The Newest Members of the Flock!

We decided to expand the flock! Move over Big Red and make room for six new hens!The newest members are two black australorps, two white leghorns, a bard rock and a silver laced wyandotte. We ordered these chickens from Petals and Paws in Canton, so they are sure to be hens! When we were deciding on the type of new chicks to order, we looked at their egg laying ability, the color of the egg and the length of time to the start of laying eggs. We wanted to add large white eggs to the mix, and more brown eggs. We also wanted the hens to be prolific so that we can offer more eggs at the farm stand. 

Here are the ladies! Some enjoyed the photo shoot, others wanted nothing to do with me!


The Black Australorp is a single comb, clean legged variety (meaning no feathers on the legs of the chicken!). This bird is very friendly and very cold hardy. The Black Australorps are the best light brown eggs layers of all of the heavy breeds. I read of a study on the Murray McMurray Hatchery website that one black australorp hen layed 364 eggs in 365 days! Black Australorps have glossy black plumage which has a greenish-purple sheen and has larger than average bright red combs.
These two were a bit feisty for their photo shoot. I am not sure what they are looking at either!
 




The White Leghorn is a single comb, clean legged variety. The White Leghorn has standard white plumage throughout. This chicken is hardy, but may be subject to frostbite in extreme cold weather areas. Leghorns are a flighty breed and can sometimes be very nervous. They are excellent producers of large white eggs. Take a look at the neat fluff of neck feathers that just started coming in! They look like they are going to be very tall- they like to stand up straight and show off their necks!






The Barred Rock is a single comb, clean legged variety that originated in the U.S. The Barred Rock has a friendly disposition and is cold hardy. The Barred Rock is a good producer of large brown eggs. Isn't she cute? She was definitely looking at the camera during her photo shoot! She also kept coming at me, like she wanted a close up! That is what she got!







The Silver Laced Wyandotte has broad feathered, smooth fitting plumage which appears silvery white and greenish black as each feather is edged in a contrasting color. The cold winters of the Northeast do not bother the Silver Laced, as they are incredible hardy and are able to lay eggs straight through winter. Silver Laced lay a light to rich brown good sized egg. 
This one was quite hesitant during her photo. She seems not to want to be bothered by anything!





Please welcome the newest members to our flock! Their new chicken coop and barn being almost complete, we will transition these new birds outside soon!