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Eggs, Incubators and Chicks…oh my

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Got chicks?

Got chicks?

It’s spring and that can only mean one thing here at Sunbird Farms…. chicks!  We have German New Hampshires, Chocolate Orpingtons, Basque Hens, Chocolate Wyandottes, Rhodebars and….whew!  If any of these happen to tickle your fancy, scoot on over to our store, send us an email, or if you live in Central California, search “Sunbird Farms” on Craigslist to see some of our local offerings.  We’d love to help you get started in these wonderful breeds.



Basque Hens

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SONY DSCOur Basque hens are now entering their first year as mature hens.  They are laying beautiful, medium to large tinted eggs.  These birds are truly an outstanding free-range breed.  The hens are very people-friendly, allowing us to pick them up without fuss.  Their landrace background is evident as they work tirelessly to find delicious tidbits, supplementing their organic pellet diet.  We have a variety of color patterns, all within the Marraduna spectrum.  Known as Euskal Oiloa in their native land, their hardiness can also be seen in the high success we had with fertility and hatching.  We are regularly incubating eggs to check fertility, having a fertility/hatching rate over 95%. These delightful, productive birds are sure to become a backyard favorite here in the States.

Listed on the Slow Food Ark of Taste, we have secured some of the most exceptional examples of these truly wonderful birds.  Working with Greenfire Farms, we were able to obtain multiple lines, including hens from Skyline selected specifically by Greenfire Farms to enhance their breeding program.  As Greenfire moves on to other rare and exceptional varieties, we have committed to continuing this project.  The Basque hen is a friendly, top-shelf dual purpose bird that excels at free-ranging.  We have hatching eggs nearly year-round, and chicks throughout Spring.  Check out or store page for more information.


Rhodebar

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What do you get when you cross an American treasure like the heritage Rhode Island Red, with a British bombshell like the now nearly extinct Brussbar? You might get the ultimate backyard chicken. The Rhodebar is a striking beauty, with its richness of colors and dynamic barring. Not only is this bird a prolific egg-layer, but it dresses out well too. Even more amazing, the Rhodebar is auto-sexing, meaning the chicks can be identified by sex, at birth. These birds are truly amazing and an absolute gift for the small poultry enthusiast. Our birds come from the Greenfire lines, and include both heritage and production lines of the Rhode Island Red, combining strong depth of color and traditional hardiness with outstanding laying abilities.  We will also be adding some fantastic heritage Rhode Island Reds to our pens in the coming months thanks to our friend Mr. Fogle.  He has some truly amazing birds that can be seen in this post.  We are considering outcrossing our Rhodebars to with these lines to create a unique line of Rhodebars from Sunbird Farms.  Stay tuned for more on that development.  We currently have a limited number of Rhodebar pairs available.


Imported chocolate; who can resist?

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Hen from Greenfire, our source for BCW.

Hen from Greenfire, our source for BCW.

Well, we sure can’t.  We have had such a great response to our Chocolate Orpingtons that we’ve decided to add another imported chocolate to the farm, the bantam Chocolate Wyandotte.  Unlike the Orpington, these 100% English imports are really “expats,” an American breed returning home.  The Wyandotte was originally a dual-purpose “bird of curves” developed in the late 19th century around the New York area.  They were named after a local Native American tribe.  Like many of us, they’ve enjoyed their travel to the “mother land,” but have now come home.  These Chocolate Wyandottes are typically larger than a standard American bantam, but not quite large fowl.  They are robust and good-tempered, often described as an easier breed to work with than the Chocolate Orpington.  We’re not ready to make that determination yet, but we will say that we are excited to add another American breed to our little preserve, and are equally delighted to share them with you.  Chocolate Wyandottes should have yellow legs and chocolate feathering, a beautiful combination.  They are hardy, able to handle cold weather, above average layers, and well-suited to free-ranging or confinement.  If you’re interested in adding a little rare “imported chocolate” to your life, contact us about our availability.

(adult photos courtesy of Greenfire Farms)

Resources:

Cheshire Poultry in the UK

Greenfire Farms Chocolate Wyandottes


German New Hampshire

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The German lines of New Hampshire chickens have a fascinating history.  At the turn of the 20th century, poultry raisers in New Hampshire had begun focusing their efforts on creating a true dual-purpose breed.  Recognizing the value and quality of many Rhode Island Reds, they also felt there was a lack of focus on true production.  To that end, they began to select specific strains of Rhode Island Reds (“RIR”) for early feathering, egg production, rapid maturity, and good conformation of meat.  While many RIR growers were looking for dark mahogany coloring, the New Hampshire strains were lighter in color, with less of the traditional “brick shape” and more toward a triangular appearance.  Mother Earth News has a nice article on the breed.

Fantastic Heritage RIR from Ron Fogle

Fantastic Heritage RIR from Ron Fogle

Outstanding German New Hampshire from Sunset Meadow Farms

Outstanding German New Hampshire from Sunset Meadow Farms

During WWII, red meat shortages in the US gave the poultry industry a big boost.  At a time when poultry was focused more on eggs, suddenly households around the country were cooking and barbecuing chicken instead of beef.  As the war wound down, the poultry industry could see the writing on the wall.  The result?  The “Chicken of Tomorrow” contests of the late 1940′s and early 1950′s (click on the link for a period movie on the contest).  This was the beginning of the modern broiler industry, a competition to create the top meat production chicken.  The New Hampshire x Red Cornish cross was the winner of the first contest.  It is interesting to note that the beginning of poultry’s rise to prominence in America also marked the beginning of the decline of the heritage breeds in our food system.  It was here that the industrial market realized the value of hybrid-vigor.  Follow this link to a discussion of the contest (among other interesting history) and its resulting focus on cross-breeds.

But what about the New Hampshires?  Well, as the American lines were slowly assimilated into other breeds and cross-breeds, some miraculously escaped this fate.  How?  Again we have to go back to WWII.  During the war, the German countryside was decimated as a result of a hungry army needing to fuel its soldiers.  Chickens were virtually eliminated, either because they were eaten by soldiers and families, or reportedly because they were from the Allied countries (like Sussex and Orpingtons from England) and were destroyed by Hitler’s decree.  Apparently as a good will effort, American poultry was exported to Germany to help support the rebuilding of the country.  As the Chicken of Tomorrow contest was going on in the States, American New Hampshires were being exported to Germany.  These birds survived for decades outside of the industrial market, raised for their beauty and their production.

In recent years, the German line of New Hampshires has been imported back to their homeland.  These birds are absolutely beautiful, a combination of both looks and utility.  They are listed on the Slow Food Ark of Taste for their unique contribution to our heritage food.  We have been fortunate enough to attain some of these genetic treasures.  Not only are these birds outstanding in and of themselves, but they are also the key to improving the German Bielefelders currently offered from select importers.  The Bielefelder is part New Hampshire, part Welsummer, and part Rhode Island Red.  We will have a limited number of Bielefelder pairs available in April, and possibly RIR’s as well.

Blessings,

Sundbird Farms

More Resources:

German New Hampshire from Sunset Meadow Farm

ALBC’s info on the New Hampshire

Great article from our friends at Scratch Cradle

Slow Food’s Ark of Taste listing


Take our poll…

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chicken-eggEveryone seems to have a favorite, so take our poll on the best dual-purpose breed.  We want to know what you think!  Is it the classic RIR?  Or perhaps the newer German powerhouse Bielefelder?  Let us know.  Don’t see your favorite…add it in the comment section.


American Bresse Adventures, Part II

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[The continuing saga of American Bresse Adventures]  At almost 10 weeks, we couldn’t be happier with the progress of our American Bresse. They’ve been on pasture for almost four weeks now and they are loving it. Here’s what we see each morning when we go out to remove the “predator door” on our Bresse-mobile.

A walk in our woods...

A walk in our woods…

Some of the birds are still slight enough to slip through the ventilation gap on the predator door. When they see us coming, they know its time for one of their favorite meals…”curds and whey.”

Our "Curds and Whey"

Our “Curds and Whey”. Organic soy-free finisher pellet with organic whole milk added.

Organic Whole Milk

Organic Whole Milk

As we mentioned in the last post, we have moved the birds to a lower protein ration, organic soy-free finisher. This is our attempt to follow the French method, which is meant to encourage the birds to forage more for their protein sources. We have adapted the French method of providing milk to our setup. We add our milk directly into the pellet supplement. This makes the milk readily accessible, prevents any possible spoilage or contamination, and seems to be a special treat for the birds. We mix the milk in until the “mash” consistency is that of properly watered soil. It’s moist, not wet. We also pour a large percentage of it right on the pasture. This stimulates scratching, and encourages foraging. It’s not long before the birds have consumed their fill and move on to other things.

Bresse getting their greens

Bresse getting their greens

When time permits in the morning, we let them out to stretch their wings and flap around a little. In the above picture, we caught this rooster eating with his mouth open. The natural pasture in the orchard provides plenty of greens that the Bresse love. In fact, they love it so much, they leave little behind, which is just what we were hoping for. Clearing a path

In the picture above you can see the back of our Bresse-mobile and the bottom of the frame. If you follow the line back up the picture, you can see clearly where the tractor started its most recent move. Over the past five or so days, the Bresse have consumed, scratched and turned everything in their tractor, taking down the greens and depositing vital nutrients back into the soil.

A young Bresse hen

We are having a delightful time with this project and look forward to continuing to perfect the process. We trust our efforts will pay off in the end, and enjoy sharing the adventure with all of you. Blessings, Sunbird Farms


building your real food pantry: plan for a tomato workhorse you can count on

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Reblogged from Auburn Meadow Farm:

Click to visit the original post
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Fresh from my garden tomatoes, onion and garlic ready for oven-roasting

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For a girl forever bawking about eating what’s in season, you might think what I’m about to share with you is a little out of whack.  Originally, like everyone else, I thought this would be a good topic for later in summer when tomatoes are front and center.

Read more… 888 more words

While we mostly talk about poultry, this post from Auburn Meadow Farm addresses our runner-up favorite food...heirloom tomatoes...enjoy!

Bielefelder….Das Über-chicken

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Ok, so maybe our German isn’t so great, but you get the point.  The Bielefelder Kennhünh is the chicken’s chicken.  Developed in Germany in the early Bielefelder Pair1970′s by Gerd Roth, the Bielefelder is a fantastic example of American breeds and German ingenuity.  Although a relatively new breed, its makeup comes from heirloom varieties, including the New Hampshire, Rhode Island Red, and the Welsummer.  The goal was to create a quiet, large, egg-laying machine that wouldn’t be affected by cold.  Oh, and did we mention they  are auto-sexing?  Like the Rhodebar, the Legbar, and the Isbar, the Bielefelder can be visually sexed at birth, every time.   These quick-growing birds can reach over 10lbs for the rooster, and hens are capable of laying nearly 200 large, brown eggs per year (some say closer to 230, but lets not get too carried away).  They are quiet and docile, and a good breed to have around children.  The Bielefelder comes in two colors, a silver and the Legbar or red partridge.  We have acquired the red partridge from our friends at Greenfire.  Although they will tolerate confinement, they prefer the chance to have a little room.  Massive, quick developing, excellent layers that are as gentle as they are tasty…is there a poultry equivalent of Fahrvergnügen? If so, this is it.

We are extremely excited about this breed.  We have acquired some of the absolute top examples of the foundation stock, including German New Hampshires and heritage Rhode Island Reds.  We believe this will provide outstanding genetic diversity to support our Bielefelders’ future.  We will have very limited availability of pairs, and possibly even trios, beginning the first week of April.  Contact us soon to reserve yours.


Heritage Rhode Island Red

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The Rhode Island Red by its own unquestionable merits supplemented by the ceaseless, untiring and mighty efforts of its supporters, has grown to such a pitch of popularity that…there is scarcely a solitary spot where the breed odes not reign supreme.  Its position is as secure as anything can ever well be…And no testimonial is more eloquent of the sterling, undeniable merits of the great Red breed than the outstanding, dominating, brimming-over-with-meaning fact that it has emerged from all the trials and difficulties of the great war, not only undimmed, but holding a position that, for strength and security, is unapproached by any of its compeers.”  -George Scott, The Rhode Island Red: Its History, Breeding, Management, Exhibition and Judging, (Introduction, ca. 1920)

IMAG0842When we wanted to express our excitement and enthusiasm for this breed, it was hard to come up with a more eloquent description than that given by Mr. Scott nearly 100 years ago.  That it could even be written nearly a century ago, demonstrates the depth of quality and reputation of this American original.  That this was written by an Englishman only further exemplifies the renown of this bird.

With the help of our friend Ron Fogle, we have been able to acquire a truly heirloom line of Rhode Island Reds (RIR).  The Fogle line is the continuation of a line of single-comb RIR’s that was established many years, possibly decades ago.  It has been in the hands of some noteworthy keepers of RIR’s, including Robert Blosl, Andre St. Romain, and Master Breeder- Ricky Bates.  As a result of his wonderful work with this line, we refer to it as the Fogle line of heritage Rhode Island Reds.  This line has been recognized as one of the top five lines of heritage RIR’s in the country.

Fantastic Heritage RIR from Ron Fogle

Fantastic Heritage RIR from Ron Fogle

The heritage RIR lines have been closed to outbreeding for many generations, in order to preserve the efforts of the families that have worked countless hours to preserve the outstanding qualities of this breed.  The Fogle line has been developed to encourage not only conformation, but also produce a respectable number of eggs.  We feel this is the perfect representation of the heritage Rhode Island Red.  We are delighted to be among the few lucky homes of the Fogle RIR’s on the West Coast.  By establishing flocks of this line in differing climates and terrior (sorry for the French, but its the best word), we can add diversity to the line without outbreeding.  The heritage RIR is found both on ALBC’s list of conservation breeds, and Slow Food’s Ark of Taste.  This project is the essence of what Sunbird Farms stands for; an opportunity to contribute to, and preserve, a true treasure of American poultry genetics.


Another Place to Share our Passion

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Bresse RoosterAll, we just wanted to let you know about a thread we’ve started on BackYard Chickens.  It’s a place to share and learn about pastoral poultry, slow food, farm-to-consumer issues, artisanal farming, and just about anything else related to raising chickens for food.  Right now its just a shell with an introductory post, but if your interested, ask your questions, post a comment, or just share what you’re doing.  We’re hoping this thread will be a welcoming place for people to learn and share.  Here’s the link: Pastoral Poultry, Traditional Farming in a Modern Era.  We’ll see you there!


Father Silverudd Has a Chicken…

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We have toyed with the idea for a long time and now it’s finally happened.  Sunbird Farms is proud to offer the wonderful Blue Isbar to our friends and family.  This fantastic breed is a great addition to our laying flock.  After much deliberation, we decided to wrap up our Cream Legbar program.  They are beautiful birds, and we’ve retained a few hens, but fanciers have done such a great job with them that they no longer need our efforts.   Greenfire was the original importer of the Blue Isbar a few years ago, and at that time they estimated that fewer than 100 of these magnificent birds existed in the world.  Their number have certainly climbed, but the Blue Isbar remains a rarity and worthy of preservation.  Recently Greenfire decided to move on from the Blue Isbar, and we were lucky enough to purchase a couple of additional hens that were hand selected for their breeding program.  We are really excited about this opportunity and are thrilled to be part of the few that are preserving this unique breed.   

The Isbar was created by Martin Silverudd, a catholic monk from Sweden.  During the 1950′s and 60′s, Father  Siverudd created a number of interesting breeds, one of which was the Isbar.  While a few varieties exist, the blue is perhaps the most beautiful of them all.  It was Father Silverudd’s desire to create an auto-sexing bird that would lay a large number of uniquely colored eggs.  The Isbar was the actualization of this dream.  Strikingly colored in dark blue and with shimmering metallic hackles, the blue Isbar rooster is a treasure to behold.  In addition to their good looks, the Isbar hens lay an egg that is as unique as the man who created them, a khaki green, sometimes speckled delight.  Because of the blue color patterns, the auto-sexing traits may be nearly completely absent, but the charm of these birds far outweighs this inconvenience.  We want to thank Greenfire for their work and research with this breed and are excited to carry on the preservation of the blue Isbar.

Breda, FBCM and Blue Isbar eggs.

Breda, FBCM and Blue Isbar eggs.


American Bresse Adventures, Part III

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Bresse Rooster

(If your interested in the American Bresse, go to our Store)

It has been a very busy month here at Sunbird Farms.  We are controlling pests in the orchards, irrigating, hatching eggs, and bringing in new birds.  Now that things are slowing a bit, we thought we’d catch up on our Bresse project.

If you remember back to the beginning, our “modified” approach to the cultural aspects of raising these birds included using a tractor in our orchard.  Well, we had to modify the modified approach.  Having 13 birds working in the tractor as we pulled it along the native pasture worked great, until it didn’t.  At some point, the bird just got too big.  Good problem to have.  We became aware of this when we noticed some feather picking going on.  We immediately removed the “picked-on” birds and put them in a safe place to recover.  They weren’t injured, but we didn’t want to risk further pecking/picking and possible injury.  After talking to family and friends, we realized they were just bored.  So we began efforts to build a second tractor and split the flock.  In the meantime though, we decided to leave one end of the tractor propped up every day. So the birds could sneak under and out, and then return and night when we would come along and close up the tractor.  As you might have guessed, problem solved.  There was no need for a second tractor.  The 20 acres of property has turned out to be more than ample.  They are now “unlimited” range as Label Rouge would say, and they are loving it.  In fact, this is actually much closer to the French method: free range by day, housed at night.  However, as we move closer to the processing age, we are considering how we might limit the range again, possibly with portable fencing and employing the second tractor, as a means of improving meat quality.  We have been very pleased with their growth.  In just over two weeks, some of our cockerels added nearly 1.5lbs.  That’s no Cornish-X, but we are delighted.  The final product remains to be seen, but we are thoroughly enjoying this process.

Stretching in the grass

Stretching in the grass

Coming soon, we will begin our Black Bresse project.

On a quick side note…we were asked by a friend recently about the California Poulet de Bleu and if that is what we were aiming for.  The short answer is no. While the California Poulet de Bleu, or California Blue Foot, is touted as a “descendent” of the French Bresse, it is in fact NOT a French Bresse, but a bird bred to replicate the Bresse.  That’s not to say that it’s not a delicious bird, we don’t know, we’ve never tried one.  It’s just to say that our stock came directly from Greenfire Farms and are hatched from Greenfire’s own breeding stock.  These birds were originally imported from Europe.  You can read more about the creation of the California Poulet de Bleu, or California Blue Foot, here.


Sunbird Farms’ Bielefelders- “Huhnvergnügen”

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In the 90′s Volkswagen introduced us to Fahrvergnügen.  They said this was the embodiment of the volkswagen experience, “driving enjoyment.”  Today we are hoping to introduce the world to a new term, “huhnvergnügen:” or “chicken enjoyment.”

Created in the “economic and cultural heart” of eastern Westphalia (the place, not the van), Germany’s own Gerd Roth set out to produce the ultimate chicken.  Bielefeld was called the “city of linen,” and was renown for its artisanal work in creating banknotes from velvet, silk and linen.  This same commitment to beauty and usefulness was evident in the creation of the Bielefelder Kennhünh.  Mr. Roth’s labor of love resulted in a chicken that some would say is unparalleled in the dual-purpose world.  Mr. Roth started with a foundation of the best dual-purpose stock available, American heritage breeds.  The Bielefelder is a combination of birds including the New Hampshire, Rhode Island Red, and Barred Rock.  These breeds helped to instill the Bielefelder with top-shelf meat capabilities, a large frame, prolific egg laying, and offspring that could be sexed at birth (auto-sexing).  The Bielefelder is truly a premier dual-purpose bird, combining the best of American production into a single bird.

This breed is truly outstanding.  Their Legbar coloring is a visual delight, and so is their docile nature.  These impressive roosters are inquisitive and confident, without any sign of aggression toward humans.  The hens are laborious in their pursuit of greens and grubs, not to mention their reported egg-laying prowess reaching as high as 230 eggs a year.  Add to that their ability to survive temperature extremes and we believe they can only be described as the ultimate huhnvergnügen.  Maybe we can talk VW into including a Bielefelder pair with every purchase?  Well, even if they won’t, we have chicks and juveniles available now.

DSC00573Sunbird Farms is delighted to have one of the largest flocks of German Bielefelders in the United States.  We have purchased our stock from the original importer, Greenfire Farms, and have also acquired a number of outstanding lines of the foundation for this wonderful bird, including German New Hampshires.  This will ensure that the future of Bielefelders at Sunbird Farms maintains the ultimate in genetic strength.  Few if any other sources have this capability.  

If you have any interest in the “über chicken,” contact us for more information… info@sunbirdfarms.com

 

 

 

 

Some links to German pages on the Bielefelder: Bielefeld characteristic chicken; Bielefeld Kennhühn; Bielefeld characteristic chickens

Other links: Feathersite, Elite Poultry


Back to the start…

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American Bresse Adventures IV

American Bresse Adventures IV

The last week has been one of highs and lows.  Many nights around our dinner table we will share the day’s triumphs and tragedies, a brief glance into the ups and downs of each person’s day.  It’s a meaningful time of sharing both the good and the bad, doubling our joy and mitigating our sadness.

For Sunbird Farms, this past week has seen some of our highest highs, and (hopefully) our lowest lows.  In the plus column, we have accomplished two goals of great significance to us.  First, we have completed our NPIP certification and are expecting our federal number any day.  This was a task that was months in the making and one that culminates in a new level of assurance for all our customers that we are indeed doing things in the healthy, quality ways that we have been promising.  Second, we have reached a milestone in our website, surpassing 10,000 views from more than 50 countries, from Canada to Macedonia, South Africa to the Russian Federation.  We realize that these are not Apple-size accomplishments (they’re counting down to 50 billion apps downloaded), but they are meaningful to us.  And we have had smaller, but no less meaningful, accomplishments, completing more successful shipments of birds and chicks to our friend Mark in Montana, and the Tuckers in Vermont.  We relish every delivery of happy, healthy poultry to our friends around the country.

These accomplishments have been wonderful and we look forward to many more, but as Jerry Garcia said, “every silver lining’s got a touch of grey.”  In about three days we were preparing to arrive at the culmination of over six months of planning and effort with our American Bresse.  A week ago today we shipped out our last set of American Bresse chicks.  Arriving safely in Montana on Saturday, we had planned a second day of construction on our new Whizbang plucker, anticipating the efficiency and ease of processing chickens that has always been so time consuming due to hand-plucking.  Unfortunately, last Saturday’s dawn had been preceded by a virtual storm of activity of which we were totally unaware.  Late Friday evening, two members of our pet family were apparently overcome by centuries of instinctual influence and decided to reap a harvest of American Bresse, just one week before we were scheduled to do so ourselves.  In a few short hours, maybe minutes, they decimated our entire flock (save a single pair, thankfully).  It was a sad day for man, and his best friend.

But as Jerry goes on to say…”we will get by.”  And so here we are, a little wiser, a little crestfallen, but no less determined to have a positive net impact on our food heritage.  Our defenses will be strengthened, stern words have been exchanged, behavioral reinforcement has been initiated.  It has been a week of ups and downs. Relationships between man and beast have been tested, but in the end we will do what we have been doing, and will accomplish what we set out to accomplish, if only a little delayed.  We’re going back to the start…



NPIP Juvenile Bielefelders Available!!!!

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For a limited time, we are offering these ultra-rare, ultra-productive birds as juveniles.  The Bielefelder is at the top of the dual-purpose chain, as prolific and productive as they come.  We have a very select number of juvenile chicks, ranging from 3-5 weeks old that we are able to share with those looking for the “über-chicken.”  Visit our Store now and place your order before they’re all gone.  This is your chance to start your own flock of the wonderful birds.  We are one of the few sources for the Bielefelder, and one of only a couple that are NPIP certified.  (CA-410)


Sunbird Farms Receives NPIP Certification

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Sunbird Farms is pleased to announce that we are now NPIP certified.  This national certification lets our customers know that we have healthy birds, living in clean environments that are properly managed and inspected by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and overseen by the California Poultry Health Board.  We are delighted to have passed our inspections and look forward to continuing to offer the ultimate in rare and heritage chickens to our friends around the country.  Our NPIP# is CA-410.


dass andere Deutsch Huhn

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photo2 Lately we have a lot of conversation on our website about the über chicken, but growing silently in the background is dass andere Deutsch Huhn (that other German chicken, for those who sprechen nicht Deutsch).  We have to say that these German New Hampshires are truly wonderful birds.  They have been growing rapidly, dwarfing their little barred rock friend.  They are docile and inquisitive, showing no signs of agression but always interested in what we’re doing in their quarters.  At 17 weeks old, we are excitedly anticipating our first eggs in the next month or two.  At about 13 weeks, our hens were weighing about 2.5 lbs (1.2kg) and the roosters between 3.25 and 3.75 lbs (1.5-1.7kg).  Perhaps the most intriguing thing about these birds is how truly beautiful they are.   In the same way that it is difficult to describe how wonderfully rich the chocolate coloring is, this orange is really tough to capture in words.  They have a brilliant orange coloring, with gold and red mixed in like an pacific sunset.  Whatever the Germans added to this American treasure, they did it right.  We are looking forward to studying these birds, their growth and production, and enjoying their absolute beauty.  Stay tuned…


Sweet Corn… The Devil’s Food

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One of my all time favorite stories from writer Garrison Keillor can be found in the introduction to “Leaving Home.”  Keillor talks about growing up in a strict Christian home among the “Brethren,” and all the deprivations they had to suffer.  But he speaks “cheekishly” about his family’s soft spot for sweet corn, saying that if the devil himself came to the door selling this garden delight, they’d at least have to invite him in for coffee and hear what he had to say.  Or as Keillor is quoted as saying, “sex is good, but not as good a fresh sweet corn.”   Few who have had it could disagree…sweet corn I mean.  It is one of life’s treasures in summer.

Of course, as with all good things, science has to eventually tell us why it’s bad.  That’s just what happened recently in an article I found on Slow Food USA’s website, but is actually from the NY Times.  Turns out, it’s really a great article, Breeding the Nutrition Out of Food.  The studies show how the industrialized food system has created wonderfully tasting fruits and veggies, with almost no concern for nutrient value.  Getting our children to eat their greens today may be little better than having them eat a plate of sugar.  The answer, heirloom varieties.  Traditional varieties of fruits and vegetables, often hard to find in most grocery stores, can have 10 times or more nutrient value as our store-bought sources.  At Sunbird Farms, we try our best to get those varieties that are listed on the Slow Food Ark of Taste.  You can find them through Seed Savers Exchange, and many other traditional seed outlets.   Once again, we encourage you to visit your local farmer’s market or the garden in your back yard.  Take a minute to read this insightful article, and follow this link to find a farmer’s market near you…  And don’t be afraid to buy some sweet corn, just look for the variety with rich yellow kernels, no matter how tempting that white devil may be!

Blessings,

SF


Keeping Your Chickens Cool

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If you live anywhere near central California, you know that summers can be extremely hot.  We’ve been in triple digits for weeks at a time.  This is not only hard on us, but it can be very hard on our animals.  Here at Sunbird Farms (the “Sunbird” name wasn’t an accident), we have a wide variety of poultry, some well-adapted to warm climates, others that struggle in the unrelenting heat.  Unfortunately we’ve had are share of casualties, losing birds to over-heating.  This year we have been very fortunate and have not lost any birds even though we are experiencing record highs (108+) with little relief in sight.  Here’s a list of things we’ve been doing to ease the strain on our birds.  Hopefully it can help you too:

  1. Water:  It probably goes without saying, but fresh, cool water is essential.  We change water daily.  The combination of sun and heat can cause all sorts of growth in your watering containers. Clean them out, fill them with fresh water, and even add frozen water bottles to keep your water cool.  Your chickens will thank you.
  2. Shade: Another simple solution.  The best shade comes from trees.  They provide protection from the sun, a cooling effect on the air and soil, and make excellent retreats for chickens.  We move all the birds we can under trees.  The temperature in our orchard is typically 5+ degrees cooler than the surrounding air.  If you don’t have access to enough trees, try building a portable shade structure.  We have built something that looks like a giant t.v. tray.  It folds for storage, and has a 4′x4′ plastic roof that sits about 3′ off the ground.  We added a few cross members for roosting and place our waterers underneath as well.  Its our “t.v. tree.”
  3. Water: Yes, we’re going back to water.  In addition to providing clean drinking water, we soak the areas under the trees and shade structures early in the day before the temperature rises too high.  As the water soaks in, it creates cool places for the chickens to scratch and bathe.  The key is to do this in the cool of the day; you don’t want “steamed chicken.”  Most soil is much cooler than the surrounding air.  At 16″ of depth, the soil in our orchard is about 70 degrees on a 105 degree day.  The moisture helps the chickens access this cooler temp.
  4. Circulation: All of our portable pens have tons of air circulation.  When you combine this circulation with shade and moist soil, you get a “cool breeze” effect from any wind.  It makes a real difference.  If you don’t have any wind, and you don’t have chickens in several locations, a fan can help provide the breeze necessary.
  5. Water: Ok, we know we’re getting carried away, but this is another great use for water.  Each night we freeze gallon-sized juice bottles full of water.  At the hottest part of the day, we place these frozen bottles in the area where our chickens are resting.  Within minutes all the birds will be huddled around this frozen mass, providing extra cooling to make it through peak temps.

Best of luck in this season of heat.  We hope these tips are helpful.  Stay cool!

Blessings,

SBF


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