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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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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Chicken keepers often use abbreviations and assume their listeners know what they mean. Here are some of the more common chicken breed abbreviations, along with abbreviations for variety features and those used for show that may be puzzling when you see them in poultry publications, forums, and websites. Note that abbreviations may be combined to […]
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The average well-cared-for chicken may live 8 to 10 years. Some chickens survive 15 years or more. Many factors contribute to a chicken’s longevity. Some of these factors relate to genetics. Other factors have to do with good management. Guinness Records The first chicken recognized by Guinness World Records as the World’s Oldest Living Chicken […]
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Who says chickens can’t fly? Some chickens fly really well. Others not so well, or not at all. So rather than ask “Why can’t chickens fly?” we should be asking “Why don’t chickens fly?” Wing Power The short answer is that chickens have small wings relative to their heavy bodies. Why that matters relates to […]
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All chickens have spur buds. Roosters are well known for their spur buds developing into full-blown spurs. But hen’s can grow spurs, too. While some roosters — notably certain strains of Cubalaya — maintain only rudimentary spurs, some hens develop long rooster-like spurs. As with roosters, the longer the spur, the older the hen. Which […]
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Chickens have no sweat glands, so chicken breeds that originated in hot climates have developed other features to help them stay cool. One is to grow a large comb and wattles, through which blood circulation increases in hot weather to help dissipate body heat. Another warm-climate adaptation is to avoid trapped heat by developing sparse […]
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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 ReadingSTANDARD CHICKEN BREEDS Austra White Barnevelder Barred Cochin Barred Plymouth Rock Bielefelder Black Ameraucana Black Australorps Black Breasted Red Aseel Black Breasted Red Phoenix Black Cochin Black Jersey Giants Black Laced Gold Wyandotte Black Laced Red Wyandotte Black Laced Silver Wyandotte Black Sex Link Black Sumatra Blue Ameraucana Blue Cochin Blue Laced Red Wyandotte Blue […]
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A chicken’s spur is an outgrowth of the leg bone, consisting of soft tissue covered with a protective sheath made of the same tough keratinous material that makes up the chicken’s claws and beak. The spur starts out as a little bony bump. As the chicken matures, the spur grows longer, curves, hardens and develops […]
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