Chickens in variety

I mentioned yesterday that we collected some meat bird chicks to grow on, and have previously described our regular acquisitions of rescued brown commercial hybrid layers kept for their eggs. Although the latter are allowed to live out their natural lives both are essentially kept for reasons of utility. 

We do keep some traditional pure breeds because they are attractive and pleasant to have around. This includes Cream Legbars, French Copper Marans, Black Rocks and Ixworths. The Legbars and the Copper Marans have the additional novelty value of laying blue eggs and dark, almost chocolate, brown eggs respectively. The Ixworths are a noted local Suffolk breed. 

The fact of the matter, though, is that traditional breeds can be irregular with their egg laying and are not that ideal for meat. They have limitations as far as self-provisioning is concerned. Nevertheless, its nice to see a mixture of breeds free-ranging together.

Our French Copper Maran cockrell