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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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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Seasonal/Shipped Early Feb thru Early August.
Limit of 15
Coming for the 2025 Season!
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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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Chicken breeds with beards came about as a genetic mutation. Chicken keepers liked the appearance, and so they continued to breed more of the same. Other than the cuteness factor, scientists have yet to find any significant advantage or disadvantage to a beard on a chicken. A beard appears as elongated feathers growing beneath a […]
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Water belly is a condition in which a chicken’s body cavity fills with fluid, causing the abdomen to bulge. It is not itself a disease, but rather a sign of heart failure. Let’s take a look at the various causes of water belly in laying hens. Heart Failure in Laying Hens As with people, aging […]
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