Some Chickens

[Taceas]

Piper, in my experience they eat just about everything that moves. Where we're at, we don't get many Japanese beetles (knocks on wood) and I don't keep plants they really like. But they'll generally try anything once. I do notice they leave swallowtail butterflies alone now after chasing them for a good portion earlier this year, while the little skipper ones are fair game, if they can catch them.

The best thing for bugging are guinea fowl. Noisy little things, but they single handedly took care of my parent's bag worm problem on their evergreens and you also have a tick free yard, they're amazing buggers. And if I remember correctly they aren't as destructive in your flowerbeds as chickens are with all their scratching. You grow them just like you do chickens, they're about the same size and food requirements, although they are an all dark meat bird if you eat them.

Most people around here have a handful with their chickens because they're excellent watch dogs. If something is in your yard that shouldn't be, these guys give loud alarm calls. They run really fast and can fly decently so most predators really can't catch them aside from maybe a fox, but if its a cat or snake they'll surround it and screech. I don't have any because my entire life I was harassed by the damned things, dad kept a flock of 40-50 strong for years. They followed me everywhere and gave my parents play-by-play of where I was.

Nanci, my first order from McMurray in 2005 was great. Everything was sexed correctly and everything came as it should have. I don't know if its because the last two years I've ordered a more eclectic variety of rare breeds or what, but I haven't been as satisfied.

If I remember correctly I only went with McMurray for some different bloodlines and the prices were a bit more competitive on the breeds I wanted. In 2006 I had 4 dead in the box and a couple of more died in the next day or two, which I've never had to happen. That was also the same year of the deformed legs and bodies in the Speckled Sussexes and Black Jersey Giants. This year it was just really bad sexing.

Marti Hatchery wasn't bad either, they made up the other half of my 2005 order, but they weren't as 'customer supportive' as McMurray was. As in they didn't send me a shipping confirmation that my order had shipped till the post office called me out of the blue at 5:30 one morning saying I had a box of chicks waiting for me. They only mis-sexed one bird, so not bad at all.

[desertanimal]

That rooster is SNAZZY! He looks like he needs a cane and a tophat!

[nwheat]

Great pictures! I love both of those roosters, but that first one sure is nice! Cool that your bonus bird turned out so well!