Chicken Flock Additions

We are stocking up on our depleted chicken flock. We now have only four chickens, two of which are poor producing Production Reds.
We aimed to buy hens that would provide a variety of egg colors.

The first addition is pictured to the left, ostensibly the Ameraucana. This breed produces medium-sized "Easter" eggs, light blue-greensish in color. We bought ours from the local feed store.

This chick, like most sold by commercial hatcheries, is more likely a mongrel rather than a true breed. Of course, since we are not breeding chickens that is perfectly fine with us.

We also bought two Buff Orpingtons. These chickens are reputed to docile and are average brown egg layers. This breed tends to become broody. Because they are docile, they are generally at the lower end of the chicken pecking order.

These birds are "dual purpose" and were originally raised for meat birds. Generally speaking, meat chickens do less well free-ranging as our girls live.

Finally for the chicken variety, we bought three silver Wyandottes from a local Spindale, North Carolina, breeder.  These chicks were raised by the grandfather of an employee of Oakland Feed and Seed in Spindale.

They were straight run chicks, meaning we do not know if we bought three hens, three roosters, or any combination thereof.  The good news is my wife said that we may get to keep a rooster if we have one in the three chicks.

The Wyandotte breed is much like the Buff Orpingtons.  They also lay brown eggs, maybe slightly more productive. They are docile chickens.

Lastly, what flock would be complete without some guinea fowl.  We bought six to add to our one guinea.  Guinea fowl are great tick-eaters, as well as other pests.  This is the first purpose.

We also are very happy with our guinea's defense of the chicken flock.  All his other species mates were killed by predators going into the winter.  However, our lone guinea survived and is the rooster of our flock of four free-ranging hens.  He watches for hawks, stands off dogs, and chirps at strangers and for lost hens.  He does a really good job in this capacity.

Guineas are also capable of producing some decent meat.  I haven't tasted guinea but it is said to be a cross between turkey and chicken, or a juicy pheasant flavor.