Volume 5, Number 1 Backyard February/March, 2010 PoultryDedicated to more and better small-flock poultry There’s Nothing Quite Like a Muscovy! Pg. 40 How to Photograph Your Flock Pg. 20 The Laying of an Egg An Amazing Process Pg.60 Plus: ...and more inside! 2 Backyard Poultry RANDALL BURKEY COMPANY Quality Animal Health Products since 1947 Live Baby Chicks Poultry Supplies Customer Services White Egg Layers Incubators & Brooders Free Catalog Brown Egg Layers Coops & Pens Friendly Operators Rare & Unique Breeds Nesting Boxes Web Shipping Special Bantams Medications One Year Warranty Turkeys & Waterfowl Feeders & Waterers Same Day Shipping* Guineas Egg Cartons *On in stock items ordered by 1pm CST Peafowl Books, CDs, & DVDs Toys & Treats Order by Phone 800-531-1097 Order Online randallburkey.com EverythingFebruary/March, 2010 you could want or needwww.backyardpoultrymag.com for poultry! 3 BACKYARD POULTRY Backyard 145 Industrial Dr. Medford, WI 54451 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 800-551-5691 Poultry Publisher: Dave Belanger Volume 5, Number 1 Editor: Elaine Belanger February/March, 2010 Managing Editor: Anne-marie Ida Editorial Assistant: Samantha Ingersoll Health: Circulation and Fulfillment: Laura From the Editor: Ching, Ellen Waichulis, Kate Tucker, Forget TV: Read Books to the The Answer Man .......................50 Chickens .......................................6 Kelly Weiler, Christine Barkley, The Laying of an Egg: An Gwendolyn Jones Bookstore: Ann Tom Reader’s Letters ......................8 Amazing Process .......................... 60 Advertising Representatives Helpful Hints: Chicken Knowledge: (Rates on request) A Heater for the Hen Top 10 Chicken Questions Answered....................................62 Alicia Komanec House ................................................ 12 1-800-551-5691 SPPA News ............................. 14 Youth: [email protected] Gertrude McCluck: Coming Events .......................15 Gary Christopherson Chicken in Charge ........................66 1-800-551-5691 Family Flock Counselor: Just for Fun: [email protected] Roosters: Accommodating and Chickens Make Great Pets: On Self-Sacrificing Protectors ......... 16 Backyard Poultry the Farm or in the City .................68 (ISSN 1559-2251, USPS 023-374) Backyard Poultry Family Backyard Poultry is published bi-monthly by Countryside Publications, Ltd. at 145 Industrial Album: Index 2009 ...............................70 2009 Year End Photo Contest Dr., Medford, WI 54451. Periodicals Breeders Directory ...............73 postage paid at Medford, WI and Winners ...................................... 18 additional mailing offices. ©2010 Countryside Publications, Ltd. How To Photograph Your Flock ...............................................20 ON THE C O VER : The views presented here do not The February/March, 2010 cover win- necessarily represent those of the editor ner is a photo by Robert Gibson, a or publisher. All contents of this issue Poultry On The Homestead: The Origins of Chicken partner in the Yellow House Farm, Bar- of Backyard Poultry are copyrighted by rington, New Hampshire, where they Countryside Publications, Ltd., 2010. All Talk .............................................24 raise and sell heritage poultry breeds rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or and produce. Robert has been a cover in part is prohibited except by permission Moral Puzzles In The photo winner in the past, with his Nar- of the publisher. Backyard ..................................... 27 ragansett turkey gracing the October/ November, 2008 cover. Editorial and Advertising Office: Breed Focus: To learn how to enter your poultry- Backyard Poultry Pyncheon Bantams ....................30 related photos in the photo contest, see 145 Industrial Dr. page 18. Medford, WI 54451 Old English Game & American [email protected] Game Bantams: What’s the Subscriptions (U.S. funds): Difference? ................................... 34 $21 per year; 2 years $35. Backyard Poultry Subscriptions MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc. ...... 36 145 Industrial Dr. Medford, WI 54451 There’s Nothing Quite Like a 1-800-551-5691 Muscovy .................................... 40 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Show News: Backyard Poultry Subscriptions Admission of New Breeds 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451 and/or Varieties to the American Standard of Perfection ..............48 4 Backyard Poultry February/March, 2010 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 5 FR O M THE EDIT O R : Forget TV Read to the Chickens ELAINE BELANGER he is writing about. But his common-sense guidelines aren’t the best part. Belanger’s ccording to www.worldpoultry.net, inspirational writing style—filled with stressed chickens perform better gentle reminders, thought-provoking ideas A when you let them watch tv. and humor—set this guide apart from The site states, “According to The other country living books. And it comes Star of Malaysia, scientists have revealed from a man who has lived and loved the that the stressful life of the battery chick- self-sufficient life for more than 50 years. The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Self- en can be relieved with a daily dose of Additionally, frequent sidebars such as Sufficient Living by Jerome D. Belanger, television. Seemingly, chicks that watch “Off the Beaten Path” offer enlightening, Penguin Group, New York, NY; ISBN 978-1-59257-945-7 television grow faster on less food, lay little known facts, tips to make the job larger eggs more regularly and appear to easier, definitions of terminology, and be happier. All it takes to make these birds hazard warnings that add to the reading nutrition.”) He then discusses conserva- more interested in their environment and pleasure. Some are just plain fun, but tion in the kitchen, including the cost of more sociable is a mere half-an-hour a most are informative as well. Appendixes wasted food, the value of a well-stocked day in front of the idiot box.” including a glossary, resources and index pantry, and using what you grow as a Don’t we raise chickens so we have round out this useful guide. menu-planner. (“Stroll through the garden something better to do than watch tv? I The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Self- in the morning to decide what to have for propose reading out loud to the chickens Sufficient Living begins with A Rational lunch.”) He suggests that cooking should instead. And I suggest you start your Approach to Self-Sufficient Living. This be an enjoyable and creative event. reading with The Complete Idiot’s Guide section focuses on self-sufficiency as an The section titled The Self-Sufficient To Self-Sufficient Living by Jerome D. overall lifestyle, clarifies the aspects of Gardener is, in my opinion, where the Belanger, better known to many as “Jd.” “modern” homesteading versus a harsher book excels. This section describes how I worried what value readers would pioneer lifestyle, examines America’s to consider your garden as an extension put on my opinion of this book, as the recent habits of overindulgence and ac- of the kitchen. (“Planning a garden that author is my father-in-law. Nonetheless, cumulation, and debates our ability to will feed your family for an entire year is I have always thought highly of his intel- “do without.” Reducing our needs is an like making a shopping list—for the next ligence, way of life, editorial and writing effective, and stress-reducing, option. 52 weeks. And after that comes deciding skills, and on a personal level, as a human (By reducing expenses such as packing how you’re going to actually grow all being and father of my fabulous husband. a lunch instead of eating out for lunch, those grow-ceries.”) Then he provides (I have always secretly thanked Jd and his at a modest $5 a day, savings amount to a clear and concise description of soil wife, Diane, for raising a well-rounded, $1,825 a year!) fertility and discusses what plants need loving and smart man, but maybe here I He also reminds us to find satisfaction to thrive, designing the right garden plot am just a little bit prejudiced.) where we are, that bigger isn’t always for your needs, and how to determine So I put off reading The Guide to better, knowledge is key to satisfying what tools you need in the garden. As a Self-Sufficient Living, and instead planned decision-making (and provides many bonus, there is also a section on enjoying to focus on Belanger’s upcoming book, resources throughout the book to achieve the free foods that grow wild. The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Raising this goal) and that a successful homestead Part 4, Meat, Milk and Eggs, dis- Chickens, which will be available in April, must be run like a business. A business cusses the role of animal husbandry in 2010. Then over the holidays, I decided to plan helps us make better buying deci- self-sufficient living. Here Jd covers read the book, and frankly, I couldn’t put it sions, focus attention on needs rather raising chickens and other poultry, rab- down. Every page made me reflect on my than wants, and track results. Finally, he bits, dairy goats, hogs and other small current lifestyle, and kept me yearning to also reminds us that “the way to learn is livestock—even bees—as a part of your learn more about Belanger’s approach to by doing, and the time is now.” self-sufficient homestead. Care, feeding, his self-reliant way of living. The Kitchen, Heart of the Homestead housing, processing, byproducts and the (part 2) provides an overview of society’s pros and cons of each animal are ad- A Book Worth Reading move from the kitchen to fast food, and dressed, obviously not in depth, but with As founding editor of Countryside & the rebirth of the slow food movement. an explanation of how and why each is Small Stock Journal —our sister magazine (“When cooking from scratch is a lost art important to self-sufficiency. for homesteaders (as well as the original and fast food is considered normal, much Shelter and Its Appurtenances (part 5) 1979 Backyard Poultry) — Jd knows what more is at stake than obesity and poor offers alternative thinking to our standard 6 Backyard Poultry vision of housing, the economic trap of a mortgage and ways to avoid both.