Kids and Chickens
GREENWOOD, ARK. – Anakin Payne and his brother, Finn and his sister, Everleigh don’t have time to worry about which came first – the chicken or the egg – as they are too busy counting their chickens (and eggs) many, long before they are hatched. While raising and watching over close to 100 chickens of multiple breeds as well as some ducks, they are three very busy young entrepreneurs.
The Payne family, which also includes dad, Dustin and mom, Brandie moved to Sebastian County, Ark., outside Greenwood, five years ago from Monahans, Texas to be closer to family in Oklahoma and Ft. Smith. Anakin age 12 is about to start seventh grade at Greenwood Junior High as Finn, age ten will enter fifth grade and Everleigh, age eight will start third grade. Meanwhile, the three siblings are making good use of the family’s eight acres to raise their chickens which they show regularly at local shows sponsored by the American Bantam Association and the American Poultry Association as well as county fairs.
“We have like five coops of chickens,” Anakin explained recently. “We have silkies, Partridge Wyandotte Bantams, Bantam New Hampshires, Bantam Barred Rocks, Bantam Black Wyandottes, Black Copper Marans, a few Buff Orpingtons and three black Ameraucana chickens.” The Bantam part of the name refers to these breeds of chickens’ smaller size over the many other breeds available.
Brandie Payne added that they also have 17 brown cinnamon queen pullets, that are a breed specific just to the Arkansas pullet chain project, that her kids are raising as part of their most recent Legacy 4-H project in Sebastian County to show in the local county fair.
They house their chickens in five different coops, letting different ones out into separate yards, depending on their numbers, breeds, and the fact that certain ones can actually fly so they have to be watched more closely. One of their coops is referred to as the bachelor coop, keeping some of the roosters separate from the others to maintain their condition and for breeding purposes. And with some, it also depends on the presence of neighboring dogs and of course, all have to be securely locked up each evening to protect them from predators like possums and raccoons.
Anakin admits that having so much ongoing activity with two younger siblings can be both an advantage and a struggle. The work involves daily feeding and watering and the monthly changing of shavings. They add protein treats and on the extra hot days, they also add more water as well as ice jugs. As they prepare for shows, the chickens’ feeding schedule may include extra protein and oil, and their show chickens also have to be bathed and their combs cleaned and their nails trimmed. Brandie laughed, “it’s good to have someone to help share the chores but when you’re the older brother, getting the younger ones to help is not always easy.”
On show days, Anakin explained he and his siblings are required to get their show chickens of that day into their designated cages so the judges can look them over.
“They’ll check your chicken for lice, mites and parasites. They also check their body size and shape and for showmanship. You introduce yourself and set your chicken on the table. The judges will ask you questions about your chicken, the breed, what category they are in, and they may ask you some questions about your general poultry knowledge.”
The Payne siblings are active members in their Sebastian County 4-H program where Kevin Jones is the leader. They are also members of the American Poultry Association (APA) and the American Bantam Association (ABA).
They sell eggs through their Facebook farm page, up to six dozen a week, depending on the season, but only as few as three dozen a week during the hotter weeks of the summer. They also sell some baby silkie chicks at the poultry shows. They sell their 4-H cinnamon queen pullets after the county fair but have generally kept their New Hampshire and Wyandotte varieties as show chickens. The Payne family also consumes some of their own poultry.
Brandie explained that in addition to their chickens they also have what are referred to as call ducks. “Historically, these were ducks used here for hunting purposes, used by hunters to call in wild ducks. Then that was ruled as illegal and is now prohibited so we use them strictly as show ducks.”
Dustin Payne works in oil field safety and Brandie is a photographer and a high school science teacher, all of which keeps them plenty busy when they are not chauffeuring kids and chickens to shows or hauling chicken supplies to their farm.
Anakin said that his favorite part of raising so many chickens is that some of them, like the Bantam Partridge roosters get really attached. “You have to handle them regularly for them to be a good show chicken. They are not like a typical rooster in that they become more like a pet and will follow you around. The hens tend to be a little more persnickety,” he concluded with a laugh.
