The heritage Chantecler chicken is a dual-purpose breed suitable for the backyard production of both meat and eggs. It is the only breed of chicken originating in Canada, developed to withstand the rigors of bitter cold winters. The Chantecler hen has a gentle temperament, lays brown-shell eggs, and tends toward broodiness as she […]
International Heritage Breeds Week is celebrated each year during the third week in May. So what exactly are heritage poultry breeds? According to The Livestock Conservancy, heritage chicken and turkey breeds share the following characteristics: They can reproduce through natural mating. They have the genetic ability to live long and vigorous lives. They […]
Woody breast, also called wooden breast, is a muscle condition in fast-growing Cornish Cross broilers that makes the breast meat tough and fibrous like wood. It’s safe to eat but the meat quality suffers, which can be mitigated by the cooking method. The main cause is rapid growth leading to poor oxygen supply in the […]
Race Brothers in Carthage has been in business since 1975. We take pride in helping our customers with their needs. Whether it be with their animals, lawns, clothing, or cars. If we don’t have it, do you really need it? In the last few years, backyard poultry has been at the forefront of our expanding […]
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2024 Cackle Hatchery Annual Chicken Festival! We hope to see you in 2025! If you’ve never been to the Cackle Hatchery Annual Chicken Festival, it’s a free, family-friendly event that we’ve been putting on for more than a decade now. And we always make sure there’s […]
First, let’s dispense with a few myths. Green muscle disease is not a disease. It is a disorder involving muscle degeneration. Second, among chickens it affects only Cornish-cross broilers, but not other types of meat chickens. Third, it is not new, having been identified since 1968. And fourth, green muscle is highly preventable. What is […]
Many Cackle Hatchery® customers depend on homegrown chickens to fill their freezers and feed their families. First-timers often have questions about the process. Below are 9 of the most common questions our team answers about raising meat chickens. Which chickens are best for meat? Some people prefer Cornish cross broilers. Others savor the heavyweight heritage […]