Backyard Chickens, Heritage Breeds

My Garden Treasures Heritage Chickens

I have been busy in my backyard for eight weeks now. I had an early batch of chickens. In July our hens started to lay. It is the first year we have had a rooster for a while. We hatched him ourselves from an egg less than 12 months ago.

Gold Penciled Plymouth Rock hen and chicks

He is now a very handsome Heritage breed rooster, a Dark Barred Plymouth Rock Bantam. These are very difficult to find. 

Dark Barred Plymouth Rock Rooster

He mated with a pen full of my other heritage breed hens - Rhode Island Reds, Gold Penciled Plymouth Rocks, and Columbian Wyandottes. All bantams. 

The hens and rooster just love hanging around the back door waiting for a handout

I had plenty of eggs so we put them in the incubator, and watched and waited. And out popped some little black chicks.

Eggs and chickens in the incubator

These little balls of fluff have all turned out identical except for their crest. The chicks from the Plymouth Rock and RIR hens have the normal zigzag crest, while those from the Wyandotte hens have the typical flat, broad crest, close to the head.

Very Dark Barred Plymouth Rock cross chicks

The chicks are growing well. Aren't they pretty? Chicks for sale.

I also have another batch by a young mum that hid herself out in the garden and hatched these five chicks. Again, all the same as the first lot. 

Columbian Wyandotte pullet and chicks

Anyone one want to buy some chickens?

This mother and her chicks are for sale too. 

We are in Australia, right down south.