Kendra's 2021 Favorites

Hey everyone! Welcome back to The Coop with Meyer Hatchery - where we talk all things poultry in hopes of inspiring crazy chicken keepers and educating future flock owners. We’re glad to have you tuning in for this brief midweek break as we provide a Meyer Moment to cover relevant happenings. 

Let’s take a Meyer Moment to celebrate my birthday month, with some of my personal Meyer favorites. While I’d like to tell you this month is all about me, I do have something special in store for YOU! So keep listening. 

As my co-host, Jeff has probably convinced you I’ve earned my crazy chicken lady title housing well over 100 birds on my homestead. In addition to several breeds, I’ve also raised various poultry types including chickens, bantams, ducks, quail, guineas, and turkeys! So what are some of my favorites?

This will come as no surprise since many of you favor the Marans breed but Black Copper Marans still tops my list. My head roo is a Black Copper Marans and he’s the perfect protector! As a docile breed, I have a few roos and even a few more hens because nothing is more satisfying than that first dark chocolate brown egg. 

Speaking of colored eggs, my next favorite is the Lakeshore Egger. They are an incredibly productive egg layer producing hues of blue, green, or brown. And let me tell you, with a handful of these in my flock the ones that lay blue eggs could rival the sacred Blue Ameraucana. 

Now I couldn’t list my favorites without including the good ol’ Golden Buff. This red sex link comes by various names, they were my first love and will forever be in my flock. They are the MOST prolific large brown egg layer breed, sweet as can be, and love to free-range. 

Last but not least, a new favorite. The Speckled Sussex. Not only does their paint-splattered appearance add a bit of whimsy to your flock, but their personality is incredibly curious. I may have 1 or..3 in my flock, and they are always the first to escape the coop, hang out by the car for snacks, and come running when called. Let’s just say they make my flock fun! 

Oh, and if you’re looking for meat birds, ya have to know by now Rainbow Rangers are always my go-to. I raise them annually and love their ability to free-range with my layers and their slower growth rate produces the most delicious home-raised chicken. 

Now while I’ve raised various poultry types, chickens still make up the majority of my flock..along with Turkeys! I’m not a particular fan of large birds - um Emu’s heck no. So when I decided to give turkeys a go, let’s just say I was cautiously optimistic. However, the Bourbon Reds sold me. Incredibly friendly, yet self-sufficient when it comes to free-ranging - my flock has quickly grown to 14ish. I now raise and hatch them, thanks to my head Tom affectionately known as Butters. 

My favorites don’t end there. For any true crazy chicken keeper, you have to have flock treats on hand! While I like to get creative every now and then, mealworms are always on standby. 

And with a flock this large, I know what you must be thinking… how do you collect all those eggs? Ha! Well, I’m glad you asked. This year while at the hatchery’s store I took the leap and upgraded my egg basket to the 15 dozen capacity. People. It’s a game-changer! If your egg basket is constantly overflowing, go big! 

While my favorites are all flock focused, I do have one weakness. Tea towels. Raising chickens for meat and eggs means I also spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Cooking, baking, and canning - all of which can be a bit messy. Over the past few years, I’ve found myself buying more and more tea towels to deck my oven doors and keep the kitchen in order. 

You can find all my favorites linked below, and if you decide to jump on the crazy chicken keeper bandwagon with me and purchase one of my favorites, be sure to tag me in our exclusive Facebook Group, Inside the Coop. Oh, and as a special birthday treat from me to you - use code KENDRA at checkout for $5 off your order throughout the month of September.

I hope you enjoyed this Meyer Moment and help celebrate my birthday with a few of my Meyer Favorites. 

Enjoy the rest of your week and as always, thank you for listening to The Coop!