Oh, REAL chicken is SO GOOOOOOD! We have 15 (yes, you heard that correctly) extra roos right now, and I've been after Rich to lop off their heads so we can put them in the freezer, but he's having an emotional problem with killing right now. I can understand totally, because we've had our fair share of death around here recently... but on the other hand, they're running in gangs, and although they're not mean to US, they harass the hens terribly. Maybe when the weather cools off some. One thing, though, about butchering a rooster (or a hen, for that matter) after they're more than a few months old is that the meat is very tough. You'd want to can them or make some crock pot type thing, or just boil and boil and boil some more to get some DELICIOUS stock, and meat for Annoying Rooster Pot Pie, which is very tasty. I'll give you the recipe when you get to that point if you'd like it.
Cream Legbar is a breed I've not heard of yet, so I'll have to check them out. I'd love to get some different colored eggs again. I decided not to go with the EEs after the batch I got only laid green eggs the first year, and I'm happy enough with my various shades of cream to brown (especially the Welsummers' dark brown). But some light blue ones would be cool.
We had a little White Leghorn that came as a "packing peanut" in our first batch of Light Brahma chicks, and she was the most adorable little hen! She was less than HALF the size of the bigger Brahmas, but she had guts that wouldn't quit. She'd push her way through those big chickens to get her share of the treats, and she followed me absolutely everywhere. We called her Bridget (for Bridget the Midget), and of course, her eggs were white, but she laid for quite a few years, which I thought was amazing. As she got older, her shells got thinner and thinner, and finally disappeared, so her eggs were just covered in membrane, and broke in the nestbox, fouling the other eggs, but I just didn't have the heart to dispatch her like any NORMAL person would have. As it turned out, our male Pyr "played" with her and scared her literally to death. I was SO MAD at that dog, but he was only 6 months old when we got him, and didn't know any better yet. It's always the favorite ones that go sooner than they should, isn't it?
It sounds like you've got a good feeding program going on for your girls. I haven't had time to get out to the garden much yet this year, so I never did get the squash planted, but I usually plant some for the chickens because they love it so much. Kale is something else they love. THAT I've planted twice and still haven't gotten to eat any because they break into the garden and eat it all down before I harvest it. And tomatoes! OMG, tomatoes are their MOST favorite, with kale being second, and then the squash! LOL! The problem with chickens being omnivores is they like all the same stuff we like!
I know this thread has really become a non-vaping (in ANY sense of the word) thread, but it's nice to find someone else who's into some of the same farmy kinds of things we are. OK, here, here's some "vaping" subject matter. When we're out doing chores morning and evening, as soon as all the work stuff is done, we always sit for a while, with the cows in the morning, and the birds in the evening, and vape while we relax. In fact, I have Tootle-Puffing cows! One in particular just LOVES the smell of my strawberry, chocolate, and mint flavors, and she practically tries to climb into my lap to get her vapor. I take one hit for me, then one to blow in her face, then one for me, one for her, etc. It's hysterical! Anything chocolate drives her WILD! LOL!
~Lannie