Chickens!!
We started our flock of layers in the Spring of 2009 with 11 3 day old chicks. In the summer, we lost three hens to a neighbor's dog, and we sent our Rooster named Muffin to freezer camp because he could not learn to be nice to the human kids. Shortly thereafter, we bought 5 replacements. Now we have a dozen layers and a very beautiful Easter Egger Rooster.
Our Flock
Buff Orpington
We have two BOs, Buffy and Chirp. Right now they are molting and look a little ragged, but they are dependable layers and do not seem to be affected by the cold temperatures we have been having.
Black Australorps
We started with 3 BAs, but lost two to an attack by the neighbor's dog. This is the one we have left. Her name is Uniquah. She is the flock queen, but is a benevolent ruler. lol. She is an excellent layer of light brown eggs. She lays jumbo eggs nearly every day. Great breed for home egg supply!
White Leghorn
Rosie is our only WL (pronounced Leggern by old-time chicken keepers!) and she is an egg laying machine. From the first day she started laying, she has laid a jumbo white egg almost everyday (sometimes more than one in a day!) until then temperatures dropped below 20 degrees for several days. She is not a friendly chicken, but makes up for it with production volume.
Rhode Island Reds
We have two RIRs, Evil and Peep. They are daring, bold and funny! They also lay large medium brown eggs and are perhaps our friendliest chickens. Whenever we go out to the coop, they always have to tell us about everything we missed! Lol!
Evil and the FarmerMan
Peep and Rainbow Jewel (GLW)
Wyandottes
We started with a Silver-Laced Wyandotte (SLW) named Jezebel and a Gold-Laced Wyandotte (GLW) named Delilah. We lost Jezebel to a dog attack. We replaced her with a GLW that our daughter named Rainbow Jewel, bringing us to 2 GLWs. They are not friendly with each other, since they were not originally raised together. They are very clucky and entertaining. They lay an interesting light yellow-brown egg about three or four days per week.
Buffy (BO) and Delilah (GLW)
Welsummers
We have one Welsummer pullet named Summer Wheatley. She has not began to lay yet because of her age, but Welsummers are reported to lay large Terra-Cotta colored eggs. We are looking forward to adding that color to our egg basket!
Easter Eggers
When we bought replacement chickens and slightly expanded our flock, we decided to add some Easter Eggers to our flock for egg color variety. Easter Eggs lay a tinted egg that ranges from brownish pink to blue to olive green. Only one of these girls is laying so far because of their younger age. Blue-Buns lays a very lovely medium olive green egg. Our Rooster is also an Easter Egger. His coloring is referred to as Blue Wheaten. He is a lovely fellow with muffs on his cheeks and a rose comb. His name is Dapper Dan and he is a friendly fellow who is very nice to his ladies. We are looking forward to hatching some of our green eggs to sell Easter Egger chicks in the spring.
Hedwig and Summer Wheatley Black Beard and some other chicks
Dan and some of his ladies
Dan, looking Dapper