My future flock (cross my fingers)

On By Daphne Cybele Van SchaickIn The Birds & the Bees
Mottled Javas in the American Poultry Journal, Sept. 1886, as bred by J.Y. Bicknell of New York state, clipped from “The American Breeds of Poultry…” by Frank L. Pratt, published 1921 by Jas. A. Bell & Co.

I wasn’t sure, until now, what type of chicken I would choose for our flock.  My main criteria:  a winter-hardy chicken, and beautiful (to my eye at least) known to forage well (I want them to eat bugs and ticks), and a somewhat unusual chicken in that not everyone has them.  I seriously considered the Australorp, and then I came across the Java chicken.

The Java chicken is a heritage breed listed as “threatened” on The Livestock Conservancy 2014 Conservation Priority List. They are reputed to be good foragers, which I hope will have a… decimating… effect on our tick population, as well as reduce the feed bill.  I want chickens that explore, but that come back to the coop.  While I am raising them for eggs, the Java is a dual purpose breed, raised for both meat and eggs.  I am reading that they are slow to mature, so it may be a while before eggs are available.

Finding available chicks or eggs was difficult, and I hope the source I found pans out (more on that later if I am successful).  I’ve put an order in for 25 chicks, mainly females, but a few roosters too. I would have ordered a straight run, where you get them without knowing whether male or female, but was afraid of ending up with 23 roosters.  I do want a few roosters, I’ve heard they protect the hens, and then of course, they make possible to have a few baby chicks, and a self-generating flock, if things work out that way.

I think it’s important to protect genetic diversity, and I think it would be interesting to have a breeding flock.  Although I suspect that more research on that subject might prove otherwise, because I have a vague idea it involves quite a bit of culling, which I might not want to do on a regular basis.  I think I can cull the occasional chicken, but… well, more research on that is needed.

A 2002 article in Mother Earth News explains more about the history of the Java, and the effort to repopulate them.

Dot Ranch Navajo has good information and gorgeous Java pictures.

9 thoughts on “My future flock (cross my fingers)”

  2. Just reading your posts for the first time, I am mad about hens but sadly I am no longer in a position to keep them, so I paint them instead using my Sister’s flock in the west of ireland as models……what a glorious fun filled feathered bunch they are too. Good luck with your venture 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. That is a very pretty chicken. My brother used to have chickens, but his girl friend got them in the break up. He loved raising them. I forget what kind he had. Good luck. I’m sure you know a lot more about chickens than I ever will. Is there a limit to the number of roosters you can have? I thought they were protective of the flock and territorial as well; meaning they don’t like to share the girls with other boys. Smart way to purchase them. What would you do with 20 roosters? 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you! There may be room for two-ish roosters, with 20-ish hens and provided they get along with each other (because yes, I they can be quite territorial). I’ll have to evaluate their behavior, toward each other, towards the hens, and towards a toddler to make decisions on who stays and who goes.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  4. smfarm

    Good for you for choosing to go with a heritage breed. It’s so important to keep these wonderful old-timey breeds around for their genetic diversity, low input and flavor characteristics.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you, I’m really excited about seeing them grow and playing a small part in making sure they stick around as a breed, and hope to eventually make them available as a breed to others near me.

      Like

      Reply

What do you think?