Each fall most chickens go through an annual molt, during which a shiny new set of feathers replaces their previous plumage. During the molt, nutrients used to produce eggs are diverted to producing feathers. As a result, laying slows, or ceases altogether. The best layers molt fast and furious, as if in a hurry to […]
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What’s the difference between a standard chicken versus a bantam chicken? To understand the difference, let’s look at what a standard chicken is and what a bantam is. Standard Chicken The word “standard” when applied to chickens can be confusing. In some contexts it means that the breed has been standardized by the American Poultry […]
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Easter Egger bantam chickens are a smaller version of chickens that originate from a cross between blue-egg laying Ameraucanas and breeds that lay eggs with brown shells. The result is a breeding population of chickens with a variety of conformations and plumage colors, and that lay eggs with a wide range of shell colors. Physical […]
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A chicken’s beak is an important tool for gathering food, drinking water, and exploring and manipulating objects in the environment. A chicken also uses its beak for preening, nest building, and engaging in social interactions. But occasionally a chick hatches with, or later develops, a deformity known as crossbeak. Also called crossed beak or scissors […]
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A child’s initial experience with chickens is often the most memorable. To ensure that the youngster’s introduction to chickens is pleasant and fun, consider these qualities when choosing the best first chickens for kids: They are calm in disposition They are friendly with people The breed is appropriate for small hands The chickens enjoy hugs […]
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Lakenvelder chickens are an ancient laying breed from the Utrecht area of southern Holland and the neighboring Nordrhein-Westfalen area of Germany. They take their name from the Dutch village of Lakervelt, in a region that favors the color pattern of a white mid section with black extremities. Besides Lakenvelder chickens, examples include goats, rabbits, pigs, […]
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The Buttercup is an ancient breed from Sicily, an Italian island long noted for its farmyard chickens with a cup-shape comb and greenish legs. Sicilian Buttercup chickens in the United States all trace back to hatching eggs imported in 1892. The breed was admitted to the American Standard of Perfection in 1918. Physical Attributes The […]
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For exhibition purposes, large chicken breeds recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) are organized into six classes. Most of the classes represent the geographic region where the breeds originated or were developed. Knowing a chicken’s APA class lets you infer a number of things about the breed, including temperament, laying ability, climate tolerance, and […]
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Heredity describes how traits are passed from a hen and rooster to their offspring. These traits are encoded in genes, which in turn are found on chromosomes. Since only the end results — but not the genes and chromosomes themselves — are clearly visible, the mechanics of how heredity works can sometimes seem rather vague. […]
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Welsummer chickens come to us from the village of Welsum in eastern Holland. First arriving in the United States in 1928, this breed is beloved for its handsome appearance and its prolific egg laying. Physical Attributes Welsummer chickens are mid-size, upright birds with a broad back, full breast, large full tail and a single comb. […]
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