It all started, when I wanted to keep some backyard chicken for eggs. One thing lead to another, I am hatching eggs, selling chicken, collecting and breeding rare chicken! The whole nine yard :)
I do enjoy keeping them and take care of them. I like how rooster finds a treat and he calls out those "Hen" who coming running at his call. They take the treat right out of his beak, and chomp without any hesitation. My main man "Nigel" is an UK Import chocolate Cuckoo Orpington. He is a Bantam but looks huge. My Hen are also quite large but they are not large Fowl. They are about medium size and quite fluffy.
I feed my chicken Organic feed. I really feel that what I feed them will indirectly come back to me. So when they are not finding their food on their own (Free Range), I give them Organic feed and on top of that I mix Oyster Shell, Kelp, Rockdust and DE. I also give them Water with Apple Cider Vinegar. They seems to be happy chicken in my backyard.
Like I stated above, I allow them to Free Range in my 3 acre land. But downside is that I loose quite a few of them to predators (Land/Avian). I have lost some rare chicken to predators. Recently I lost a beautiful Chocolate Cuckoo Hen who just started to lay. It was a sad day for me. But that's the price to pay for allowing them to roam free.
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