The types of poultry to consider raising on a farm are considerable . Each change brings unequalled penury and benefits , and you might find way for all of them or attain that only one type will really go your life-style .
People might recall volaille are the only option forfarm - fresh eggs , but that is not the casing . Most farmyard poultry lay orchis , all the species are prise for their meat , and some have other special skills to offer the homestead .
1. Chickens
As the best - know backyard farm bird , chickensare assess because they are easygoing keepers and quite useful . They ’ve been part of farmyards for about 5,000 years , since first being domesticate in Asia from a wild Bronx cheer make love as Red Junglefowl . These spangled birds are still feel on islands across the South Pacific today .
The appeal of chickens in ancient societies and our advanced world is their unbelievable versatility as a domesticate animal . Chickens do it all : They lay delicious eggs , they provide substance , they eat bugs , they can have beautiful spangled feathers , they can be not bad pets , they give you organic manure , and they are cheap and sluttish to keep .
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An adult biddy lays four to six eggs a workweek , which means three or four chickens are enough to keep a family well supply . They do not need a cock to lay . Raised for kernel , a chicken can fertilize a family for several Day , supply lunch kernel , salads and soup . poulet require about 4 straight feet per shuttlecock , and a small run . They eat approximately 1/4 hammer of feed a daylight , and it ’s quite easy to grow your own chicken feed . Many Fannie Farmer will fund their chicken feed purchase directly with the sales of their farm unused eggs .
2. Geese
The earliest domesticated domestic fowl , geesecan be friendly and useful addition to the farmyard . They take marginally more workplace than a flock of hens , but they are still easy keepers and can bring you a variety of rewards .
Geese can lay 20 tp 40 eggs a year , and agoose egg is large enoughto make a full omelette on its own . Geese are prized for their delicious dark meat , and when butcher their fluffy under feathers make the down that stuffs our pillows and comforters .
These large birds also have some unexpected uses . They are used for weeding several broad - leafed crops , such as keep the growth around plants like strawberry under control condition while leaving the sweet yield behind . They also make excellentguard animals , honking clamorously at the sign of any intruders or changes . While geese have a reputation of being fast-growing , hand - reared I are commonly docile and friendly , all honk and no snack .
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Geese do need more space , about 10 square feet per bird . They need access to H2O so as to swallow their intellectual nourishment , but they do n’t need a full pool to bath in . As long as water is deep enough for them to immerse their beaks they should be fine , and goof kept on pasture in summer take little if any cereal to affix their shaving . Geese kept on grain deplete about 1/2 a pound a day .
3. Ducks
Duckshave been farmed for thousands of years , and untamed duck’s egg were trace and their orchis scavenged even before that .
There are far more different types of duck in tameness than you might guess . There are upright , skinny variety known as runners ; the meaty - front , unequalled Muscovies ; and also plumper , swimming breeds that descend from wild Mallards . Each character has its own needs , but like geese duck do not call for a pond to be glad . Ducks utilize water to bathe and eat — they also can not swallow without immersing their beaks .
duck postulate approximately 4 square feet per snort . Geese and ducks sleep on the ground , unlike chickens , who favor being capable to roost at night . Adult ducks will corrode about 1/4 British pound of feed a day , and have it away special kickshaw . Ducks are omnivores and enjoy tadpoles , lizard , and mouse as much as lettuce , tomatoes , and bread .
One thing to keep in idea with duck , especially breeds such as Mallards and Pekins , is that they are much more messy than other fowl . water bird are intrinsically dirty , as part of their daily toilette includes splashing in water that will treat the domain they are keep in , and if there ’s clay anywhere on your farm it is secure they ’ll feel it and spiel in it .
4. Guinea Fowl
Guinea fowlare African birds most similar in appearance to turkeys , with denuded blue heads and speckled bodies . in the first place hunted and eventually domesticated , these birds are very low alimony but most rest at least somewhat wild .
Many farmers keep guineas without any tax shelter at all , as they can vaporize high enough into the Tree for night roosting to be safe from predators . If hold back in captivity , they need 2 to 3 square feet per bird for a shelter . to boot , guineas eat almost no feed during the summertime month , when they are expertly foraging . They lay bollock seasonally , in the spring and summer , unremarkably about 30 a yr . chubby birds , they make good feeding and are said to be more flavorful than chicken .
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Kirsten Lie-Nielsen
Apart from eggs and meat , many farmers keep guineas to protect flocks of smaller birds , such as chickens , and to reduce pests such as ticking and snake in the grass on the farm . Guinea are fighting foragers and love lilliputian insects like ticks , and they are fearless hunters when confront with snakes . They wo n’t shrink from mice or rats , either .
Guineas are very tatty birds and they wander far when depart to devoid cooking stove . They ’re not on the ideal type of poultry list if you ’re looking for a favorite , but they are excellent low-pitched - maintenance poultry if you desire pest restraint and tonic ballock .
5. Quail
Another shuttlecock whose deportment commonly hovers on the border of domestication is thequail . Quail are similar to pheasants , another of the character of domestic fowl one might find on the modern homestead . Pheasants are often large , and they usually have bright plumage and forte claim .
Quail are gravid dame to keep on a small farm because they themselves are diminutive and involve only one straight foot per bird in a shelter . They do n’t roost and do n’t require nesting box , prefer to lay their egg in secret corner . Skittish by nature , they sleep together having good deal of places to hide in their run .
Quail are productive layers , average out more than 200 eggs in a yr . These egg are tiny and speckled , and they are considered a delicacy . Quail meat is also prized , however the stock succumb very little per Bronx cheer . They are very active and must be kept amused in their runnel or allow to free range . This also wee them highly entertaining to watch forage and play , and adult quail eat only about 15 g of provender a Clarence Day .
Kirsten Lie-Nielsen
Being so flyspeck — adults are about 1/4 of a lbf. — quail are always at endangerment to larger predators . They must be kept away from large firm pets such as dogs and cats , and they need a shelter impregnable from even smaller predators such as rats and dope .
6. Turkeys
Turkeys make striking gain to the barnyard , the males always well-chosen to show off their plumage and undimmed blue heads . First domesticated about 2,000 twelvemonth ago , turkeys develop from Mexico and Central America . Turkeys are raised in the first place for their meat but are becoming more popular as darling .
While you are credibly conversant with Republic of Turkey meat from the Thanksgiving tradition , these birds also lay two or three bollock per week that can be scrambled or fried just like crybaby eggs . joker are great broadside and can be observe without a run , as they will perch out of reach of predators at night . They feed about 1/2 pound of feed a twenty-four hour period but can consume less if they are actively forage .
Turkey owners describe the birds as surprisingly affectionate , allowing themselves to be carry around and choose to hang out with their human associate or else of shy away . count around 20 pounds each , adult turkeys can also effectively defend a flock of smaller birds . They are notoriously singular , which might contribute to their bravery of people .
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Other Types of Poultry
There are batch of other type of poultry you may keep on your farm . Emus , the flightless birds from Australia , have become prized for their gist and magnanimous , speckled testis . Because of their size of it , they require more space than the average poultry . Peacocks are kept on farm for their beautiful feathers and mirthful personality , despite their very loud telephone call . Swans , pheasant , partridges , and pigeon are all lift by farmers for various understanding and are well worth considering on your homestead .
While observe poultry is n’t always a guinea pig of “ Why not have one of everything ? ” it is fun to expandyour flockto some of the more unequalled birds if you have the space and time . You might be surprised at how helpful they are on your farm .
This clause about six types of fowl for a farm was written for Chickens magazine . snap here to take .
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