May 2013 - DIY Chicken Coop Plans

What are Sex-Link Chickens?

May 25, 2013October 12, 2016 by John White

When one orders a batch of young chicks, they can generally expect at least half of the birds to be male. For those who wish to raise chickens for eggs and don’t have the space or desire to deal with roosters, this can be a problem. Out of 25 chicks, who wants to deal with 12 roosters? Sex-link chickens take the worry and guesswork out of raising chicks. If you want to buy five hens, you’re practically guaranteed to end up with five hens should you purchase sex-link females.

Sex-link chicks are cross-bred chicken breeds whose color differs upon hatching according to their gender. Black sex-link chicks are a cross between a Barred Rock hen and a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster. A Red sex-link chick is a cross between a White Rock, Delaware, Rhode Island White, or Silver Laced Wyandotte hen and a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster.

The distinct color differences between male and female sex-link chicks takes a lot of guess work out of raising chicks. In large factories, chicken sexing is done to distinguish the genders and separate male from female chicks. An egg farm might use sex-link chickens to distinguish between future egg-layers and unwanted roosters. Unfortunately, chicks of the wrong gender are often killed because they are of little use to the factory or breeder.

A small-scale chicken farmer or backyard enthusiast can benefit from sex-link chickens because they can choose to purchase only hens if they desire a brood of egg-layers. Or, they could choose to add rooster or two and would be certain of their choices. When one orders a regular batch of chicks, it’s a mystery which babies are male and which are female for a while. Sex-link chicks make their gender apparent from the beginning. If one hatches sex-link chicks, they’ll immediately know the male-to-female ratio and can plan accordingly.

What many people don’t realize about their sex-link chickens is that when they breed, their offspring won’t be sex-link birds. The third generation may possibly have sex-link chicks within its rank. Genetics is a fascinating thing. Sex-link is not a breed, but a hybrid gene combination with interesting results.

Sex-link chickens make fantastic layers, known to produce over 300 eggs annually. Males make great fryers. The birds commonly bear the best traits from their parent breeds and are docile and calm. While not recognized by the American Poultry Association because they are not a unique breed, many people love raising sex-link chickens. These hardy, attractive birds would make an excellent addition to any backyard.

The Truth About Roosters

May 25, 2013March 27, 2016 by John White

If you order or hatch a batch of chicks, you’re likely to end up with a mixture of hens and roosters. While that may be the natural outcome, many backyard farmers prefer hens to roosters. Some cities even ban roosters! Loud, aggressive, and territorial, roosters don’t offer many of the benefits of their egg-laying, quieter female counterparts. Do you want a rooster in your backyard? Here’s what you should know.

If you want fertilized eggs and therefore a larger flock, a rooster is a vital part of your farm. He’ll also serve as a watchful eye, keeping the hens safe from most predators. He will cry loudly to warn the flock from dangers. In fact, crowing is one of the rooster’s most distinctive features. Crowing begins around the time he is 4 months old and continues for the duration of his life, multiple times a day. The belief that roosters crow only as the sun comes up is a farce. Roosters crow whenever they feel like it. They crow to claim territory, assert dominance, or just because it appeals to them in the moment. The noisy nature of the rooster is one main reasons why they are not allowed in many towns.

While a rooster is not required for a hen to lay eggs, it’s required for her to lay fertilized eggs that will hatch into new chicks. This is a fantastic benefit. You most likely won’t want more than one rooster for a small flock, however. He’ll provide adequate fertilization and protection. Roosters can be aggressive and territorial, especially toward other roosters. They can also be aggressive toward people and other pets. Their beaks and spiny legs can do a lot of damage, so be careful! Poultry live in a social hierarchy, and a dominant male will make it well known that he is the head of the coop.

What’s one to do if they end up with a handful of roosters along with their hens? Egg-producing facilities kill males shortly after hatching. There’s no need to be that cruel. If some of your chicks are male, raise them for meat or list them for sale in the classified ads. There may be someone else in your area who would like a rooster. Raising dual-purpose birds will give you excellent layers as well as meat birds. If you order a fair quantity of chicks, expect a good portion of them to be male. It’s best to have a plan beforehand.

Roosters have been vilified in modern culture, but they can be very rewarding and wonderful animals to raise. Do your research, use common sense, and keep the number of roosters in your flock low. Raising roosters is a whole new experience.

What Exactly Is a Bantam Breed?

May 18, 2013October 12, 2016 by John White

If you’ve spent any time researching chicken breeds, you’ve likely come across the term “bantam.” The tiny Booted Bantam is pretty, sweet-tempered, and makes a great pet. The showy Japanese Bantam doesn’t serve much of a purpose for eggs or meat, but is a great pet and show bird who will happily rid the yard of bugs. The Silkie Bantam is an adorable and friendly ball of fluff. No matter their name or looks, a “bantam” is much smaller than the average chicken. There are some things a backyard farmer should know before choosing bantam birds over standard chicken breeds.

Fully grown bantam chickens are only 1/3 to 1/5 the size of their standard breed cousins. Most standard breeds have a miniature counterpart, but a true bantam has no large counterpart. Their small size makes them an excellent choice for those with limited space. Whether kept for a pet or for production, bantams don’t require as big of a yard or a coop as do their cousins. Bantam hens are frequently broody and can even be used to hatch other bird’s eggs. They are great show birds, love foraging, and lay small, delicate-looking eggs. Some bantam breeds lay up to 150 eggs annually, but their eggs are only ½ to 1/3 the size of regular eggs. Other bantam breeds lay very infrequently. If you’re after egg production, do your research to find the perfect breed before buying chicks.

Named after an Indonesian port city, bantam chickens were a favorite among sailors due to their small size. What better way to obtain fresh food on a long journey? These birds didn’t take up much space and were easy to care for. Among the more popular bantam breeds are the Sebright, Belgian d’Anvers (Bearded or rumpless), Pekin, Rosecomb, Dutch, and Serama. The American Bantam Association currently describes 57 breeds in its Bantam Standard.

Be extra careful for predators, because the bantam chicken’s small size makes them very vulnerable to cats and other backyard prey. Foxes, hawks, coyotes, and wild cats will make an easy meal of your flock; some sources say that the average lifespan of a free-range bantam chicken is 1-3 years. That’s pretty poor odds. Provide your birds with a secure coop and always put them inside at night. In the winter, be sure to provide them with a heat source. Bantam chickens eat the same feed and have the same watering requirements as standard birds.

Bantam chickens are an attractive and loving addition to any backyard. So long as there is a little grass, there’s room for a bantam or two. Active, friendly, and docile, bantam chickens are raised as pets far more frequently than they are for food. Provide them with adequate shelter and protection, nutritious food, space to roam, and social interaction and you’ll be enjoying your bantam chicken’s company for years to come.

Chickens and Kids—The Ultimate Educational Experience

May 16, 2013March 27, 2016 by John White

Many kids today don’t give a second thought about where their food comes from. Never before has a culture been farther removed from its food source. Fast, easy, and processed is the very definition of the American diet and it is terribly unhealthy. One of the greatest gifts a parent can give to their child is nutritional awareness. Healthy eating habits are perpetuated over a lifetime. A great way to start is to put children in touch with their food source; raising chickens is one way to do just that.

The Importance of Healthy Living

If you were to ask the average elementary school child where their food comes from, they’ll likely reply, “From the grocery store!” Many kids have never seen a farm outside of picture books. Lack of healthy food choices contribute to the alarming percentage of American children who are overweight. Change must occur and the best place for this to happen is in the home. Bring the kids out to local farms to see how they work and get up close and personal with the animals. Bring them to the farmer’s market and buy a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Move beyond apples, oranges, and bananas. Read books together about healthy eating and where food comes from. Best of all, adopt healthy eating habits as a family and make nutrition a vital part of your life.

How Do Chickens Play Into All This?

Raising backyard chickens puts kids in touch with their food source like nothing else. Caring for and raising a chicken from chick to table is an incredible lesson (although this can be traumatic for some kids, so use caution). Gathering eggs is not only fun, but also incredibly educational. The children learn to care for the birds and respect animals while also learning responsibility through daily chores. Whether they feel like feeding and watering the birds or not, whether they want to gather eggs or clean the coop or not, these things need to be done. These are lessons that can’t be learned through a textbook.

Respecting the Importance of Life

Kids of all ages gain a lot from hatching and raising chicks. Watch the amazement in their eyes as the chicks hatch. Teach them to care for the delicate babies, honing their nurturing skills. Teach them to value life and commit for the long haul as they care for the birds for years. Chickens are perky, funny beings who will capture the entire family’s hearts in no time and they’re not hard to love. They teach kids lessons in patience, respect for living creatures, and animal husbandry. They’ll likely learn about the frailty of life, too, and the hard truth about loss should a bird die.

Teaching Self-Sustainability Too

Another great lesson to be found in raising chickens is the concept of self-sustainability. Not all food must come from the grocery store. In fact, some food (such as eggs) can easily be raised at home and tastes even better than the conventional store-bought variety. The kids may start wondering what else they can do for themselves.

Don’t Forget The Fun!

Raising chickens can be great fun and chickens can make wonderful pets. If your kids aren’t completely interested in raising backyard birds, however, don’t press the issue. Don’t make the chickens a burden on them hoping they’ll come to enjoy the birds. There’s a chance it’ll work, but more likely they’ll resent the added responsibilities. If the kids are interested in chicken husbandry and are just as enthusiastic as you are, do research as a family. Make sure that the kids are responsible enough and are in it for the long haul. If you get into this wisely, it may turn into one of the most rewarding experiences you’ve ever shared as a family.

Keeping Chickens in California

May 15, 2013February 8, 2015 by John White

Did you know that homegrown chicken eggs are fresher than those one buys at the supermarket and far less likely to be contaminated by salmonella? Homegrown eggs have much more beta carotene than their factory-raised counterparts. They also have less cholesterol and saturated fat and more vitamin e. Those who eat homegrown eggs claim that these eggs also taste significantly better than commercial eggs. Considering how easy and economical it is to raise your own chickens for eggs, there’s no wondering why this hobby is becoming increasingly popular. Here’s what you need to know if you wish to keep chickens in California.

San Diego, California Chicken Regulations

Chickens are allowed with the San Diego city limits. In late January, 2012, the San Diego city council unanimously voted to allow backyard chickens, goats, and bees. Single-family homes, community gardens, and retail farms are all allowed to raise chickens within city limits. Most single family homes can keep up to 5 chickens, so long as the chicken coop is kept 5 feet from side property lines and 13 feet from rear property lines. If the coop is kept 15 feet from all property lines, up to 15 chickens are allowed. If there’s at least 50 feet between the coop and other homes, up to 25 chickens may be kept. No roosters are allowed and each chicken must have at least 10 square feet of living space. Chicken coops must be kept clean and ventilated. An outdoor enclosure must be kept to keep the chickens out of neighboring properties and safe from predators. Chicken food must be stored in rat-proof containers and chicken droppings should be cleaned at least once weekly to minimize smell.

Los Angeles, California Chicken Regulations

In Los Angeles, a chicken coop can be no closer than 25 feet from one’s own house and 35 feet from any neighboring residences. Roosters are allowed. There does not appear to be a restriction as to the number of chickens one can keep on their property, so long as one keeps them the required distance from neighboring homes. Their lax restrictions makes Los Angeles a very chicken-friendly city to live in. As always, be sure to check with your homeowner’s association before building a coop.

Widely Varying Chicken Regulations

Despite the popularity of backyard chickens, not all Californian cities have joined the sustainable food movement. San Dimas, Ontario, Whittier, San Gabriel, and Montebello are just a few cities in California that ban chickens in residential living areas. Long Beach is extremely restrictive too, as is Irvine and El Cerrito. In each of these cities, councils and committees are fighting to lift or at least lessen these restrictions.

Cities that already allow chickens include Pasadena, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Marino, Monterey Park, Rancho Cucamonga, Chino, Berkley, Lafayette, and Glendora. Each of these cities has its own zoning requirements and many restrict the number of chickens that can legally be kept on a property. Be sure to check with your local government before purchasing chicks. For a complete list of California cities and their chicken rules and regulations, check out: http://thecitychicken.com/chickenlaws.html.

Keeping Chickens in Texas

May 12, 2013February 8, 2015 by John White

Keeping chickens is becoming increasingly popular in the United States. Backyard chickens were a standard part of the American lifestyle for centuries but waned with urbanization and industrialization. Today, people are coming to the realization that raising chickens is a great way to practice self-sufficiency and to provide their family with healthy, organic food. Where you live in the country determines to a great deal how easy or difficult it will be to make your dreams of a backyard chicken coop a reality. Some cities allow backyard chicken coops openly, others have many restrictions, and yet other towns and cities prohibit raising chickens within city limits. Here’s what you should know about keeping chickens in Texas.

Austin, Texas Chicken Regulations

Raising backyard chickens is a popular, sustainable food-movement that is alive and well in Austin, Texas. The chickens may be raised free-range, but must have some sort of enclosure (such as a fence) to keep them out of neighbor’s yards. Make sure they’re unable to fly into neighbor’s yards as well and that coops are at least 50 feet away from neighbor’s homes. Keep your coop clean and don’t raise more hens than you have space for. If you have the space available, up to 10 chickens are allowed on your property. If complaints are received, a sanitarian will be sent out to inspect your chicken’s living space. Also keep in mind that chickens may not be permitted in all neighborhoods, so be sure to check the rules and regulations of your home owner’s association before building a coop and buying birds.

Houston, Texas Chicken Regulations

In Houston, a homeowner may keep up to 30 chickens on their property, so long as the chickens are kept 100 feet from any neighboring properties (homes, schools, churches, businesses). Unfortunately, these space restrictions mean that most urban Houstonians cannot raise hens on their property. Composting chicken manure is prohibited. The movement Hens for Houston is promoting allowing urban Houstonians to be able to keep chickens on small lots as well. You can track their progress at http://hensforhouston.com/. The Department of Health may be called to inspect the premises in case of complaints.

Restrictive Cities for Backyard Chickens

In some Texas cities, it is very hard to legally raise chickens within city limits. In Arlington, Texas, chickens can only be kept on lots ½ acre or larger and roosters are not permitted. Chickens must be penned and 50 feet away from neighboring houses. Grand Prairie, Tx, requires that chickens must be 150 feet away from any houses, which is difficult to do within the city. Wylie and Planto, Texas, ban chickens altogether. For a complete list, check out: http://www.ranch-coop.com/blog.html?entry=the-chicken-laws-for-some.

Best Texas Cities for Keeping Chickens

Houston, Texas, appears to be one of the most lenient Texas cities to raise chickens, allowing up to 30 chickens to be kept on a lot measuring at least 65 x 125 feet. So long as you have plenty of space between lots, you can keep a fairly large flock. Irving, Texas, doesn’t have restrictions on livestock. In Laredo, Texas, there are no restrictions if you keep less than 6 chickens. If you keep more than 6, they must be penned 100 feet from any building other than your own home.

Where you live in Texas determines the rules and regulations you must follow if you wish to keep chickens on your property. These rules vary widely. Some cities welcome chickens and make it simple for urbanites to keep a flock on their property. Other cities are so restrictive that they make raising chickens within city limits nearly impossible. Check with your city and your homeowner’s association before you get started. It’ll save you a lot of headaches. Good luck!

Best Chicken Breeds for Beginners

May 12, 2013October 12, 2016 by John White

“We see a thousand miracles around us every day,” American clergymen, writer, and Christian radio broadcaster S. Parkes Cadman once said, “What is more supernatural than an egg yolk turning into a chicken?” It is indeed an incredible feat to witness. Children can learn so much from the incredible miracle that is an egg hatching into a living, breathing chicken. They’ll learn the value and fragility of life, the importance of responsibility, and how to care for and raise a living being. What is better than that?

If you have the space available and the time and energy to devote to raising chickens, incubating eggs and hatching chicks is one of the most meaningful and amazing projects you can do as a family. With proper care and nutrition, your baby chicks will grow into healthy chickens and entertain and teach your family for years to come. Yet before you purchase your eggs and commit for the long-haul, consider this: some breeds are great for the novice while others are much more difficult to raise. Don’t order a specific chicken breed just because you fancy its looks.

When considering breeds, look for a common breed that is friendly, tame, and easy to care for. If you want a layer, choose a breed known for good egg production. If you want to raise your chickens for meat, choose a broiler breed known to gain weight quickly. Orpingtons are fantastic chickens for families, friendly, productive layers, hardy, and full of personality. Plymouth Rocks, Cornish breeds, and Silkies are also great bets. Other popular breeds include Wyandotte, Sussex, Cochin, Brahma, and Jersey Giant. Do your research to find just the right bird for you. There are many great choices!

Then there are breeds that aren’t quite as promising. While one can certainly be successful, these breeds are not as easy to raise to adulthood. Belgian D’Anver and Sebright chicks are difficult to rear. Japanese Bantam Chickens are beautiful but difficult for beginners; its form and plumage is difficult to achieve, 25% of chicks die shortly before hatching due to an allele combination common in the breed, and the breed is not cold-hardy. Aracauna chickens are great to raise, but a lethal gene combination common to this breed means that some of the chicks will die before hatching. This can be pretty depressing.

Certain chicken breeds tend to be aggressive too, making these poor choices for families with children. Breeds known for aggressive tendencies include Crevecoeur, New Hampshire Reds, Dominiques, Old English Game Fowl, and Rhode Island Reds. Tendencies vary by bird, too, and roosters are more likely to be aggressive than hens.

Raising chickens is a great opportunity for learning and well as a healthy way to bring food to your family’s table. Whatever you do, don’t be tempted to purchase the first eggs or fluffy chicks you come across. Looks can be very deceiving. Take your time to find a docile, friendly, easy-to-raise breed and you’ll have a much better chicken-raising experience. Good luck!

Cost of Building Your Own Small Chicken Coop

May 9, 2013March 27, 2016 by John White

If you love do-it-yourself projects and sustainable living and have a little bit
of space in your back yard, building your own small chicken coop may be the perfect project for you. You can either purchase pre-made plans and materials lists online, or you can design your own blueprints from scratch. Your chicken coop can be as intricate or as simple as you wish, complicated enough to take a truck-full of supplies and a long weekend or simple enough to complete in a single afternoon. You are the master of your project, and the cost will be dependent entirely on what you want your final product to look like.

Begin With a Budget

Chicken coops vary in price dramatically. A chicken coop kit can cost several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars and a pre-made chicken coop may be even more expensive. Even building your own chicken coop can get expensive if you do not have a plan. Before you purchase anything, figure out your budget. How much can you reasonably spend on a chicken coop or supplies? Do you want to spend extra and buy a supplies-in-the-box-and-ready-to-build kit? Or do you want to save money and do it entirely on your own, shopping-list-in-hand at the home improvement store?

Once you know how much you can afford to spend, find or design a chicken coop blueprint and make a supply list. The number of supplies, complexity of the design, and size of the coop should give you a hint as to how much the final project will cost. Visit your local home improvement stores and see how much your supplies run. Price comparison shopping may save you money. If you are within budget, purchase your supplies. If you can find free lumber or other building supplies in your city or county, consider taking advantage of these resources to lower your building costs.

Expect To Spend a Bit

While it would be ideal to spend less than $100 setting up your first chicken coop, that’s not a very realistic goal. According to community discussions on the BackyardChickens.com website, most people spent $300-$400 building their own small chicken coop. Quality materials, windows, and doors will quickly add to your cost. If you are on a tight budget, start with a very simple and materials-light chicken coop design. The more intricate your design gets, the more it’ll cost to make.

Building Your Own Coop

You don’t need a bunch of fancy tools to build your own chicken coop; a hammer, nails, a screwdriver, and a saw will get your started. Save costs by borrowing tools you don’t already have. Plan ahead to make sure you’ll have enough room for each chicken, light, ventilation, protection from predators, and a place to lay eggs. Follow your instructions step-by-step and before you know it, you’ll have a chicken coop in your back yard. If you are an accomplished woodworker, chicken coop blueprints may not even be necessary. Decide how big you want your coop to be and what you want it to look like and get started. For most people, though, this isn’t the best advice. Planning ahead will save you time, money, and frustration.

A backyard chicken coop will bring you years of pleasure and fresh eggs too. Building your own will get you there less expensively and will also give you a sense of pride in a job well done every time you look outside. It’s not too hard to accomplish, nor too large a project. Building your own chicken coop is totally manageable. You can save yourself a lot of money over purchasing a pre-fabricated coop and will get a lot of pride out of completing a big project at the same time.

You’re Raising Broilers— But Do You Know the Finer Points of Chicken Meat?

May 9, 2013February 29, 2016 by John White

Photo by: U.S. Department of Agriculture

If you have the space available, raising chickens for meat is an inexpensive and easy way to provide your family with the healthiest possible poultry. A healthy diet, exercise, and sunlight does a bird good. Not only are the birds healthier, but organically raised chickens are fed organic feed, free from the pesticides and chemical fertilizers their factory counterparts dine on. Your backyard birds won’t be on a constant diet of antibiotics either. Your poultry will be less likely to be infected with food-borne-illness causing pathogens, your birds will grow to be leaner and meatier due to exercise and free movement, and your meat will taste better too. What isn’t there to love?

Roasted, broiled, grilled, or fried, chicken is an amazingly versatile meat. Dark meat or light? It’s a matter of preference. One is not truly superior to the other, although there are some nutritional differences. While they have nearly the same amount of calories and protein, light meat is slightly less caloric (21 calories less, according to the US Department of Agriculture Database). Dark meat has twice the amount of saturated fat but they both contain vitamins B and A and 4% of the recommended daily allowance of thiamin. Dark meat has double the riboflavin as light meat while light meat contains more niacin. As you can see, both have their benefits. While white meat may be the healthiest choice for the cholesterol conscious, neither is bad for you. It’s really a matter of what one prefers. Americans tend to prefer white meat, while in some Asian countries it is dark meat that is desired.

Boneless, skinless chicken breast is an excellent part of a low-fat, healthy diet. Why? Low in saturated fat, high in protein, and vitamin rich, there aren’t many other meats out there that have so much to offer. A serving of chicken has fewer calories than a serving of beef as well as fewer grams of saturated fat and cholesterol. There’s a reason that nutritionists say to avoid red meat and choose chicken instead. It’s better for you. Raising your own chickens will provide you with the healthiest possible chicken meat. Remember, quality food, space to roam, and sunshine create a great chicken. The healthier the environment, the healthier the resulting meat.

Whether you’re simply considering raising broilers (meat chickens) or whether you already have a flock, backyard farming is an enjoyable and hugely rewarding hobby. Do your research, find the breed that’s right for you, and enjoy.

Raising Araucana Chickens

May 6, 2013October 12, 2016 by John White

A Heritage Breed that originated from Chile, the Araucana Chicken is most well-known for its unique eggs. Ranging in colors from blue or green to pink or yellow, their eggs are prized and were advertised in the 1970s as the ultimate Easter eggs. This breed is also unique because of its lack of a tail. It was first introduced to the APA in 1976. Raising Araucana Chickens can be a fulfilling pastime.

A Deadly History

Variants of the Araucana breed were bred and raised by native Chilean tribes. In the early 1900s, an animal scientist named Dr. Ruben Bustros began developing the Araucana Chicken into a standard breed. After years of crossing two breeds, the Colloncas and the Quetros, he developed the “perfect” rumples, blue-egg-laying chicken.

There was a big problem with the Araucana chicken bred, however. The gene that produced the bird’s unique neck tufts also caused chick mortality. If a chick inherited two copies of the gene, the mortality rate was nearly 100%. This is still a risk today, although some breeders have tried to breed the tuft out. Still, breeding two Araucana chickens does have risks. A lethal allele combination will cause some of the resulting chicks to die. Up to a quarter of a hen’s chicks will inherit the allele and die before hatching. Even if only one copy of the gene is inherited, the chick has a 20% mortality rate. This is a risk a pertinent breeder must be aware of before breeding Araucana Chickens. Because of their allele issue, the Araucana is more difficult to incubate and hatch than most other chicken breeds. The rumpless trait also makes it difficult for this breed to reproduce.

Colorful Egg Layers

The Araucana Chicken is most famous for its colorful eggs and for this reason it’s often referred to as the Easter Egg Chicken. The breed is available online through hatcheries, but as it is often mistaken for the Ameraucana Chicken you’ll have to be diligent and make sure you’re actually getting the correct breed. This medium sized bird comes in a variety of colors, including black, silver, white, buff, black breasted red, golden duckwing, and blue. These chickens have tufts of feathers on the sides of their heads and necks and a pea comb too. They come in standard and bantam sizes. According to the American Poultry Association’s Standards, pure Araucana Chickens must lay turquoise or blue colored eggs. Any other color is a disqualifier, but they are not uncommon, especially when the Araucana is crossed with any other chicken breed.

Easy To Care For and Useful Too

The Araucana Chicken is a great dual-purpose bird which lays around 180 eggs annually. They are smart, broody, love to forage, and have friendly dispositions. Excellent fliers, these birds do well free-range and can escape from predators better than some other chicken breeds. They bear well in confinement too, if need be. The Araucana chicken is beautiful, unique, and unlike any other. It’ll make an unusual but useful and friendly addition to your backyard or small farm.