Appenzellers are distinctively beautiful. They have black and white speckled feathers that give them a festive look. Their feather crest also adds a bit of silliness to an otherwise pompous looking head. They like to roam around, and are intelligent, so they actually make quite good pets.

Once you decide that you may enjoy owning them, you can purchase baby chicks and even unhatched eggs online. Breeders will take orders for chicks, and also give you good information about how to ensure they arrive safely to you. Any questions about how to feed and care for your Spitz, as they are called, are often answered at the breeder websites.

As pets, Spitz are wonderful. They can become friendly to human touch with effort and time. In exchange for your efforts, they will produce anywhere from 140 to 160 white medium sized eggs each year. It is rewarding to know that you will feed and water them, but they will also return fresh, healthy eggs to you in return. Because you will feed them good things, their eggs will have orange yolks, which show that the eggs are more nutritious.

The families who own Appenzellers enjoy their unique personality traits. Some say that it is their intelligence that makes them different, and others say that it is their silly, fluffy crest of head feathers. Owners often remark that you can train them to be picked up and carried around, much like you would a dog. It seems that the birds learn to enjoy being stroked and held, too.

Three other great attributes they have are a tendency to be quiet, an ability to forage well, and fine flying skills. Some owners note that because the Spitzhauben size tends to be smaller than other chickens, it stays cleaner and does not need the watering that others do. They also note that the crest is much different from other chickens, making it very distinctive in appearance, and this is a plus when caring for chickens in your backyard.

Some owners find that the Spitz stay cleaner and need less watering. The general thinking is that the birds are smaller in size and tend to be less messy because of it. These chickens also love to roost up in your trees. Some families have found that their chickens are all up in the trees, rather in than in their coop. You may find that this happens to you too, and that the flock may not return to the coop unless it becomes very cold. For these reasons, Spitz have the reputation of being independent, though interesting.

Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens really enjoy nosing about for insects. You will find them to be excellent climbers and fliers, too. For this reason, you will need good fencing if you wish to keep them secure in one area. Once you combine together all their traits, tendencies, and striking appearance, you can see why they are popular.

To continue reading more about the Appenzeller Spitzhauben Chicken, and other Chicken, visit ChickenCoopAdvice.com

A popular choice of color is the double laced variety. However, Barnevelders are also available in partridge, black, and silver. In its predominantly brown plumage, the hen has black double lacing. Often, this is called a double-laced partridge. Roosters have luxurious plumage with sprays of shimmering green, violet, and bronze. Some have a white and blue lacing.

Plumage of the female and the male has been described as ‘rich in texture and very tight’. Barnevelders have single combs, yellow skin, and red ear lobes. They look very impressive with nice upright stances and broad breasts. Their flying capabilities are somewhat lacking due to short wings.

Their fame was initially due to the unusual color of the eggs but, today, they are used for show purposes more than for their laying abilities. The color of the eggs is of little importance now because the birds’ appearance is the center of focus. Eggs are lighter and Barnevelder layers don’t produce the vast quantities as they did in their early history.

Having said this, they are still useful layers, especially during winter. With a quiet, amicable disposition, they behave well in the show ring and also serve as great utility birds. Medium-to-heavy in weight, the Barnevelder is a perfect all-purpose bird that produces a good supply of eggs and also yields a tasty carcass for the dinner table. They are robust and are useful foragers. If you don’t want them to get fat, avoid keeping them cooped up. Allowing them to roam freely will avoid this.

Both the male and female are docile and enjoy human company. As such, they make excellent pets, especially for children. A pet will happily join the ranks of the family and will not object to being picked up, stroked, and handled. A young bird may need some socialization before they become a true pet. Unlike most other breeds of chickens, Barnevelders have even been known to try and nurture new human babies or very young children.

They are easygoing and relate well to adults and children. Similar to a dog, a pet chicken will follow his or her owners around. Some people have said that Barnevelders also show guarding characteristics. The hen is a doting mother and will brood her eggs. When the chicks have hatched, she gives them care and attention. Even the rooster plays his role in parenthood.

It takes a chick longer to feather-out than other breeds. Hens usually reach a weight of 6 pounds and males 8 pounds. To summarize, the Barnevelder Chicken is a multi-purpose utility bird that is great as a pet, a good layer, and good to eat. The average hen will lay approximately 180 to 200 eggs per year, some of which can weigh as much as 3 ounces. The droppings serve as an excellent grass fertilizer.

To Learn more about chicken coopsand keeping the Barnevelder chicken visit ChickenCoopAdvice.com

categories: chicken,chickens,animals,animal,pet,pets,farm,farms,bird

The Booted Bantam is a true bantam, not a larger breed that has been miniaturized over successive generations. The origin is disputed, but many believe the chickens were alive and well in the Netherlands in the 1500s. You can find different versions of its history on different websites.

No matter where it came from, this tiny fowl is rare but valued as a pet and an exhibition bird all over Europe and in many other countries. The British poultry standards limit the weight of a mature cock to under two pounds, while the American standards call for even smaller birds.

Even though these birds are prized for exhibitions, they are even more popular as pets. Bantams of all types that are hand-raised are very calm and friendly and readily accept special companion animal status, but the booted bantams are more so. They are neither aggressive nor timid, are good foragers, and (fond owners say) their feathered feet keep them from being too destructive in the garden.

The cocks have wings that are large and dramatically swept back and down, combs that are bright red and erect, and long tail feathers that point up. With their broad breasts and upright posture, these are very proud and alert little chickens. The hens lay small white or cream-colored eggs several times a week and would like to hatch them all. The eggs are perfectly good to eat, although you need quite a few for an omelet.

The many different colors are all dramatic, with the Millefleur being the most popular. Even in this category, there are variations, however. The patterns and colors truly have to be seen to be believed, so check the poultry catalogs, online sites about fancy chickens, and club websites. The cocks have big, red, upright combs with five sharp points and red ears and wattles as well. Their wings sweep down and back, at the same angle as their dramatic hock feathers. They stand very upright and their fully-feathered tail stick up, too. The whole effect is perky.

There are clubs around the world for fanciers of these chickens, where you can find breeders of show quality birds. National hatcheries will ship chicks in the spring, and many of them have rare birds such as these. Shows are held at every state and county fair and there will be special poultry shows as well. The birds are not much for meat, although what they have is well proportioned, but the hens lay readily and love to hatch out babies and care for them industriously.

There are clubs for those who are real fans of the Booted Bantam chicken. Check out their websites to see if there is one near you. You can also search for local hatcheries, although many will not have poultry this exotic. There are national suppliers, however, that send chicks all over in the spring and early summer.

For more info about the Booted Bantam chicken Visit ChickenCoopAdvice.com

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