/crossed breeds. Goose eggs are also collected for eating or used in craft projects.
Hatching Eggs: Easter Eggers with Green, Greenish-Blue & Olive Eggs, with the blue & gray feathering. Black, Blue & Splash Australorps who lay medium brown to light brown eggs.
 Meat Birds: Colored Freedom Rangers are ordered once or twice per year depending on our needs, reared for 14-16 weeks in almost complete free range fashion and then, harvested here at home. We do all the work ourselves, and it’s surprisingly satisfying to raise our own meat. Not to mention, healthier and definitely tastier, than store bought. Free ranging, rearing when supplemental heat is largely unnecessary and during the months where bugs & wild food are plentiful, keep our costs between $2 and $4 per pound.
Pest Control & Fertilizer: All the chickens really do this as they all free range throughout the property, eating bugs & pooping everywhere. In addition poop from the coops is collected, dried & bagged separately for garden fertilizer.
Lawn Mowing, Weed Control & Fertilizer: Geese! We have a female Pomeranian (Grey Saddleback), a female Roman Tufted & a male Sebastopel with smooth feathers and a crooked neck! It’s a developmental defect but we love him anyway and he gets on just fine with his girls.
We raise “Pet Quality” Chickens.
To me this means they are hand raised, are perfect for pets & your own backyard flock and may or may NOT win a blue ribbon at your local county show! While we do sometimes have a few show chickens; and sell chicks & fertile eggs, we are not seasoned at showing nor professional breeders and do not currently want to get involved in the term “Show Quality”.
More about our Chickens & Coops
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