Chicken Choices - gilliescommunitycentre.com

Chicken Choices
How to choose the right kind of chicken for you!
Choosing the Right Breed
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Why so many choices?
History of Chicken breeding
Hybrid or Heritage
Production or Pets?
Standard or Bantam
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Temperament
Rare & Endangered
Space & Facilities
Local options
Other Sources
The “Hen Craze” of
the 1860s
How Many Breeds?
• The American Kennel Club
recognizes 175 breeds of dogs.
• My Pet Chicken website lists over
400 varieties of chickens!
Hybrid Chickens
• No hybrids until 1930s
• Breeding for specific genetic
mutations – obesity, early maturity,
larger eggs, more eggs
• Up to 10 or 20 crosses to produce
the eggs that will hatch the desired
traits
• Hybrids eliminate hardiness,
broodiness, longevity
• If bred, offspring quickly show
problems in just one or two
generations
• Profound changes in biological
make-up, ie fattier, less nutritious
meat
Hybrids vs Heritage Breeds
HYBRIDS
• Grow faster
• Yield more eggs/meat
• Less likely to be broody
• Less tolerant of heat/cold
• Decreased ability to forage &
protect themselves outdoors
• Short life span
HERITAGE
• Slower to mature
• More variety
• More likely to hatch their own
chicks
• Breed true to form
• Hardier
• One flock feeds a family for years
From Frey’s Hatchery website:
Why is it More Difficult Each Year to Grow
the White Rock Meat Bird?
White Rock growth rates have changed dramatically over the years:
• Average weight at 7 weeks of age in 1957 – 2 lbs.
• Average weight at 7 weeks of age in 1986 – 4½ lbs.
• Average weight at 7 weeks of age in 1999 – 6.3 lbs.
• Average weight at 7 weeks of age in 2009 – 6.8 lbs.
Result: increased incidence of “Flip Over Disease” and leg deformities
Heritage Breed Examples
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Plymouth Rock
Rhode Island Red
Sussex
Chantecler
Leghorn
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Wyandotte
Brahma
Cochin
Cornish
Orpington
Why do you want chickens?
• Meat
• Eggs
• Pets
• Exhibition
• Conservation
Standard or Bantam
• Bantams are 1/3 the size or less
• Some breeds come in both sizes
• True bantam breeds have
no large counterparts
Bantam eggs ½ size
Popular Bantam Breeds
If Bigger is Better...
Feather Types
Colour Patterns
Barred
Light or Columbian
Coronation
Colour Types
Partridge or Black/Red
Silver Pencilled or Dark
Silver Laced
Golden Laced Blue Laced Red
Temperament
Breed Conservation – Rare Breeds Canada
CRITICAL
[< 100]
ENDANGERED
[100-499]
VULNERABLE
[500-999]
AT RISK
[1000+]
Ancona
Chantecler
Black Jersey Giant
Barred Plymouth
Rock
Houdan
Shaver White
Leghorn
(2 strains)
Minorca
Silver Grey Dorking
Columbian Rock
New Hampshire
Red
White Wyandotte
Hungarian Yellow
Rhode Island Red
Brown Leghorn
Light Sussex
Munro Leghorn
White Jersey Giant
Coloured Egg Layers
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Easter Eggers
Cuckoo or Copper Marans
Araucana
Ameraucana
Barnevelder
Welsummer
Coop Requirements
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Sufficient nests for layers
Roosting space
Feeder space important for meat birds
Insulation or heat source for overwintering
Safe outdoor space for foraging – chicken tractor option
Breeding requires separate coops for selected pairs
Cold-Hardy Features
• Heavy feathering
• Small comb
• Feathered feet or
legs
Local Options
Thunder Bay Feeds
• 19-wk old brown egg layers
Day old chicks:
Meat Birds - Cornish cross broilers, Grazers
Layers – Brown Egg Layers, Columbian Rock X Reds, Red Sex-Link, Black Sex-Link
“Specialty” Breeds – Buff Orpingtons, Barred Plymouth Rock, Speckled Sussex,
Rhode Island Red, Partridge Rocks, Assorted Brahmas, Assorted Bantams
Kakabeka Depot:
Meat Birds – White Rock Broiler (butcher at 8 weeks); Bonnies Heavy Red Grazer
Layers – White Leghorn; ISA Brown Hybrid; Black Sex-Link; Barred Plymouth Rock;
Rhode Island Red
Thunder Bay Co-op:
Meat Birds-- White Rock Cornish Cross; Special Slow Growth Meat Breed.
Layers – White Leghorn, Red Sex-link; Black Sex-link; New Hampshire X; Columbian
Rock Cross; Red Cross; Barred Plymouth Rock; Rhode Island Red
More Options
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Local breeders – watch Kijiji
Hatching egg suppliers
Rochester Hatchery – Alberta
Performance Poultry – eastern Ontario
Murray McMurray – U.S. – health papers req’d ($75)
More Resources
• Feathersite.com
• My Pet Chicken breed finder
• http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html
• http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pickin-the-right-
frickin-chicken-guide-to-picking-backyard-chicken-breeds
Good Cluck!
Questions?