If you have a farm or homestead, keeping farm birds can be beneficial. Not only do they provide delicious eggs and meat, but they also eat bugs and provide organic manure. Additionally, they can help control pests and make great pets.
There are many types of farm birds to consider, and keeping a mixed flock of different types of poultry can be beneficial. Here are eight types of farm birds to keep aplenty: chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, quail, pheasants, and partridges.
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Each type of bird has its own pros and cons, and it’s important to consider your end goal for raising them. For example, do you want a certain type of egg or are you looking for meat production chickens?
By understanding the strengths and characteristics of each species, you can choose the right bird for your farming system.
8 Types Of Farm Birds To Keep Aplenty
Chickens
When it comes to raising chickens on a farm, there are many breeds to choose from. Each breed has its own unique characteristics, such as egg-laying production, hardiness, size, egg color, demeanor, and docility.
Some breeds are better suited for colder climates, while others are better suited for desert climates. Some breeds are raised for their breast meat, while others are raised for their eggs. Here are some of the most popular chicken breeds for small farms and homesteads:
1. Ameraucana Chickens: These chickens are known for their blue eggs and are a great addition to any farm.
2. New Hampshire Red Chickens: These chickens are known for their hardiness and are great for cold-climate farms.
3. Orpington Chickens: These chickens were originally developed for meat, but also lay eggs well, making them great for cold-climate farms.
4. Plymouth Rock Chickens: These chickens are a good-looking breed and stand out in the flock. They were first discovered in Massachusetts.
5. Sussex Chickens: These chickens are known for their friendly and curious personalities and are among the most “pet-like” of any chickens.
6. Wyandotte Chickens: These pretty creatures are dual-purpose birds who lay plentiful numbers of brown eggs.
7. Cochins: These breeds are known for being extremely docile and friendly.
8. Faverolles: These breeds are known for being extremely docile and friendly.
9. Silkies: These breeds are known for being extremely docile and friendly.
10. Bantams: These breeds are about half the size of regular chickens and are great for small farms and homesteads.
When choosing a breed of chicken, it’s important to consider your end goal for raising them. By understanding the strengths and characteristics of each species, you can choose the right bird for your farming system.
Turkeys
Turkeys are a popular bird to raise on a farm, and there are many benefits to doing so. In the United States, more than 210 million turkeys were raised on about 2,500 farms in 2022, with the majority being family farms.
Turkeys are raised in scientifically designed, environmentally controlled barns that provide maximum protection from predators, disease, and weather extremes. They are fed a balanced diet of corn and soybean meal mixed with a supplement of vitamins and minerals.
Every aspect of a factory-farmed turkey’s life is controlled to maximize the final weight of the turkey for profit. Factory-farmed turkey chicks, known as poults, are hatched via artificial insemination and spend their lives in enclosed barns with thousands of other birds, receiving a specially formulated feed mixture until they reach their ideal weight, at which time they are sent to slaughter.
However, small-scale and part-time farming operations can also raise turkeys at a scale that fits their available labor and uses existing facilities.
Turkeys can be started by hatching eggs or raising young poults, and they can be fed nutritious feed, which usually consists of corn and soybean meal mixed with vitamins and minerals.
Turkeys are docile, regal birds that move across the yard with a certain air of sophistication. They create tight family bonds and are fairly intelligent. If you’ve raised chickens, then you have a good basis for raising turkeys.
Ducks
Ducks are a popular bird to raise on a farm, and there are many benefits to doing so. They are great foragers and can help control pests, and they also provide delicious eggs and meat. When it comes to raising ducks, there are many breeds to choose from, each with its own unique characteristics.
Here are some of the most popular duck breeds for small farms and homesteads:
1. Pekin Ducks: These ducks are docile and easy to care for. They are entirely white and lay a large number of white eggs. They grow quickly and have very enjoyable personalities.
2. Runner Ducks: These ducks are known for their upright posture and are excellent egg layers, often producing over 200 eggs per year. They come in a variety of colors and are great foragers and pest controllers.
3. Khaki Campbell Ducks: These ducks are excellent layers, producing up to 300 eggs per year. They are also good foragers and can help control pests.
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4. Muscovy Ducks: These ducks are known for their calm and friendly personalities. They are also excellent foragers and can help control pests.
When choosing a breed of duck, it’s important to consider your end goal for raising them. By understanding the strengths and characteristics of each species, you can choose the right bird for your farming system.
Some duck breeds are raised almost exclusively for meat, while others for their eggs. There are also duck breeds that have been deemed “multi-purpose” birds because of their prowess at consistently delivering both tender and moist meat as well as laying a significant amount of eggs on an annual basis.
Determining how you want to use the duck flock should drastically influence the breed or breeds you decide to keep.
Geese
Geese are a great addition to any farm or homestead. They are not only friendly in most cases, but also good at providing meat, eggs, and other services. Some people even raise geese as pets. When it comes to raising geese, there are many breeds to choose from, each with its own unique characteristics.
Here are some of the most popular geese breeds for small farms and homesteads:
1. African Geese: These geese are known for their large size and are great for meat production. They are also good foragers and can help control pests.
2. Embden Geese: These geese are known for their calm and friendly personalities. They are also great for meat production and can be used for egg production as well.
3. Roman Tufted Geese: These geese are known for their unique appearance, with a tuft of feathers on their head. They are good foragers and can help control pests.
4. Toulouse Geese: These geese are known for their large size and are great for meat production. They are also good foragers and can help control pests.
5. Sebastopol Geese: These geese are known for their curly feathers and are great for ornamental purposes. They are also good foragers and can help control pests.
6. Chinese Geese: These geese are known for their loud and talkative personalities. They are good foragers and can help control pests.
7. Buff Geese: These geese are known for their calm and friendly personalities. They are also great for meat production and can be used for egg production as well.
8. Pilgrim Geese: These geese are highly versatile. They are medium weight birds and can also be used for egg production. They are also good at foraging and can be used with great success for weeding. Quiet, calm birds, Pilgrim geese are unusually friendly.
When choosing a breed of goose, it’s important to consider your end goal for raising them. By understanding the strengths and characteristics of each species, you can choose the right bird for your farming system. Some goose breeds are raised almost exclusively for meat, while others for their eggs.
There are also goose breeds that have been deemed “multi-purpose” birds because of their prowess at consistently delivering both tender and moist meat as well as laying a significant amount of eggs on an annual basis.
Determining how you want to use the goose flock should drastically influence the breed or breeds you decide to keep.
Guinea Fowl
Guinea fowl are a great addition to any farm or homestead. They are known for their unique personalities and habits, and they offer many advantages for your farm. Here are some of the benefits of keeping guinea fowl on your farm:
1. Pest Control: Guinea fowl are great at controlling pests, such as ticks, grasshoppers, and other insects. They are also known to eat small snakes and rodents, making them a great addition to any farm.
2. Low Maintenance: Guinea fowl are relatively low maintenance and require little care. They are hardy birds and are largely disease-free.
3. Egg Production: Guinea hens lay eggs seasonally, usually between March and October, and can lay up to 100 eggs per season. The eggs are similar to chicken eggs and can be eaten just like them.
4. Watchdogs: Guinea fowl are known for their loud and distinctive calls, which can alert you to any unusual activity on your farm. They can also help deter predators with their noise.
5. Garden Helpers: Guinea fowl generally leave most planted areas alone, but they do peck at weeds that they find since they like a little vegetation in their diet. If they are kept in a fenced-in yard, they will keep it free from nuisance dandelions or ragweed.
When raising guinea fowl, it’s important to keep in mind that they are happiest and healthiest when they are allowed to roam freely. They cannot be caged up, and a flock of more than six of them must be kept.
Guinea fowl are also attracted to freshly worked soil and will spend hours digging holes for luxurious dust baths. They are not everyone’s cup of tea, but they can make a wonderful addition to your flock and offer many advantages for your farm.
Quail
Quail farming is becoming increasingly popular among small and backyard flocks. They are used for hunting and provide a good alternative meat source. Various quail species can be used to clean up spilled seed in a large aviary and patrol for pests.
Quail eggs can be speckled or solid white, and allow diversified farm operations. When it comes to raising quail, there are many breeds to choose from, each with its own unique characteristics. Here are some of the most common quail breeds for homesteaders:
1. Coturnix Quail: This is the most popular quail breed amongst those looking for a profitable quail breed. They are easy to raise and are great for meat and egg production.
2. Bobwhite Quail: This breed is great for hunting and training bird dogs. They are also great to eat.
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3. California Quail: This breed is known for its beautiful appearance and is often kept in aviaries as pets or for show.
4. Button Quail: This breed is small and is often kept as a pet. They are also great for cleaning up spilled seed in a large aviary.
5. Jumbo Brown Coturnix Quail: This breed is a larger version of the Coturnix Quail and is great for meat production.
When choosing a breed of quail, it’s important to consider your end goal for raising them. By understanding the strengths and characteristics of each species, you can choose the right bird for your farming system.
The Coturnix quail is the most popular quail breed amongst those looking for a profitable quail breed. They are easy to raise and are great for meat and egg production.
Bobwhite quail are great for hunting and training bird dogs. California quail are often kept in aviaries as pets or for show. Button quail are small and are often kept as a pet. Jumbo Brown Coturnix Quail is a larger version of the Coturnix Quail and is great for meat production.
Pheasants
Pheasants are a popular bird to raise on a farm, and there are many benefits to doing so. People raise pheasants for a variety of reasons, including for meat, hunting, or simply to release into the wild.
Pheasants are unique birds and offer a change of pace if someone is looking to do something a bit different. They are a popular bird to raise which can serve a multitude of purposes.
Pheasants require medium-high grasslands, and undisturbed legumes and grasses are ideal for nesting and brood rearing. Raising pheasants for profit will require you to know what your input costs are. Without knowing what you’re putting in, you can’t know if you are making a profit.
Pheasants can be finicky, and small changes or shortcuts can cause big problems. It’s important to follow the plan and not crowd the birds. Pheasants are easy prey for predators, so it’s important to make sure they have a dense stand of brush and tall, broadleaf plants in which to live.
Confine the family dog and cats for a few days to eliminate losses from these animals. Pheasants add character to your homestead and can be quite elusive, making them a great addition to your property.
Private farmers buy birds to stock their farms for out-of-state hunters coming in for a wild pheasant hunting trip. Raising pheasants is profitable, which is why a lot of livestock farmers are now raising pheasants.
Partridges
Partridges are a type of game bird that can be raised on a farm for meat and eggs. Here are some things to consider when raising partridges:
1. Species: There are two main species of partridges that are raised for meat and eggs: the chukar and the Hungarian partridge. Chukars are generally purchased as day-old chicks, while Hungarian partridges are usually raised from eggs.
2. Housing: Partridges can be raised in a variety of housing systems, including floor pens, raised pens, and aviaries. The most economical method for keeping chukar breeders is on the floor in mass-mated flocks, maintaining a mating ratio of one male to four females.
3. Feeding: Partridges require a balanced diet that includes a mix of grains, seeds, and insects. They can be fed a commercial game bird feed or a homemade mix of grains and seeds.
4. Breeding: Partridges breed in the spring and summer months. The female will lay a clutch of eggs, which will hatch after about 23 days of incubation. The chicks will need to be kept warm and dry until they are fully feathered.
5. Marketing: Partridges can be sold for meat and eggs. They are often marketed to restaurants and specialty food stores. It’s important to have a marketing plan in place before starting a partridge farm.
Raising partridges can be an enjoyable hobby or a profitable business if properly managed.
It’s important to research the species of partridge you want to raise, as well as their housing, feeding, and breeding requirements. With the right knowledge and resources, partridge farming can be a successful venture.
FAQS
1. What are the benefits of keeping farm birds?
Farm birds provide delicious eggs and meat, eat bugs, and provide organic manure. They can also help control pests and make great pets.
2. What are the most common types of farm birds to keep?
The most common types of farm birds to keep are chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, quail, pheasants, and partridges.
3. What should I consider when choosing a breed of bird to raise?
When choosing a breed of bird, it’s important to consider your end goal for raising them. By understanding the strengths and characteristics of each species, you can choose the right bird for your farming system.
4. What are some benefits of raising guinea fowl on a farm?
Guinea fowl are great at controlling pests, such as ticks, grasshoppers, and other insects. They are also low maintenance and can be used for egg production.
5. What are some benefits of raising pheasants on a farm?
Pheasants can be raised for meat and eggs, and they add character to your homestead. They can also be released into the wild for hunting.
6. What are some benefits of raising partridges on a farm?
Partridges can be raised for meat and eggs, and they are a unique bird to raise on a farm. They require medium-high grasslands and undisturbed legumes and grasses for nesting and brood rearing.
7. What are some benefits of raising quail on a farm?
Quail can be raised for meat and eggs, and they are great for cleaning up spilled seed in a large aviary and patrolling for pests. They are also popular with urban farms.
8. What are some benefits of raising ducks on a farm?
Ducks are great foragers and can help control pests. They also provide delicious eggs and meat.
9. What are some benefits of raising geese on a farm?
Geese are great for meat and egg production, and they are known for being great watchdogs and excellent foragers.
10. What should I consider when raising any type of farm bird?
When raising any type of farm bird, it’s important to research the species you want to raise, as well as their housing, feeding, and breeding requirements. With the right knowledge and resources, raising farm birds can be a successful venture.
Source: https://petstutorial.com
Category: Birds
