The Rouen duck breed is a domesticated duck. They are typically raised for meat, exhibition, and as a pet. They are considered a heavyweight breed of duck. These ducks aren’t the best layers around. But they do offer a charismatic appeal to any backyard flock. If you’re new to raising ducks – or perhaps want […]
Naturally, the perfect chicken breeds mean different things to different people. My perfect chicken would not only lay the egg but scramble it and serve it in bed to me. While I enjoyed breakfast in bed, she would do housework! So, for me, the perfect chicken sadly doesn’t exist, but truthfully I think chickens are […]
The Ayam Cemani has certainly had people talking excitedly about it over the last few years. It is a total blackbird – inside and out, so as you can imagine, it has been associated with the Dark Arts, especially in its’ own country of Indonesia. At the current time, they remain a pretty rare bird […]
The Barred Rock chicken is a hard-working member of the backyard chicken flock. She is a beautiful, calm, and productive member of any flock. One of Americas’ first and finest poultry creations, she has been a worldwide success for thousands of poultry breeders, enthusiasts, and backyard ‘keepers for well over 100 years. Read on to […]
The Abacot Ranger duck is a breed of domestic ducks that originated in the United Kingdom. They are known for being very tame and docile. They were originally bred as pets but have since been used to produce eggs. One of the more rare breeds of ducks, Abacot Rangers, has a gorgeous appearance and a […]
Is there another breed that more quintessentially says English barnyard hen than a Buff Orpington? People almost always picture a plump, stately, beautifully feathered hen going about her business in the barnyard as if she owns the place and is most definitely not in a hurry! As we shall see, the Orpington is a fairly […]
The Rhode Island Red is probably one of the most successful chicken breeds in the world! It has spread from its homeland to all corners of the globe and is thriving even in the face of the modern industrial hens and intensive farming practices. Why is it so successful? They certainly are a bird that […]
The Jersey Giant breed is very aptly named. It is the largest purebred chicken in the US and probably the world! The only other breed that comes close are the Brahmas’ – we will discuss them in a future article. Once seen, this splendid bird is unlikely to be forgotten since its size alone makes […]
Raising show ducks has become a popular hobby for many people all over the world. However, there are some things you should know before you jump in headfirst. First and foremost, raising ducks is not like raising chickens or geese. Ducks have unique crane requirements, and those care requirements are amplified when you are raising […]
These beautiful birds are under-represented in backyard world of chickens. This is a great shame as they have many outstanding attributes for the small homesteader as we shall see. They are a fairly recent addition to chicken breeds, being ‘born’ less than one hundred years ago in the Netherlands. They are popular in the UK […]