Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Miss Pepperpots are adequate layers of large brown eggs. They are more popular in Europe
than in the United States. These hens are a modern hybrid with gentle and friendly personalit-
ies. They will enhance your flock with their demeanor and certainly will be a conversation
starter when you mention to your friends that Miss Pepperpot moved into your home.
Sultans
Rumor has it that all Sultans can trace their family tree back years and years ago to one crate
of birds that was brought to England from Istanbul. These gentle birds were a favorite among
Turkish royalty. The breed is all white, with a topknot, muff, and beard. Sultans have vulture
hocks and a feathered leg with five toes. They have a V-shaped comb. Outside of the United
States, other variations of this breed exist, such as a blue variety.
Sultans are docile, and the standard breed for this bird weighs in at 6 pounds for the rooster
and 5 pounds for the hen. Bantams weigh about 3 to 4 pounds. Hens are poor egg layers. They
lay small white eggs but not very frequently. All in all, this breed is a great family pet or a
beautiful ornamental breed used for show. They make great pets for children. They tend to be
a delicate bird, so harsh climates and cold weather are not suitable for them. Sultans can be
easy prey for predators. Take extra care if they are free-range birds. This chicken is a good
forager, and they make great garden wardens.
Buying Eggs and Chicks
You can own chickens at various stages of their lives: eggs, baby chicks, pullets and cocker-
els, or hens and roosters; it all depends on what fits best into your lifestyle. Starting out, you
may want to keep your flock around the same age to keep things simple because hatching
eggs while trying to keep your pullets and cockerels from mating may require more time and
attention than you initially expected. Also, bigger, stronger birds will fight the smaller, weaker
birds for food. Start small, and remember that you always can add to your brood.
Beginning with Eggs
Starting with eggs can be a fun and rewarding experience, especially if you have children. A
fertilized egg grows and changes each day in the shell, and after about 21 days, it will hatch.
You can follow the process inside the egg with a process known as
candling
. To start your
flock with eggs, you will need an incubator, which can be purchased or homemade, to keep
the eggs in a constantly heated environment that resembles a mother hen. You will need to
