Every year during the third week of May, we get to shine a spotlight on International Heritage Breeds Week. It’s all about raising awareness for those endangered old-school poultry breeds that are hanging on by a thread. Get creative—host a little event in your area, or just share some photos of your flock. The goal? Celebrate these heritage poultry breeds and get more folks excited about keeping them around.
What are heritage poultry breeds?
What, exactly, is a heritage poultry breed? According to The Livestock Conservancy, they share the following characteristics:
- They can reproduce through natural mating.
- They have the genetic ability to live long and vigorous lives.
- These breeds thrive outdoors under pasture-based management.
- They have a moderate to slow growth rate.
Are heritage poultry APA approved?
Yes, they must have been accepted into the American Standard of Perfection prior to the mid 1900s. Additionally, these breeds must meet the guidelines established for the breed and have genetic lines tracing back multiple generations. Here are a few examples:
|
Species |
Breed |
APA Year |
|
Chicken |
1874 |
|
|
Chicken |
1918 |
|
|
Chicken |
1935 |
|
|
Duck |
1919 |
|
|
Duck |
1941 |
|
|
Duck |
1904 |
|
|
Goose |
1874 |
|
|
Goose |
1874 |
|
|
Turkey |
1909 |
|
|
Turkey |
1874 |
|
|
Turkey |
1874 |
Many of these and other once-popular heritage poultry breeds have been supersede by modern genetic lines bred for more efficient industrial production. The result is a loss in genetic diversity and the possibility of losing some of our breeds entirely.
How will you participate this year?
We celebrate International Heritage Breeds Week each year during the third full week of May. The Saturday ending that week is International Heritage Breeds Day.
At this time of year we have the opportunity to celebrate heritage poultry breeds by promoting the conservation and preservation of the amazing genetic diversity our poultry breeds offer. Aside, of course, from keeping heritage poultry breeds yourself, here some suggestions offered by The Livestock Conservancy on ways you can celebrate:
Social Media
Follow and tag your favorite livestock conservation organization on social media. Use the hashtag #HeritageBreedsWeek to show your participation.
Local Events
Coordinate with local heritage poultry keepers to develop an exhibit at your local farmer’s market, mall, shopping center, or other public area. Ask each poultry keeper to display information about their breeds and show samples of the eggs they lay.
Classroom Projects
Arrange to bring heritage poultry breeds to a classroom. Include a display explaining to the students the importance of genetic diversity and conservation.
Field Trips
Host a classroom field trip to a local heritage poultry farm. Or perhaps a nearby historical farm keeps heritage breeds.
Sponsor Contests
Sponsor a coloring or poem-writing contest for students. Arrange to have the drawings or poems displayed at a local school, public library, hospital, or nursing home.
Petting Zoo
Organize a poultry petting zoo. Let children and their parents see, touch, and learn about the different breeds of poultry.
Host a Fundraiser
Host a walk-a-thon or other type of fundraiser. Donate the money to your favorite national conservation organization, breed club, or association.
Newspaper Interviews
Send a press release to your area newspaper. Suggest an interview with local heritage poultry farmers or ranchers to reveal how they are working to protect endangered breeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is International Heritage Breeds Week?
We celebrate heritage poultry breeds during the third full week of May.
When is International Heritage Breeds Day?
Celebrate heritage poultry breeds on the Saturday ending the week of International Heritage Breeds Week.
What is the purpose of International Heritage Breeds Week?
The purpose of this celebration is to raise awareness among the general population about the genetic diversity of endangered breeds.
Why is genetic diversity important?
It’s important for the retention attributes that are essential for survival and self-sufficiency. These attributes include fertility, foraging ability, longevity, maternal instincts, ability to mate naturally, and resistance to disease and parasites. Everything that makes us love our chickens.
Helpful Links
Heritage vs. Broad Breasted Turkeys
And that’s today’s news from the Cackle Coop.
Gail Damerow has raised chickens, turkeys, and various other poultry for more than 5 decades and has written numerous books about them, many available from the Cackle Bookstore.
