Two Hunnyz Rabbitry
Rare - Heritage - Heirloom
Meet The Hens!
We take great pleasure in caring for the health and happiness of our resident flock. In return, our feathered girls provide delicious farm fresh eggs, comedic entertainment and an element of completeness to the homestead, although we are currently without any hens. In keeping with our love of rare and heritage livestock breeds, the original hens were comprised of six rare breeds: Silver Spangled Hamburg, Silver Penciled Rock, Golden Laced Wyandotte, Partridge Rock, Speckled Sussex, and Andalusian. The breeds were selected for their ability to forage, thrive in our climate, and egg production throughout winter.
There are many definitions to 'free-range', some being quite misleading. The USDA defines free-range as birds merely having access to the outdoors, but the ability to forage for seeds, green plants, insects and worms isn't a requirement. Our birds enjoy the sun and breezes, dirt between their toes while foraging in the back garden before returning to their henhouse for the night. Our hens' egg yolks are a rich, golden yellow and packed with flavor, due to the high quality of their diet. Once you've tasted truly farm fresh eggs, you'll never want to go back to the pale, tasteless store bought eggs again! According to Mother Earth News- sponsored tests, free-range chickens produce eggs of superior nutritional value. When compared to the USDA nutrient data for commercial eggs, free-range eggs contained up to...
~~~ "Confinement raised birds never enjoy the sunlight, and many large-scale operation free-range birds still live in severely over crowded conditions without outside access for any length of time, or remain confined within a small, outdoor pen with little room to roam. The only way to be sure what the term "free-range" means for the {eggs} you eat is to know the farm and see for yourself." Source: ecolabels.org ~~~
The hens are fed our custom Whole-Grain Layer Ration, it is naturally grown, free of animal by-products and GMO's. Our girls also enjoy kitchen and garden goodies and hedgerow herbs grown on-site. During fall/winter they receive a daily ration of organic whole boiled soybeans to supplement the decrease in natural protein sources. They are healthy and active with bright combs and glistening plumage!
~~~ "According to a recent USDA study, eggs from true free-range chickens compared to confinement chickens tested as a hands-down healthier option with up to half the cholesterol, twice the vitamin E, four times the essential Omega-3 fatty acid, and a whopping six times the beta carotene! All that in addition to increased folic acid and B12. Nature does know best!" Source: Mother Earth News and Eat Wild ~~~
The Chicken Gazette contains more about the hens and our set up.
Silver Spangled Hamburg
~ Dottie
Feather Colour: clear white tail markings with elegant spangles; spangles are pointed at top, rounded at bottom; leaden blue shanks and toes; rose comb
Eggshell Colour: white, small
Hen Weight: 4 lbs.
Comments: very old breed; origins traced back to 1599; known for low feed consumption; alert & cheerful; very good fliers
ALBA Priority: watch
Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock
~ Emiline & Essie
Feather Colour: distinct silvery grey and black penciling; single comb
Eggshell Colour: light brown, large
Hen Weight: 7.5 lbs.
Comments: developed c.1900 in New York, USA; curious & calm
ALBC Priority: recovering
Golden Laced Wyandotte
~ Wynona
Feather Colour: rich golden-bay with lustrous greenish black lacing; rose comb
Eggshell Colour: medium brown, large
Hen Weight: 6.5 lbs.
Comments: developed in Wisconsin,USA; good for cold climates; curious & calm
ALBA Priority: recovering
Partridge Rock
~ Ginger, Babs, Winifred
Feather Colour: brown plumage, distinct penciling of black outlining each feather; single comb
Eggshell Colour: brown, large
Hen Weight: 7.5 lbs.
Comments: prolific egg layers; calm
ALBC Priority: recovering
Blue Andalusian
~ Carmelita
Feather Colour: beautiful slate blue with a narrow lacing of darker blue, sometimes shading to dove gray; shanks and toes a leaden blue; single comb
Eggshell Colour: chalk to creamy, large
Hen Weight: 5.5 lbs.
Comments: rare; originated in Spain; hybrid cross between Black and Splash(see below) Andalusian; graceful, stately carriage; very little broodiness; flighty
ALBC Priority: critical
Speckled Sussex
~ Edwina
~ the rooster
Feather Colour: rich mahogany base with individual feathers ending in a white tip separated by a black bar; single comb
Eggshell Colour: brown to tinted, large
Hen Weight: 7 lbs.
Comments: developed in Sussex, England over 100 years ago; calm
ALBC Priority: threatened
Splash Andalusian
~Hennie Pennie
There are many definitions to 'free-range', some being quite misleading. The USDA defines free-range as birds merely having access to the outdoors, but the ability to forage for seeds, green plants, insects and worms isn't a requirement. Our birds enjoy the sun and breezes, dirt between their toes while foraging in the back garden before returning to their henhouse for the night. Our hens' egg yolks are a rich, golden yellow and packed with flavor, due to the high quality of their diet. Once you've tasted truly farm fresh eggs, you'll never want to go back to the pale, tasteless store bought eggs again! According to Mother Earth News- sponsored tests, free-range chickens produce eggs of superior nutritional value. When compared to the USDA nutrient data for commercial eggs, free-range eggs contained up to...
Two thirds more vitamin A
Double the Omega-3 fatty acids
Triple the vitamin E
Seven times more beta carotene
One-third less cholesterol
One-quarter less saturated fat
Double the Omega-3 fatty acids
Triple the vitamin E
Seven times more beta carotene
One-third less cholesterol
One-quarter less saturated fat
~~~ "Confinement raised birds never enjoy the sunlight, and many large-scale operation free-range birds still live in severely over crowded conditions without outside access for any length of time, or remain confined within a small, outdoor pen with little room to roam. The only way to be sure what the term "free-range" means for the {eggs} you eat is to know the farm and see for yourself." Source: ecolabels.org ~~~
The hens are fed our custom Whole-Grain Layer Ration, it is naturally grown, free of animal by-products and GMO's. Our girls also enjoy kitchen and garden goodies and hedgerow herbs grown on-site. During fall/winter they receive a daily ration of organic whole boiled soybeans to supplement the decrease in natural protein sources. They are healthy and active with bright combs and glistening plumage!
~~~ "According to a recent USDA study, eggs from true free-range chickens compared to confinement chickens tested as a hands-down healthier option with up to half the cholesterol, twice the vitamin E, four times the essential Omega-3 fatty acid, and a whopping six times the beta carotene! All that in addition to increased folic acid and B12. Nature does know best!" Source: Mother Earth News and Eat Wild ~~~
The Chicken Gazette contains more about the hens and our set up.
Silver Spangled Hamburg
~ Dottie
Feather Colour: clear white tail markings with elegant spangles; spangles are pointed at top, rounded at bottom; leaden blue shanks and toes; rose comb
Eggshell Colour: white, small
Hen Weight: 4 lbs.
Comments: very old breed; origins traced back to 1599; known for low feed consumption; alert & cheerful; very good fliers
ALBA Priority: watch
Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock
~ Emiline & Essie
Feather Colour: distinct silvery grey and black penciling; single comb
Eggshell Colour: light brown, large
Hen Weight: 7.5 lbs.
Comments: developed c.1900 in New York, USA; curious & calm
ALBC Priority: recovering
Golden Laced Wyandotte
~ Wynona
Feather Colour: rich golden-bay with lustrous greenish black lacing; rose comb
Eggshell Colour: medium brown, large
Hen Weight: 6.5 lbs.
Comments: developed in Wisconsin,USA; good for cold climates; curious & calm
ALBA Priority: recovering
Partridge Rock
~ Ginger, Babs, Winifred
Feather Colour: brown plumage, distinct penciling of black outlining each feather; single comb
Eggshell Colour: brown, large
Hen Weight: 7.5 lbs.
Comments: prolific egg layers; calm
ALBC Priority: recovering
Blue Andalusian
~ Carmelita
Feather Colour: beautiful slate blue with a narrow lacing of darker blue, sometimes shading to dove gray; shanks and toes a leaden blue; single comb
Eggshell Colour: chalk to creamy, large
Hen Weight: 5.5 lbs.
Comments: rare; originated in Spain; hybrid cross between Black and Splash(see below) Andalusian; graceful, stately carriage; very little broodiness; flighty
ALBC Priority: critical
Speckled Sussex
~ Edwina
~ the rooster
Feather Colour: rich mahogany base with individual feathers ending in a white tip separated by a black bar; single comb
Eggshell Colour: brown to tinted, large
Hen Weight: 7 lbs.
Comments: developed in Sussex, England over 100 years ago; calm
ALBC Priority: threatened
Splash Andalusian
~Hennie Pennie
