Chickens! It just about how everyone starts their homesteading adventure! And its an easy topic we can chat about for HOURS. We've also done a few podcasts about them (links at the bottom of this page). Here's our journey.
In 2018 we started with 4 chicks, you know, not to be overwhelmed with the daily care of another animal --HA! Literally later that weekend we got 4 more, and by the end of the season we had, like, 20. The chicken math that sets in is unreal. Last spring we had over 300, and as you can tell by the rest of our page, we've added quite a few other things as well. Thats why chickens are called the gateway animal. The biggest recommendation I can give for building coops, plan for 10, build for 60! They are so personable, and generally easy to care for that its not really another "job/chore". They are pets that give back, and have a purpose. Over the course of a few years we grew to love specific breeds, and learned which ones we didn't love so much. And the love grew into making the best of the best and striving to preserve the standard of perfection with each breed. Genetic research and trail and error is how we got here today. We are officially NPIP certified, meaning that we are a clean and tested flock perfectly suited to sell and ship eggs and live birds within the continental US.
So wether you want chickens for those fresh backyard eggs, or you want fancy pretty chickens and eggs, we got you. Eggs come in more colors than white, they can be blue, green, olive, brown, and dark brown. The color doesn't change the taste, only what you feed them. They are great foragers, snacking on bugs and greens, and they have a strong stomach perfect for devouring your unwanted fridge leftovers. Did you know that backyard chicken eggs contain more vitamin a&e, omega-3, and beta carotene and less cholesterol and saturated fats? You might also notice that farm fresh eggs actually have flavor and a deeper, richer golden orange yolk. You can be happy about the health and happiness within your flock, knowing that they have grass under their feet and sunshine above their heads unlike factory farming.
All of our chicks are sold as straight run, meaning that there is a strong possibility of getting both male and female chickens. You do not need a rooster to get eggs, only if you want babies. Roosters have a wonderful purpose, they help protect the ladies, have the most beautiful colors, have a warming homestead crow, and they can be a fantastic meat source. Be sure to check your local area to be sure there aren't any restrictions on owning chickens and/or roosters. Keep in mind that even large commercial hatcheries are only about 85-90% accurate with vent sexing chickens. If you do receive unwanted roosters, there are numerous local Facebook groups to try rehoming or you can check out our Pinterest page HERE for delicious recipes.