Heredity describes how traits are passed from a hen and rooster to their offspring. These traits are encoded in genes, which in turn are found on chromosomes. Since only the end results — but not the genes and chromosomes themselves — are clearly visible, the mechanics of how heredity works can sometimes seem rather vague. […]
Continue Reading
Welsummer chickens come to us from the village of Welsum in eastern Holland. First arriving in the United States in 1928, this breed is beloved for its handsome appearance and its prolific egg laying. Physical Attributes Welsummer chickens are mid-size, upright birds with a broad back, full breast, large full tail and a single comb. […]
Continue Reading
Black Australorp chickens were developed in Australia by crossing black Orpingtons from England with other breeds that are good egg layers. The idea was to develop farmstead chickens that excel in egg production. The breed name comes from combining the words Australia and Orpington. Physical Attributes The United States favors Australorps that are black, although […]
Continue Reading
A mistake people often make when they buy or build their first chicken coop is making the coop too small. Nearly everyone says they wish they had a bigger coop. Here are nine reasons you may need a bigger chicken coop: Chicks Grow Fluffy little chicks are incredibly cute. But they grow really fast. As […]
Continue Reading
Speckled Sussex chickens are an old breed originating in England’s county of Sussex. They appeared in the world’s first poultry exhibition in 1845, although they date much farther back than that. This large-bodied bird was originally kept primarily for meat. But in the United States Sussex chickens are considered to be a dual-purpose egg-and-meet breed. […]
Continue Reading
What exactly are heritage chickens? For that matter, what is a heritage turkey, duck, or goose? By definition, heritage poultry breeds share these important characteristics: They are standard breeds They mate naturally They can live a long time They are slow growing Standard Breeds Heritage breeds must have been accepted into the American Standard of […]
Continue Reading
Orpington chickens get their name from the town of Orpington in Kent, England. They are the creation of Britain’s William Cook, whose goal was developing an outstanding meat and egg breed that tolerates England’s cold winters. Orpingtons first appeared at exhibition in London in 1886 and were first shown in the United States in 1895. […]
Continue Reading
Wyandotte chickens were developed in a region of the United States once occupied by the Native American Huron tribes. Collectively, these tribes were known as Wendat, or Wyandot, which inspired the breed name. Physical Attributes With their short tail, short back, and loose feathering, Wyandotte chickens look rather round. They may be large or bantam. […]
Continue Reading
Judging from numerous online posts, many people jump into chicken keeping without giving enough thought to what’s involved. As a result, you see lots of posts listing “things I wish I’d known.” Or along the lines of “advice to newbie chicken keeper.” Interestingly, these lists frequently repeat the same things. In the spirit of being […]
Continue Reading
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 […]
Continue Reading