Longtail chickens require specialized treatment to maintain the beauty of their lavish tail feathers. Here are 7 ways the care and feeding of longtail roosters differs from that of other chicken breeds. 1. Plenty of Perches A lot of what we know about caring for longtail chickens comes from the traditional management of Onagadori roosters […]
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Do Roosters Have a Penis?
Like the males of 97 percent of all bird species, a rooster does not have a penis. An incubated egg that will become a rooster starts to develop a penis, but early in the second week of embryonic development, a cell death protein called Bmp4 cloaks the incipient penis, causing it to stop developing and […]
Continue ReadingWhat to Do with Unwanted Roosters
It’s a problem every chicken keeper eventually faces: What to do with unwanted roosters. If you purchase chicks, or hatch your own, you’ll have this problem sooner rather than later. Even sexed chicks that are sold as pullets (young hens) almost invariably include one or more cockerels (young roosters). If you end up with more […]
Continue ReadingHere’s How Roosters Know When to Crow
Have you ever wondered what makes a rooster crow? Well, some scientists Nagoya University have recently made it their mission to prove once and for all how all of this crowing business works, and it might not be what you think. One widely accepted belief is that roosters crow at the first sign of daylight; […]
Continue ReadingWhy You May Need a Bigger Chicken Coop than You Thought
A mistake people often make when they buy or build their first chicken coop is making the coop too small. Nearly everyone says they wish they had a bigger coop. Here are nine reasons you may need a bigger chicken coop: Chicks Grow Fluffy little chicks are incredibly cute. But they grow really fast. As […]
Continue ReadingSpeckled Sussex Chickens in the Heritage Breed Spotlight
Speckled Sussex chickens are an old breed originating in England’s county of Sussex. They appeared in the world’s first poultry exhibition in 1845, although they date much farther back than that. This large-bodied bird was originally kept primarily for meat. But in the United States Sussex chickens are considered to be a dual-purpose egg-and-meet breed. […]
Continue ReadingWhat Are Heritage Chickens?
What exactly are heritage chickens? For that matter, what is a heritage turkey, duck, or goose? By definition, heritage poultry breeds share these important characteristics: They are standard breeds They mate naturally They can live a long time They are slow growing Standard Breeds Heritage breeds must have been accepted into the American Standard of […]
Continue ReadingOrpington Chickens in the Heritage Breed Spotlight
Orpington chickens get their name from the town of Orpington in Kent, England. They are the creation of Britain’s William Cook, whose goal was developing an outstanding meat and egg breed that tolerates England’s cold winters. Orpingtons first appeared at exhibition in London in 1886 and were first shown in the United States in 1895. […]
Continue ReadingWyandotte Chickens in the Heritage Breed Spotlight
Wyandotte chickens were developed in a region of the United States once occupied by the Native American Huron tribes. Collectively, these tribes were known as Wendat, or Wyandot, which inspired the breed name. Physical Attributes With their short tail, short back, and loose feathering, Wyandotte chickens look rather round. They may be large or bantam. […]
Continue Reading10 Things to Know Before You Get Chickens
Judging from numerous online posts, many people jump into chicken keeping without giving enough thought to what’s involved. As a result, you see lots of posts listing “things I wish I’d known.” Or along the lines of “advice to newbie chicken keeper.” Interestingly, these lists frequently repeat the same things. In the spirit of being […]
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