Posted on Leave a comment

Hen Feather Loss Caused by Rooster Treading

Hen Mating Saddle

A rooster intent on mating a hen grabs the feathers on her head with his beak while he attempts to stand on her back. To get a good grip, he braces his claws against her shoulders. More often than not, his feet slide on her smooth feathers and — to get better balanced — he […]

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

10 Ways to Reduce Peck Order Stress in Chickens

Chicken Peck Order

The pecking order governs the social organization of a flock of chickens, thereby reducing tension and stress in an established flock. Starting in the brooder, chicks spar almost from the day they hatch. By the time they are about six weeks old, each has established its place in the pecking order. In general, roosters are […]

Continue Reading
Posted on Leave a comment

Which Is Best for Meat: Cornish Broiler or Heritage Breed?

Raising chickens for meat involves first deciding which to choose: Cornish broilers or a heritage breed. The fundamental difference is the amount of time needed to grow them from hatch to harvest. The quicker they grow to the target weight of about six pounds, the cheaper they are to raise and the more tender the […]

Continue Reading
Posted on Leave a comment

Why Does a Rooster Have Wattles?

A rooster’s wattles come in flexible pairs that dangle beneath the beak, while its comb is a single structure prominently affixed to the top of the head. Researchers have determined that hens base their choice of mates, in part, on characteristics of the comb. But when it comes to wattles, they scratch their scholarly heads […]

Continue Reading
Posted on 1 Comment

No Guarantees When Ordering Hatching Eggs by Mail

Eggs that are sold specifically for hatching are called, fittingly enough, hatching eggs. They cost more than eating eggs but come with no guarantee they will hatch. Too many variables are not under the seller’s control. Even eggs laid by your own hens, or otherwise sourced locally, are not guaranteed to hatch. But when hatching […]

Continue Reading
Posted on Leave a comment

12 Reasons for Low Fertility in Chickens and Other Poultry

Rosecomb Rooster

  Like all reproductive qualities of poultry, fertility has low heritability. However, many factors other than inheritance come into play. Most of them are related to either mechanical issues or faulty management. Let’s look at the 12 most common reasons for low fertility in chickens and other poultry.   Mechanical Issues 1. Comb Style Single […]

Continue Reading
Posted on 7 Comments

Planning Your Spring Chick Order

Spring Chick Order

When planning your next order of chicks from the hatchery, give careful consideration to how many roosters you want (if any), and the real possibility that some of the chicks might not survive. Below are some important points to keep in mind when making your ordering decisions. Sexed Chicks For many breeds you have the […]

Continue Reading

Weekly Special Black Sex Link Females

Weekly Special Black Sex Link Females-0

Weekly Special Black Sex Link Females – Sold as Baby Chicks Only

Any other orders other than weekly specials needs to be a separate order. These specials can end at any time and are constantly changing throughout the season. You may order one of our discounted weekly specials today online or call us at 417-532-4581.

Must ship within two weeks.

Minimum of 15.

Item# WS1270

Continue Reading