Visiting My Chickens
Whenever I am home at my Bedford, New York farm, I always make it a point to visit all the animals. Among my stops is the poultry-yard where my beautiful chickens, turkeys, and Guinea hens reside.
I began raising chickens many years ago, primarily for their eggs, but over the years, I’ve also grown fond of caring for them and learning about their many different breeds and varieties. I have four coops located near my vegetable gardens. The chicken yard is a very large and enclosed space, completely fenced and well-protected from predators where they have lots of room to roam and range happily.
Enjoy these latest photos of my flock.
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- Here at my farm, I have a large chicken yard next to my vegetable garden. The area is clean and very safe for my flock. I have a total of four coops. The chickens are all put in at night to keep them extra protected from foxes, coyotes, and flying predators. They are all let out again during the day to roam in their enclosure.
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- Inside the coops, we always provide water and feed. The hanging feeders are filled with organic layer feed. It provides the hens with protein, which helps them lay strong and healthy eggs.
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- Here is a chicken enjoying a snack. These feeders are positioned at just the right height for easy, comfortable access.
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- I have a mélange of types and breeds that are really interesting to look at and fascinating to study.
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- Right now, I also have three turkeys. These are the two gobblers, or adult males. They are always together. Of the three, one male and one female are heritage birds. The third is a wild turkey that found its way into the yard some time ago and has loved staying here ever since.
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- This white and black bird is a handsome Hamburg. These are small and active. They are an old, traditional breed whose origin goes back hundreds of years. Hamburg roosters are also known to be particularly loud and love to crow.
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- Here is a Salmon Faverolle rooster. The Faverolle is a French breed developed in the 1860s in north-central France. They are very unique looking with their muffs, beards, and feathered feet. These birds are very friendly and curious.
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- This is one of my Guinea fowl. Guinea fowl love to mingle with the chickens – everyone gets along very well. Guinea fowl weigh about four-pounds fully grown. With short, rounded wings and short tails, these birds look oval-shaped. Their beaks are short but curved and very stout.
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- And here is a Phoenix rooster. The Phoenix is a beautiful long tailed breed originating in Europe. Hugo du Roi who was the first president of the National German Poultry Association created the Phoenix chicken in the late 19th century. Behind it is one of the food troughs filled with scraps. My chickens are very well-fed. They get a good quality pellet mix, and lots of fruits and vegetables from the gardens and scraps from my kitchen.
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- And twice a day, early morning and late afternoon, the birds are given cracked corn – a treat they love.
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- The water bowls are checked frequently to ensure there is also fresh, clean water for drinking. Chickens are very vocal. They share more than 30-different calls to communicate with each other, and they can recognize up to 100 different human faces.
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- Here’s Dawa cleaning out one of the coops. These coops are cleaned thoroughly every week. It’s important that all these birds always have access to clean, dry bedding and good, fresh food.
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- When laying, hens appreciate privacy – my coops are open all day, so the hens could go inside to their nesting boxes. This hen is perched just outside the nesting box inside the coop.
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- This Guinea hen is about to enter a nesting box. Each box is 12-inches wide by 13-inches tall – perfect for any hen to nest comfortably.
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- These are Seramas – the smallest recognized chicken breed in the world. Seramas are known for their upright posture, full breast, vertical, upright tail feathers held upright and close to the body, and vertical wings held down nearly touching the ground. Although they are small, they are quite mighty and mingle just fine with the rest of the flock.
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- Chickens love to roost. This one is on a perch outside in the yard – a natural log supported by short stumps at each end. We make the perches right here on my farm out of felled trees.
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- And it’s true – birds of a feather flock together.
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- These chickens are well socialized – they love to watch all the activity from their perches. They also do well in many types of weather – they are very hardy birds, but optimal temperatures range between 65-degrees and 75-degrees Fahrenheit.
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- Chickens are not difficult to keep, but it does take time, commitment and a good understanding of animal husbandry to do it well. Before choosing to raise chickens, always check with local planning and zoning authorities to be sure chickens are allowed in your area. The colors and markings on this chicken are so interesting with its short, downward tail.
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- I started raising chickens when my daughter, Alexis, was just a little girl and I’ve been hooked ever since. I’ve always had enough egg-laying hens to provide me and my family with fresh, nutritious, organic eggs all through the year.
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