Chickens at the Fair..

One of my favorite spots is the Chicken, Duck, and Rabbit barn.. Of course this year my main focus was getting pictures of chickens for my blog series.. lol.. Here are some of the breeds I saw..

Rhode Island Reds are a utility bird, raised for meat and eggs, and also as show birds. They are a popular choice for backyard flocks because of their egg laying abilities and hardiness.  They generally lay 5 - 7 brown eggs per week.

The Belgian Bearded D'Uccle is renowned for being a calm bird. Bearded D'Uccle eggs are notably small and are coated with creamy or tinted coloring. The breed is known for being very broody, and a typical hen can lay her eggs over a two-week period, though others have taken as long as three weeks.

Plymouth Rock is a dual-purpose, cold-hardy bird and therefore makes a great breed for the small farm or backyard flock owner.  There are many different strains of this breed.  They lay a large egg that varies in color from light to medium brown with a touch of pink. The birds continue laying throughout the winter but with decreased production. The amount of eggs laid is dependent upon the strains of the birds.

These are Silkies.  They are mostly used as pets and to hatch other birds' eggs as they are quite broody.  They generally lay about 100 white to beige colored eggs per year.

Polish Chicken - These are considered ornamental birds.. not very winter hardy.. Generally lay about 2 small, white eggs per week..  

#myeriecountyfair

Being Self Sufficient! Part 4

#4 Raise Chickens

All the pictures here were taken at the Erie County Fair, when we went yesterday.. We go almost every year.. as I love it.. smile.. 

As much as I would like to have a chicken or two.. I can't... one, my neighbors are too close to me and two, my boyfriend isnt for the idea.. but if I could.. I would.. there are so many benefits to having chickens, even in the city..  They are a natural source of fertilizer for the garden, as well as a wonderful way to control insects!  Plus you get farm fresh eggs.. cant get better than that! 

This chicken above is the Rhode Island Red, which many consider one of the best breeds for the back yard.. You can read more about them HERE.

Here are some links for advice on starting this.. 

Why A Great Garden And Raising Chickens Go Hand In Hand - Old World Garden Farms

Raising Chickens in the City - Urban Farming Guys

How to Raise Backyard Chickens - Backyard Chickens

Raising Chickens for Dummies - Cheat Sheet - Kimberly Willis, Rob Ludlow

And there are alot more!! Just do a websearch.. 

Next, I am going to discuss some of the breeds I and pictures I took at the fair.. See you tomorrow!

#myeriecountyfair

Moving Slow Today..

I am not doing much today.. moving slow.. tired.. and a bit under the weather.. so you can say I am relaxing... lol.. actually I like to read and crochet.. and will be doing both in a while.. For now.. just gonna finish listing my photos from the fair.. smile..

The first picture is of a Percheron.. one of my favorite breed of draft horses.. smile.. I love roans.. 

I love Ponies.. never heard of this breed.. of course I cant remember now what it is.. 

Then.. we also hit the chickens.. lol.. these two are just beyond funny.. that is all I could think of was The Beatles.. grin..