The Right Chicken Breed for Your Small Farm

The Right Chicken Breed for Your Small Farm - FHC Q & A

Рет қаралды 13,835

Күн бұрын

With so many different types available to choose from, where do you start in choosing the right breed of chicken for your small farm? From egg layers to broilers, to broodiness, color, and vigor, Pa Mac talks about the things you should consider when contemplating which breed or breeds of chicken are right for your small farm or homestead on this edition of the Farm Hand's Companion Question and Answer Show.
For further information on the topic of chickens, see Pa Mac’s other videos on the subject:
Is There a Predator Resistant Chicken?: studio.kzfaq.infoSRUH...
The Chicken Catcher: • Chicken Catcher - My F...
Chicken Yard Fencing & Protecting Chickens: • Chicken Yard Fencing &...
Building an Old-fashioned Log Chicken House: • Building an Old-fashio...
Be sure and subscribe to the Farm Hand's Companion channel to see a variety of shows for the small farm or homestead: The Farm Hand's Companion Show, My Favorite Farm Tool, The FHC Q & A Show with Pa Mac, FHC Farm Bulletins, and FHC Extras.
Also visit www.farmhandscompanion.com to find articles, posts, photographs, and encouragement for today's self-sufficient farm or homestead. (And be sure to check out the General Store for books (like Pa Mac's "Building an Old-fashioned Pole Barn") or DVD's by Pa Mac at www.farmhandscompanion.com/gen...)

Пікірлер: 32

@ciphercode2298 17 күн бұрын

My sister gave me my first chicken about 6 years ago when she found a little stray hen nesting in her boxwood shrubs. She seemed lonely so a friend gave me 2 more little hens. The next year I built a large enclosure with a henhouse and bought 10 australorp chicks from rural king. There was one rooster in the batch and now I've built my 3rd chicken run and have about 35 chickens. Eggs and meat are plentiful here because the 3 little original hens are all broody and wonderful mothers. We've taken on raising red New Zealand rabbits and coturnix quail for meat too. My australorps arent really broody,but they're good layers and are very docile. The mixed children from the littler original hens are ending up a little smaller than the original australorps I'd bought,but they're more broody and better mothers. Quail are the perfect example of the best parts being bred out of animals. The ones I have have never been broody and dont even nest. If it weren't for incubators theyd probably go extinct. Rabbits are excellent animals to keep,as they're quiet,dont need alot of space or attention, and they're always prolific breeders. Now if they only laid eggs.🤔

@jacksnavely559 17 күн бұрын

Yea I agree with the cross breed, chickens are varied, not all follow the ideal traits , with 15 layers on line now my number 3 and 4 spot for amount of eggs are a Sultan and a Polish ,they lay 6 days a week all seasons ,.my 1 and 2 are a Black Star and a Road Island Red , Now I got some crosses coming up that have black skin and ornamental features ❤❤

@johnreno9418 17 күн бұрын

Chickens are wonderful! I love hearing their little clucks and a rooster's calling.

@AwakeningWARRlOR 17 күн бұрын

Ducks are best. Quiter, larger eggs with a really thick shell. Best for baking.

@lindawisner3525 17 күн бұрын

I wanted the flower hens because they are extremely self sufficient, but much too small for our hawks. We ended up with Buckeyes and Dominiques. They're dual purpose, rose combs less likely to freeze in our northern winters and lay a lot of large eggs. In the summer our feed bill for chickens goes down to next to nothing as they forage very well. The hawks always check them out, but move on. The over abundance of eggs we sell sometimes, feed to our dogs and cats. We do separate them every year or so so selectively breed and let the hens raise their own.

@RS-sl5ko 16 күн бұрын

Such wisdom from such a young man!

@johnsonr9 16 күн бұрын

We have always had a mixed flock. We appreciate the ones that are good foragers and predator aware.

@alison3276 5 күн бұрын

What a great channel ☺ it makes me happy on the inside!

@douglasvantassel8098 17 күн бұрын

Great video! Thank you for making these.

@jhosk 16 күн бұрын

Great content. For us on the farm, we prefer a hardy breed, broody, dual purpose and quiet.

@cosmopezzolla996 15 күн бұрын

Great job Pa Mac! Thanks for sharing the information!

@olddawgdreaming5715 17 күн бұрын

Thanks Pa Mac for the great information about chickens. Sears and Rareback and Monkey Wards were the originators of home shopping networks and did a really good job for a number of years then now they have both gone by the way side. Seems we are getting back to that again. The delivery systems are failing greatly bringing out the road agents again?? Sure enjoyed your video today, keep up the great work and the fun you have around there, Fred.

@sethwalls344 17 күн бұрын

Great info as always. I raised black sex links for 4-H as a kid and remember them being gentle. A couple years ago I bought six Rhode island red chicks to raise because I always thought they were a good looking chicken. They had the worst temperament out of any chickens I've had-- even the hens. Now I have mostly Cochin bantams and a few other random breeds. Don't ever give up on chickens because of one bad experience. I enjoy taking care of them and observing their mannerisms and individual personalities.

@MarkWYoung-ky4uc 17 күн бұрын

Thank you sir. This was a great tutorial!

@farmhandscompanion 17 күн бұрын

Thanks for postin' the question, Mark! Come up with some more

@IveysFamilyFactotum 16 күн бұрын

We are just getting started with our flocks and getting fencing established. We do have a Brama Rooster for now and will have some more chickens coming very soon. If you needing the use of our Rooster for breeding we could probably bring him over when he is ready for that...He is the Mrs pet so you couldn't keep him long term but would make a VERY big bird for more meat...lol

@monkeymommy778 15 күн бұрын

Thank you for doing a video on this subject. It's a very interesting topic. We've heard that Isa Browns are a good chicken for beginners to raise.🐓

@lawrencenachtrab735 16 күн бұрын

Thanks for the video 😊

@MerwinARTist 13 күн бұрын

Great discuss about breeds and characteristics. I enjoy the colors in chicken and egg .. but I discovered one characteristic I wasn't happy with. Most of my hens are rather gentle when it comes to collecting eggs .. they might give you a lite peck .. but I had one midsized bantam that tried to put a deep tattoo on my arm .. yikes!! I decided it was time to end that annoyance!!

@GypsyBrokenwings 17 күн бұрын

I have 7 hens left... Trying to figure out what ones are still laying. I'm only getting 2 eggs most days.

@RS-sl5ko 16 күн бұрын

I have a serious question. I have never raised chickens but I would love to. My only problem is I can’t be home everyday to care for them. Sometimes I am gone for the day but occasionally I am gone for a week. Do chicken require attention EVERYDAY?

@FJBAFYFVFH 16 күн бұрын

Just got 10 chickens today! FUNNY!!!!

@ThundertrodPermaculture-mo8xe 15 күн бұрын

I am looking for a manly meat bird that will breed true and lay a moderate amount of eggs year round. to that end My main flock is 1/4 light brahma 1/4 Jersey giant 1/2 Breese. has of yet the flock is to young to know if it will work out has I hoped

@OutsideTheTargetDemographic 16 күн бұрын

Question/possible video idea: Any experience with push reel mowers? I got an old one from my grandfather, and after sharpening and adjusting the height, it's darn near less effort to use than the loud, smelly, pollution emitting gas mower, or even the heavy battery powered mower. Mt question is, one of the four blades of the reel grinds/bonds against the lip, so instead of a slicing sound it's slice/slice/slice/GRIND. Still cuts nicely, I have a sharpening stone on the way, which I figure with enough passes on the one blade I can shorten it's length, but if you have any insights/experience on reel mowing, I'd (and I imagine others) would love to hear about it.

@elizabethjohnson475 5 күн бұрын

I had one of that kind my children gave me because I wanted one that wasnt gas powered that I had to nag my husband to fix. That I could just push without a fuss. After a few uses, it got so difficult to push, I can no longer use it, nor want to. Well, I tried.

@nelseshaver2679 17 күн бұрын

I enjoy having chickens but have not been able to find a rooster that doesn't crow. It would be okay if the roosters crowed for the first 3 hours of day light but my experience has been that roosters crow almost non stop. They crow all night and all day. They crow when you are working and when you are trying to sleep. So having chickens is great but they wont reproduce without a rooster. I did have a rooster that I liked once. His name was Barnie. I was in the process of snatching up 4 other roosters to kill and Barnie managed to take a chunk of skin off my cheek while I was snatching up a rooster. Barnie died protecting his buddies. Thanks for your videos. I learn a lot and I enjoy the content.

@Trailseeker13 11 күн бұрын

good evening good sir i was just wondering if youd be willing to do a tour of your homestead

@farmhandscompanion 11 күн бұрын

Absolutely, Trailseeker13; just take a look at this page:farmhandscompanion.com/product/pa-macs-farm-tour/

@agjld7 17 күн бұрын

I like Rhode Island Red but, I've noticed they bully the rest of the flock.

@marcushavland9316 13 күн бұрын

My land has a lot of trembling aspen. Any advice on how to best use softwood on the farm? Is there a fencing construction technique that utilizes softwood well?

@elizabethjohnson475 5 күн бұрын

Trembling or quaking?