The Narragansett was one of the earliest domestic turkey varieties in the American colonies. Once commonly found foraging in colonial farmyards, Narragansett turkeys eventually lost favor to faster growing and therefore more cost-effective industrially developed broad-breasted turkeys. Today, however, these picture-perfect Pilgrim-era turkeys are making a comeback due to their exceptional hardiness, self-sufficiency, and superior […]
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Are Chickens with Beards Right for You? Beards on chickens are the result of a genetic mutation. Ancient chicken keepers liked the unique appearance of chickens with beards, so they continued to breed more of the same. Other than the cuteness factor, scientists have yet to find any significant advantage or disadvantage to a beard […]
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In the fall, mature drakes start looking more like hens. Don’t worry — it’s perfectly normal. Like other birds, ducks periodically replace their old worn-out feathers with a new set of plumage in a process called molting. Mature hens renew their feathers after the annual breeding season, too. But mature drakes go through two annual […]
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The more chickens you have, the more difficult it might be to come up with a name for each one. Some chicken names are simply traditional human names. Others are puns of various sorts. Most flock keepers prefer female names for hens and male names for roosters. Many, however, mix and match or choose gender-neutral […]
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People enjoy keeping chickens for many different reasons. Some chicken keepers simply have a passion for poultry. Others focus on the benefits chickens provide. In no particular order, here are 30 reasons to love chickens: Chicks grow fast. Chicks grow quickly from chickhood to maturity. In less than a year your new flock will settle […]
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Chickens instinctively seek a high place to sleep at night. Without such a place to roost inside their coop, they may roost outdoors. Chickens that roost outdoors at night are vulnerable to both predators and adverse weather. Providing them with a comfortable place to roost inside the coop at night keeps them safer. What is […]
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Most bantam breeds are smaller versions of a larger counterpart. True bantams, on the other hand, are naturally small chickens. Rather than having been selectively bred for size, many of the true bantam chicken breeds existed long before the development of most of the other chicken breeds we know today. Difference between bantams and true […]
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An egg begins in the hen’s ovary, where the yolk is created. Then it travels through the chicken’s oviduct, which is about two-feet long and has five separate compartments, each with a different and specialized function. Some 25 hours later, the egg exits the hen’s body. The process through which each egg develops is nothing […]
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Chickens can swim, and some actually enjoy it. Others, not so much. That’s because a chicken is not as well equipped for swimming as a duck. But most chickens will at least wade into water to cool themselves down on a hot summer day. If the water is deep enough, a chicken might even paddle […]
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What you feed your baby chicks not only helps them grow and thrive, but also ensures good laying ability and fertility when they mature. On the other hand, improper nutrition can slow their development and have long-term negative consequences to their health and laying ability. Shipping causes stress. Chicks hatch with residual yolk reserves that […]
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