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 […]
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Why Do Chicken Eggs Come in Different Colors?
Most eggs sold at the supermarket have white shells. So where do brown eggs and blue eggs come from? The color of the shell is determined by the breed of the hen that laid the egg. Most white eggs sold at the supermarket are laid by Leghorn hens. Many other breeds lay eggs with white […]
Continue ReadingWatch a Mother Hen Enjoy a Meal With Her New Chicks [Video]
In honor of Mother’s Day, we’d like to take a moment to appreciate the remarkable maternal instincts of mother hens. Although some hens tend to make better mothers than others—Silkies and Orpingtons are widely-regarded as some of the best breeds for hatching—all hens have natural maternal instincts that kick in as soon as their chicks […]
Continue ReadingBest 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 […]
Continue ReadingWhy 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 […]
Continue ReadingThe Best Mating Ratios for Poultry: How Many Hens per Rooster?
The optimal mating ratio for chickens, turkeys, and other poultry is not the same ratio in which they typically hatch. Most poultry naturally hatch approximately 50 percent females and 50 percent males. If your goal is to obtain fertile eggs for hatching, that ratio will result in males fighting excessively with each other, and when […]
Continue ReadingFeather Footed Bantam Assortment Special
- Feather Footed Bantam Special – Sold as Baby Chicks Only – No Sexing Available
Seasonal/Shipped Early Feb thru Mid August.
Suspending taking orders for this special for the 2024 hatching season.
Continue ReadingPurebred Bantam Assortment Special
- Assorted Purebred Bantam – Sold as Baby Chicks Only – No Sexing Available
Seasonal/Shipped Early Feb thru Mid August.
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