Welcome to Helbert Hens!
Will be adding the 2023 kidding page here shortly. I had a large group of does confirmed by ultrasound by the vet last week and hope to have him back out next month to confirm the second group. Linear appraisal went well and results are listed on the Freshened Doe page under each doe that was appraised. We had some really great scores and learned a lot about our animals through the process. Production scores were done here last week and the elite list has been released. This is our first year with two does on the elite list. Summer who was bred by Stephanie Gibson was on the list in the 96Th percentile and Felicity a home grown doe was on the list in the 95th percentile. I am tickled to death these girls are on the list. They both got extra animal crackers to celebrate.
Helbert Hens
Where it's great to be a big chicken.
When I started breeding poultry I made the mistake of trying to breed too many breeds and too many varieties. I just wanted them all. In fact you might say I was obsessed with the beauty and personalities of each breed. There came a point where I had to sit down and decide why I wanted chickens and what I hoped to accomplish in a breeding plan. Over the years some of my favorite breeds have not been sustainable due to the cold and seemingly never ending Ohio winters. I found that keeping the breeds in separate coops was great for containing illness and keeping family groups ranging and socializing together however very difficult to maintain even with a well implemented winter husbandry plan. Some breeds lost favor and didn't flourish because they would not free range but preferred to stay in their runs and eat feed all day. They might have been happy but I was having to clean those pens and fill feeders twice as often which made me very unhappy.
To make a long story short, I decided to limit the breeds/varieties we raised. The English Jubilee Orpington worked well for us as they are big beautiful friendly birds that are cold hardy and easy to keep. Even with the limited lighting in winter we still get some eggs. I also chose the Delaware because of their cold hardness and the great flavors of their meat. The Delawares are friendly and bold and one of my best layers of large light brown eggs year around.
To make a long story short, I decided to limit the breeds/varieties we raised. The English Jubilee Orpington worked well for us as they are big beautiful friendly birds that are cold hardy and easy to keep. Even with the limited lighting in winter we still get some eggs. I also chose the Delaware because of their cold hardness and the great flavors of their meat. The Delawares are friendly and bold and one of my best layers of large light brown eggs year around.
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The AnimalsWe may bring on new breeds and phase out breeds as we journey through our chicken adventures.
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All flocks have their own coops and are allowed to free range on a rotational basis. Usually 4 to 6 pens out each day. Chicks that are 4 to 16 weeks are raised in the old horse barn until they are big enough to be incorporated into a coop. Chicks day old to 4 weeks are in the hatch room in our house.
Organizations and programs we support.
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American Poultry Association
American Dairy Goat Association American Goat Society Ohio Dairy Goat Association |
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