Interested in getting more eggs?

Have you considered a rare breed?

Over the past few weeks, there is a massive influx in the amount of people wanting backyard chooks. If you have been considering chickens, why not look into rare breeds. Rare breeds add a bit of colour and spunk to your backyard flock and often have characteristics that make them well suited to extreme climates.

If you are looking for a larger bird that can be a dual purpose bird or you live in a colder climate, you can’t go past breeds such as Orpingtons, Cochins, Croad Langshans, Brahmas, Faverolles, Wyandottes, Plymouth Rocks and rare colours of Sussex. These breeds come in a wide range of colours and are often great winter layers.

If you live in a warmer climate, I’d suggest Anconas, Andalusians, Leghorns, Vorwerks, Minorcas or any other Mediterranean breeds. These breeds are often amazing layers but sometimes a little flighty.

If you are looking for pets for the kids, Try a breed like bantam Modern Games. These little sweeties are tiny, making it easy for kids to hold. They also come in a wide range of colours and are very quiet around kids. They also tolerate less space than other breeds.

If you are looking for a low maintenance, hardy breed, go no further than a Hardfeather fowl. These birds are the athletes of the chook world and are ideal for people on farms or want their chooks to free range. Most breeds are easy enough to find in Large and Bantam, allowing for the perfect suit for your situation.  There are heaps of rare breeds within Hard feather including some colours Old English Game (OEG), Modern Game, Malay (For those that like huge Jurassic chooks), Aussie Game, Indian Game and American Game. Some strains of Hardfeather can be quite flighty, so if you want a breed for the kids, I would suggest Bantams.

If you are someone that love weird and wonderful chooks, Look into these breeds. They can often be harder to find, however are a great addition to any flock. Look up Polish (have an amazing crest that resembles a chrysanthemum flower), Houdan (Have a crest, plus 5 toes and the most amazing comb) Frizzle (all the feathers are curly), Phoenix, Sumatra and Yokohama (The long tail Breeds), Silkies (Fur like feathers), Sebrights (Tiny little laced chooks) Spanish (aka Clown Chooks), Transylvanian Naked Necks (naturally have no feathers on their necks and crop).

Before buying your next backyard bird, consider a Rare Breed.

-Jack Murphy