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Which Chicken Breeds Make the Best Broody Hens?

Broody Hen

Some chicken breeds make great broody hens. Others are iffy. Still others are completely unreliable. And some never go broody at all. What does broody mean and why does it matter? Broodiness, in a nutshell, is maternal instinct. After a hen has accumulated a nestful of eggs, maternal instinct tells her to keep the eggs […]

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Why Does a Rooster Have a Comb?

Why Does a Rooster Have a Comb?

One of the most outstanding features of a rooster is his comb — that fleshy crownlike protrusion on top of a chicken’s head. So why do roosters have such ornate combs? At about 3 to 8 weeks of age, depending on the breed, baby chicks start developing reddened combs. A cockerel’s comb will gradually become […]

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