Hatching Chickens Since 1936
Nine decades of hard-won flock knowledge including care guides, breed profiles, and stories from the hatchery floor.
Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) are large, attractive birds that originated in India and Sri-Lanka. They are about the same size as turkeys (Meleagridis gallopavo), to which they are closely related. The term peafowl denotes the species. The male is a peacock, the female is a peahen. The babies are peachicks. Like everything in life, raising peafowl […]
A broody hen stops laying eggs when she starts setting. Therefore, throughout the ages poultry keepers who have raised chickens primarily for eggs have culled persistently broody hens. In other words, they selectively bred in favor of non-setters. As a result, the breeds best known for superior laying ability are less apt to brood than […]
If you would wonder what the word poultry means, you might think first to look in the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection. At the front of the book is a glossary covering 8-pages of terms from “A.O.C.” to “yearling,” but no “poultry.” So, what is poultry? Definitions of Poultry Even though the Standard doesn’t […]
Some chicken breeds thrive better on forage compared to others. Breeds that have been kept in confinement for many generations generally forage less aggressively than breeds that have continued to exercise their foraging instinct. If you want a low-maintenance flock, and you have space for them to roam, consider these chicken breeds that are exceptional […]
Many turkey breeds are available to choose from. Although turkeys are typically considered to be primarily meat birds, some of the heritage varieties have become popular in the showroom. In selecting the best breed for your particular situation, consider three basic criteria. Size Matters A dressed turkey must conveniently fit into your refrigerator while it […]
A longtail chicken is one of several breeds selectively bred for growing particularly long tail feathers. The roosters have two specialized genes that allow their tails to grow longer than those of other breeds. One is a nonmolting gene that causes some of their tail feathers to not molt. The other gene produces rapid tail-feather […]
Frizzle chickens are fun and funny, but are they a breed? The answer is yes and no. In Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and United Kingdom Frizzles are classified as a pure breed. In the United States they are considered to be a plumage variety in any breed. Frizzle Chickens Frizzling is a genetic condition […]
Black laced red is a relatively new variety of Wyandotte. In appearance the chickens are somewhat similar to black laced golden Wyandottes, which have been standardized as “golden laced Wyandottes” since 1888. To understand the nomenclature, as well as the differences between black laced red and black laced golden Wyandottes, let’s take a brief look […]
The Marans chicken breed originated in the French port town of Marans. The breed is known in France as Poule de Marans, or Chicken of Marans. French Marans have sparsely feathered legs. British poultry enthusiasts prefer birds with featherless legs. So when the Brits imported French Marans, they bred them to be clean legged. Today […]
A lot of chicken keepers who are unfamiliar with both barred Rocks and Dominiques have trouble telling the difference between them. Once you’ve seen both, though, you’ll have no trouble readily identifying which is which. First let’s get one thing straight: “Barred Rock” is not a breed. The breed is Plymouth Rock. The original color […]
No one knows how many different chicken breeds exist in the world, because no one keeps track. Wikipedia estimates hundreds. In her book The Behavioural Biology of Chickens, Professor C.J. Nichol of the University of London has counted more than 500 “fancy breeds” worldwide, described as ranging “from the sublime to the ridiculous.” These vague […]
A bantam is a small chicken, about one-fourth to one-fifth as big as a standard-size chicken, generally weighing no more than 2 pounds. The popularity of bantams, affectionately known as banties, began as families moved from farms into suburban areas, and escalated from there. People who enjoy keeping bantams find that they require little backyard […]