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12 Reasons for Low Fertility in Chickens and Other Poultry

Rosecomb Rooster

  Like all reproductive qualities of poultry, fertility has low heritability. However, many factors other than inheritance come into play. Most of them are related to either mechanical issues or faulty management. Let’s look at the 12 most common reasons for low fertility in chickens and other poultry.   Mechanical Issues 1. Comb Style Single […]

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Chicken Terms/Definitions/Phrases

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z – A – Addled A rotten or otherwise inedible egg. Or an egg in which the embryo died during early incubation. Age of lay The age at which a […]

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Best Chicken Breeds for Free Range

Best Chicken Breeds for Free Range

When chickens are allowed to free range, certain breeds fare far better than others, especially in terms of avoiding predators. Ideal characteristics for free ranging chickens include wariness, inconspicuous plumage, acute vision, and foraging ability.     Predator Wariness Chicken breeds that are best able to evade predators are the wary, high strung, excitable, so-called […]

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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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