Some chicken breeds thrive better on forage compared to others. Breeds that have been kept in confinement for many generations generally forage less aggressively than breeds that have continued to exercise their foraging instinct. If you want a low-maintenance flock, and you have space for them to roam, consider these chicken breeds that are exceptional […]
A longtail chicken is one of several breeds selectively bred for growing particularly long tail feathers. The roosters have two specialized genes that allow their tails to grow longer than those of other breeds. One is a nonmolting gene that causes some of their tail feathers to not molt. The other gene produces rapid tail-feather […]
Because of school closures during the pandemic, elementary school embryology programs are not presented in classrooms. To fill the gap, The Livestock Conservancy, of which Cackle Hatchery® is a member, has teamed up with North Carolina 4-H Extension to develop a virtual learning experience. The series is called “From Embryo to Chick” and is offered […]
One of the great benefits of keeping chickens is that it gives you an opportunity to expand your vocabulary. The world of chicken keeping is full of odd or potentially confusing words and phrases, like those in this mini glossary of chicken terminology. Bloom: The moist, protective coating on a freshly laid egg that dries […]
Egg yolks get their golden yellow color from the same plant pigments that result in the skin color of yellow-skin breeds. These pigments are also responsible for beak and bill color in chickens and ducks, and for their brightly colored feathers. The pigments are of two main types— carotene and xanthophyll. Carotene is orange to […]
Building a chicken coop can be an extremely easy, fun, and educational experience for your family. However, it can also be a challenging and stressful experience if you don’t know where to start. There’s a lot to keep track of when building your own chicken coop, and every step is extremely important for keeping your […]
Recent Media Videos Ozarks First Touring Cackle Hatchery Part 1 Ozarks First Touring Cackle Hatchery Part 2 Ozarks First Touring Cackle Hatchery Part 3 Ozarks First Touring Cackle Hatchery Part 4 Periodicals Raising Backyard Chickens: How to Start a Flock – Fox News Backyard Poultry Magazine Poultry Press An international newspaper devoted to […]
We are a fourth-generation family-owned and operated hatchery offering over 230 varieties of poultry, shipped directly from our facility here in Missouri. Since 1936, it has been our mission to enhance your life by providing quality poultry for showing, meat, enjoyment, eggs, or pets. Specializing in hatching purebred poultry, we’ve been shipping day-old chicks right […]