Our hens are raised cage-free, which means they are able to walk around, flap their wings, scratch at the bedding, dust bathe and roost with their flock mates at night. They are never given medications and their feed is medication free. The chickens have an enclosed run outside the coop that is accessible on all but the coldest days. During the warmer months, they are let out of the run to free range on the farm.
We currently have four different breeds of hens:
Buff Orpington
These birds look like their name. They have a creamy, light yellow body with slightly darker gold hackle feathers. They’re one of our bigger birds and they are great layers. Their eggs are very light brown, almost beige color.
Cuckoo Maran
The Cuckoo Maran has a funny name, but she is a nicely patterned black & white bird. These birds lay eggs that vary in shade, but are a dark brown. Some can even be described as chocolate brown. Of course, egg color depends on the individual bird’s genetics, so we have a mixture of shades.
Americana
Actually, Americana is not an “official” breed. It’s a mixture of breeds. These birds have fun little muffs under their chins. They are often called “Easter Eggers” because they lay colored eggs. The eggs can vary in color from a light blue to a rose, and even olive green. We have one of these birds that is named Sweet Pea (above) because she follows me around and waits to be picked up and carried.
Golden Laced Wyandotte
Wyandottes come in Silver and Gold Laced, along with other varieties. They are great layers of medium brown eggs and beautiful birds. They are about the same size as the Orpingtons and are good scavengers.