My dad always had a lot of Rhode Island Reds. And a few bantys. I hated those mean little blankety blanks. The Reds were always nice to handle. I don't remember what the meat birds were, only that they were white.

My paternal grandfather always had Barred Plymouth Rock and Buff Cochins for layers along with rainbow variety of fancy chickens for his amusement.

I would love to get into raising a few layers and meat birds but at this point in time it's not feasible. I have plenty of room for it and several around this tiny town have chickens. With jumbo eggs $1.97 a dozen at Winco, it kind takes the incentive out of raising layers. Of course the quality of eggs from home raised is far above anything you can get in the store.

Now thats just mean.

Just a heads up, Cackle has 25% off for July 6th or 8th hatch.

Last night we finalized our order but will add more later

8 Americana blue egg layers
5 mystery blue egg layers
5 silkys for my kids
10 buff cochins
16 Wyandottes of various colors
5 brown leghorns
5 delwares
10 exotic island special

Hopefully a mix of good birds for the kids and eggs.

Small grain will be harvested soon, was hoping to mix around a ton of feed once that happens and I can do it cheap. Anyone have a feed recipe they mix and grind?

Pretty much most any grain ground and mixed, depends on what you got but corn is a heavy component, lot of recipes in the old farm manuels, expensive part is the protein, what are you doing for that?
Soybean can be a part for that but should be cooked, and not be the sole source....

I can definitely add soybean meal. Maybe Fishmeal or something to up protein? I'm not real sure

Fish meal is a good source, probably the expensive part, lol, but I believe it's in every commercial feed, so you pay for it anyway, just need to get your ratios right, so you use just enough...but I don't have those recipes.

We free range ours,they roost in a coop but most days we open the door and let them forage.

We added some black australorps when someone told us "hawks think they are crows and stay away"
Not sure if there is any truth to that but have not lost one to hawks since

Mostly brown egg layers with a handful of araucanas

We had guineas but they cost more and they are dumb as dirt and quickly picked off by predators
Also had game bantams and the hawks picked them all off real quick

Had a trio of Golden Sebright for few years .
True Bantams and seemed like jungle fowl characteristics.
Lived in my fence rows and underbrush.
Ticks and insects were almost non existent.
Didn't like open yard grazing.
Flying easily.
Often used a brooding hen on their eggs.
Neighbors liked having them around also.

I've always liked big chickens, black jersey giants, light brahmas, buff orpington, barred rocks. White leghorns are great egg layers but not very friendly.
Free ranging them will give them plenty of protein. In the winter, I give mine a deer neck or ribcage to peck at, a deer heart will be gone within the day. Any carcass from your trapline will work too.

Tip on the cochins.

Try your best to keep them on dry ground or elevated. Also clean ground free of litter or chicken crap. Those feather legs are mud collectors.

Cochins are Dad's favorites and they are the worst of the feather legged breeds to keep looking good due to being the heaviest feathered, soft feathered, and short legged. The ideal cochin is nothing but a big ball of loose fluffy feathers that will hoover up every bit of mud or trash.

These guys are going outside in the chicken coop tomorrow.

I have to get rid of the 3 plus year old birds in the coop..and clean it out

Now that the 3 days of 97 degree swamp heat is gone.

No eggs until end of October...got these guys a little late

Chicken owners actually play with thier chickens? LOL