The winter weather here in upstate New York during the winter can be brutal, and certain breeds of chicken just don’t survive here.
It’s crucial that when you’re considering which breed of chicken to get, you take into account your local climate in addition to the bird’s natural climate.
I was outside Bemidji Minnesota for 6 years, the Rhode Island Red and Buff Orphingtons did well thru the winters. Uninsulated coop, good ventilation (no breezes), deep bedded through the winter and a heated water fount.
I was hen-sitting for a month earlier this year. The Rhode Island Red was the only one with a personality amicable to humans. She was by far the smartest. The black ones were the bullies and least cognizant of the bigger bully they were ignoring. The black and white ones lost out on the most treats on account of severe mental retardation and the beautiful grey one was fast enough to hold her own against the black ones, but quite oblivious.
I fell for the Red. She was a pain in the ass. Kept escaping the chicken yard and STILL no one can figure out how she does it. We can only think she must have a collapsing rib cage to squeeze through impossible spots. But she comes when you call her and will follow you back where she belongs, or let you pick her up if she dawdles back there too much. I would pick her up and then give her a handful of huckleberries while we got back to the hen yard. Very dainty. Never pecks hard. My hand was safe.
I noticed also that she was the only one who would LOOK directly at me... might've been the only one who could put it together that I was a creature instead of merely a chow cue.
Our Red used to come see what we were doing in the garage shop. They're a curious breed. Used to let my kit hold her and scritch her head. Good layer, too. Damn bobcats got no respect.
You'd fall in love with my two newest pullets. They're Naked Necked chickens and I swear they look like buzzards but they're just as friendly as they can be. When I walk out to the coop, my leghorns haul ass to the other side but the NNs come running towards me. When I open the door, they make me hand feed them before I throw the grain to the ground. They're a dual purpose bird (met and eggs) so I figured to eat them when they quit laying but now there's no way I can do that. An added bonus to that breed is they actually love cold weather.
I was outside Bemidji Minnesota for 6 years, the Rhode Island Red and Buff Orphingtons did well thru the winters.
ReplyDeleteUninsulated coop, good ventilation (no breezes), deep bedded through the winter and a heated water fount.
I was hen-sitting for a month earlier this year. The Rhode Island Red was the only one with a personality amicable to humans. She was by far the smartest. The black ones were the bullies and least cognizant of the bigger bully they were ignoring. The black and white ones lost out on the most treats on account of severe mental retardation and the beautiful grey one was fast enough to hold her own against the black ones, but quite oblivious.
ReplyDeleteI fell for the Red. She was a pain in the ass. Kept escaping the chicken yard and STILL no one can figure out how she does it. We can only think she must have a collapsing rib cage to squeeze through impossible spots. But she comes when you call her and will follow you back where she belongs, or let you pick her up if she dawdles back there too much. I would pick her up and then give her a handful of huckleberries while we got back to the hen yard. Very dainty. Never pecks hard. My hand was safe.
I noticed also that she was the only one who would LOOK directly at me... might've been the only one who could put it together that I was a creature instead of merely a chow cue.
Our Red used to come see what we were doing in the garage shop. They're a curious breed. Used to let my kit hold her and scritch her head. Good layer, too. Damn bobcats got no respect.
DeleteYou'd fall in love with my two newest pullets. They're Naked Necked chickens and I swear they look like buzzards but they're just as friendly as they can be. When I walk out to the coop, my leghorns haul ass to the other side but the NNs come running towards me. When I open the door, they make me hand feed them before I throw the grain to the ground.
ReplyDeleteThey're a dual purpose bird (met and eggs) so I figured to eat them when they quit laying but now there's no way I can do that.
An added bonus to that breed is they actually love cold weather.
we used to call the naked neck chickens, 'pecker necks'
DeleteDo NOT make pets of your food!!! grayman
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