The flock scratching in the hay for delectable treats.
Trees display a variety of colors, store shelves brim with the excitement of trick-or-treating, and the weather cools as the days grow shorter. This signifies that a change from Mother Nature is on the horizon.
Halloween isn’t just for humans; the flock can also partake in fall and Halloween festivities. In this article, I will explore various autumn activities that both families and their feathered friends can enjoy together.
Pumpkin Carving Contest:
My chickens love pumpkins! Every fall, when pumpkins are discounted after Halloween, I buy several for my flock to enjoy. As they peck at the pumpkins to reach the delicious seeds inside, they carve the pumpkin. I provide each of my coops with a pumpkin, turning it into a fun pumpkin carving contest.
Every flock has its unique approach to pumpkin carving. Pumpkins carved by chickens make for a charming autumnal adornment in the backyard.
Note: To assist the flock in beginning to craft their pumpkin, create small holes to stimulate pecking, which will allow them to access the seeds inside.Contrary to popular belief, pumpkin seeds are not natural dewormers. If you suspect a worm infestation in your flock, proper management is required. For information and instructions on treating worms, please refer to my post for the correct worming dosage and techniqueor consult a veterinarian.
Mealworm Hay Hunt:
Lestat leads the flock in hunting for mealworms in the hay.
During the fall, when wet, muddy, or snow-covered ground is common, I create a barrier for my flock by scattering several bales of hay around the coops. To encourage activity on the dull days of late fall, I scatter mealworms on the hay.
The flock will spend hours engaged in the stimulating activity of finding mealworms in the hay. Mealworms are excellent for chickens because they provide a good source of protein, which helps with feather regrowth during the fall molt and boosts body energy for warmth on cool nights.
Note: If the hay becomes moldy, it should be promptly removed and replaced with fresh hay. Since moldy hay can cause illness in chickens, it’s important to monitor the quality of the hay, especially during damp conditions.I spread the moldy hay over my garden to decompose, which will serve as fertilizer for next season’s growth.
Haunted Coop:
Silhouettes of the Coop De Ville crew are illuminated by the red LED light inside the coop.
As daylight begins to recede, I place a light in the pen to give the flock extra time to get something to eat and drink before roosting. Additionally, the added light helps assists in egg production and evening chores as the coop is illuminated during long dark night of late fall and winter.
Red lights are ideal for this purpose because the red spectrum is not bright enough to disrupt sleep, yet it provides sufficient light to tend to the flock after dark. Additionally, red lights can give off an ominous glow reminiscent of a haunted house.
Note: LED lights are best because they remain cool to the touch unlike incandescent bulbs, are cost-effective, and have a long lifespan.Also, ensure that all cords are out of reach for the flock.
Sandbox Scratch Hunt:
The Kuntry Klucker Crew busily scratching in the sandbox, searching for the seeds I had sprinkled onto the sand.
During the cold days of winter when the ground is frozen or covered with snow, a sandbox placed in the pen provides the flock with a medium to engage in dust bathing and scratching keeping feathers and nails in top condition.
To promote this instinctive behavior, I sprinkle scratch grains over the sand, prompting the flock to eagerly forage through the sand for the grains.
Throughout the years, this ritual has grown to be a favorite among the flock. I spread scratch before roosting, providing a stimulating snack to fuel their internal furnace during the chilly nights of fall and winter.
Note: The ideal medium for a sandbox is play sand. To encourage dust bathing, you may add peat moss and natural wood ash. Avoid using materials that are harmful to chickens, such as cedar shavings, ash from barbecues, or mulchwhich can contain weed killer, dyes, and other harmful chemicals.
Flock Block Halloween Treat:
The flock enjoying a flock block on a cold winter day.
During cold, snowy days, I prepare a flock block for the girls who are confined due to inclement winter weather.
Flock blocks serve as both a distraction and a productive activity, offering additional nutrition through a stimulating activity that is essential for the flock to endure the harshest winter conditions.
A flock that is actively engaged during winter storms experiences less boredom, which can lead to destructive interactions and potential injuries. Introducing treats like raisins, mealworms, and sunflower seeds can pique their interest, as they will enthusiastically peck at the block to reach these tasty morsels.
Note: Store any leftover flock block in rodent-proof containers overnight to avoid attracting rodents to the coop. After two days, replace the flock block with a fresh one to prevent the flock from consuming mold.
Halloween and autumn festivities aren’t just for humans—include your backyard flock in this year’s fall plans by decorating your coop and pen with inspiration from your hens.
A flock oversees an autumn arrangement adorned with pumpkins, chrysanthemums, and a scarecrow.
I am a multi-disciplinary writer, published author, and web content creator. If you like this post, visit some of my other sites or Online Writing Portfolio.
The Kuntry Klucker Crew hunting for delectables on a freshly cut summer lawn
The first signs of changing seasons are clear as the buzz of cicadas fills the auto backdrop, a sign that late summer descends upon the northern hemisphere. Many backyard chicken keepers notice their flocks look disheveled as molt begins the slow transition of shedding feathers in preparation for the coming fall and winter seasons.
In late summer, many novice backyard chicken keepers are horrified to see feathers covering the coop and pen floor. While the scene resembles an attack from a nocturnal predator, feather loss is natural and affects all birds, including chickens. Molt is the biological process of feather replacement and occurs yearly in backyard flocks.
In this article, I will discuss what molt is, why it’s important, and what backyard chicken keepers can do to support their flocks during the molting process.
What Is Molt?
Fi (Silver Lace Polish Hen) sporting her stunning crest feathers after molt.
Molt is the process by which birds shed their old feather and replace them with new ones. Molt can vary by species, year, and by individuals. Molt is considered complete when the bird replaces all if its feathers. Molting typically progresses from the head to the tail over the course of several months. Some birds can lose more feathers at once appearing naked while others lose few to no feathers.
Molting is as old as the linage of birds which began in the Mesozoic when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Birds are dinosaurs, specifically, birds are an advanced group called paravians, a clade of dinosaurs that is directly related to the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex and the ferocious Velociraptor(Brusatte, 2018).
The signature feature of birds – feathers – evolved in their ground-dwelling theropod ancestors first noticed in Sinosauropteryx, the first dinosaur taxon outside parades to be found with evidence of proto-feathers.
The earliest feathers looked much different than the quill feathers of today. Initially, feathers evolved as multipurpose tools for display, insulation, protection for brooding, and sexual dimorphism. These early feathers were more like a fluff – appearing more like fur than feathers – consisting of thousands of hair-like filaments. Silkie chickens possess feathers that lack barbs that form the classic shape we associate with feathers. The first proto-feathers in dinosaurs were much like the texture of feathers on the Silkie. The breed name “Silkie” is derived from this unique feather texture.
Silkie flock grazing on a lush spring lawn. Silkies lack the barbs in their feathers that resemble protofeathers of their Mesozoic ancestors.
As the body plan for feathered dinosaurs continued to fine-tune the use of feathers, flight happened by accident. More advanced paravians had achieved the magical combination to achieve flight – large wings and smaller bodies (Brusatte, 2018). As the body plan of birds continued to refine, they lost their long tails and teeth, reduced to one ovary, and hollowed out their bones more to lighten their weight. By the end of the Cretaceous, birds flew over the heads of Tyrannosaurus Rex and other land-dwelling dinosaurs.
Sixty-six million years ago, the birds and T-rex witnessed the Chicxulub impact that brought the Mesozoic to a close. While therapods with large and expensive body plans died out, birds sailed through to the Cenozoic. The surviving non-avian dinosaurs carried with them the body plan seen in birds today, including the yearly process of molting.
Image Credit:Noelle K. Moser.Me peering through the fenestrae of Tyrannosaurus Rex specimen MOR555
Why is Molting Important?
The Kuntry Klucker Crew sifting through freshly spread hay for mealworms, a treat during the yearly molt.
Feathers, like skin or hair in humans, are replaced by the body regularly. Unlike humans who constantly shed skin cells, birds shed feathers annually.
Molting prepares a bird’s body for winter by replacing old feathers with new ones. During molt, backyard chickens will grow in the winter down needed for warmth. It is important for chicken keepers not to interfere with the molting process by placing chicken sweaters or other unnecessary items on the bird. While molting chickens can look naked and cold their bodies are built for this process.
How Can Backyard Chicken Keepers Help the Molting Flock?
Image Credit:Noelle K. Moser. Smog and Link (Silver Lace Wyandotte and Silver Lace Polish respectively) sporting stunning lacing feathers after molt.
During molt, birds will need increased protein in their diet to support feather regrowth. Providing mealworms is a great way to add affordable, healthy protein.
As pin feathers emerge, keepers must prevent irritating these new feathers. Pin feathers contain a fresh blood supply and are very sensitive to the touch. If new pin feathers are touched too roughly, they can bleed, causing pain and distress to the bird.
While molting, I do not hold my birds unless necessary and avoid touching the pin feathers if possible. Once the feathers fully develop it is safe to hold and interact with the flock again.
During the molting process, hens will decrease or cease laying altogether. During this time, the hen’s body uses all available energy to support feather regrowth. Once molting is complete, egg production will increase, and the flock will resume activity. After molting, the flock with new feathers will look stunning with fresh plumage and renewed vigor.
While lengthy at times, molting is a natural process for all birds and necessary for survival and life outdoors.
I am a multi-disciplinary writer, blogger, and web content creator. If you like this post, please visit some of my other blogs or online writing portfolio.
Image Credit:Noelle K. Moser.Me with the gargantuan relative of birds MOR555 Tyrannosaurus Rex, “Walter”. National Museum of Natural History. Washington, D.C.
If you have any questions, please reach out. You can catch me at kuntryklucker@gmail.com or visit my YouTube Channel.
As always, thanks for reading. Till next time, keep on crowing!
Resources:
Brusatte, Steve. The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of Their Lost World. William Morrow An Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers. New York, NY. 2018. (pgs. 282)
Miss Sweet Pea (Buff Orpington Hen) surrounded by a halo of light from the morning sun.
While cold weather issues often take precedence in the minds of backyard chicken keepers, heat-related illnesses are usually more deadly to backyard flocks. Unlike cold weather bringing snow and ice, hot weather is more dangerous than cold and wet weather combined. Dehydration and heat stroke can decimate a flock in minutes if proper precautions are not taken to avoid these issues.
In this post, I will discuss how soaring summer temperatures affect chicken physiology and how to avoid, treat, and prevent heat-related illnesses.
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser. Me observing the North American Solar Eclipse.Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser. Diamond Ring Eclipse taken with my Celestron Refracting Telescope. April 8, 2024. Cincinnati, Ohio.
Chicken Physiology, Body Plan, and Dehydration:
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser. Aphrodite and Lady Me (White Crested Polish hen and Black Silkie hen, respectively) caught sampling freshly potted petunias.
Related to the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex, chickens are theropods and can trace their lineage back to the common ancestor of dinosaurs. (Brusatte, 2018).
All birds – chickens included – are dinosaurs. Specifically, birds are a type of theropod rooted in the dinosaur family tree that contains the same ferocious meat-eaters as T-Rex and Velociraptor (Brusatte, 2018).
Birds perch within an advanced group of dinosaurs called paravians – a subgroup of a theropod that traded in the brute body plan of their gargantuan ancestors for larger brains, sharpened acute senses, and smaller, lighter bodies that permitted progressive lifestyles above their land-dwelling relatives. Anatomically, chickens have many common characteristics that define the body plan of these magnificent creatures.
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser. Tyrannosaurus Rex. Perot Natural History Museum. Dallas, Texas.
Chickens and all birds have a unique body plan visible in the skeleton. Comparing the skeleton of Tyrannosaurus Rex with modern chickens yields similar anatomical attributes. T-Rex has a skull attached to a spine, ribs, and two legs with splayed toes, providing swift bipedal locomotion. Focusing on the appendicular skeleton, we see that T-Rex and modern chickens have an S-shaped skeleton. The reason is that body plans do not have unlimited parts from which evolution can choose but rather build upon earlier ancestral shapes (Horner, 2009).
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser. Profile of skeletal body plan of Tyrannosaurus Rex which survives in birds and chickens today. National Natural History Museum. Washington, D.C.
While it’s easy to say that these features are of birds, they are not attributes of birds at all but of dinosaurs.
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser. Saurischian dinosaurs – Alamosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex – locked in the battle of predator and prey. Perot Natural History Museum. Dallas, Texas.
Like the nightly T-Rex, chickens are related to saurischians – the line of the dinosaur family tree that contains both the giant sauropods and theropods – possessed skeletal pneumaticity – spaces for air in their bones.
Skeletal pneumaticity produces hollow bones that lighten the skeleton, allowing for a wide range of motion. Without pneumaticity, sauropods would be unable to lift their long necks, and giant theropods would lack the agility and ability to run because their skeletons would be far too heavy.
In birds, air sacks are an ultra-efficient lung oxygen system. This flow-through inhalation and exhalation provide the high-energy birds need during flight. Evolving one hundred million years before birds took flight, this is the true secret to their ability to take to the skies.
While pneumaticity is an incredible anatomical adaption inherited from their ferocious ancestors, it also makes birds vulnerable to dehydration. In warm weather, this ultra-efficient lung oxygen system requires access to water for optimal performance. In backyard chickens, readily available water is crucial to prevent dehydration. In extreme heat, chickens can dehydrate fast, causing compromised health and death.
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser. Me looking through the fenestrae (Pneumaticity in T-Rex anatomy to make the skull lighter) of MOR 555 – Tyrannosaurus Rex. Natural History Museum. Cincinnati, Ohio.
Preventing dehydration in backyard chickens is crucial in hot weather. Water needs to be accessible at all times and if free-ranging in multiple locations. In my backyard, I have multiple waterers suspended from red Shepard hooks.
Image Credit:Noelle K. Moser. My flock free ranging in the backyard with multiplewatering locations visible for easy access.
When free ranging a backyard flock, it is necessary to keep water in easy reach from several locations. If the only water source is at a distance chickens can dehydrate before they can access water.
Image Credit:Noelle K. Moser. Mickey Smith (Black Silkie Rooster) drinking from one of the many watering stations placed throughout the backyard.
Electrolytes:
Rooster Booster Vitamins and Electrolytes available at farm and feed stores.Save-A-Chick electrolytes available at farm and feed stores.
Like Gatorade for humans, electrolytes are necessary for optimal flock health in hot weather. When temperatures soar, I add electrolytes to my flock’s water daily. Following package instructions for administration, electrolytes for poultry will aid in supporting the chicken’s body providing proper hydration.
Shade:
The Kuntry Klucker Pen shaded from the harsh sun by a tarp that protects the roof of the pen.A trio of Polish hens perching on a macrame hammock swing under the shade of the grape arbor.
Whether in the coop/pen or free-ranging, shade is key for optimal flock health in hot weather. In allowing the flock to free range in a backyard, plant pushes or trees that provide shade from the hot afternoon sun. If the free ranging area is too small, simple canopy tents are a great alternative.
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser.The Kuntry Klucker crew seeking shade under a large tree in the corner of the free ranging yard.
In my backyard, I have multiple areas providing shade for the flock. I also post watering stations near these locations to help the flock stay hydrated while they rest in the shade.
Provide Chicken A/C:
Another trick of the trade is to provide your flock chicken A/C. During the hottest part of the day, use a hose to saturate a favorite shaded spot for the flock. The water will cool the ground and the chickens will rest on the cool ground acting as A/C that will help the flock stay cool. If your property allows, placing a misting host on the ground will also provide this cooling effect. The chickens will come and go out of the mist as needed depending on individual comfort levels.
Image Credit:Noelle K. Moser.The Coop De Ville crew taking advantage the freshly moistened ground in a shaded spot on a hot summer day.
Treating Heat Illness in Backyard Flocks:
The signs of heat illness in chickens are much the same in humans. Lifelessness, exhaustion, lack of appetite, pale comb, dry mouth, passing out, and death.
If you notice any of the above symptoms in a flock member, immediate action is required. The first measure is to take the heat-affected individual to water. Many times, the heat-stressed bird needs quick access to water. If the individual is strong enough to drink, this will quickly rectify the situation. Keep the ill individual near the watering source in a pen or shaded location to recover.
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser. Me using a syringe to orally administer wormer to a black Cochin bantam hen.
If the heat illness is more severe, direct administration may be necessary. Using a syringe with the needle removed, provide water mixed with electrolytes directly to the affected flock member. When given orally, the patient will drink the water, providing relief.
Note of caution: do NOT force the water down their throat; chickens have a passage in the back of their mouth that leads directly to the lungs. Instead, slowly administer the water and allow the bird to drink the water.
I have a video on my YouTube Channel demonstrating the correct oral administration using Wormer. While this video focuses on worming a backyard flock, the oral methodology is the same. The skills here can be extrapolated and transferred to heat-related illnesses in backyard chickens.
If possible, isolate the heat-stressed member to a cool shaded place such as a laundry room, mud room, or shaded location in the pen, and over several hours, administer water in small doses to help the member recover from the heat-related illness.
Most chickens treated for heat stress in this manner make a full recovery and no ill health is observed.
I hope this post has helped treat a heat-stressed backyard flock. Like cold weather challenges, hot weather has associated risks that need to be addressed to have a happy and healthy backyard flock. If you have any questions feel free to reach out, by leaving a comment or dropping me an email at kuntryklucker@gmail.com
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser. Daspletosaurus Torous (Jurassic ancestor of Tyrannosaurus Rex), cast of Tyrannosaurus Rex (MOR 555 skull) and I. Cincinnati Natural History Museum. Cincinnati, Ohio.
I am a multi-disciplinary writer, blogger, and online content creator. If you like this post, please visit my online writing portfolio or other sites.
As always, thanks for reading. Till next time, keep on crowing!
~ The Kuntry Klucker Crew ~
Resources:
Brusatte, Steve. The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A History of Their Lost World. William Marrow of Harper Collins Publishers. New York, NY. 2018. Pts. 270.
Horner, Jack. How to Build a Dinosaur. Plume, Published by Penguin Group. London, England. 2009. Pts. 8,9.
Buff, Silver-lace, and Golden lace Polishes gathered for routine health inspections.
Performing routine health inspections on chickens is essential and a prerequisite for a healthy flock. Like a check-up at a physician’s office, health inspections for chickens are much the same. Catching problematic pathologies before they occur requires routine health inspections.
I will discuss the process and procedure for conducting successful health inspections in a backyard flock. Beginning at the head down to the body and tail, I will include all the vital indications to prevent illness in the backyard flock.
Head, Eyes, Comb, and Waddles:
Apollo (White Crested Polish Hen) posing as I inspect her eyes for indications of ill health.
Starting at the crown of the head, inspect for mites and lice on the individual. If mites and lice are present treatment will be required. The eyes should be clear and free of debris. If crusting is present around the eye, gently wipe it away with a paper towel moistened with clean, warm water.
Dracula (Silver Lace Easter Egger) shaking his waddles for the camera.
The comb and waddles should be red and warm to the touch. Dried blood or pecking marks indicate flock disharmony and bullying. Monitor the flock and take appropriate actions to rectify the problem by isolating the bully or establishing a bachelor pen if roosters are sparring.
Legions or sores indicate fowl pocks (a common virus) or parasites such as fleas or ticks. Treatment with Eprinex will clear up external parasite infections. I have a video on my YouTube Channel showing my methodology to treat external parasites in my flock.
Neck:
Buff and Golden Lace Polish hens hunting and pecking as they search for delicious morsels.
Moving down the body, examine the neck of the bird. Feathers should be clean, and the base of the shaft should be visible. If clumps or residue surrounding the base of the quill is noticed, this indicates the presence of lice. Treatment with eprinex is warranted to address these external parasites.
Wings:
Lestat (White Crested Polish Rooster) proudly displaying his feathers to attract his favorite hens.
The wings of birds are among one of the favorite places for external parasites to congregate. Due to the warmth and protection from disruption, mites and lice can live rent-free. Parting the feathers and exposing the skin, tiny moving dark spots indicate red fowl mites. These small parasites feed on the host’s blood and must be addressed. Again, Eprinex works very well to address and abruptly stop a mite and lice infestation on the bird.
Tail and Vent:
Clean and health fluffy bottoms of a Buff Silkie, Black Australorp, and Silver Lace Wyandotte Rooster.
Like the wings, the vent is a favorite place for mites and lice to congregate. Due to the inability of the bird to preen this location, mites and lice will multiply unencumbered. Treatment for external parasites will rectify the infestation.
If the vent area is dirty or caked with dried or wet excrement, this indicates worms. Left untreated, intestinal worms will weaken and eventually cause death in affected individuals. Natural wormers such as Diamateous earth, pumpkin seeds, or apple cider vinegar will not address a high worm load in chickens. Worm infections should be treated with products developed to kill worms and the eggs in the intestinal tract. Another indication of worms is finding roundworms on the poop boards or worms visible in the eggs. See the video on my YouTube Channel using my flock to demonstrate proper dosage and administration.
Shanks, Feet, and Toes:
Bumblefoot in a Buff Orpingtons Hen
The shanks (legs) of the chicken should be neat; the scales should lie uniformly. Uplifted scales are a sign of leg mites and can be addressed by soaking the legs in warm Epsom salt, followed by applying Vaseline to the legs to smother the mites. Treatment with Eprinex is also helpful in advanced infestations.
The pad of the foot should be clean and without puncture wounds or signs of trauma. If a round scab is present on the foot, this is bumblefoot and can be addressed with simple steps to remove the corn (infection) and wrapped in gauze and vet wrap for healing. Bumblefoot is common in backyard flocks and not necessarily a reflection of poor flock management. For instructions on how to treat bumblefoot, please see my blog post on treatment in my flock.
Take care to use proper protection when treating bumblefoot
Use caution when treating bumblefoot as these infections are usually staph infections and zoonotic (passing from one species to another) and can affect humans. Medical gloves and masks for treatment are recommended. Sanitize all instruments with bleach to kill any bacteria before storage.
Routine health inspections are key for proper flock husbandry as problematic illnesses can be caught early and prevented through preventative efforts. For more information on caring for backyard chickens, please visit my YouTube Channel.
Stan (BHI 3303) Tyrannosaurus Rex and I. Perot Natural History Museum. Dallas, Texas.
I am a multi-disciplinary writer, blogger, and web content creator. To see more of my work visit my online writing portfolio and other sites.
Dirty vents are not only unattractive but a sign that something is wrong. In this post, I will discuss the reasons for dirty vents in chickens and how to treat conditions that cause this problem.
A healthy Buff Silkie fluffy bottom.
A chicken is not supposed to have a dirty vent; underlying conditions and environmental factors cause excrement to be runny, sticking to feathers surrounding the vent and causing a messy and unsightly situation. Some conditions are as simple as placing supplements in the water; others require a closer examination and treatment.
Worms:
Treating worms in a bantam cochin hen with SafeGuard.
One of the most common reasons for dirty vents in chickens is worms. Intestinal worms wreak havoc on the digestive tract, causing malnutrition and dirty vents. Worm infections are evident in dropping.
A chicken’s body can withstand a baseline worm parasitic load without ill effects. Once the parasite load exceeds the point at which the body can manage the load, health problems will result. Worms visible in the droppings or on the dropping board when cleaning the coop are a reliable indication that the parasitic load has reached a critical point. At this point, it is advisable to treat the flock for worms. Once the flock has completed treatment, dirty vents associated with worms will resolve.
I have a post and YouTube videodetailing the correct dosage and procedure for worming a flock.
Mites and Lice:
Treating mites and lice in a Silver Lace Wyandotte Hen with Eprinex.
Like worms, mites and lice will deplete a chicken of energy, leaving them anemic and lethargic. Dirty vents are one of the first indications that an individual may be dealing with a mite and lice infestation. To determine if mites and lice are present, pick up the chicken and examine the vent area for small dark brown to red bugs crawling on the skin; these are red fowl mites and are detrimental to the individual. They multiply fast and will suck the lifeblood out of a chicken in a short about of time.
Lice live in the feathers of a bird and will cause dirty vents and extreme discomfort to the individual. Like mites, lice will congregate around the vent area, appearing as light brown or tan bugs crawling on the feathers. In a progressive lice infestation, bundles of eggs will be visible on the quill near the skin.
Treatment for mites and lice is simple and requires one topical product to address both parasites. I have a blog post and YouTube Video demonstrating the correct dosage and procedure for treating mites and lice using my flock as examples.
Egg laying Issues:
Silkie eggs on a nesting pad.
Egg-laying issues such as soft-shelled eggs can result in dirty vents in hens. During the formation of the egg, reproductive medullary bone deposits form the shell around the yolk cell. When the calcium supply in the hen’s body is low, soft-shelled eggs cause the egg to break during the laying phase.
Adding supplemental calcium to the flock’s diet will address soft-shelled eggs. Most poultry feed contains calcium for hard shells that the hen’s body uses quickly. Oyster shells available at farm/feed stores add valuable long-absorption calcium that the hen’s body will process over 24 hours, providing the resources for hard shells that do not break during laying.
Oyster shells for stronger eggshells.
Offer oyster shells in a separate container in the pen or where the flock eats. The hens can determine the amount of supplemental calcium their body requires and will consume from the available oyster shells. Keep oyster shells available for laying hens during active laying periods. The hen’s body will use the long-absorption calcium to produce hard eggshells, reducing dirty vents.
Heat-Related Issues:
Apollo and Aphrodite (White Crested Polish hens) enjoying a summer evening sampling from a pot of marigolds.
A hen will drink more water during excessive heat and high humidity. The unbalance in the gut biome results in loose excrement and dirty vents. Adding electrolytes and probiotics to the flock water will address this issue. Not all electrolytes are alike; purchase a probiotic marketed for use in poultry. While watermelon and cucumbers are a nice treat for a hot summer day, they lack the essential electrolyte balance that a hen’s body needs during extreme heat.
A product I readily provide for my flock is Rooster Booster Vitamins and Electrolytes, found at Tractor Supply. Containing Lactobacillus, this product promotes a balanced gut biome during extreme heat. Since I have started using this, dirty vents due to summer temperatures have notably decreased.
Vent Gleet:
Unlike parasitic or environmental causes, vent gleet is an inflammation of the cloaca (the vent), causing an unsightly condition called cloacitis. The most obvious symptom of cloacitis is a yellowish discharge from the vent that sticks to the feathers around the vent area and presents with a foul odor. In addition to the aforementioned, a hen will have a bloated abdomen, and the vent area can appear red and inflamed.
Treatment for vent gleet involves a two-pronged approach with probiotics – Rooster Booster administered in water mentioned above – and anti-fungal cream. Begin treatment by isolating the affected hen from the flock. Wash the vent area with warm water and mild soap to remove the debris and dried excrement from the feathers. Carefully cut away feathers from the vent if necessary.
Monistat 7-day cream – treatment for yeast infections in women – works well for vent gleet in hens. For hens, apply a pea-sized amount of the cream externally around her vent daily. Repeat for 5-7 days or until the redness has subsided around the vent. Continue to keep the hen in isolation for treatment till her condition improves. In my experience, vent gleet treated with probiotics and anti-fungal cream will resolve in two weeks.
Buff Orpington hen’s healthy fluffy butt.
I am a multi-disciplinary writer, published author, and web content creator. If you like this post, consider visiting some of my other blogs.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment or reach out to kuntryklucker@gmail.com. I check my email daily and will get back to you as soon as I can.
Thanks for reading! Till next time, keep on crowing!
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser. Tyrannosaurus Rex. Perot Natural History Museum. Dallas,TX
I recently wrote an article examining medullary bone found in a tyrannosaurus rex fossil and how chickens were used to help determine the gender of the fossil. While I focus on backyard chicken-related topics on this blog, I thought my fellow backyard chicken enthusiasts would find this subject matter meaningful and help further understand hens and their biological processes during laying. While this article is scientific, I hope it will bring an appreciation to the marvelous workings and the incredible design of mother nature and our backyard hens.
Image Credit:Noelle K. Moser. Tyrannosaurus Rex. Perot Natural History Museum. Dallas, TX.
Since the discovery of the holotype Tyrannosaurus Rex in 1902 by Barnum Brown in the Hell Creek Formation of Montana, no other dinosaur has captured the human imagination. Upon its discovery, Barnum Brown wrote this to Henry Fairfield Osborn, friend, and curator of the American Museum of Natural History in New York. “It is as if a child’s conception of a monster had become real and was laid down in stone” (Randall, 2022).
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser.“Walter” Tyrannosaurus Rex. The National Museum of Natural History. Washington, D.C.
Though most of the skull and tail were missing, everything about this monster would overwhelm the human imagination. The specimen that Brown found stood 13 feet tall at the hips, its jaws measured over 4 ft in length, and would have weighed 6-8 tons. This was the only known specimen to science and was given the appropriate name Tyrannosaurus Rex by Henry Osborne in the fall of 1902. Tyrannosaurus which means “tyrant lizard” in Greek and “rex” which means “king” in Latin; Tyrannosaurus Rex, the king of the lizards, no other name would capture in two words the sheer power contained within this beast.
We crave to learn all we can about the largest therapod dinosaurs that ever existed. Over the past one hundred years, we have gleaned a wealth of information from the fifty Tyrannosaurus Rex specimens currently housed in museums around the world.
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser.Tyrannosaurus Rex and an Alamosaurus (a titanosaurian sauropod). Perot Natural History Museum. Dallas, TX.
Tyrannosaurus rex gender is a tribute to the founder of the specimen. Sue (FMNH PR2081), discovered in 1990 by Sue Hendrickson, the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus-rex, is aptly considered female. Stan (BHI 3033), discovered in 1987 by Stan Sacrison, containing the most complete skull, is considered male.
Stan and I. Perot Natural History Museum. Dallas, TX.
While these attempts to assign a pronoun to tyrannosaurus specimens offer a sense of personhood, a link to the actual gender of tyrannosaurus rex specimens rests in the most unlikely of places – chickens.
Smaug: (Silver Lace Wyandotte Rooster). Chickens have much in common with their ancestor, Tyrannosaurus Rex. By understanding chickens, we can much better understand T-rex.
Birds are dinosaurs. Specifically, birds are a type of therapod rooted in the dinosaur family tree that contains the same ferocious meat-eaters as T-rex and Velociraptor (Brusattee, 2018). Birds lie within an advanced group of therapods called parades – a subgroup of therapods that traded in the brute body plan of their gargantuan ancestors for larger brains, sharpened acute senses, and smaller, lighter bodies that permitted progressive lifestyles above their land-dwelling relatives. Anatomically, chickens and tyrant theropods have many common characteristics that define the body plan of these magnificent creatures.
Air Sacs:
Birds achieve flight by two fundamental anatomical adaptions – feathers and hollow bones. While feathers provide the ability to soar above our heads, the real secret lies in their bones. Saurischians – the line of the dinosaur family tree containing both the giant sauropods and therapods – possessed skeletal pneumaticity – spaces for air in their bones. Skeletal pneumaticity produces hollow bones that lighten the skeleton, allowing for a wide range of motion. For example, without pneumaticity, sauropods would not be able to lift their long necks, and giant therapods would lack agility and ability to run because their skeletons would be far too heavy. In birds, air sacs are an ultra-efficient lung oxygen system. This flow-through inhalation and exhalation provides the high-energy birds need during flight. Evolving one-hundred million years before birds took flight, this is the true secret to their ability to take to the skies.
The signature feature of birds – feathers – evolved in their ground-dwelling theropod ancestors first noticed in Sinosauropteryx, the first dinosaur taxon outside parades to be found with evidence of proto-feathers.
Image Credit: Sinosauropterys fossil with evidence of proto-feathers.
The earliest feathers looked much different than the quill feathers of today. Initially, feathers evolved as multipurpose tools for display, insulation, protection for brooding, and sexual dimorphism. These early feathers were more like a fluff – appearing more like fur than feathers – consisting of thousands of hair-like filaments. Silkie chickens possess feathers that lack barbs that form the classic shape we associate with feathers. The first proto-feathers in dinosaurs were much like the texture of feathers on the Silkie. The breed name “Silkie” is derived from this unique feather texture.
Black Silkie hen. Silkie chickens possess hairlike filament feather texturefrom which their name is derived.
Wings:
While large theropods like Tyrannosaurus Rex noticed diminishing forearms throughout the Mesozoic, other dinosaurs like Zhenyuanlong and Microraptor traded in forearms for wings.
Image Credit:Life restoration of Zhenyuanlong, a small theropod that possessed feathered wings but could not fly.Image Credit:Microraptor, feathered dinosaurs that possessed wings on both forelimbs and hindlimbs and could glide from treetop to treetop.
Despite possessing wings, these feather-winged dinosaurs could not fly. Their bodies were far too heavy to achieve flight observed in birds today. Aboral dinosaurs glided from tree to tree or used their wings to fly flop on the ground. These first fully feathered dinosaurs also used their plumage as display features to attract mates or frighten enemies, as stabilizers for climbing trees, and protection and warmth for brooding offspring.
As the body plan for feathered dinosaurs continued to fine-tune the use of feathers, flight happened by accident. More advanced paravians had achieved the magical combination to achieve flight – large wings and smaller bodies (Brusatte, 2018). As the body plan of birds continued to refine, they lost their long tails and teeth, reduced to one ovary, and hollowed out their bones more to lighten their weight. By the end of the Cretaceous, birds flew over the heads of Tyrannosaurus Rex and other land-dwelling dinosaurs. Sixty-six million years ago, the birds and T-rex witnessed the Chicxulub impact that brought the Mesozoic to a close. While therapods with large and expensive body plans died out, birds sailed through to the Cenozoic. For this reason, we say that all non-avian dinosaurs are extinct, but dinosaurs are still very much with us – we call them birds.
Dignitary Locomotion in feet:
Foot of Stan (Tyrannosaurus Rex specimen 3033). Stan walked with digitigrade locomotion.Smaug; Silver Lace Wyandotte Rooster. Like Stan, Smaug walks with digitigrade locomotion.
Theropod means “beast foot”, and for good reason. Adaptions in the metatarsals (foot bones) of theropods allowed them to walk with a digitigrade stance. Unlike humans that walk plantigrade (flat-footed), tyrannosaurus rex walked on their toes. Digitigrade motion has many benefits, as it allows the animal to run fast, increased agility and splayed toes offer better balance on muddy or slippery surfaces. Birds are coelurosaurs and inherited these anatomical characteristics from their theropodian ancestors. Chickens like tyrannosaurus rex walk with digitigrade locomotion, making them swift runners on land and providing excellent balance and stabilizing ability when resting on roosts.
Wish Bone:
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser. Walter (tyrannosaurus rex) possessed a furcula or “wish bone”. The Furcula can be seen in the image that attached to the forelimbs.National Museum of Natural History. Washington, D.C.
The Thanksgiving tradition of “the lucky break” of the turkey wishbone is possible thanks to theropods who passed this anatomical trait to birds. In Tyrannosaurus rex, the furcula provided strength and power to the diminished but muscular forearms. In birds, the furcula fused from the two clavicle bones and function to strengthen the skeleton in the rigors of flight.
Image Credit: Coracoid and supracoracoideus muscles in a bird’s wing.The furcula provides support to these muscle systems in flight.
In conjunction with the coracoid and the scapula, it forms a unique structure called the triosseal canal, which houses a strong tendon that connects the supracoracoideus muscles to the humerus. This system is responsible for lifting the wings during the recovery stroke in flight.
S-shaped Skeleton:
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser.Coelophysis, basal coelurosaur with an S-shaped skeleton possessed by both T-rex and modern birds. Perot Natural History Museaum. Dallas TX.
Chickens and all birds have a unique body plan visible in the skeleton. Comparing the skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex with modern birds will yield similar anatomical attributes. T-rex has a skull attached to a spine, ribs, and two legs with splayed toes providing swift bipedal locomotion. Focusing on the appendicular skeleton, we see that T-rex and modern birds have an S-shaped skeleton. The reason is that body plans do not have unlimited parts from which evolution can choose but rather build upon earlier ancestral shapes (Horner, 2009).
While birds lack teeth and long tails, the genes to manipulate these features still exist in the gene sequence of birds. In 2006, researchers at the University of Wisconsin published a report on manipulating the genes responsible for teeth in chicken egg embryos, resulting in buds that would later develop into crocodile-like teeth. The embryos were not allowed to hatch, but this research shows that the genes related to “dinosaur-like” features still exist within the genes of chickens; mother nature has just switched them off.
While it’s easy to say these features are of birds, they are not attributes of birds at all but are of dinosaurs.
Image Credit:Noelle K. Moser. Close up of teeth on tyrannosaurus Rex. Inside the genome of birds lie the genes for teeth and long tails. Mother Nature just has them switched off. Perot Natural History Museum. Dallas, TX.
By studying the anatomy of chickens and comparing these findings with the tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, we see many of the same features. As we look closer, it becomes increasingly clear that T-rex is an overgrown chicken. Since the backyard chicken and the mighty T-rex have these characteristics in common, it stands to reason that these similarities are transferable to the study of tyrannosaur fossils, sexual dimorphism, and gender.
Medullary Bone in Egg Laying Hens:
Polish trio roosting on macramé swing suspended under my grape arbor.
In 2006, while studying bones of a newly discovered tyrannosaurus Rex, B-rex (Bob Rex, a tribute to the finder of this tyrannosaurus skeleton, Bob Harmon), a spongy-like mesh of tiny transparent flexible tubing was visible under a microscope. In attempts to determine the nature of this bone material, researchers turned to the closest living relative of the mighty T-rex – birds, specifically hens.
Buff Orpington chick resting amongst farm fresh eggs from my backyard flock.
This bone medullary bone is a reproductive tissue found only in living female actively reproducing hens. As a hen advances to maturity, marked by egg laying, her body will produce medullary bone and continue to produce this bone throughout her laying duration. In some birds, this is seasonal in hens such as chickens; medullary bone is produced from her first egg at about 20 weeks of age throughout her subsequent laying lifetime. This reproductive bone tissue serves as mobilized calcium storage for the production of eggshells (Larson and Carpenter, 2008).
Buff Orpington eggs from my backyard chicken flock.
The hens in my backyard flock possess the same medullary bone discovered in B-rex. When my hens lay eggs, the shells that protect the egg are medullary bones stored in their bones. As she continues the lay year after year, this reproductive tissue replenishes. Since hens lay several eggs a week vs only seasonal, chicken feed is fortified with additional calcium to extend the egg potential of laying hens. While man’s attempts to lend support by increased calcium allow hens to produce stronger eggshells, the fundamentals are the same. My hens produce medullary bone because it is an attribute that they inherited from their ancestor, tyrannosaurus rex.
Buff Orpington Hens, White Crested Polish hen, and Mottled Cochin Rooster. My hens-related to tyrannosaurus rex-possess the same reproductive medullary bone as that of B-rex.
Unlike other bone types, medullary bone has no other function. It exists solely as a calcium storage for the production of eggshells. The formation of this reproductive tissue osteoclasts in the femur and tibiotarsus bones begins to deposit about 1 or 2 weeks before lay.
It’s a Girl!!!
Image Credit:Femur of MOR 1125 where osteoclasts of medullary bone were found.
The discovery of medullary bone found in the femur of MOR 1125, triggered by the increase of estrogen in her body, signified that this tyrannosaurus rex was not only a female but pregnant.
Living near the end of the 140-million-year reign of the dinosaurs, B-rex moved through the lush forests of a delta that fed several winding rivers in the Hell Creek Formation. She hatched 16 years prior, wandering about this tropical landscape, growing to maturity and preparing to mate.
Image Credit: Noelle K. Moser. Mesozoic plants at the National Botanical Gardens in Washington. D.C. Bob-rex would have seen many of these same plants as she wondered the tropical regions of the Hell Creek Formation sixty-eight million years ago.
Whether or not this was her first mating season, we do not know. Perhaps she died without ever producing offspring, or she was preparing to be a mother for the first time. We know that sixty-eight million years ago, she died young of unknown causes, and her burial was quick because her skeleton was well preserved.
The discovery of B-rex is the holy grail for paleontology and dinosaur studies. We can now assign gender and learn more about the intimate lives of tyrannosaurus rex specimens and other medullary bone-bearing dinosaurs through the lessons of B-rex, the pregnant T-rex.
I hope this post was resourceful and brought more understanding to egg laying in backyard hens and where the eggshell is derived. By understanding the ancestors of our backyard flocks, we can better understand their biological processes.
If you have any question, feel free to post in the comment or you can e-mail me: kuntryklucker@gmail.com
Thanks for reading. Till next time, keep on crowing.
Tyrannosaurus Rex and I. Perot Natural History Museum. Dallas, TX.
~ Noelle K. Moser ~
Resources:
Brusatte, Steve. The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A History of Their Lost World. William Marrow of Harper Collins Publishers. New York, NY. 2018. Pgs. 282, 298, 299.
Harris P Matthrew, Hasso M Sean, Ferguson W.J. Mark, and Fallon F John. The Development of Archosaurian First-Generation Teeth in a Chicken Mutant. Current Biology Vol. 16, 371-377, February 21, 2006. URL
Horner, Jack. How to Build a Dinosaur. Plume, Published by Penguin Group. London, England. 2009. Pgs. 8,9,57, 58, 60.
Larson, Peter and Carpenter, Kenneth. Tyrannosaurus Rex: The Tyrant King. Indiana University Press. Bloomington, Indiana. 2008. Pgs. 40, 93, 95, 98.
Randall K., David. The Monster’s Bones: The Discovery of T. Rex and How it Shook Our World. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. New York, N.Y. 2022. Pgs. 153.
The chickens most of us recognize today are bred for meat or eggs, consequently they look vastly different than their ancestors. The breeds that generations past kept supplying eggs for the family are known as Heritage Breeds. Some of us may even recall the chickens that our grandparents kept and how different they looked. It some cases they may not have even looked like the chickens we associate with today at all.
Production breeds are those that are specifically bred for production, whether be it meat or eggs. These industries have selected out traits needed to meet demands. These resulting chickens are engineered to have larger breasts, grow very fast, lay profusely or lay larger eggs. The chickens the exist outside of these breeds are known as Heritage breeds. Heritage breeds store a wealth of genetic resources that are important for our future and the future of our agricultural food system. Heritage breeds were once raised by our forefathers. These are breeds of a bygone era, before industrial agriculture became a mainstream practice. It is through the hobby of backyard chicken keepers and enthusiasts that these breeds still exist today.
You may not know it, but by keeping chickens you are acting as a conservationist. Since the meat and egg industry has no need for heritage breeds, it’s the backyard chicken keepers that keep these breeds from extension. Most of these breeds our grandparents kept as pets or for eggs. Many old photos have captured in time these heritage breeds. As time has march on, alongside us has followed our feathered friends.
So, what are some of these Heritage Breeds you may be asking. Below I will introduce you to some of these breeds. Many of these breeds I have, others I plan to get in the near future.
ThePolish:
The Polish possesses a very complicated history. Many people think that the Polish came from Poland. This is actually not the case. The word “pol” translates as head, most likely derived from the impressive crests of feathers that top their head. It’s not really understood where this fancy breed came from. Some poultry experts think they came from the Netherlands, others disagree. As for a fun chicken lover such as myself, I wonder if their origins are not of this world after all. Possibly like H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu they came from the stars or another world out there. Just kidding 🙂 In all seriousness though, much mystery surrounds this much beloved Heritage breed. The Polish is a much-favored breed for poultry enthusiasts who want a little something different for their backyard flock.
Deady, Fi and Freddie (polish hens) perching on a hammock swing under the grape arbor.
The Polishes as a breed have a very distinctive personality. Due to their featherd crests, their vision is limited. With obstructed vision everything spooks them. Seemingly mundane and normal objects in their surrounds will get a rise out of them. For this reason, they tend to be high strung and flighty. It takes an experienced keeper with the right setting to successfully keep this breed. A covered pen, protected free range area, and ample coverage are necessary to keep this fancy breed. Due to their feathered crests, they cannot see above them, thus are easy prey for aerial attacks from predators.
To their determent they are also a very curious breed. Individuals will often follow their curiosities into predicaments. Unable to see well enough to get out, they will call out to other members of the flock to rescue them. Typically, one or more of the roosters will answer the call. They are the comedians of the chicken world. I have 14 of these fancy guys and gals of various colors. All of them possess this particular niche for curiosity and comedy.
BuffOrpington:
One of the most beloved and most common Heritage breeds kept by backyard enthusiasts is the Buff Orpington. These lovely ladies and gents are often sold in feed stores and are very hearty. I personally have seen many old photos capturing this breed. When I started keeping chickens this was the first breed I ordered. Buff Orpingtons are known the world over for being friendly fluffs of feathers. In my experience I will have to concur.
These ladies and gents are known as the “golden retrievers” of the chicken world and for good reason. They are very loyal and form strong attachments to their keepers. My Buff ladies follow me around the backyard as I do morning and evening chores. When I do any work in the backyard such as potting or planting flowers and crops, I have plenty of “hen help”. They want to be involved in anything that I am doing no matter what it is.
I currently have 5 of these golden girls, at 10 years of age they are the oldest girls in my flock. No longer spring chickens, these ladies are the Zen masters of my flock. They have seen and lived through it all. I will often find one or more of these ladies on my lap when I sit down. They love attention and will follow me chatting till I pick them up and hold them. They are very friendly and make a great breed for beginning chicken keepers.
Besides buff there are other colors of Orpington available. While buff and black are the most common, blue and lavender are also available. Lavender and jubilee are the rarest and cost quite a bit when purchased from hatcheries or breeders. If you can obtain them, they will be the pride and joy of the flock. I plan to purchase lavender and jubilee Orpingtons in the near future.
Australorp:
Related to the Orpington, the Australorp is the Australian take on the Orpington. They were developed as a breed to focus on egg laying. Australorps achieved world-wide popularity in the 1920’s after the breed broke numerous world records for the number of eggs laid in a year. In fact, the world record holder for the most eggs laid in a year was set by an Australorp. She laid 364 eggs in one year, taking only one day off. The most common color is black, the only color recognized in the United States. However, blue and white are still recognized in Australia.
For backyard keepers who want chickens just for eggs, Australorps are the best bang for your buck. They are one of the most common breeds found in feed stores, like the Orpington, they are very friendly and affectionate.
Easter Eggers:
The Easter Egger is a favorite breed because the hens lay multicolored eggs. For this reason, they are sometimes referred to as rainbow layers. Eggs colors will vary by individual and can be anything from blue to brown. Colors such as blue, green, pink, white, beige and brown have all been reported. A hen will have her own color and will lay only that color for the rest of her life. This breed is often found in feed stores, sometime mis-labeled as Araucania or Ameraucana. Because of the multi-line breeding, Easter Eggers come in many colors such as brown, black, white, Buff, and golden lace. The Pigment oocyanin, deposited on the surface of the shell is what gives the eggs the famous blue/green color. As a breed they are hardy, friendly and excellent layers.
TheCochin:
The Cochin is another favorite Heritage breed because they are so docile. Literally big balls of fluff, the Cochins are one of the friendliest breeds. They are not good layers but make excellent mothers and will happily sit on eggs no matter who laid them. They are very affectionate and enjoy interacting with their keepers. I have several varieties of Cochins such as Mottled (specked), frizzle and black. Even the roosters are very docile and friendly. If eggs are the primary reason for keeping chickens, they are not the best selection. Their egg laying is fairly poor, they make up for their lacking egg potential in other ways.
Silkies:
Ah, yes, Silkies, the teddy bears of the chicken world. It’s no secret that Silkies are the most beloved of the ornamental chicken breeds. Voted again and again as the best breed to have for kids. Silkies are quite possibly the favorite Heritage breed of numerous backyard chicken enthusiasts and for good reason. Silkies are very sweet, docile and friendly. The girls make excellent mothers, are very broody and affectionate. Silkie are often kept by backyard chicken keepers for their broody tendencies. They will happily sit on any available eggs, hatch and raise whatever pops out of them. They don’t care as long as they get to have babies. It has been said that a broody Silkie could hatch rocks. After keeping them, I can say I completely agree with this sentiment.
I have a flock of Silkies on my hobby farm and are absolutely smitten. Even the 7 Silkie roosters I have are well behaved. Actually, Silkie roosters make very poor protectors, they prefer to run and hide rather than man up. Lucky, I have other roosters in the yard to pick up the slack when the flock is free ranging.
Silkies are a very old breed. They originated in Asia, were brought to the Western World via the Silk Road, a major trading round in Asia. Silkies date back to the Chinese Han dynasty (around 206BCE). The breed was first mentioned by Marco Polo in his journals that he kept on this trip through China (1290-1300). He recorded in his journal referencing a “furry chicken”.
After Marco Polo’s mention about a” furry chicken” there was not much said about the Silkie till about 1589. Ulysses Aldrovandi, a writer and naturalist published a work on a “wool-bearing chicken”. He described it as “clothed with hair like a cat”.
Silkies get their unique feathering due to the lack of barbicels in their feathers. Barbicels give feathers the smooth texture and appearance we commonly associate with feathers. It is for this reason that Silkies do not like getting wet. If kept in wet climates, a keeper needs to see it that their digs are well sheltered and dry. Contrary to popular opinion, they do tolerate cold climates well as long as they are able to remain dry.
After Silkies made it to the Western World, the breed was recognized officially in North America with acceptance into the Poultry Standard of Perfection in 1874.
In the 21st century, Silkies are one of the most popular and ubiquitous ornamental breeds. They are often kept by backyard chicken enthusiasts as pets. Although not a heritage breed like others discussed. The Silkie is a breed that is alive and well thanks to the conservational efforts of backyard chicken keepers who care for and raise them.
SilverLaceWyandotte:
The gems of my chicken yard are my Silver Lace Wyandotte’s. I have 4 of these fancy ladies and are absolutely smitten with them. Like the Orpington and Australorp, they are very friendly and great layers. The Wyandotte is a purely American breed, developed in the 1870’s and named after the Wyandotte people of North America.
Many people keep this breed to show at county and state fairs. With their striking black and white feathers, they looked like they are dressed up for a Gala. I too obtained my Silver Lace Ladies for this reason. They are head turners, capturing the attention of anyone who sees them. I am often asked by visitors to my farm about these ladies. I get many comments on their stunning appearance. They are the pride and joy of my flock.
Like the Orpingtons and the Australorps, Wyandotts are friendly and very docile. They are often found at the bottom of the pecking order due to their docile temperament. If you want to add a little high class to your flock, Wyandotts are a great choice. Since they are available in most feed stores, they are readily available.
OtherHeritageBreeds:
The Heritage Breeds I have discussed thus far I currently have. However, there are many more to choose from. Below I will give honorable mention to other beloved Heritage breeds. Before I go any further, I want to thank my fellow backyard chicken enthusiasts and friends (who have asked to remain anonymous) for sharing their experience with these breeds. I do not currently have the following breeds but have connections to those who can vouch for the temperament of these breeds based on their own experiences.
The Rhode Island Red is one of the most common breeds kept by backyard enthusiasts. They are one of the most common breeds found in co-ops during the spring. The Rhode Island Red is a purely American breed. It is actually the state bird of Rhode Island. This breed was developed in the early 19th century by cross breeding two other well-known breeds, leghorn and Malay. As common as this breed may seem, it is actually on the “watch” list by the Livestock Conservancy.
The Rhode Island Red gets its name from the color of its plumage. Other keepers have stated that this breed is friendly with a good nature, but they can be a bit pushy. They are a tough breed, resistant to illness, good at foraging and free ranging. They are hardy breed, lay well, typically docile, friendly and for these reasons they make a good choice for those starting out with backyard chickens.
The Plymouth Rock is the oldest American breed. It was first breed in the early 19th century and was seen coast to coast before the end of World War 2. Almost everyone kept them, it was encouraged by the Government as food for the troops who were fighting over seas. For much of the 20th century it was the most common breed in the United States. Unfortunately, after the 2nd World War, it declined in popularity and has been listed on the American Livestock Conservancy as “recovering”.
As a breed, the Plymouth Rock is docile in nature, tame and hardy, making them a great choice for beginning backyard yard chicken enthusiasts. The Plymouth Rock is a good general farm chicken. They are docile with a leaning toward broodiness. They are quality layers of medium-large eggs.
This Sussex is named after its location of origin Sussex, England and is among the oldest of British breeds. In fact, the first ever poultry show was held in London in 1845. One of the first exhibits was a chicken breed simply called Sussex or Kentish Fowl. This was the beginnings of the “Sussex Breed”. Although Kent was mentioned, the birds were thereafter addressed only as Sussex.
The Sussex is a very ancient breed in England’s history. Records show that the Sussex dates back to the time of the Roman Invasion of 43 A.D. Of course, they looked nothing like they do today, but their origins are anything but new.
The time of breeding and various color varieties came about when hen fever hit England in the Victorian Era. The Sussex was breed with other Heritage Breeds such as the Cochin and Brahma to get today’s look of a robust and well-proportioned bird. Today there are several colors available such as red and speckled, brown, buff, white, silver. However, The American Poultry Association only recognized Red and Speckled. Speckled is a beautiful bird which sports a mahogany and while speckled plumage. With successive molts the color gets better. The Light is the coloration most associated with this breed. Birds with light coloration have white bodies with black neck and tail feathers.
Other chicken keepers and friends that I have talked to say that this breed is docile and friendly. They are easy to handle and love to forage. They are very thrifty, if they are allowed to free range, they are able to gather most of their needs from this activity. Several of my friends have said that they are very curious and will follow their keepers around the yard. They enjoy attention and are very interactive and talkative with their keepers.
As for laying potential, they are good layers, laying about 4-5 brown eggs a week. They will continue to lay through the winter when most other breeds have shut down production for the year. They only take a break from laying during molting.
Some keepers have said that they have a tendency to go broody and make good mothers. A fellow poultry keeper and friend of mine says that she has two girls who happily sit on eggs every year hatching and raise clutches of chicks for her. She loves her Sussex momma hens and can count on them to give her new chicks every spring.
In my interview process, one downfall of the breed was mentioned. This breed has a tendency towards obesity. If you want them fattened for the table that is fine, but if you want them to continue to lay eggs, then you need to keep their diet and weight in check. They best way to do this is to keep treats to a minimum and only allow them to get their nutrition from a quality feed and foregoing.
The Sussex is a great breed to have around children. They enjoy the company of their keepers, are talkative, loved being held and stroked. They are low maintenance and thriftily if allowed to free range.
Foghorn Leghorn, for those that remember Loony Tunes cartoons, Foghorn was the Rooster who was always being tortured by a little chicken hawk. He was probably the best-known Leghorn chicken in the world! These two characters are my favorite Loony Tunes. Foghorn Leghorn as his name suggests is a Leghorn Cock. In his honor, the next Heritage Breed that I will give honorable mention to is the Leghorn.
The Leghorn’s originated in Tuscany, in central Italy. The breed was introduced to North America in 1828 from the port city of Livorno. In America they were originally called “Italians”, by 1865 the breed was known as “Leghorn”.
The exact history of the Leghorn breed is unknown. There were several small breeds of land chickens roaming in the region of Tuscany Italy. From these, the Leghorn was born. When the Leghorn made it to the UK in 1870 the English did not like the small body of the Leghorn. So, It was crossed with the Minorca to give it a more robust frame. Despite the breeding the Leghorn still remains a relatively thin bird.
Contrary to popular opinion, Leghorn’s come in a variety of colors black, brown, white, buff, and silver or grey. The breed was admitted to the American Poultry Association in 1874.
A few friends and fellow backyard chicken enthusiasts of mine report that the Leghorn is a very intelligent and resourceful bird. They are able to find much of their food on their own if allowed to free range which reduces the feed bill. They are good flyers and will often fly into trees to roost if allowed. They can be a bit noisy, definitely not a good breed for an urban setting.
Another friend of mine said that they are a lot like the Polish breed. They get bored easily, so a keeper needs to provide plenty of room and things to do if they are confined to a pen. They are also a bit aloof from human contact not really interested in interacting with their keepers.
As for laying potential, they are good layers, laying about 230-320 eggs per year. That’s about 5+ eggs a week, making Leghorn hens an egg laying machine. For this reason, they make a great staple for a farm setting. They are not very broody, in fact it’s very rare for a Leghorn hen to go broody. If a hen accidentally hatches a chick, they make terrible mothers. If you want to procreate your flock its best to use an incubator or broody hen from another breed such as the Silkie to raise the chicks for you.
If you want a chicken breed that is cuddly and friendly, the Leghorn is not the way to go. However, if you don’t want to make friends of your backyard chickens and just want eggs, they are a great choice. Additionally, if allowed to free range, they are very self-sufficient, reducing the feed bill making them relatively cheap to keep.
The Brahma is an American Breed of chicken. It was developed in the United States from birds imported from China and was the principle American meat bird from 1850 until about 1930.
Few breeds have as much controversy as to their origins as does the Brahma Chicken. While widely varied claims were originally accepted by early poultry associations, the truth of the matter is that this breed was developed in America by breeding a very large fowl imported from China.
At first, there were many different strains and at least a dozen names for the breed. At a meeting in Boston in 1852 an agreement was reached to name it “Brahmapootra” which later was shortened to just “Brahma”. From the beginning Brahmas have been recognized not only for their incredible size but for their practical qualities. Brahmas are very hearty and good egg layers. Considered great winter layers, Brahma’s will lay right through the winter, only talking a break during molt.
Farmed for its size and known as the “King of Chickens”, the Brahma chicken is appreciated for its great size, strength and vigor. These birds are huge, males can grow to reach 17-18 pounds and the hens can reach anywhere from 13-15 pounds. A typical Brahma Rooster can stand 30 inches tall. Despite its impressive size, the breed is known to be very docile and friendly.
I have one backyard chicken friend who has these impressive birds. She described their disposition as gentile and non-aggressive. It can be easy to be intimated by these giants, but their temperament does not match their stature. They are friendly and docile with a calm disposition. They are very easy to handle but due to their weight they can become heavy quickly.
They make great mothers and are committed to sitting on the nest. However, due to the size of the hen a keeper needs to keep a close eye on the chick for the first few days. The small chick can be easily injured or killed if it is accidentally stepped on by the mother hen.
If allowed to free range, they are well adapted to forage for food making them a self-sustaining breed. They are an excellent breed to have with children present. Although very large they are very docile and non-aggressive. They make a great choice for 4H projects. If you choose to keep these massive birds make sure that the coop is large enough to accommodate their larger than average size. The roosts need to be larger, and sturdy, pens and nesting boxes need to be larger as well.
Although known as the “King of Chickens”, the Brahmas are second in line in size, surpassed only by the Jersey Giant. The next Heritage Breed I will examine is the largest of all chicken breeds.
The Jersey Giant as its name suggests is the largest and heaviest of all chicken breeds. It was created in Burlington County, New Jersey in the late 19th century. The roosters top out about 17-19 pounds while the hens top out around 13-15 pounds. The males stand between 28-30 inches tall, the hens being 16-20 inches tall. Making these birds at eye level with the Brahma and slightly heavier.
The Jersey Giant was originally bred to create a chicken that could potentially replace the turkey as a premium table bird. During breeding several large breeds were used the Black Java’s, Dark Brahmas and Black Langshans.
As far as egg laying in concerned, the hens tend to lay more eggs than those of other heavy breeds. The eggs are extra-large in size with color varying from dark brown to light cream.
I have an on-line fellow backyard chicken keeper who raises this breed. She described the temperament of the Jersey Giant as docile, mellow and friendly. Even the roosters are very docile and tame. She keeps her flock of Jersey Giants as pets rather than their intended purpose. They are very good with her kids. Her children were at one point afraid of them but now they have grown to love their backyard giants.
According to her, the hens don’t really go broody. They may act like they want to sit on the nest but lose interest soon after. She uses an incubator to procreate her flock. They free range and forage well. Due to their large size, they are not easy prey for hawks. Egg laying is good, hens lay about 150-200 eggs per year, that’s about 2-4 eggs per week. The eggs are very large, a bit larger than X-large eggs sold in the stores. They vary between cream, light and medium brown in color.
The Jersey Giant is an impressive bird worthy of the time and effort required to raise them. Due to their large size, they require lots of space as to avoid problems caused by overcrowding. This is one breed that I have wanted to keep but due to my space limitation my property is not well suited. But for those who have the space and requirements necessary to keep them, they would be well worth the time.
The Dominique, also known as the dominicker or Pilgrim Fowl, is a breed that was developed in the United States during the colonial period. It is considered America’s first chicken breed. It is most likely descended from chickens brought to New England from southern England during colonial times.
The Dominique could be found on farms far and wide until about the 1920’s when the breed waned due to the passing of long time Dominique enthusiasts and breeders. Due to its hardiness and ease of up-keep, the breed survived the Great Depression. By the end of World War II, the breed once again experienced decline. By the 1970’s only 4 known flocks remained. The remaining owners were contacted and participated in a breed rescue program to save the Dominique. From 1983 till about 2006, Dominiques numbers steadily rose again. As of 2007, numbers are once again starting to fall, placing the breed on The Livestock conservancy’s “watch” list. If there is one breed that we as backyard chicken keepers should take interest in, it’s this one. It is only through the efforts of backyard chicken keepers that this breed will escape extinction.
As expected from the breed’s history, I have no backyard enthusiast friends that currently keep this breed. However, according to my research, this breed is first and foremost an egg producer. Hens average between 230-275 small to medium-size brown eggs a year. That averages to about 3-4 eggs per week.
The disposition of the Dominique is said to be sweet, gentile, calm and docile. They are friendly often following their owners around the yard hoping for treats. The hens are said to occasionally be broody and are good mothers, attentive to their chicks.
The Dominique is robust and hardy with little in the way of health issues. They are low maintenance and quite self-sufficient, thus they make a great breed for first time chicken owners.
Although breeding programs have been successful, the numbers of Dominique chickens worldwide remain very low. With the surge of the backyard chicken movement numbers are holding steady. It is only through backyard chicken enthusiasts that this breed still exists. If there is one breed that needs our help as chicken keepers, its this one. I plan to add a few Dominiques to my flock as soon as I can.
The New Hampshire is an American Breed that originated in the state of New Hampshire. Using Rhode Island Reds, poultry farmers performed selective breeding generation after generation to create a bird that grew rapidly, feathered faster, matured earlier and had greater vigor. The resulting product was The New Hampshire Red a close cousin to the Rhode Island Red. The Breed was admitted into the American Standard of Perfection in 1935.
The New Hampshire is a relatively new breed, roughly the same size as the Rhode Island Red. The hens are good layers producing about 200 large light brown eggs a year. This equates to about 3 eggs a week. It is a family friendly bird, making great pets, due to ease of care they are a good breed for first time chicken keepers.
If you are looking for a bird that is good for both meat and egg laying, this is the breed for you. Due to aggressive breeding, they are generally disease resistant, cold hearty and robust.
The breed that seems to be all the range today are the Mayans. Relatively new to the backyard chicken scene, the Marans have been around since the 1900’s. A French breed, originated in the port town of Marans, in Nouvelle-Aquitaine a region of south-western France. The Marans are descended from feral fighting game chickens imported from Indonesia and India. A favorite at poultry shows, they are known for laying extremely dark eggs.
There are 9 recognized colors in the French Standard: cuckoo, golden cuckoo, black, birchen, black copper, wheaten, black-tailed, buff, white and Colombian. Of these, the black copper is the favorite among backyard chicken enthusiasts.
These birds are absolutely beautiful, pictures do not do them justice. They have a remarkable plumage. The overall body feathers are deep black which glean with a green iridescence in the sunlight. The hackle feather is a reddish/coppery tone, contrasting nicely with the black body feathers.
The Marans are a new breed in the United States, accepted by the American Poultry Association is 2011- a recent arrival.
I have a few fellow chicken keeper friends who raise this breed. They are said to have a quiet disposition, gentile and friendly. The roosters have a tendency to be a bit confrontational with other roosters. The hens are docile but are not lap chickens like some other breeds. They are a very active breed and enjoy free ranging.
Marans are renowned for their very dark brown/chocolate eggs. The hens are good layers, giving you around 3 eggs/week, which works out to about 150-200 eggs/year.
Marans are considered to be rare in the United States. They are much more common in their homeland of France. They are one of the more expensive breeds to purchase from hatcheries, single chicks ranging between $10-20. Once established, they make quite a statement in your flock.
The Hamburg chicken is one of the several breeds that most resemble the chicken of the wild. Hamburg chickens were found in Holland in the 14th century but it’s unclear when they first arrived. Around 1785 Hamburgs made their way to England. Later in 1856 Hamburgs were embraced in America and were desired for their egg production potential.
As a breed, Hamburgs possess great activity and alertness. Hens are known to prefer nesting in hedges and have a habit of roosting at night in trees. During their time in England, it was believed that the Hamburgs were a hybrid across between wild chickens and pheasants. Hamburgs are prolific egg layers of small white eggs. The breed’s true gift is their ability to lay a large number of eggs over several years. They mature early, reaching laying age at about 4-5 months, 2-3 months earlier than most laying breeds.
Like the Polish, Hamburgs tend to be flap-happy and flightily. They have tendencies to fly away. It is not uncommon for keepers to find them perching and roosting high in trees. For this reason, it is best for keepers to keep them contained to a roomy Pen. To keep this breed happy, pens need to have a lot of vertical space with plenty of roosting options, high roosts are preferable. They are one of the noisier breeds, definitely not a good choice for Urban backyard chicken keepers.
Hamburgs are considered rare in the United States. They can be acquired from breeders or hatcheries that specializes in rare and very rare breeds. If kept, they will be a spice of life in your coop.
I think I’m going to cut it off here. This post has already become lengthy, possibly the longest post I have ever composed. However, I feel it is important to acquaint you with some of the Heritage Breeds that shaped our past and now our further. There are many more Heritage breeds to talk about, the ones I mentioned are some of the more popular ones kept by backyard chicken enthusiasts.
As backyard chicken keepers, we are the conservationists keeping many of these breeds from extinction. Since the meat and egg industry have no need for these birds, it is though our passions that they still exist. Breeds such as the Dominique really need our help to keep them round for generations to come. Without our efforts and interest our Heritage Breeds would be lost forever, victim to the passage of time. Many of us keep chickens as a connection to the past, simpler days of a bygone era. Our feathered friends carry with them history as many of our grandparents and ancestors kept the same breeds that now roam our backyards.
I hope that you enjoyed this post, and maybe even enlightened you to the importance of our Heritage Breeds. If you have any questions please leave a comment, you can also drop me a line at kuntryklucker@gmail.com
I am a published author, multi-disciplinary writer and blog contributor. If you like this blog, please visit some of my other sites.
This post is dedicated to the care and wellbeing of backyard laying hens. In the post, I will answer the following questions. What are oysters shells? What does it do for your hens? and why are they important?
But before we get into the specifics of oyster shells, I first need to discuss some of the basics of what your hens body goes though when she lays an egg.
One of the most common questions I get is, “do I need to have a rooster for hens to lay eggs?” The answer to that is No. Your hens will lay eggs in the absence of a rooster. If you want to populate your flock and hatch chicks on your farm, for that you will need a rooster. But that’s a post for another time. For now, we are just going to talk about how you hen lays eggs.
Each egg that your hen lays take about 24-26 hours to complete. There are 4 stages in the egg laying process that I will cover.
Stage 1: The Yolk Releases
A hen is born with all the egg yolk cells that she will lay throughout her life. Each yolk is contained within its own follicle. When the yolk is released from the follicle, it travels from the ovary to the oviduct, commonly known as the reproductive track. This entire journey this far only takes about 15 minutes.
Stage 2: The White forms
The formation of the egg white takes your hen 4+ hours to complete. As the yolk leaves the ovary and travels through the oviduct, it can be fertilized by a rooster. An unfertilized egg is known as a blastodisc,a fertilized egg is known as a blastoderm. If you do not have any roosters, the blastodisc will continue its progress in his absence. The yolk (now known as a blastodisc or blastoderm) travels through the magnum and the isthmus sections of the oviduct. This is where most of the albumen (egg white) forms around the yolk, the thin outer shell membrane holding everything loosely together. When you break open an egg you will notice white spiral strands connected to the yolk. These spindles are called chalaza and attach the yolk to the shell. At this point the blastodisc resembles an egg missing the outer shell.
Stage 3: The Eggshell
The blastodisc (egg) receives the shell in the uterus via a shell gland. The shell takes about 20 hours to form and another hour or more for the pigment or color to be applied to the outer shell. It is this phase of egg development that requires calcium from your hen’s body. If she does not have access to calcium through her feed or supplemented in oyster shells, her body takes this critical nutrition from her bones. Over time, the depletion of calcium from the hen’s body weakens her bones leading to injury. This is why making oyster shells available to you hens is very important. Most feeds come “enriched” with oyster shells, but this does not meet all the calcium requirements needed by your laying hens.
State 4: The Nest Box
Your hens lay eggs through their cloaca (the vent). Eggs exit through the same vent used for everything a chicken excretes. Tissues of the uterus expands with the egg until the entire egg passes through the vent. During the act of laying the egg, a bloom layer is applied to the shell to protect the egg and keep it clean. This bloom keeps bacteria from entering the egg which can spoil the yolk and contents inside the egg. It is for this reason; we refrigerate eggs after washing them. Once the bloom is washed off the egg, the egg will begin spoiling. The outer layer of protection is removed, no long protecting the egg from bacteria.
Unwashed eggs can remain at room temperature for several weeks before they begin to break down. This is why eggs bought at the grocery store are sold in the refrigerated sections and kept cold. Farm fresh eggs only need to be washed prior to use. Otherwise, your farm fresh eggs can be stored at room temperature, only needing refrigeration if you will not use them for an extended period of time.
Now that you have a better understanding about you hens’ body and the process of laying eggs, let’s discuss and answer some common questions about oyster shells.
What are Oyster Shells?
Oyster shells are pretty much what they sound like, ground up oyster shells. They are an excellent source of calcium, a much-needed supplement for your hens. Most chicken feed contains some oyster shell in the feed. However, it is quickly absorbed by your hens, not longing enough for them to gain the full benefit. Don’t get me wrong, its better than nothing, but your hens are not getting what they need for their daily calcium requirements. Your hens require a long release calcium source which is not in all chicken feed brands.
The only feed brand that contains a long release oyster shell in the feed is Purina Poultry Feed. Purina can be found at Tractor Supply and many other farm and feed stores. If you cannot find Purina, don’t panic. You can still use the feed that you currently purchase, just make oyster shells available to your girls in addition to the feed.
I have found that a small dish attached to the side of their pen filled with oyster shell does the trick. You don’t need to worry about them going through it like scratch or even feed. A hen will only consume what she needs. Her body will tell her when she needs extra calcium and how much she needs to lay her eggs. Each hen’s body is different, some may consume more than others. Don’t worry is if one hen consumes a lot while another hen consumes very little, their bodies know what their supplement needs are.
What do Oyster Shells do for your hens?
Oyster Shells supply your girls with the calcium that they need to form strong eggshells. Most chicken feed brands have some oyster shell in the feed but not enough. Since hens do the majority of the hard work of making eggs shells during the night, they need a supplement that will provide calcium during this time. The Oyster Shell that is contained in the feed is only accessible to the hen while she is eating. Oyster Shells that are supplied in addition to the feed are larger pieces. Sitting in her crop during the night, they slowly grind down, supplying the hen with calcium as she sleeps. It is in this way that your hens are able to make strong eggshells, reducing the stress on her body and depleting her calcium resources.
Why are Oyster Shells important?
Oyster shells are important because they provide a calcium source that is required to make eggshells. If a hen does not have adequate calcium resources for her body to produce the eggshell, it will weaken her bone structure. An eggshell is made almost entirely of calcium, in the absence of a calcium source her body will take the needed resource from her bones. Over time this can lead to bone issues with hens who are not getting enough calcium, in particular the leg bones. Often time the weakened bones lead to painful injury, even breaking during normal activity. For the optimal health of your hens, providing Oyster Shells aids in their overall health and longevity.
After providing supplemental calcium to you girls, you will notice that the eggs she lays will be harder and have firmer shells. This is also beneficial to your hens; eggs are less likely to break during the process of laying. This is another risk to your hen. If an egg breaks inside a hen during the process of laying a soft-shelled egg, it can cause internal injury. Broken eggshells are sharp and can cut the delicate skin of her tract and vent. A broken shell during laying can often lead to infection, pain and discomfort. Recovery is not always possible depending on where and how the egg broke inside of her. To prevent this and other unwanted issues with egg laying, simply supply oyster shells to your laying hens.
I hope that you have found this post helpful. Keeping backyard chickens is a fun and rewarding endeavor. Like us, hens need a little help in supplementing their diet. They can’t get everything they need from their feed, but that’s an easy fix. Taking proper dietary care of your girls will lend to a long and happy life for your special ladies.
If you have any questions, please feel free to post them in the comments. You can also drop me a line at kuntryklucker@gmail.com.
I am a published author, multi-disciplinary writer and blog contributor. If you like this blog, please visit some of my other sites.
The Kuntry Klucker 
