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  1. 3littlebirds

    Featherless chickens in the US

    Does anyone know if featherless chickens have been imported to/are available in the US? It seems they are at least available in Israel and Australia: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-incredible-story-of-gimpy-the-black-skinned-featherless-one-legged-chicken-with-pics.727194/
  2. 3littlebirds

    B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

    I really agree with Joseph (Yellow House Farm) and think everyone should give his last post a good read. If you are going to breed and sell birds, why not produce the best quality birds possible?
  3. 3littlebirds

    B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

    I can second for Yellow House Farm- and the White Dorking is a great choice. It's a rare breed in need of preservation, and an all-around wonderful bird with a very long heritage.
  4. 3littlebirds

    Want Heritage Chicken 's that are good for meat, help?

    White Dorkings have the best tasting meat of any breed and mine lay very well too. White Dorkings are best for meat.
  5. 3littlebirds

    National Coming Out Day

    I think it's great that a holiday like this exists. As someone young who is not out yet to many people, it's encouraging to know that there will be support when I do decide to.
  6. 3littlebirds

    Question for Campine breeders/keepers

    Are your roosters hen-feathered (as in they have the feathering of hens rather than typical male feathering)? I read that this trait is more common in European Campines but rarer in America. I think hen feathering is a really interesting trait.
  7. 3littlebirds

    Plucking roosters vs. hens

    I've never processed a chicken before, but I do plan to at some point. Just out of curiosity- are roosters any harder to pluck than hens because of the longer feathering, or does it not make much of a difference?
  8. 3littlebirds

    New Member in Boston Suburbs

    Welcome- I'm from the Boston suburbs and have six hens too!
  9. 3littlebirds

    The perfect mixed flock...

    I would add Dorkings to your list- they definitely fit all your criteria-extremely docile and good-tempered, excellent brooders and mothers but also productive layers and among the best breeds for meat. They are rare, especially the white variety. Just make sure you get good farm stock rather...
  10. 3littlebirds

    chickens killed by two dogs - GOOD NEWS

    As for pressing charges, all I can say is bring as much proof as possible. If you are asking for compensation, you need to bring proof of how much you spent on the chickens.
  11. 3littlebirds

    chickens killed by two dogs - GOOD NEWS

    I'm so sorry- having pets killed by predators is terrible. Several years ago our two pet Holland lop rabbits were killed by loose dogs. We did end up taking the owners to court after they refused to compensate us and won. If the dogs belong to someone you should make sure there are consequences...
  12. 3littlebirds

    Hen feathering gene

    Fascinating- thank you! Hen-feathering was actually the example they used in my college genetics class of a sex-limited trait.
  13. 3littlebirds

    Hen feathering gene

    Does anyone know if the hen feathering gene in Campines and Sebrights is the same gene? Apparently hen-feathered Campine males still have slightly longer tails and are less completely hen-feathered than Sebrights. Is that because they have different genes for hen-feathering or just because of...
  14. 3littlebirds

    Chicken fat: yellow vs white?

    Grass-fed cattle generally have much yellower fat than feedlot cattle because of the increased levels of beta carotene in their diets. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same in chickens. Do your birds have access to greens outdoors?
  15. 3littlebirds

    Selectively breeding for egg production?

    So I emailed Hy-Line hatchery, and someone got back to me and was actually pretty helpful. Apparently the industry does use high-tech nest boxes, although he didn't specify whether Hy-Line did this or whether this was only in Europe where battery cages have been outlawed. Each hen has an RFID...
  16. 3littlebirds

    Selectively breeding for egg production?

    Still not much insight into their methods though- I guess that's to be expected from a company whose viability relies on the extreme productivity of its stock, though.
  17. 3littlebirds

    Selectively breeding for egg production?

    I didn't know it was that specialized- wow. Reading the descriptions from the companies' websites is kind of strange- it's like reading an ad for a plant variety or product. Look at this one: Hy-Line W-36 Efficient, High Performing... More Eggs in the Carton The Hy-Line W-36 is the world’s...
  18. 3littlebirds

    Selectively breeding for egg production?

    That does make sense Fred's Hens- so group selection works for the large hatcheries that just take and incubate all of the eggs, but wouldn't work for a small flock owner who lets the chickens brood and raise the eggs themselves (since a hen can only raise one clutch at a time). Just curious-...
  19. 3littlebirds

    Selectively breeding for egg production?

    Oh no! At least you got a gunny story out of it
  20. 3littlebirds

    Selectively breeding for egg production?

    Wow- thanks Karen! I have a lot of reading to do. Those look like really interesting sources. ChicKat- you are right about commercial hatchery breeding being completely separate from industrial egg production. I guess my original question was: how do the hatcheries who breed stock for the...
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