Dorothy- OH, JOY! just reading about your new discovery -the wonders of raising chickens- makes me happy. I have spent some of the best of times with my own chickens. I learned at a young age that birds are capable of amazing intelligence and that all chickens are different with a wide variety of personalities.
Having had various breeds the big chickens we always ended up with at home (I'm not in Kansas anymore either) were the Rhode Island Reds, we liked the color of the eggs and I always enjoy a fully-combed rooster. They are the Golden Retrievers of the chicken world. Healthy, dependable and willing to please. My PERSONAL FAVORITE though, and the ones of the very best (and worst) memories, are the BANTAMS. This bird is the closest variation there is to a wild creature. A trait which can also cause problems. They are perfectly content roosting in trees! While a few can wander off, there is a certain intelligence that prevents some of the common predation. They are very prolific layers and breeders. They make very good mothers. Banties have the most genetic diversity, vital force and personality of any chicken. The roosters are colorful and heavily spurred so they may even hold their own with full-sized roosters. In most areas of the world, this breed runs loose (called JUNGLE FOWL) and have reverted to fully feral status. They are excellent scratchers and foragers They seem to flourish even when the people are malnourished. With bantams there is the obvious problem of small body size and the eggs, while fully nutritious, are about 1/2 size. You can eat an omelette with a full dozen eggs in it! Company loves them especially kids! You didn't mention whether or not CHICKEN HAWKS, FOXES, WEASELS, RACCOONS or other predators have been a problem and this can be one of the most important practical decisions with regard to breed. A good FARM DOG can be very useful to protect the chickens. The barley is an excellent grain for your chickens and they thrive on a variety of grains. I have never intentionally fed soybeans to my chickens except as part of a mash. Usually it is fairly far down the grain list. You can optimize the nutrition of the grains by sprouting them before feeding. I have never gotten around to this myself but I have seen Jerry Brunetti's figures showing the vastly superior nutrition of SPROUTED GRAIN. I will ask him next time we talk if he feeds sprouts to his own chickens. As Allan stated, chickens that can get insects and weeds never get sick. I love having chickens to give all the scraps to. Satisfying. Practical considerations aside, I would encourage you to select the breed of chicken that truly reflects the personal values you hold dear. Breed selection is an opportunity to make a statement of what YOU like and encourage. Since we are what we eat, and since we are a product of the environment around us that we create, when you raise chickens that relate to your own personality, this will just make your life even sweeter and more beautiful. I have been a lover of chickens since childhood and have collected stories and lore about them for years. One of my favorites was from a Jewish comedian who said that it has been known for centuries that the chicken was sacred to the Jewish people as the buffalo was sacred to the Native American. Also, part of the Ozark song "Chicken Reel" goes like this; "Chicken run fast, chicken run slow Chicken run by the Methodist preacher Chicken never run no mo!" Now you have something to crow about! Will Winter
