We would love to keep chickens, but we have too many predators. A coop around here would have to have a moat and archers at the towers!

I understand, Jan. When I had chickens, I discovered that EVERYTHING loves chicken!

My neighbor had chickens before she moved. She would let them out during the day and if a hawk would be flying around she would call them and they would come running back to their coop. It was so cute watching the chickens come running to her when she would call them.

Thanks for all the comments on our chickies!

I hate to hear of lost chickens, or being unable to keep them. Last year, our three ISA Reds (I'm not really sure what this breed is) were killed and dragged off by an unknown assailant. Actually, the last two we had. The third one was killed about a year before then from a presumed hawk. I still miss them, because they were so super sweet and they were hilarious. I've never seen anything run 200 yards in 15 seconds the moment we come out the door.

We're handling these...ahem...19 chickens better than the last three we had - the last three were completely free ranged. We're not going to do that again. They have a decently sized run now, with a canopy that's boxed in a corner, with only one side open. It's up against our house, so that may be a deterrent.

Wintry weather has hit Virginia very hard - North Carolina it seems, too. Up where I am at, I am still pet sitting and we've gotten at least 13 inches of snow. Last time I checked was seven hours ago - it has snowed off and on since then, but heavily snowing now.

At my actual home, I'm being told at least 17 inches of snow, and that their power was out for seven hours. It luckily has come back on. I'll keep updating y'all!

Cute chickens and duckling!

Winter seems to be in full swing on the East Coast! I feel your pain with the power outages. Luckily I have a generator at my house.

I'm so jealous of your chickens! Next year I'm thinking of setting up a coop with a respectable run. I hate not being able to let them completely free range, but I have a ridiculous amount of predators. What's the best breed to get for steady laying, but not as intense as a leghorn in quantity. Bantam?

Liz,
"Easter Eggers" or Americaunas make delightful home chickens. The green and blue and brown speckled mix of shell colors is delightful too. Bantams lay very small eggs, go "broody" and quit laying very quickly even if you remove the eggs daily. They make great pets, but sorry egg producers. Google the Americaunas and see what you think.

Diana, those look perfect for me! I just read a little about them and it said they produce 3-4 eggs per week. Thats exactly what I'm looking for. I'm not planning on selling any eggs, just for homesteading. The fun colored eggs are a plus too

I'm not ever going to have chickens here (predators, DH not in favor, we still travel, and realistically, taking care of Warp is enough livestock work (plus he would go after them, too)). I find the whole subject of homesteading chickens interesting, though. (My arborist's wife keeps chickens and I ask about them when he drops by.)

That said, re the Americaunas... I got some of their eggs at the farmers' market. Interestingly colored, to be sure, but gee, those were small eggs.

I can't say how most of our chicks will lay, because they're all still chicks. Best shot we have is Reba for the moment, and she's "a mutt." A cross between two breeds essentially. Like this: A Wyandote x Bantam = A chicken then the new chicken x Orpington = Reba. I'm sure it's not that complicated, but a mutt chicken is I guess the chicken that's been bred down far enough that it doesn't really "have" a breed.

Regardless, there's charts online that show the various chicken breeds and what their egg laying productivity should be. https://www.backyardchickens.c...

For those who can't have chickens, you can check my page for updates on all the chickies. For those who do have chickens, if you would like, post updates on your chickens here too! I love chickens. They're so fascinating.

I looked at your chart, and then had to look at the 'Polish' chickens. Wow...

Dachsylady86 said: Diana, those look perfect for me! I just read a little about them and it said they produce 3-4 eggs per week. Thats exactly what I'm looking for. I'm not planning on selling any eggs, just for homesteading. The fun colored eggs are a plus too

I'm glad you like them. I've seen Americaunas live up to 18 years and read about Aracaunas living past 20. That can be a plus if you want to make pets of them. The Easter Eggers produce more and larger eggs, and the Aracaunas are more like bantams with small pure blue shelled eggs, low productivity and high brooding instincts. Americaunas are a nice compromise with medium to large eggs. They will go broody if you let them keep their eggs, but usually will keep laying if you pick the eggs up every day.
Marilyn may have gotten a batch of pullet (first year hen) eggs or Aracauna eggs if they were smaller than medium sized.
Monty, you may be tempted to add a couple of Americauna hens to your flock if we keep bragging on them like this.

I used to have chickens, until a bobcat broke into the pen and killed them all. The bobcat was stuck inside the pen and I had a rifle pointed at it. I didn't have the heart to hurt it, so I opened the door and let it out. The odd thing is, the bobcat stacked the dead chickens on top of each other in a neat pile, just like a butcher would do. The white turkey that shared the pen was less fortunate, its head was bitten off. My apologies if this was too graphic.

My first named iris bed was planted where the chicken coupe used to be.

Yikes! That's no fun. I'm sorry to hear that.

If ya don't mind, what did you name your first iris garden bed?

Nothing exciting....bed #1. Now it's bed 5, out of 24.

😖rob.

Rob, your area is just critter infested, isn't it!? I spotted my first Mountain Lion crossing Hwy 60 at 4:00 am November 17th. I was coming home from from the clinic after a marathon to finish the week's charts so I wouldn't have to return over the weekend.
9 more working days until retirement! I can't wait! (Monty, I promise I'll start figuring which irises are which after I get retired.)

Congrats on your impending retirement, Diana!

Marilyn!

9 days to freedom Diana! Congrats!🎈🎊🌹