The Runner duck is an ancient breed known in the East Indies for at least 2,000 years. Its excellence lies in being a terrific layer that’s agile enough to easily herd over long distances. Runner ducks were traditionally kept in pens overnight. After the hens laid their eggs in the morning, the ducks were herded […]
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The Khaki Campbell duck came about when Adele Campbell of Gloucestershire, England, wanted a dual-purpose duck that laid well, but with a good-size body for roasting. The resulting duck breed first appeared in the late 1800s. The ducks’ buff-color plumage reminded Ms. Campbell of army uniforms, hence the name Khaki Campbell. Introduced to the United […]
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The Rouen duck originates from France, where farmers have raised the breed for hundreds of years. Rouens arrived in the United States in 1850 and were admitted to the American Standard of Perfection in 1874. Physical Attributes Rouens look like Mallards, only they are considerably larger. And they don’t fly nearly as well, making them […]
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Nearly every chicken breed has a bantam version. But some bantam breeds have no larger counterpart. The latter are true bantams. Cackle Hatchery® offers the following true bantam chicken breeds: Belgian d’Anvers Belgian d’Anvers bantams get their name from the Belgian municipality of Antwerp, which is “Anvers” to the French. The word d’Anvers therefore means […]
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Mystery shrouds the origins of the Cayuga duck. Among the many legends, one claims the breed came from a pair of wild ducks in New York. Another claims the Cayuga derives from the ancient Black duck of Lancashire in the United Kingdom. Whatever the case, the duck gets its name from a Native American tribe […]
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First, let’s establish that “bantam” is not a specific chicken breed. Rather, the word refers to a collection of breeds that are smaller than the usual egg-and-meat chicken breeds. A typical bantam weighs no more than two pounds, leading practical chicken keepers to wonder, “What’s the point?” Bantams don’t lay exceptionally well, and the eggs […]
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Chickens, including bantams, tend to do better in cold weather than in hot weather. However, some bantams tolerate the cold better than others. Certain features — such as dense plumage, leg feathering, beards, and small combs — contribute to a cold hardiness. Often the country of origin provides a clue to a breed’s climate tolerance. […]
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The definition of black chicken breeds depends on who’s talking. The term might refer to a breed that’s truly all black — feathers, comb and wattles, beak, shanks and feet, skin, and even bones. But some chicken breeds with black skin and other body parts have varieties with alternative plumage colors besides black. Many chickens […]
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Homegrown eggs are so tasty they are unlikely to sit around long enough to spoil. However, eggs do occasionally go off. Every chicken keeper should know how to tell a good egg from a bad egg. Why an Egg Goes Bad A bad egg is generally one that has been contaminated, rendering it inedible or […]
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What is the best turkey mating ratio for good fertility? That’s a question many first-time turkey keepers ask. Often as not, they get many different answers. Here’s why: Turkey Type The first thing to consider is the type of turkeys in question. If they are a broad-breasted type, forget it. These industrial size turkeys are […]
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