Why did the chicken lay the colored egg?

Different chickens lay different colored eggs. The color of the egg is determined by genetics. All eggs start out white when forming inside the hen. Before the hen lays the egg, the pigment is deposited that will give the egg it's color. Chicken eggs can come in a diverse range of colors from white to cream, green, pink, blue and even chocolate brown. 

Taste the rainbow.

A lot of people say that they think brown eggs taste better than white eggs. Others may question how good a green egg could possibly be. However, the egg flavor and nutrition is not based on the egg, but, rather,  the diet of the chicken that the egg originates. A chicken with a diet high in grasses, seeds, vegetables, and herbs will produce a better tasting egg. 

The diet of the chicken can also change the color of the yolk inside. Where some chicken eggs have a darker yellow color yolk, some have a lighter color. The whites in the eggs can also vary in color. The color of the whites reflects the amount of riboflavin (producing greenish egg whites) and carbon dioxide (cloudy colored egg whites). Some eggs also contain a white sometimes stringy mass in the whites. That is called chalazae. They are a natural part of the egg and anchor the yolk in the thick white. The size of the chalazae will determine the quality of the egg. The more prominent the chalazae, the higher quality in the egg. Want to add to your chicken and egg nutrition?  Feed them PopWorms! ECO.

What color egg will your chicken lay?

The two most common color of eggs is white and brown. The white eggs that you buy in stores often come from Leghorn chickens. They can lay up to 280-300 eggs a year. They are very active and hardy birds. Other chickens that lay white eggs are  Andalusian, Ancona, Lakenvelder, Polish, and Hamburg.
 
Australorp chickens are popular and  have easy care. They lay about 250 brown eggs a yea. Australorp chickens are good for both their eggs and their meat. While Australorp chickens lay a lighter brown egg color, Welsummer, Barnevelder, Marans, and Penedesenca chickens lay a darker brown color.
 
Blue eggs are relatively rare. The most common of these breeds are the Cream Legbar chickens. This breed is still relatively rare. Cream Legbar chicken hens lay around 200 eggs per year.
There is one breed of chicken that does, in fact, lay a rainbow of colors. The Easter Egger lay blue, green, pinkish, and cream eggs. Easter Eggers area variety of chicken that lays large to extra-large eggs. Shades vary from blue to green to olive to aqua and sometimes even pinkish. They are friendly and hardy birds making them a great choice for a family flock.

So much to choose from.

With so many different types of chickens laying so many different colors, it is hard to choose which chicken is right for your coop. Before starting your flock make sure you do plenty of research so you know just how to care for your new feathered friends. Backyard Poultry is a great place to look for information. The Old Farmer's Almanac is another great source of information on which breed to go with and how to care for them.

The taste of deviled eggs immediately takes me to family Christmas parties, July 4th celebrations, and Easter get-togethers.  They have always been a staple in my family.  My mother was the designated deviled egg maker for our large family and would make dozens at a time.  She would let my brother, sister and I “stuff” the eggs, but always warned us not to eat the stuffing UNLESS there was stuffing leftover after all of the eggs were filled.  But most of the time, she would end up boiling extra eggs to account for the extra stuffing that we would eat.  I would like to say that I have outgrown that temptation, but I have not. 
 
Deviled eggs are creamy, yummy little packages of flavor.  They are extremely versatile and can be sweet or savory, and can be topped with just about anything.  I never say no to eggs, and now have many from my mother and friend’s backyard chickens.  So, in coming up with what to do with the eggs, the first thing that came to my mind was deviled eggs.  I was going to make deviled eggs topped with pickled shrimp, but a friend of mine suggested topping with candied bacon.  Though the shrimp topping is tasty, I was intrigued by the combination of crispy, smoky-sweet bacon topping the decadent eggs.  This recipe also introduces a tiny bit of heat by also dusting the bacon in cayenne and topping the eggs with slices of pickled jalapeno.  I also mixed sweet and dill relish for the stuffing, and added just a touch of cayenne.  In the end it is a wonderful cornucopia of flavors of sweet and sour, with just the right amount of heat!  Thanks so much to my friend for this suggestion; It is definitely a keeper!  I served the eggs with pimento cheese, toast, stone-ground mustard and sweet gherkins. Make and Enjoy!
 
Servings: 12 deviled eggs

Ingredients:
6 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
4 slices thick-cut bacon
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cayenne powder and more to taste
¼ good quality mayonnaise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
½ tablespoon sweet relish
½ tablespoon dill relish
Salt and pepper to taste
12 slices pickled jalapeño, cut in half
Paprika if desired for garnish
 
For the bacon:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with a cooling rack.
2. Mix brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cayenne in a shallow bowl and dredge bacon through mixture, covering both sides .
3. Arrange the bacon on the rack and cook until crisp, about 18 minutes. 
4. Allow to cool and cut each slice into thirds.

 
For the eggs:

1. Slice eggs lengthwise. Remove the yolk to a small bowl and place the emptied egg whites on a plate.
2. Mash the yolks with a fork, then add the mayonnaise, mustard, relish, salt, and pepper 
3. Mix together until creamy, and add cayenne to taste.
4. Use a spoon to add a portion of the deviled egg mixture back into the hole of each egg white.
5. Place one piece of cut, candied bacon into each egg, place a half pickled jalapeño slice on both sides of the bacon, and dust with paprika or cayenne for garnish.
6. Try not to eat all of them before company arrives! :)
   

Raising baby chicks can be a lot of fun for the whole family. They're adorable, funny and so sweet. However, they are live animals and any baby animal must be treated with care. In addition to the regular care you should take with raising birds, there are also several chick diseases you want to watch out for. Here are two of the most common diseases or conditions along with treatment method and preventative measures you can take.
 
Coccidiosis
This is the number one killer of baby chicks and the disease you most need to worry about. This is a highly contagious parasitic disease of the intestinal tract. This disease can kill your chicks so quickly, you may not know they have it until you've already lost it. Sick chicks may be weak and listless and have bloody or foamy stool.
 
Prevent Coccidiosis by buying pre-vaccinated chicks or making sure chicks you hatch at home are vaccinated or fed medicated feed early on.
 
Treat sick chicks with a Corid 9.6% liquid solution. The dosage is 9.5cc to a gallon of water for five days. Make sure to isolate sick chicks from all other chicks.
 
Dehydration
Dehydration is both very serious and a very easy condition for chicks to come down with. Dehydrated chicks can die very quickly from dehydration so you should always take all measures to prevent this and treat it very quickly if it happens. Dehydrated chicks will become pale in the face, start to pant or breathe heavily and become listless and weak.
 
To prevent dehydration always keep clean, cool, fresh water available in a place the chicks can easily reach. Change it frequently as chicks will get their water dirty very quickly.
 
To treat dehydration, wrap the chick in a tow and provide water with electrolytes via medicine dropper a few drops at a time. You can also provide the water and dip their beak in to encourage them to drink.

Hatching Backyard Chickens from Eggs
Picture an elementary school classroom.  On a desk at one end sits a small incubator with a few quiet eggs.  Little faces peer with wonder through the glass. As the children watch with rapt attention, a little beak moves.  The little chick works. She works and works, poking and pecking at the outside of her shell until finally she's out.  Wobbly, she stands next to the broken egg shell as the children cheer.
 
You don't have to be a child to experience the childlike joy and wonder that comes from watching a chicken hatch from an egg.  Anyone can hatch chickens from eggs in an incubator. You can set it up right in your living room. Once the chicks hatch and grow into adult chickens, you can add them to an existing backyard flock, or use them to start one.  Hatching chickens from eggs is a fun and rewarding experience. Here's a list of things you will need if you want to get started:
 
The Incubator
There are a lot of choices for incubators so try not to get overwhelmed.  You could buy one from a supplier, or, if you think this is a one-time project, rent one.  Try calling agricultural schools, farms or schools in your area go see if they have one you can borrow or rent.  If you don't have any luck finding a local place to borrow one from, try searching for incubator rentals online. You can find a place like this one that can rent you an incubator for a short period of time.  If you decide to buy, a quick internet search will get you a ton of options. Some things to keep in mind when choosing your incubator:
 

• How many eggs do you want to hatch?  Keep in mind that not all eggs you incubate may hatch, so if you go with a small incubator you risk having fewer chickens.  
• How much manual work can you put into incubation every day?  Some incubators require manual turning, temperature and humidity adjustments.  If you don't have time, it is better to go for a more expensive model that has all those features included.

Eggs
All your set up efforts would seem kind of silly if you didn't get eggs, right?  But where? Again, local agricultural schools and farms are a good resource here. If you go with a local farm, you may not have much of a choice over what kind of chickens you get.  If this is important to you, you should probably turn to the internet. Many hatcheries will ship fertile eggs to you, and you can pick the breed of chicken. Pick a breed based on your needs.  If you want power layers, go for something like the Rhode Island Red, or another one from this list. If you are working with limited space, bantams are a good option. They're mini chickens, but they can still give you delicious eggs.  
 
Other Stuff 

• Post hatching cage.  An aquarium should do the trick.  You want something the little guys can't escape from.  
• Accessories and food.  You'll want to have this stuff ready in advance, your newborns will be hungry after all that work!  Check out our products for some good food options.
• Adult chicken set up.  You can build your own coop or buy one that meets your needs and your expected flock size.  Check out this blog post for more on coops.

 
Once you've got everything ready, you sit back and… wait.  Your incubated eggs will take approximately 21 days to hatch.  As they say, the waiting is the hardest part!

Chickens never stop scratching, hunting and eating-and neither do we. Wouldn't it be great if we could share the products of our next harvest with our flock by planting healthy, easy to grow fruits and veggies that would feed all of us? Whether you're planning a backyard garden or have a greenhouse, there are plenty of awesome crops awaiting your discovery. Gardeners and homesteaders alike can take advantage of these fruits and veggies because they're easy to grow, produce large amounts of food, and are packed with the nutrition both humans and chickens need to stay fit and productive.
 
Top 10 Sustainable Foods for You & Your Brood
Chickens and people love the following easy to grow herbs, fruits, and veggies. The good news is, they are crops that grow all across the country regardless of your gardening zone. 
 
1) Broccoli Greens: Provide flowers for people, leaves and stems with a little grit for the chicks.
Nutritional Values: Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc 
 
2) Nasturtiums: Grows annually with human grade foliage and flowers, plant them alongside your fence for the chicks to munch on.
Nutritional values: Sodium, Vitamin C
 
3)  Beet Greens: Thrives in both warm and cool weather, chickens love these and you can add them to soups just as you would celery.
Nutritional Values: Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin A
 
4)  Carrots: Best of both worlds; carrots for your mirepoix and the healthy greens get gobbled up by the chickens.
Nutritional Values: Vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Iron, Vitamin B-6, Magnesium
 
5)  Clover: White clover for puddings, red clover for tea, chickens love it and it helps your garden by attracting bees.
Nutritional Value: Calcium, Chromium, Magnesium, Niacin, Phosphorus, Potassium, Thiamine, Vitamin C
 
6)  Dandelions: Helps support a healthy digestive tract in chickens and people can add them to enhance delicious salads.
Nutritional Value: Protein, Choline, Inulin, Pectin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, B6, Thiamine, Calcium, Copper, Manganese, Iron
 
7)  Greens: Oh, the bountiful harvest! So healthy, so nutritious, so yum and so big!
       a)  Mustard Greens
       b)  Kale
       c)  Cabbage
       d)  Chard
Nutritional Value: Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Vitamin C, Vitamin K
 
8)  Berries:  Chickens love these sweet treats and they grow very well in containers.
       a)  Strawberries 
       b)  Blueberries
       c)  Blackberries 
Nutritional Value: Calcium, Vitamin C, Iron, Vitamin B-6, Magnesium 
 
9) Sunflowers: Harvest and dry both the flowers and seeds in late summer, they store well and are packed with protein.
Nutritional Value: Vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Iron, Vitamin B-6, Magnesium
 
10)  Pumpkins, Melons, Zucchini, Squash: Grows well during the summer and easily stored for soups, pies and a super tasty treat for chicks.
Nutritional Value: Vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin C, Iron, Vitamin B-6, Magnesium
 
Hacks for Healthier Hens
Lisa Steele, owner of Fresh Eggs Daily states, "I have been fermenting whole and cracked grain organic layer feed with added oats and cracked corn. The chickens love it and I'm confident I'm providing them THE best diet I can." More good advice comes from Off the Grid News, "Learn how to grow fodder yourself inside. Fodder is an excellent supplement for your chickens in the winter months. It will boost the quality of your eggs, as well."
 
Source:https://groworganicforlife.com/collections/nesting-herbs/products/happy-tummy-herbal-treat-for-backyard-chickens
Source:  https://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/calories/generic-nasturtium-leaves-11858465
Source:https://www.livestrong.com/article/509649-what-are-the-benefits-of-eating-beet-greens/
Source:https://hubpages.com/living/trifolium
Source:https://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2015/03/how-to-save-money-fermenting.html

Adding more chickens to your flock is a delightful way to have more fresh eggs, friendly clucking, and silly antics to watch. In order to achieve a healthy, utopian environment for the whole flock, consider these tips when introducing the newcomers to the rest of the flock.
Chickens instinctively establish a pecking order from a very young age. This process establishes an authoritarian system, and determines dominance and rank. With new chickens in the coop, the status quo changes and the pecking order must be reestablished.
Chickens will fluff their neck feathers, strut, raise their wings, and peck at each other's necks to establish pecking order. The weaker ones will submit to the more dominant ones and effectively give up their rights to eating and drinking first, as well as access to the most coveted nesting boxes. This is a normal and necessary step to how the flock functions, but introductions should be made slowly and with care.

Consider the Breed and Size
Some breeds of chickens are more welcoming to newcomers than others. Hybrids, Buff Orpingtons and Plymouth Rocks are friendly, docile, and take to newcomers easily. On the other hand, Silkies or Rhode Island Reds can be very territorial and may not readily accept newbies.
Be sure to wait to introduce the chickens until they are all about the same size. Introducing younger chickens while they are still small in size will lead to inevitable bullying.

Eggs-amine Your Space
Make sure your chicken coop has enough space to accommodate everyone. This includes adequate space on the roosting bar, enough nesting boxes, free space around feeders and waterers, and plenty of personal space per chicken both inside and outside of the coop. Tight, cramped quarters lead to territorial, cranky birds that are more likely to fight.

Making Introductions
When it's time to make introductions it is wise to not rush the process.

• You may want to quarantine the new chickens for up to month to ensure they are disease free and will not contaminate your existing chickens.
• Put the new chickens in a crate and place it next to the coop for one week so they can see and hear each other.
• After a week, let only the new chickens into the pen first. Then, let the others join in.
• If there is too much squabbling, place the newbies back in their crate and try again the next day. It may take 3-4 attempts before there is peace and acceptance. You can always use treats, like PopWorms!, as a distraction, to break up fights, and to affirm that their food source has not been compromised.
  

With patience and care, your growing flock will soon be healthy and thriving!

If you haven't done so already, check out our post from last week on tips for building a chicken coop; you might get lucky and find a coupon code!

In recent years it has become increasingly popular to have your very own backyard chickens. What better way to buy local, right?! If you happen to be considering starting your own venture into chicken husbandry you'll need to think about housing your chickens and building the best coop for your new clucky friends. We'll talk about size, ventilation, insulation, construction materials, nesting boxes, and all things building your birds their best home. 

1. Make it Legal
Before you start mapping out your yard and deciding on placement for your chicken coop, make sure you visit the appropriate local authorities. You'll need to find the laws your state and city have for backyard chicken husbandry before you begin. Some locations have limitations on the number of birds an individual can own and may forbid homeowners to keep backyard fowl period. If your neighborhood has a Home Owner's Association you might want to check in with them as well. While we here at PopWorms! thoroughly enjoy chickens and the benefits of owning them, not everyone feels this way.

2. Location
According to Claborn Farms there are a few important factors to consider when choosing placement for your chicken coop. The first factor is convenience. Where you place your coop should be easily accessible while still being safe for your chickens. You'll want your coop to be located someplace you're able to easily collect eggs, feed, water, and care for your chickens. The second is shade. If you live in a warmer climate placing your coop in the shade of a large tree, or providing shade another way, will be important for keeping your chickens cool during the hot summer months. Your coop should also be located in an area with good drainage and dry ground for sanitary and health reasons. Finally, you'll want to place your chickens where it most benefits your yard. For farm owners, having chickens is highly beneficial as they can move them around to where they're needed to fertilize orchards, gardens (in the off season) and lawns. Since your coop will likely not be portable, it's important to place it where it works best for you and your chickens. 

3. Building Materials 
First and foremost, you'll need some building plans for your coop. You can purchase chicken coop plans, or there are websites like The Happy Chicken who offer free DIY chicken coop plans. If you're feeling daring you also have the option to create your own. Once you have your plans you'll need to start gathering materials. 
Depending on your design you have a few options for building materials. Generally speaking, you'll need materials for framing, walls, ramps, foundation, doors, windows (if you want them), roofing, exterior finishes, and fencing or screens. Your choice in materials will vary according to your chicken coop plans. What works for someone else's coop may not also work for yours. Coop Design Plans has multiple suggestions for creative material use in chicken coops. They are quick to point out that while lumber works best and allows more creativity in construction, it can often be more expensive. If it is within your budget, it's a great option. Coop Design Plans also states that fencing your chickens in for their chicken run will need to be done with careful consideration. While chicken wire might seem like the most obvious choice, it rusts quickly and doesn't protect your chickens from predators. Chain link fencing poses a similar problem as smaller predators, like raccoons, can still get their hands through the fence. Creating a wood framed and screened chicken run that's attached to your chicken coop may be preferable in this instance. You have endless options for the roofing of your coop as it's acceptable to use just about anything you'd use for roofing on a house. This opens up a lot of options for design, aesthetic, and overall safety. 

4. Size
The size of your chicken coop will depend on how many chickens you intend/are allowed to have. It's important not to build for more chickens than you have the space for. You'll also have to be within the limitations set by your city and state. The general concesus is that you need 2-3 square feet per chicken inside the coop and roughly 8-10 square feet per chicken in an outside run. Make sure you have the space for these accommodations prior to building. 

5. Ventilation and Insulation 
According to Better Hens and Gardens ventilation is of the utmost importance for chicken health, even in winter. You might be thinking, "But won't my chickens be cold? It's freezing outside!" Truth be told, chickens generate a lot of heat all by themselves! During the winter months your chickens may be spending more and more time inside the coop. Their body heat, breathing, and droppings all create moisture and humidity inside the coop. That moisture in the air can create a multitude of problems for your feathery friends including illness, frostbite, and respiratory tract damage. The amount of ventilation required will depend upon the climate and weather conditions. The hotter it gets, the more ventilation your chickens will need. In places where very hot weather isn't a concern the recommendation is one square foot of ventilation per ten square feet of floor space. 
Insulating your chicken coop is easy. Simply make sure to fill in any holes in the walls. Additionally, you'll want to check for any drafts in the coop. If you do find it to be a bit drafty you can use caulking to cover any gaps or cracks in the coop. 

6. Nesting Boxes 
The folks over at The Happy Chicken Coop make a great point: the nesting boxes are not for the chickens, they are for YOU! Chickens will lay their eggs wherever they feel safe and secure. The nesting boxes make it so you can easily find and collect eggs each day. Otherwise you would be searching the whole area for eggs. The ideal nesting box is quiet, safe, private, and dark. It should be in a low activity area and no more than 18 inches off the ground. The number of boxes you need will depend upon the number of hens you have and size will depend on the breed you have chosen. You have the option of building your nesting box into your coop, purchasing one, or creating one of your own. The nesting boxes create a safe place for egg laying while maintaining convenience for you, it's a win-win! 
Deciding to get backyard chickens is a huge decision. It requires a lot of careful thought and planning. We hope this guide gives you a jumpstart in your planning so you can make your way towards creating the dream chicken coop for both you and your charming fowl.

Already have a coop or want to get stocked up on PopWorms! for your incoming flock? Use the code COOP for 20% off PopWorms! ECO 1 lb and PopWorms! Live, good until 3/15/2019!

If you have a small backyard, you may think your dreams of raising chickens will always remain dreams. Luckily, chicken breeds are practically boundless. If you have limited space, bantams may be your answer. Bantam chickens are miniature chickens. They may be as small as half the size of regular chickens. Smaller chickens mean smaller coops, cages, and living spaces. Some of the most popular bantam breeds have docile personalities and are great egg layers. If you are ready to start a bantam chicken flock, here are some breeds to consider.

1. Pekin Bantam - Also known as Cochin Bantams, these fluffy chickens make great pets. The friendly nature of the Pekin Bantam makes them popular with families, and they come in a variety of colors including black, blue, buff, white, and black.
2. Japanese Bantam - Popular for their beautiful appearance, Japanese Bantams come in a variety of colors. One of the smaller breeds, these bantams have a showy array of tail feathers and are great breeds for fairs and shows. These tiny beauties have friendly personalities as well.
3. Sebright Bantam - With their striking feather pattern, Sebright Bantams are sure to be a favorite in the small yard flock. While they are only available in two colors, their unique look will keep you from missing variety. Hens and roosters share the same pattern. Sebrights are also a friendly bantam breed.
4. Brahma Bantams - The friendly nature of Brahma Bantams makes them the perfect city chicken. Available in a large variety of colors, Brahma Bantams are tolerant to cold weather and can be a good choice for northern flocks. Brahmas are also productive egg layers.
5. Easter Eggers - These adorable bantams are sometimes called Araucanas because they originated from the breed. These chickens are good layers, but they are really known for the rainbow of colored eggs they produce. Egg colors may include blue, green, white, brown, and pink.
6. Leghorn Bantams - Leghorns share many of the same qualities as their full-size counterparts. Known for their beautiful appearance and enjoyed for a proud personality, Leghorns are a valuable addition to any flock. These bantams are also very productive layers.
7. Plymouth Rock - The barred variety of this chicken is one of the most popular bantam breeds. Besides its pretty appearance, Plymouth Rock Bantams have a docile personality and are great egg producers.
8. Sussex - Sussex bantams are champion egg producers. They even lay eggs in the winter, which is an unusual quality for bantams. Their tame nature and larger size make them a good choice for children's pets.
9. Dutch Bantams - Dutch bantams are an attractive breed that comes in a variety of colors. They are productive layers and have docile personalities.
10. Serama Bantams - Seramas are the smallest bantams, making them a winner for small spaces. Their appearance is much like the Japanese Bantam. However, they are accepted in any color combination creating a potentially endless variety.

Whether you are buying your chicks from a hatchery or a local store, bantam chicks are widely available. These tiny chicks are fun to raise and grow quickly. For cooking, it typically takes two of these dainty eggs to equal one regular chicken egg.

Spring is on the horizon, and with it comes a blast of bright fresh hope that stirs an awakening in all of us. What you will do with these feelings of resurgence are of course up to you, but what better time to finally start your own backyard chicken flock! Our next series of posts will be aimed at starting a backyard flock, or expanding your current flock.

The benefits are as plentiful as springtime rosebuds: tasty fresh eggs, the joy of watching your funny little backyard companions, and the satisfaction of knowing exactly where your food is coming from, to name a few. But the task can seem daunting if you don't know where to begin. We're here to settle the old "What came first?" debate to tell you as a beginner, start with the chickens before the eggs. Or at least chicks.

Very soon, stores around the country will begin selling cute fuzzy chicks, and while they are all adorable, not every breed is perfect for a backyard flock. Of course not everyone is looking for the same things out of their backyard flock, so read the reasons behind our list before making your final judgments.

Top 10 Breeds for Backyard Chicken Flocks:

1. Rhode Island Red - Perhaps the standard bearer for backyard flocks, the Rhode Island Red is very popular for good reasons. Year round layers, these dual-purpose birds provide great egg production as well as enough mass to be good table fare. Hardy and easy to care for, they don't require a ton of space, though they are generally not as outgoing as others on this list. Reds will be happier when allowed to forage on occasion. On average you can expect around 275 brown eggs per year.
   
2. Buff Orpington - Very friendly and soft, this breed makes a great pet while still offering solid egg production of 200 light brown eggs per year. They are inclined to get broody (prone to wanting to nest), thus the lower egg production than some of the other breeds mentioned.  
3. Wyandotte -  A great dual-purpose bird, the Wyandotte will lay around 250 brown/tan eggs per year, and also makes a good meat source. Thick feathers make them hardy enough for cold weather environments, but they do require more maintenance to keep clean for the same reason. 
4. Australorp - Hardy and docile, these popular dual-purpose birds will lay around 250 brown eggs per year. These birds do like to free range for bugs so they need a little space, or at the very least a grassy run attached to their coop.
   
5. Plymouth Rock - Another easy to care for, dual purpose breed. Laying about 200 big brown eggs per year, these birds are extremely friendly, but do best when offered free range over a backyard.
6. New Hampshire Red - One can argue they are better overall choice than their brethren from Rhode Island, because this breed tends to be friendlier while offering similar egg production, great overall heartiness, and are easy to care for. However, they are not as common to find, and they can be aggressive to other chickens, so be careful introducing other birds to the flock.
7. Sussex - Originally considered a meat bird, the Sussex lays about 200 tinted colored eggs per year, making it a solid dual purpose breed for backyard flocks.
8. Leghorn - Not a great pet, but excellent egg layers offering upwards of 300 white eggs per year. More skittish than other breeds.
9. Ameraucana - Known for colorful eggs that tend to be blue, but can come in ranges from white, to pink, to green. Friendly enough breed that works great as a pet or egg layer, but they are not great for meat production. Expect around 260 colorful eggs per year. 
10. Hybrids - There are many hybrid strains available today, so it is hard to place them on this list, but we would be amiss not to mention them in here because many make ideal choices for backyard flocks. Not technically pure breeds, this group of chickens are usually cheaper to buy and are early, hearty egg layers, but production may decline after the first year. Also the overall life expectancy is often shorter. We suggest additional research into the particular strain you are considering to learn about its unique qualities and concerns.

Truthfully you can't go wrong with any of these reputable choices. Nutrition, care, and breeding are always factors in the health and production of any flock. Buy your stock from reputable breeders and you will enjoy all of the attributes a backyard flock brings to your life.

Your chicken's dietary requirements during the winter are vastly different from what they are in the warmer months. Although winterizing the coop is an important step in protecting your chickens from the cold, make sure you have your flock's meal plans sorted out as well!

When it's cold, chickens enter a recuperation phase that ensures they are ready for the following Spring. If you want your hens to be able to perform at their best you need to help them get the most out of their recuperation phase! Laying eggs is very draining, and without proper downtime, they will not be able to keep up the following year!

During the egg-laying season, hens depend on protein, but during the winter, chickens require an increase in carbohydrates to keep their bodies warm. In the winter, they will typically eat 1.5 times the amount they usually do, so stock up on plenty of nutritious food items for your flock!

Foods To Feed For Winter

• Layer pellets: pellets are a no-nonsense way to fulfill your chicken's nutritional requirements while keeping them healthy!
• Grit: Grit is gathered when they peck and scratch at the ground, but during the winter months the earth often freezes over. To help them out make sure your commercial feed contains grit or sprinkle some crushed grit in their area.  
• Oats: Cook up some oatmeal and put it out for them on chilly days! The warmth will heat them right up.
• Cracked corn: Since corn takes time to digest, a bit before bed helps keep them warm overnight! Corn is greater than 75% carbohydrate, so is a great source of this nutrient chickens need in the cold.
• Greenery: Think carrots (and peels), cabbage, spinach, kale, chard, pumpkin, squash, and even hay. 
  
• Protein: Protein is especially useful if any of your feathered friends are still molting. Look for insect sources that are rated high in protein such as PopWorms! ECO. Use the code 2019 to get 30% off until 1/31/2019!
  

Bonus Winter Tips

• Winterize their coop: Make sure you have proper insulation bedding to ensure you have a warm, happy flock! But don't forget: proper ventilation is essential to avoid moisture buildup!
  
• Avoid frozen water: Just like us, chickens need to drink plenty of fresh water during the winter. To keep their water from freezing, change it frequently or invest in a heated water dish. 
  
• Keep an eye out for eggs: Eggs can freeze over in the winter so collect more than usual if your hens continue laying.
  
• Clean often: If your chickens are spending more time inside it goes without saying their coop will become dirty faster. Check out our blog post on tips for keeping your coop clean!
  
• Combat boredom: Up the healthy treats and toys to keep your chickens entertained. Below are a couple of chicken toys to help keep them active:
  
  • Lixit Chicken Toy
    
  • Peck N Play Chicken Ball
    
  • Chicken Swing
    
• Roomy Roost: Roosts give chickens a place to huddle to stay warm. Make sure yours is spacious enough for your entire flock!
  

If you have any additional tips or tricks you'd like to share, let us know in the comments!