Illinois - Peoria area looking for 1850-1860's breeds of chicken

[sommerpark]

I'm looking to purchase period appropriate chickens for an 1850 pioneer program. Such chickens may include Dominiques, RI Reds or Cochins. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[silkieboxerluv]

Michigan State University has hatching eggs-5 dollars a dozen. They ship also.

 

[K&H Chicken Farm]

Just to let you know the cochin of today look nothing like the ones of 1874 when the where accepted by the APA.
Java (1834 documented in the US) are a good choice. They are the oldest breed of US chickens.
You could contact the SPPA (the Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities has great info and can help you locate breeds of that time line.

 

[woodward farms]

http://www.connerprairie.org/

contact these people they are a living history farm in indy they have chickens and will be more then willing to help with your pioneer breed needs.. ps its a very neat place to vist also.... the wed site tells a lot

 

[EweSheep]

The southern states also had Old English Game birds. Buttercups were imported in the US around that time before the War between States started.

As a Civil War reenactor, I have seen folks bringing in Dominques and Old English Game birds (sometimes they are not the actual cock fighting birds or line) and bantams were not seen.

General Lee had a pet Cochin hen that laid an egg for him during his campaigns...wish I can find more info on his pet bird