​Due to the unseasonably cold temperatures that are predicted for Saturday morning, the Backyard Chickens class will be rescheduled for Saturday, March 25th from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm. Since part of the learning experience will take place outdoors at the NRT chicken pens, we want to be sure our learners are comfortable and the chickens will want to be outdoors!

The new class time will be held after the Planting for Pollinators class scheduled on the 25th. Registration for the chicken class will be extended to March 22nd, or until class is filled. Visit the NRT Anniversary Workshops page for information.

Backyard chicken flocks are a huge phenomenon right now. People enjoy getting fresh eggs every day, having chickens eat yard pests in the lawn, and even having their chickens help them glean the garden after a harvest. What many backyard chicken keepers don't like, however, is having a rooster. Male chickens (roosters) of most any breed can become aggressive, loud, and difficult for backyard chicken keepers to maintain. 

Unfortunately, when ordering chickens or buying chicks it is very common to receive not just hens, but one or more roosters as well. Even when ordering from businesses that offer to sell chicks based on their sex, mistakes still get made- frequently- and you may not even know it until a few months have passed and the rooster is older. The end result? An early morning wake up call for you, your family, and your neighbors every day.

The Pros
While hens absolutely do not need roosters to produce eggs (contrary to the myth), there are a few reasons you may want to keep a rooster in your flock:
* Roosters can help protect the flock from predators.
​* If you are hoping to breed chicks of your own a rooster is definitely necessary in your flock. Before you allow your chickens to breed, be aware that chances are 50/50 that a new chick will be another rooster that you will need to either keep or remove.
* Roosters are often very vigilant and will spot trouble and alert the other hens before they even notice a problem.

The Cons
However, there are many reasons why a rooster may be an unwelcome addition to your backyard flock:
* Most roosters crow loudly every day and cannot be trained not to crow. Some roosters crow loudly throughout the day from pre-dawn hours into the evening. Neighbors may be understanding about some chicken noises, but a rooster calling out all day and night can get on anyone's nerves. 
* It is the nature of roosters to become more aggressive as they get older. While being protective may be beneficial to a flock of hens,  a rooster who claims his territory and defends it against people, pets, and anything else that enters it can be dangerous.
* Many roosters grow large spikes on their legs called spurs. They can be used to attack other chickens, pets, or even people if the rooster becomes aggressive. Spurs can cause significant damage and aggressive birds can be dangerous, especially to children.
* Some roosters become overly aggressive when mating and may kill or injure the hens.
* Some towns have restrictions against keeping roosters in backyard flocks. 

The Bottom Line
The chances are high that at some point you will get an unwanted rooster if you buy chicks, so you need to be prepared for what you will do when you get one before that happens. As you plan, you need to know that most farms, agricultural stores, outdoor organizations, and many animal shelters will not take chickens, and specifically will not take roosters. Few farms or businesses want or need an additional animal to feed that doesn't produce eggs and can be a behavioral problem, too. 

If you unintentionally end up with a rooster in your flock you will have difficulty finding another home for it. As is the case with most male farm animals, the majority of roosters are processed for food. If this is not a task that you are prepared for yourself, it can be very difficult to find someone who is interested in taking your bird. Ultimately, you need to be prepared to give the animal to someone else for free if they are willing to take it, whether for food, breeding, or to live as part of a flock.

If you are having trouble removing your rooster from your backyard flock, here are some things to try:
* Place an ad at local agricultural, feed, or garden supply stores in your area advertising a free rooster. Someone may want a new breeding animal or meat bird. In your ad include the breed and approximate age of the bird. 
* If there is an agricultural auction in your area, ask them if they know of anyone who will accept a free donated bird.  Most auctions will not let people sell an individual rooster.
* If there is a veterinarian in your area who handles farmyard animals, contact them to see if they can recommend someone who may take your bird or give you other ideas for removing it from your flock.
* Put the word out on your own social media pages.
* Take out an ad in the local paper advertising a free rooster. As with any public advertisement in print or online, use good judgement and caution if meeting people you don't know.
* Contact your local 4H club or agricultural high school. There may be a participant or student who would be interested in raising a rooster as a project.

​There are huge numbers of unwanted roosters that come out of backyard flocks each year. For the welfare of both the animal and other people, never let a rooster (or any other animal) loose at a park, farm, school, zoo, or other open space area. Chickens and all domestic animals rely on people for food and shelter. Animals that are released into inappropriate locations can be injured, may starve, or can die of exposure to weather. Although it can be a long process, be tenacious until an appropriate new home can be found. 

Andalusian chickens are often thought to be one of the most beautiful breeds of bird. One of the larger, taller breeds, the Andalusians also come in a variety of colors, including white, black, black and white mixed, and the often sought-after blue (steel gray). The feathers of this breed are quite distinctive, regardless of the color patters seen, and roosters are especially noteworthy, having large plumed tails and large red single combs. When seeing photos of Andalusians, the roosters are generally featured due to their distinctive appearance.

Not just an interesting and attractive bird, Andalusians are a heritage breed that is kept by many people for both eggs and meat. They often produce a large white egg that can provide some diversity to a predominantly brown egg flock. As a meat bird, they are slower to mature than breeds bred specifically for meat, but they do provide a sizable bird when allowed time to grow to size. 

There have been a number of Andalusians at Sheep Pasture, including both hens and roosters. In our experience, the hens are easy to handle and quite accepting of other birds. The roosters have proved to be more challenging, and we would not suggest beginners keep an Andalusian rooster as their first bird. However, when roosters are kept they can become very protective of their hens. Here are some additional facts:

Temperament: Hens calm and easy to work with; roosters can be challenging as they mature. Roosters can be especially vocal.
Egg production: Good, with large white or light eggs
Used as meat birds: Yes
Size: Large- Males up to 7 pounds, females 5 pounds
Listed by The Livestock Conservancy: Yes
 
As always, we recommend researching the quality of the breeder facility, the care required for keeping chickens in your region, your local laws and regulations for keeping poultry, and the many different breeds and characteristics available before purchasing any birds.

One particular group of chickens at Sheep Pasture is very special because they have been selectively bred by a local enthusiast to be as close as possible to the original standard of breed characteristics for this interesting and beautiful bird. These chickens, the New Hampshire Reds, are average-to-larger chickens with beautiful copper feathers. The roosters also have remarkable iridescent black plumed tails.

Developed in New Hampshire in the early part of the 20th century by breeders who were working with Rhode Island Reds, this breed gained and lost popularity over the years. Currently the breed is listed as 'watch' by The Livestock Conservancy, an organization dedicated to preserving the diversity of livestock breeds. 

These chickens may not be perfect for beginners, as they can be more assertive. However, if handled properly and often, the birds can become easy to interact with. In fact, several of the NRT's education programs include the use of New Hampshire Reds as part of the presentation. Here are some basic facts:
​
Temperament: Can be more assertive; with proper, regular handling can be well managed
Egg production: Excellent, extra large brown eggs
Used as meat birds: Yes
Size: Males up to 9 pounds, females 7 pounds
Listed by The Livestock Conservancy: Yes

If you are interested in learning more about this interesting, locally developed breed, stop by the NRT's Spring Farm Festival on May 7th to speak with Mr. Don Borroughs, the person who worked on the current New Hampshire Reds at Sheep Pasture. He is a lifelong poultry enthusiast who is very knowledgeable about chickens in general and loves to educate people about the birds. He will be at the NRT's poultry display on the day of the festival. Please stop by and say hello!

If you are considering purchasing birds for your own flock, we recommend researching the quality of the breeder facility, the care required for keeping chickens in New England, your local laws and regulations for keeping poultry, and the many different breeds available before purchasing any birds.

When you see a picture of a traditional New England farm scene, you often see the black and white striped chicken above as part of the picture. Developed in the 1800's in New England, the Plymouth or Barred Rock chicken is adapted well for the seasons of the northeast, being tolerant of cold and good for both meat and egg production. A larger bird, the word 'barred' in their name comes from the term for their horizontal black and white stripes, or bars; though other colors of Rock chickens exist, it is the Barred Rock that many people think of today.

Barred Rock chickens are inquisitive and can be a little particular about their coop mates. We have found that similarly sized birds tend to do best with this breed. 

Here are some Barred Rock basics:
Temperament: Mostly friendly, especially if interacted with regularly. Can be choosy about the other chickens in their pens.
Egg production: Very good, with large brown eggs
Used as meat birds: Yes
Size: Males 10 pounds, females 7 pounds
Listed by The Livestock Conservancy: Yes, click to connect to The Livestock Conservancy for more information​

If you are interested in getting Barred Rocks of your own, there are several sources of chicks available either by mail or in person.  As always, we recommend researching the quality of the breeder facility, the care required for keeping chickens in New England, your local laws and regulations for keeping poultry, and the many different breeds available before purchasing any birds.

 No, there is no need to adjust your computer screen. The image above may look like a bird with hair like a model, but it's really a small chicken called a silkie. Due to their very fluffy appearance and small size, the silkies are very distinct members of the chicken family and come in several colors, including white, tan, and gray. What looks like hair covering their bodies is actually a specialized type of feather that is incredibly soft. Silkies are covered in these feathers, sometimes with larger poofs on top of their heads, or even feathers running down their legs and onto the tops of their feet.

For those of you who have participated in education programs at Sheep Pasture in years past, you may remember our program chicken, Rocco, who was a friendly silkie chicken. This year, Sheep Pasture will again welcome silkies into its flock with the addition of several new birds in late spring/early summer. If you visit Sheep Pasture in the warm months, be sure to look for them.

Temperament: Calm and easy to work with, friendly
Egg production: Okay, with small brown eggs
Used as meat birds: No
Size: Small- Males up to 2.5 pounds, females 2 pounds
Listed by The Livestock Conservancy: No

Silkies may not be the biggest egg producers, but they are certainly one of the most distinctive chickens around. If you nave a small space and are not overly concerned with producing large eggs, you may want to consider the silkie. As always, we recommend researching the quality of the breeder facility, the care required for keeping chickens in New England, your local laws and regulations for keeping poultry, and the many different breeds available before purchasing any birds.​

One of the larger chicken breeds to live at Sheep Pasture is the Buff Brahma. These large ladies are excellent egg producers and a easy to work with when going into the coop. The 'buff' refers to these ladies' tan/gold color, though Brahmas can come in different colors, including light (most like white), and dark (grayish), as well as buff. Though they are larger than many chickens, they typically get along well with others. Here are some breed facts based on our experiences:

Temperament: Calm and easy to work with, friendly
Egg production: Good, with large brown eggs
Used as meat birds: Yes
Size: Males 11+ pounds, females 9+ pounds
Listed by The Livestock Conservancy: Yes, click to connect for more information

The next time you visit Sheep Pasture, we hope you find our lovely ladies, the Buff Brahmas, and say hello. They will likely run to the fence to greet you and beg for a snack from our chicken feeders. 

If you are interested in getting Brahmas of your own, one source is Murray McMurray Hatchery, though there are many commercial producers. As always, we recommend researching the quality of the breeder facility, the care required for keeping chickens in New England, your local laws and regulations for keeping poultry, and the many different breeds available before purchasing any birds.

People across America are buying flocks of backyard chickens in huge numbers today. Due to their small size and relatively easy upkeep, chickens have become the favorite barnyard pet in homes that are rural, suburban, or even in urban communities. It seems that everywhere you look, more people are keeping and (ahem) crowing about the joys of owning backyard birds. 

​But before you go running off to the farm supply to purchase a flock of your own, please take a few moments to think about how you will manage your birds over time. Below are 6 meaningful and important questions you need to answer before you purchase your birds:

1. Can I be responsible for the daily care of chickens in all seasons?
Chickens live for several years, and as outdoor animals need to be looked after, even when the snow flies and the temperature drops. In New England birds may require heaters or fans if the temperatures get too  cold or too warm. Chickens need to be protected from the weather, provided with food and water year round, and also be protected from the many predators that are all too happy to consider a bird from your flock as lunch. What is fun in the summer can be torturous in the winter, when snow and ice makes going outside to care for the birds much more difficult.

2. What will I do if I get a rooster?
Many companies sell chickens in batches of either males, females, or straight run (mixed sexes). However, there are times when a rooster will slip into an order of females- it happens more often than you'd think. Since most homeowners want eggs and not the noise or problems a rooster can bring, many times the males are unwanted members of the flock and must be disposed of. Having a plan just in case is an important step in planning for your flock. Most farms are not interested in keeping additional roosters, no matter how beautiful or well mannered they will be, so giving one to a farm should not be part of your plan. Likewise, other homeowners are unlikely to want a male that crows and doesn't lay eggs, so most other backyard chicken keepers will also say no. If you get a rooster in your flock that just has to go, it is likely that you will have to be okay with the fact he's likely to go to someone who will process him for meat. Although it can be difficult to accept, that is the fate of most male farm animals, including chickens, cows, swine, and others.

3. What will I do if my hens don't get along?
We have all heard of 'the pecking order' regarding many things, but in chickens the pecking order is very real. Birds will assert their dominance in the flock by pushing other birds around, or even pecking at them. Often this is mild and fades quickly, but at times the fighting can be quite intense and can lead to death if unattended. You should be prepared to recognize the signs of excessive fighting between birds and have a way to keep them separated from each other.

4. How many birds do I need?
People often think of buying chickens in dozens, probably because we all think of dozens of eggs. But chickens in their prime can produce an egg or more a day, and flocks of a dozen chickens can produce a dozen or more eggs each day. While it is fun to try new egg recipes for awhile and friends eagerly take a spare dozen every now and then, soon family members quickly tire of quiche and friends begin to avoid you when they see an egg carton in your hand. Having a small flock of just four birds can supply more than enough eggs for most families to have enough to eat and share. 

5. What will I do when I need to get rid of my birds?
When just starting out, no one likes to think of what will happen in the end. However, when working with live animals it is essential to have an exit strategy in mind, should it ever be needed. There can be many different reasons for needing to get rid of all or part of your chicken flock, including:

• Chickens that no longer produce eggs
• Changes in local laws or bylaws
• Changes in family circumstances
• Change in interest
• Birds that can't get along with coopmates

If it becomes necessary to remove some or all of your birds, try to have an idea of how you plan to manage that change. Are your unproductive egg layers going to be allowed to stay in the coop to live out their lives? If laws require you to remove your flock do you have someone who has agreed to take them? When the children grow up and life becomes more hectic how will you care for the birds? Do you know someone who processes meat birds that will take them from you? 
By answering these questions ahead of time, you can save yourself alot of aggravation later if your situation changes. Though it can be somewhat unpleasant, it will be easier than trying to make a plan when you are in a more serious situation.

6. Do I have the knowledge I need to care for chickens properly?
Chickens, like all animals, have specific food and housing requirements in order to be happy and productive. They need to be kept free from disease and protected from predators. Reading books and articles is one way to gain insight into the needs of your flock, but it is even more helpful if you can connect with someone who is local to your area. Local experts have experience taking care of birds with the same regional conditions you will be facing, so their knowledge can be very valuable to beginners. Look for clubs, groups or classes in your local area that can help get you the information you need to take good care of your flock.

We want to support all of the present and future backyard keepers in their efforts to have a healthy, happy, and productive flock. The best way to do this is to educate yourself and think things completely through before buying any live animals. Once you're armed with the planning and knowledge you need, the experience is much more likely to be better for you and the birds. 

Not ready to commit to a flock of your own? Consider renting a flock for the summer! There is at least one farm in southeastern Massachusetts that rents out small flocks for the summer and provides the housing, food, and bedding they will need. For a fee, it may the the opportunity for you to try owning chickens before you commit to owning them all year round. Search 'southeastern Massachusetts chicken rental' for ideas.

Spring is the time when many people start preparing for acquiring their own home flock of chickens. Thanks in part due to the current popularity of backyard chickens overall, there are more sources and breeds available to the homeowner market than ever before. Most commercial hatcheries will even sell in smaller quantities of 5 or less birds, something that was previously unavailable to many people.

With so many choices it can be hard to determine what breeds of chicken would be best for your own home flock. Since chickens range from the exotic-looking to the traditional there are many choices, depending on your needs. Here are a few questions you should think about:

* Are you primarily looking for chickens that will be good egg layers? Do you have a preference about what color the eggs are? 
* Are you hoping to raise birds for meat? 
* Do you want chickens as pets, being more interested in their color, feather pattern, and size than in egg or meat production?
* How many birds do you hope to keep?

By thinking about the answers to all of these questions in advance, you will have a better idea of what types of birds to look for. When doing research, most commercial poultry producers have online catalogues that feature important information about each breed, including their temperament, suitability for egg laying, adult size, and even what color eggs they typically produce. By having an idea of what characteristics are important to you before you buy, you have a greater chance of being happy with your selection later on.

If you are new to keeping chickens, there are many resources available to learn more, including books, videos, and personal resources. Speak to friends or neighbors who may keep a home flock. Research any chicken clubs or groups that may be active in your area, and many experienced members are happy to educate new owners. You can even contact your local extension service farm supply, or agricultural school to see if they area aware of any classes or resources available. Finally, reputable commercial poultry suppliers can also provide basic care information for beginners.

Over the next few weeks we will be sharing information different chicken breeds that have made Sheep Pasture home. We will let you know when we share a breed that currently lives or will be living there over the next few weeks so that you can take a look and see them for yourself next time you visit!