Posted on Leave a comment

Do Vultures Kill Chickens?

Chicken Predators

Vultures are often blamed for killing chickens that were already dead when they got there. Vultures are primarily scavengers. They subsist mainly on animals that have been dead for two to three days. A vulture is a large, black raptor with an exceptionally wide wingspan. It flies in large, languid circles while seeking something to […]

Continue Reading
Posted on Leave a comment

Chicken Breeds that Are Exceptional Foragers

Foraging Chicken Breeds

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 […]

Continue Reading
Posted on Leave a comment

How to Choose the Best Turkey Breed

Choosing the Best Turkey Breed

Many turkey breeds are available to choose from. Although turkeys are typically considered to be primarily meat birds, some of the heritage varieties have become popular in the showroom. In selecting the best breed for your particular situation, consider three basic criteria. Size Matters A dressed turkey must conveniently fit into your refrigerator while it […]

Continue Reading
Posted on Leave a comment

Breed Spotlight: Lovely Longtail Chickens

Longtail Chicken Breeds

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 […]

Continue Reading
Posted on Leave a comment

Keeping Ducks for Eggs

Keeping Ducks for Eggs

Some breeds of duck have been developed for their outstanding laying habits. Unless this ability is maintained through continued selective breeding, though, the laying potential of the strain will decrease over time. For this reason, not all populations of a particular breed known for laying are equally up to the task. Here are four outstanding […]

Continue Reading

CACKLE HATCHERY COLOR CHICKEN CATALOG

2020-2021 Cackle Hatchery Color Catalog Free Breed Guide – This Color catalog displays breeds but does not have any pricing. You will need to reference cacklehatchery.com to access current pricing. Limited supply while they last. We do not guarantee you will receive a catalog. Our catalog printing and shipping is mailed by bulk rates offsite. […]

Continue Reading
Posted on Leave a comment

4 Ways to Tell Male and Female Chicks Apart

Four traditional methods are used to tell male and female chicks apart. Which method is most appropriate for any specific batch of chicks depends on their breed and variety, their age, and the skill of the observer. Vent Sexing Vent sexing, also called cloacal sexing, is a method of determining a hatchling’s gender by examining […]

Continue Reading
Posted on Leave a comment

22 Autosex Breeds of Chickens and Geese

Autosex chicks have differing down colors at hatch, by which the males may be readily distinguished from the females. Autosex differs from sex-link in being a straightbred (purebred) characteristic, rather than the result of a hybrid cross between two separate breeds. Here is how to tell the males from the females in 22 autosex breeds […]

Continue Reading

Other Eggcellent Layers

Looking to compare different features of poultry? Look no further. These are some of the breed facts about all of our other poultry including, ducks, guinea fowl, peafowl and turkeys. Click the name of the poultry type to view photos, purchase or learn more about that breed. Click here for a comparison of chicken breeds […]

Continue Reading