19 Feb Wed 2014
Chicken Breeds I'd Like to Own
Wish List Wednesday | Chicken Breeds I’d Like to Own
Welcome to another Wish List Wednesday! Though most of us are stuck in a deep freeze, this is the season to be thinking about little baby chickens arriving in time for spring. (Learn more about the how-to’s and benefits of backyard chickens here.) Because it’s chick-shopping season, this month’s Wish List Wednesday is focused on chicken breeds I’d love to own.
Blue Orpington
Blue orpingtons are as docile and friendly as they are cold hardy (very). They are good egg producers and provide brown-colored eggs. Those would all make them a great fit for my suburban Michigan micro-farm, but the real reason I want one is because they look so awesome! Aren’t they pretty?
Lavender Orpington
Duh. Same info as above, but with the beautiful distinction of being a pale purple color. And unlike Blue Orpingtons, Lavender Orpies breed true, meaning that their offspring will look just like them. (Blue Orpingtons can produce black, blue or splashed offspring.)
Barred Plymouth Rock
She looks cool. She’s an excellent egg layer who isn’t deterred by cold weather. And, frankly, when she stops giving eggs, she makes an excellent roasting chicken. What Michigan chicken owner wouldn’t want ol’ BPR?
Easter Eggers/Ameracaunas
I think a basket (or egg carton) of multi-colored eggs is so beautiful! I’d love to introduce an Easter Egger or Ameracauna hen into our flock for their blueish-green eggs. These birds are good egg layers, very cold hardy and friendly (although also very active). They also tend to be a bit broody.