Why do we like barnyard birds? Eggs, eggs, and more eggs! But barnyard birds also bring an element of fun to any farm, barnyard or back yard. They can be easy to care for and very entertaining. They are very vocal, always enthusiastic to see you, and have the ability to put an instant smile on your face as they waddle up to you to greet you!
As with any pet or animal, there are major considerations to consider including cost, feeding needs, appropriate housing, health care, lifespan and even local ordinances, but here are a few fun facts about barnyard birds and pictures of our LCR friends!
Did you know?
Chickens: They are unarguably the most well-known barnyard bird and entry to farm life. They are easy to raise and love to scratch, eat bugs and take dust baths. If you let them free range, they put themselves to bed each night and will go into their coop to roost when the sun goes down.
Ducks: Have you ever watched a duck waddle and have them quack at you? They are hysterical! They love water and are easy to keep as long as you have a feed pan or swimming pool with water deep enough to dip their faces in and keep their nostrils clean. Did you know you can herd ducks? Simply walk behind them slowly with your arms spread wide and you can direct them right into their pen or house at night where they will be protected from predators.
Geese: They are very social and have delightful personalities. If raised the right way, they will become friends for life. They are inexpensive to care for as their favorite food is grass. Their feathers and down make great craft items too!
Guinea Hens: They do not have the most attractive faces but make excellent watchdogs sounding the alarm when visitors approach. They are full time bug catchers and love those annoying ticks. They are colorful, curious and fun to watch.
Turkeys: They are very friendly, social, quirky and clumsy as they may trip over items or walk into other animals. They can usually be housed with chickens and other livestock and when free ranging, they don’t roam too far. Just remember, they will fly!
Peafowl: They are a colorful exotic species and can live 15-20 years. Technically the male is called a peacock and the female is a peahen. The real value of these ornamental birds lies in their beauty. They love to roam but will not stray too far and like to roost high at night in trees.
Emus: If you want some size in your barnyard flock, why not an emu? They are the second largest bird in the world. They are flightless but love to jump, run and climb fences. Unlike chickens and other poultry, the male emu is the nurturer and will incubate and brood their young. Emu eggs are sought for egg art as their eggs are blue-green and average close to one pound in weight.
Loud and Proud! We love our barnyard birds. There are so many different breeds of each barnyard bird to consider, so you may want to conduct lots of research if you want to raise barnyard birds for a specific reason.
More LCR “behind the scenes” coming soon!
Posted: September 14, 2020, by Jill Roggio