{"id":104,"date":"2026-09-15T06:48:41","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T06:48:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/?page_id=104"},"modified":"2026-10-29T18:01:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T18:01:35","slug":"our-chickens","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/our-chickens\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Golden Cross Chickens"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/chickens-hero-1200-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Golden Cross chickens sharing the yard with our goats back in 2022\" class=\"wp-image-227\" srcset=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/chickens-hero-1200-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/chickens-hero-1200-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/chickens-hero-1200-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/chickens-hero-1200.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Our flock sharing the yard with the goats, back in 2022.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Golden Cross chickens are the heart of our urban homestead in Topeka, Kansas. They give us eggs, eat our bugs, and keep life interesting. Here&#8217;s where our flock came from, what the breeds behind it are like, and what we&#8217;ve learned keeping chickens in town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Meet Our Golden Cross Chickens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the years we&#8217;ve raised Black Australorps, Rhode Island Reds, Bresse, Orpingtons, Sex Links, Plymouth Rocks, Jersey Giants, and Wyandottes, plus Sebright bantams. Today our flock is a barnyard mix of all that good breeding, and we call them our Golden Crosses. Every one is a little different, and that&#8217;s half the fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our first four chicks came home in 2022, and every one of them turned out to be a rooster. One of them, Mr. Roo, a Black Australorp, is still with us. You can read that story in <a href=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/how-golden-t-cross-farm-started-goat-rescue\/\">how Golden T Cross Farm got started<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/coop-flock-1200-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Our Golden Cross chickens gathered in the yard by the coop\" class=\"wp-image-228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/coop-flock-1200-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/coop-flock-1200-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/coop-flock-1200-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/coop-flock-1200.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Our Golden Crosses<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Breeds Behind Our Golden Cross Chickens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Australorp:<\/strong> Calm, friendly, and one of the best light-brown egg layers around, often about 250 eggs a year or more. Their black feathers shine green in the sun, and they handle cold winters well.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rhode Island Red:<\/strong> Tough, hardy, and a steady layer of about 250 brown eggs a year. They do well in heat and cold, but the roosters can be bossy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Buff Orpington:<\/strong> Big, fluffy, and gentle, a great first chicken for families. They typically lay about 200 brown eggs a year and are prone to going broody.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/australorp-1200-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"One of our roosters, part of the Australorp line in our flock\" class=\"wp-image-229\" srcset=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/australorp-1200-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/australorp-1200-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/australorp-1200-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/australorp-1200.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>One of our roosters<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/rir-rooster-1-1200-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Hershey, our Rhode Island Red rooster\" class=\"wp-image-230\" srcset=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/rir-rooster-1-1200-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/rir-rooster-1-1200-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/rir-rooster-1-1200-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/rir-rooster-1-1200.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Hershey, our Rhode Island Red rooster<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/buff-orpington-1200-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"One of our hens out with the goats back when we had them\" class=\"wp-image-231\" srcset=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/buff-orpington-1200-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/buff-orpington-1200-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/buff-orpington-1200-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/buff-orpington-1200.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>One of our hens out with the goats, back when we had them<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Eggs From Our Golden Cross Chickens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our Golden Crosses lay tan, pink, blue-green, and white eggs, so every basket looks a little different. In summer our hens give us about 6 to 8 eggs a day. In winter, with shorter days, that drops to about 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"413\" height=\"458\" src=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/silver-laced-wyandotte-1200-1.jpg\" alt=\"Silver-Laced Wyandotte hen with black-laced white feathers\" class=\"wp-image-240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/silver-laced-wyandotte-1200-1.jpg 413w, https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/silver-laced-wyandotte-1200-1-271x300.jpg 271w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 413px) 100vw, 413px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Silver-Laced Wyandotte, one of the breeds behind our Golden Crosses.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keeping Chickens in Town<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Topeka is pretty friendly to backyard chickens, but there are rules. Poultry has to stay on your own property in a fenced area and a fully enclosed pen, and it can&#8217;t be kept within 50 feet of anyone else&#8217;s house. Rules change, so read the current city code before you build. I cover the details in <a href=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/how-golden-t-cross-farm-started-goat-rescue\/\">our urban homestead story<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Every Chicken Keeper Should Know<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hens lay best in their first two or three years, then slow down.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most backyard hens live about 6 to 8 years.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A molting hen will stop laying for a while. That&#8217;s normal, not a problem. K-State&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu\/download\/molting-and-other-causes-of-feather-loss-in-small-poultry-flocks_MF2308\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">guide to molting in small flocks<\/a> explains why.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Predators are the biggest threat. Lock the coop up tight every night.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have a question about which breed fits your place? Ask us on X at <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jcibme\">@jcibme<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Golden Cross chickens are the heart of our urban homestead in Topeka, Kansas. They give us eggs, eat our bugs, and keep life interesting. Here&#8217;s where our flock came from, what the breeds behind it are like, and what we&#8217;ve learned keeping chickens in town. Meet Our Golden Cross Chickens Over the years we&#8217;ve raised &#8230; <a title=\"Our Golden Cross Chickens\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/our-chickens\/\" aria-label=\"More on Our Golden Cross Chickens\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-104","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104"}],"version-history":[{"count":45,"href":"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/104\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":577,"href":"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/104\/revisions\/577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goldencrossfarm.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}