FLOCK FLAVORS
D'UCCLES
Mille Fleur Bearded Bantam
Spring 2019 we decided to start our breed of D’uccles, ith nine chicks, six of which were little roos so we had to do a bit of a purge, keeping our three girls – Milly, Flora and Fauna and two of our best boys – Rockstar and Jasper. Our D’uccles are our quaintest breed and Jasper likes to serenade us in the mornings on the front porch with his crowing. In October we hatched Milfoy, who despite being a rooster has stolen our hearts and we had to keep him on.
EASTER EGGERS
Multi-Colored
Our Easter Egger group began in the spring of 2018. We started with ten chicks and were lucky enough to get one rooster from the bunch. Petra, our roo is a sweet fellow with a stern eye and white mane. He keeps his favorite girls, Cleo, Ruby, Snowdrift, Stardust and Pinenut well provided for.
JERSEY GIANT
Larger Ladies
Our Jersey Girls, Gaia and Naia, have been nicknamed the “Marsh Hens’ because they like to dig through any dirt they can find and being the largest known breed, their thicker legs definitely move some ground. Our goal is to breed them with our Black Silkie males and possibly come up with a larger silkie version, although the fun of the experiment might be more exciting than the results, we have yet to find out.
MARANS
Black Copper
Our Black Copper Marans we have had since October of 2018 and they have been stalwart and engaging. Our Rooster, Severus is our Alpha Rooster and he takes it upon himself to keep the flock in line, calling to the girls when there is food and making warning noises when an overhead shadow appears. His lovely ladies are Hermione, Rowena and Minerva.
ORPINGTON
Lavender
In the Fall of 2019 our family brought home delightful chicks that seems to resemble chirping clouds. These were our Lavender Orpingtons and they grew into dusky grey traveling clouds that crow. Currently we have three hens- Lady Grey, Isabella and Grace, and our roos are Appa, Naga and Handsome.
PHOENIX
Silver & Gold
The Phoenix is an extraordinary breed that is simply stunning. The males have fabulous silver, gold and red coloring that is very impressive, but most notable is their distinguished tail. If kept properly it will continue to grow throughout the year, since they only molt every other year, leaving them with one of the longest tails- and a very showy presentation. Currently we have five phoenixes, Loki, Raphael and our three girls, The Fates. They are a handful and can fly very easily, and tend to be somewhat territorial. We keep an eye on them as our hens tend to try to set in unapproved areas (aka, the goatyard).
POLISH
White & Buff-Laced Crested
We have two types of Polish, White and Buff-Laced, both of which have beautiful and full crests that add a whimsical element to the Flock. These are some of the sillier looking birds, they definitely seem to rival the Scarlet Pimpernel when it comes to showing off. Our Polish consists of three whites, Kevin, Kylo-Hen and Gamora and our Buff-Laced, Dr. Strange. They spend most of their time tilting their crests from side to side in an attempt to see any bugs or grasses to eat, leaving us to be stared down by one side of the bird trying to get it’s bearings – they are well-worth the investment for the entertainment value they offer.
SILKIE
Black & White Bearded
Silkies are the best. Seriously, they are my absolute favorite. I go fan-girl every time I look at my little fluffy-boofs. If you have always dreamed of having that adorable puppy that is furry and cute and stays small forever only in chicken form, silkies are for you. Right now I have White and Black Bearded, and I used to have Buff but they weren’t Bearded and I am holding out until I find them because I’d like to get all three colors. Aside from that, watching my little poof-balls scratch and peck around the yard is the cutest thing imaginable. Our whites are Humphrey, Greta, Loren and Bacall, and we had Wynter hatch in the Spring of 2020. My Blacks are Moana and Kanalani, and Little and Big Maui. I am trying to build-up my Silkie flock, but the racoon next door took three of my roos in a matter of weeks. Now everyone is a little more tightly secured and I’m spending a lot of time hatching out some newbie fluffy-boofs, so fingers crossed!
SUMATRA
Black
These are our signature breed, my husband’s pride and joy. We started with his Sumatra hen, Athena in the summer of 2015 and have been breeding them ever since. They are a sleek and stunning breed and Athena is our oldest (and wisest) chicken. She “warbles” at us when we whistle for her and she is infamous for jumping on laps to nab food. Her mate is Sigard and their children are Sigardsson, Nike Stryfe and Esma. They tend to look like crows or ravens with their dark feathering and exquisite beetling that shimmers in greens and purple. They can be friendly if raised closely, but tend to keep their distance and the hens are terrifying beyond all reason when it comes to their brood.
WYANDOTTE
Blue-Laced Red
Our Wyandottes are a newer breed since we started them in the spring of 2019 and they have been a lot of fun. I am a big fan of lacing on chickens, I think it adds a unique look that a lot of people don’t expect to see on a typical barnyard chicken. They are “dressier” and look like they are ready to go to a costume party. I haven’t bonded a great deal with my hens, Esmerelda, Dulcinea and Lysette, but Bleu my Rooster is one of my favorite big boys. He is very sweet and loving, and has a very deep cluck when he calls to herd his lady friends over for a squishy worm. He also has a massively huge rosecomb that looks like an unnecessary growth, but is really quite impressive. Bleu isn’t especially friendly, but he is a nice enough fellow to have around.