A Passion for Poultry

[Reciprocity]

Martha Stewart Living/April issue has a GREAT article "Preserving Rare Fowl". It talks about how we are losing our genetic diversity and what people are doing to stop this. If you think eggs only come in brown and white check out what my girls lay.

[Love Bug]

1. Wow - natural Easter Eggs!

When I was a kid you would find brown eggs in every supermarket alongside the white ones. Now all you see are the white eggs. I think it would be cool to have the different color eggs all the time!

[Zinfandel]

2. "I eat mo' chickens than anybody!"

[damnraddem]

3. What a fowl obsession!

That's egg-zactly the point.

[LWolf]

4. My 2 hens lay the green ones.

They are some variant or mix of Araucanas. Who lays the pink & red?

[Reciprocity]

5. Marans

The dark brown are Marans .

The mint green, pink, and olive are my Easter Egg Layers. EEs are by far the most common colored egg layer sold by most commercial hatcheries and backyard breeders. This type of chicken is commonly referred to as an "Araucana" but the fact is these chickens are neither an Araucana or an Ameraucana but are a mixed-breed variety. "Araucana" actually aren't that common in the United States . They are a blue egg laying, "rumpless" (no tail) bird that sport ear tufts, clumps of feathers growing at or near their ear openings and no muff or beard.

"Ameraucana"...originated in the United States and have been recognized by the American Poultry Association since 1984.

For info go to Feathersite .
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Arau/BRKAraucanas.html

[LWolf]

6. Thanks for the link; I've been there!

I've assumed that my 2 were the "mixed" variety, but didn't know they had a name (EE). They came with my house, and were adult when I moved in. At that time there were 4, and none of them looked alike. Time and age has reduced the flock to 2; they free-range about the place, and I get eggs now and then.

[amazona]

7. awwww

I used to have some brown egg layers but the variety is slipping my mind.

A problem with maintaining rare hobby fowl is that many neighborhood associations have passed regulations forbidding fowl. A few years ago I got a nasty note on my door saying fowl are no longer allowed. I could understand if I were keeping roosters but why not the hens? If more people could keep them for pleasure as pets, it would give the breeders a bit more incentive, I think.

Personally I don't think one rooster makes half as much noise as one dog but I know that argument won't fly!

[Reciprocity]

10. The City Chicken

I would think that if you had poultry before the ordinance, you would have been grandfathered in. Here is a link that may help you out.

The City Chicken
Is keeping chickens in your backyard legal?
http://www.thecitychicken.com/

This is Cotter Pin, he is a white d'Uccle cockerel. d'Uccle’s are a true bantam (meaning there is no standard-sized) they originate from Belgian.

You can almost see his little halo.

[Bog Frog]

8. There's an orange egg in there!

That so SO cool. Good for you & your girls!!

[Lisa]

9. I don't always see eye-to-eye with Martha Stewart, but ...

... I totally support her on this. She's actually done a lot of work lobbying on behalf of rare breeds (and heirloom crops too!). Nice eggs, Reciprocity!

I have joined this organization -- scroll down for the poultry section -- lots of stuff on endangered ducks, chickens, geese, and turkeys.

http://www.albc-usa.org/wtchlist.htm

[Reciprocity]

11. Thanks for the link.

Forgot to add that the main emphasis of the article is Glenn Drowns from Sandhill Preservation . It has a picture of him and his son Nick along with pictures of chickens. Needles to say I was bowled over by it. This is a true home-based family hobby business with genetic preservation the primary goal. They have a nice selection of rare of breeds and seeds. One of the many things I like about them is that they do not kill the extra chicks. They also sell heirloom plants and seeds that are not genetically engineered varieties ,and none of the seeds are chemically treated but are open pollinated heirloom seeds, vegetables, and sweet potato plants.