Farm Animals

The Welsummer breed originated in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1920s it was imported to England. Representations of cockerels in the media are often based upon the “classic” Welsummer look. The most common example of this would be the Kelloggs Cornflakes rooster. Wellsummers lay beautiful brown eggs, but are […]

The Sussex breed is one of the oldest that still exists today. It was developed over a century ago in Sussex, England. The Sussex is a popular exhibition bird as well as backyard pet. The Sussex chickens come in a variety of colors and can be found in brown, red, buff, silver, white and speckled. […]

The Plymouth Rock breed (also called Rock) was developed in the United States. The most popular variety is the Barred Rock, but it also comes in blue, buff, Columbian, partridge, silver-penciled and white. Until World War Ii, this was the most popular chicken breed on farms in the U.S., because of its hardiness, docility, broodiness, […]

The Faverolles breed was developed in the 1860s in France. It was named after a French village and the singular form also includes the “s.” The breed was originally meant for both eggs and meat but is more commonly used as an exhibition chicken today. The most commonly available variety is the Salmon Faverolles. Faverolles […]

Geese can be very friendly if hand-reared from goslings and will even eat of your hand. They are excellent at keeping grass short and will eat windfall fruit in an orchard. They do not scratch the ground the way chickens do, so they will not destroy your garden. Geese can be used for protection as […]

Contents 1 Benefits of Raising Chickens as Pets 2 Things to Consider 3 Nutrition 4 The Chicken Coop 5 Breeds 6 Video Benefits of Raising Chickens as Pets Chickens can be very friendly and entertaining and are easily trained, even as adults. They will come running when offered a treat. Baby chicks are particularly fun […]

The Dorking is an ancient and endangered species of chicken. It is the only purely British breed, has five toes instead of four and is the only breed with red earlobes which lays a white-shelled egg. They need the support of small backyard flock owners to ensure their continued existence. Dorkings have been documented as […]

Brahmas came to the United States from Asia in 1846. They reached England in 1853 when Queen Victoria was presented with a quill pen made from a Brahma feather. Brahmas were then known for their excellent laying characteristics, but breeding for color has reduced these abilities. Brahmas come in light, dark, buff and partridge. They […]

A mule is an animal sired by a female horse and a male donkey. Although mules have a reputation for being stubborn, it is really a sign of their intelligence. Mules are cautious and can’t be forced into doing anything they don’t want to do. They will not allow themselves to be worked to death, […]

Contents 1 Do you want a duck? 2 Caring for ducklings 3 Nutrition 4 Swimming Do you want a duck? Ducks are very social animals so you should keep several ducks, and not just one. They need a minimum of 10 ft. of space per adult duck, in addition to shelter and a swimming area. […]