Reviews by Free Feather

I do not have any other vitamins to compare it to because I have not tried anything else, but I can think of several incidences, especially with chicks, where they were on the brink and giving them some of this in their mouth was what saved them. It can buy you time to figure out a diagnosis and treatment of a failing bird, and sometimes it even seems to cure them of whatever problem they were having. Good for stress.

I love these adorable bantams! For me, the gamier the breed the better, and Nankins combine a bit of calm domesticity with behaviors true to their ancestors, making them perfect for someone who wants a game breed that at times can be a good lap chicken. They forage very, very well, they do not take up much space, they are wary of predators, they fly very well, they go broody at the sight of a clutch, and they are very skilled mothers. They are wary of humans, but their natural curiosity makes them easier to tame if you desire a friendly chicken. The roosters are good fathers, and get along well with other roosters and chicks. I can keep this breed at a 1:1 ratio with no issues. They will be protective, but not to any length that one could call aggressive. I like that the hens are seasonal layers and that they do not lay often because I feel that is how a chicken was meant to lay. I also love their dull coloring that lets them blend in better to many surroundings, and their bug-eyes are adorable! They only thing I can say I do not like about them is their tendency to lay an egg that is large in proportion to their body size, making it hard for them to cover an average sized clutch, especially when their feathers are hard and do not fluff up very well.
Overall, they are a very cute chicken that can take care of itself, and I love that trait about them.

I am babysitting an Orpington, but it looks I will have her for a while. Oh, darn. I have three mutt chicks I hatched from her because she is one of the best chickens here. She is very sweet and perceptive, and I named her Whisper because she makes sweet, low noises and does not intrude much, but she is often very important and meaningful, like a whisper. Her best friend is a little Nankin hen named Penny who no one but her likes. They roost by themselves even though everyone likes Whisper because she will not leave Penny by herself. If anyone pecks Penny or shoves her out of the way, she gives them the smack down. You do not want to be anywhere near her if she sees you have brought a dog around her. She fluffs herself out to be huge and charges worse than any rooster I have had, like a big, fluffy, yellow bull. The dog is sorry! She is one of the boys' favorites, for sure. She does not love people, she tolerates them, but she had a bad past. Orpingtons would be great for the average person.

Reading this book gave me a better idea of how much space chickens really need. I knew the 10 in the run, 4 in the coop was unrealistic and not going to work with boys, especially if I wanted anyone to be happy, including the plants. Jessi stresses that chickens need more space than most think. Do not collect chickens. I was nearly guilty of this because of the classic requirements I had always heard. This book woke me up. 250 in the run, not 10.
I cannot wait to get my garden going after reading this book.

I am babysitting my grandmother's Basque pullet, and she scares me. I love chickens, but this girl is seriously like The Orphan crazy. She is little and cute with a buff color and a black tail (I do not know the names). I do not know if she is crazy because she was always picked on in a tiny, barren run, but I do know I do not trust her at all. She always has a completely blank look on her face, no matter what she is doing or what is going on. She does this continual, monotone crying noise that is nightmare worthy. I have bantams that make very funny noises, but this girl takes the cake for originality. She is afraid of big chickens. When she gets anywhere near a bantam chicken, her eyes glaze over and the crying noise gets higher and buzzier and quieter all at once. She zips out really fast and latches onto an eyelid or a waddle or comb, then rips and pulls in a calculated, jerky manner. This is nothing like a normal pecking order fight. When I pull her off, she looks blankly past me no matter how loud I scream in her face. Even the boys will not touch her. Ever. Even my very active game bantam cockerel moves out of her path. Dogs do not scare her, nor the dark or anything that logic tells you is scary. She is uninterested in treats. She has no friends. When a chicken just looks at her without getting close or knowing her, without her even glancing at them yet, they are already terrified of her. She does not randomly terrorize or chase anyone. It is just if they are sleeping or eating or just standing close that she sneaks up on them. She is adorable, but she acts like she is possessed or is a scary creature in a chicken's body. I am dead serious, you would agree if you just glanced at her. She has an unearthly intelligence and demeanor, like there is a world in her head she resides in all of the time.
If any of the others in this breed are like her, be very afraid. They are pretty, but once she takes this one back, I do not think I will get any.

I have two drakes, Lamorak and Amorok, and three hens, Lucia, Gillis, and Caillean. They are very pretty and some of my quieter ducks. The two drakes are inseparable. The females and males both get beautiful markings that look like they have been painted on. I have yet to get eggs, but they are still young.

My mother had a whole flock of Muscovies when I was little. They were all but one killed by our German Shepherd. The hens went broody and were very pretty, and the drakes were very protective. They will live a long time if let be.Mr. Duck, the last Muscovy, lived with no other ducks for a few years. He had no coop, instead roosting on the fence rails. Regardless of what others say, he had no issues in the winter. He would swim in our negative temperature creek. Mr. Duck lived to be 6, when he was hit by a car while trying to protect his Rouens hens. He died in my arms. I buried him under his favorite lilac, and I still cry when I think of him. He would wag his tail, his, and flick his mohawk. He was rough with the young Rouen hens, but he was so big. I want more when I live on my own.

Belle, my Khaki Campbell hen, is very pretty. She is too young to lay. My mother always had Khaki Campbells and hers laid very well, just never where she wanted them to. Belle is lighter in weight than the other ducks. She is very delicate looking. I like her light coloring because it blends in with our woods. She also flies well.

Hyzenthlay, my young Cayuga hen, is my flightiest and loudest duck. She is too young to lay. She is very pretty, but does not like to be touched.

I have one Blue Swedish drake named Gareth. He knows his name, and is the only duck out of twelve that like to be pet. He eats corn from my hand. He will protect the hens, and is always on the watch for hawks. He is very stern toward the other three drakes, but if it was not him, it would be one of the others. He is very kind towards the girls. He has accidentally hurt two Black Swedish hens while mating because he is so heavy, but he would never mean to. He waits outside the nests while they lay. I love him, and would like to have more.

I have more Wyandottes currently than any other breed. All but two are rescues. The girls are very fluffy and pretty. They take very good care of themselves free ranging, even as chicks. I had a cockerel that was taken by a fox. Gabriel was wary of people and would run the other boys off. He scared the bantam girls, and would try to stand up to me. I believe this was because of his cruel owner. She would beat him daily with a broom as young as 12 weeks old. She said it would teach him not to be mean when he was older. Even though he was kind of a jerk, I miss him very much. He tried to protect his girls as best as he could.I would definitely recommend them.

I have raised some from chicks a few times. Even as little babies, they could fly all around after flies. They are gorgeous, and the boys definitely act like a rooster.

I have had quite a few silkies at all different age groups. In my experience, they are true to their reputation in personality.

I have one Buff-Laced Sebright pullet named Dove. She is my favorite chicken. I love her quirky curiosity, her tiny frame, her loud noises, the funny faces she makes, and her strong personality. If I say "Lovey Dovey, can you scream?" She starts squalling louder and louder over my laughing. She tries to crow, and it is hilarious. I know she is a girl because of the egg I get from her every day. She either loves another chicken or she hates them it just depends with her.She comes to her name and like to be held. I save her from the bigger hens when they pick on her for being so odd and little. Even other bantams pick on her. I would love more. I recommend them to anyone who loves a personable chicken.

I had two Production Reds, Sweets and Willie. Willie disappeared from the yard (probably a fox), but we still have Sweets. Willie loved to eat eggs, but I did not really care, because they were hers anyway. They were both very loud with a deep, raspy BAC BAC BAC. They loved treats and food, but were not very smart with predators. You could kind of tell they were a bit dull, but I loved them anyways.
Sweets lays a huge egg every day, with a double yolk at least 3 times a week. It takes her a while in the nesting box. I do not like this at all because I have heard so much about their poor health and early deaths. I wanted her for a pet only, so I wish she would just stop laying so much. It is not natural.

I have a Blue Copper Marans cockerel, and he is by far the nicest boy I have. Bluebell came from a very bad situation, but he does not show it other than he is afraid to be outside the run unless his favorite girls are out there. The other boys will sometimes pick on him. He does not even try to fight. He runs right to me. I do not know about the girls because I only have a boy, but if they act like him, I would take some in a heart beat. He does not mind being picked up and held, he does not run away or act aggressive.

I have a black Langshan rooster that was supposed to be an australorp. He is very sweet and gentle with the girls and other roosters. I do not know about laying or broodiness because I only have a boy. He scares people with his intimidating size and dark eyes, but he is a big baby. He is gorgeous with a very deep crow.

The flightiness may just be these birds of mine in particular. I have two girls of an unknown age. I rescued them from a pretty horrible situation where the guy had a couple girls in with at least ten roosters, in filthy, crammed coops with no way to get outside. Cerilde is missing all her back and tail feathers, and has gashes and sores. She is very very afraid of everything but one Wyandotte she came with. The Wyandotte shares a little coop and run with her that has access to the big run and free ranging in the yard. They prefer to stay in the little run most of the day, away from all the other chickens. Cerinthe is not as flighty and adjusted to the other chickens pretty well. They are both very pretty and curious. They understand when things are dangerous and what should be avoided. They fly well, but Cerinthe has brittle legs. Delawares are nice for people who want pretty, smart birds. They lay well, but I would not care if they did not.

I have three Australorps of my own, and one I am babysitting for my grandmother. My rooster is very smart and perceptive. He is the perfect gentleman, even with many other roosters sharing the yard. The standard pullet, World, is aloof and perceptive like Nilo the rooster, but hates being touched. My bantam pullet, Crow, is so sweet! She is the cutest banty I have ever seen, and she is such a little baby. She is the whiner of the flock. She is so noisy, but she loved to be held, and her little fat self loves to eat. The first eggs she laid she wanted to brood, and I let her.

I had two Ameraucaunas, both wheaten. Sahara was at the top of the pecking order, but not mean. She was very smart and would give you this very wise look when you were frustrated or you fell, or anytime you were looking a fool. Jua was very sweet and curious. She was not as smart as Sahara, but she caught on fast and liked people, which I thought was odd considering the rest of the flock just tolerated you. They both were stolen by a person right out of the yard when I was at school before they started to lay eggs. I miss them very much.
They are great for free ranging because they are quick, bright, and fly fairly well. They are just adorable, and quiet. I wish I had more.