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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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4-H Chick Chain Enjoys Renewed Vitality

4-H Chick Chain Enjoys Renewed Vitality

  Chick Chain is a 4-H activity that introduces youngsters, and often their parents, to the fun of growing baby chicks into laying hens. It’s called Chick Chain because participating youngsters receive baby chicks in the spring and sell some of their grown layers in the fall, with the proceeds funding the purchase of chicks […]

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Woody Chicken Breast — One More Reason to Grow Your Own

Woody Chicken Breast

As if you needed one more reason to grow your own chicken meat, here it is — woody breast, defined as a hardening of breast muscle, resulting in stiff wood-like fibers that make the breast meat difficult to chew. Woody breast is one of three breast meat myopathies (muscle diseases) that plague the poultry industry, […]

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