It’s quite a common term thats banded around, often by inexperienced breeders who are attempting to provide a level of confidence to unsuspecting, inexperienced buyers….
It’s also a case of a little knowledge can be dangerous, or in the case of those looking to make a quick profit, it’s a tool to confidently con a buyer by selling them chicks that are claimed to be females.
So what is feather sexing and how does it work?
It is a method of being able to tell the difference between male and female chicks based on the growth rate of their primary wing feathers. The wing feathers of the male birds grow slower than the females however this is only evident when the chicks are between one and three days old after which point the feathers of the male birds will catch up in size.
It is also only really possible to reliably do on hybrid chicks where a fast feathering cockerel such as a Leghorn is crossed with slow-feathering hens such as a Rhode Island Red.
Not all breeds or crossings will produce opportunities to feather sex
successfully nor will those that should provide variable feather growth rates work unless the male parent stock is carry the fast feathering genes.
Points worth noting if you buy young birds where the seller claims they know the gender of the chick as they have feather sexed the brood. A couple of well placed questions will soon expose the bluffer. As for those who claim to be able to vent sex with 100% accuracy… well thats a blog post for another day
“If you like chickens, are interested in chickens, have chickens, want chickens, live near chickens, or are a chicken – you should get this book.”
….and so the review concluded on Amazon. I felt rather proud to have been involved in the writing of that book even if the comment brought a chuckle to my face.
I have a lot of poultry books and obviously as a co-author of the above you’d expect me to say it’s a good book…. but it is! And whilst you might think this is just some PR to boost sales…. it isn’t, I’ve had my pay cheque already. Instead I’ll leave to another poultry keeper to share his review…
“I have a large collection of poultry books from the 1930′s through to the present day and I am always eager to open the cover of a new release to see what else I can learn about chickens which have become part of my working life as well as my passion. There are so many very basic ‘how to keep chickens’ books out there and once you’ve seen one… it gets a little, well, boring reading another and lets face it there are some good websites out there these days with a lot of this kind of information available. “The Chicken. A Natural History” is different. It is not a ‘how to’ book but is aimed at pretty much anyone interested in chickens, beginner or not. The first 4 chapters covers what science can tell us about chickens. From evolution and domestication to anatomy, biology, behaviour, intelligence and learning, all fascinating chapters that are well presented with no shortage of amazing photos. From wattles and combs to hatching, flock formation to chicks imprinting on their mother, it really is all covered in this book! The fifth and final chapter covers an introduction to the breeds which covers many of the different breeds you will come across. From layers to table birds, Game to ornamental breeds, each with their own photograph and breed profile covering their origins, some history and information about their behaviour and upkeep. This chapter is very well written and could make a small book of its own! Overall, an excellent book. I think this could well be in my top 3 best books on chickens. If you want to learn about chickens and their breeds, don’t look any further, this is definitely the book for you.”
….and on that note, best I press on with writing the next book….. well maybe later, I feel the urge to go sit in the sunshine in the middle of the field surrounded by Brahma’s and read a book :-)
It was my first time at the Edible Garden Show this weekend gone (15th-17th March) and I was along there with NFU Countryside Magazine offering Chicken Surgeries, in the ‘Potting Shed’ interviewing Genevieve Taylor about her excellent new book “A Good Egg”, hanging out with Victoria Roberts in the Smallholder marquee and sitting on the “Ask the Expert” desk answering questions on chickens and gardening (although I was probably asked if I knew where the toilets were more often than any other question)
It’s the third year the show has run and the size of the crowds on all three days (despite Friday being Red Nose Day and Saturday being the crunch match in this years Six Nations Rugby) were testament to the huge numbers of people who are electing to grow more of their own food.
For many years I’ve understood and appreciated the value of poultry as part of a productive garden and a self supporting lifestyle, and I’ve long being saying that the large increase in backyard keepers is not some fad but simply the fact it’s a natural step to take when you are a grow your veg sort of person. The amount of floor space & talk time at the show dedicated to poultry was a reflection of that, and the fact the planned surgeries dissolved into a full on, flat out Q&A session seemed to prove the point too. People are hungry for knowledge and are keen to get the best out of their birds and ensure the birds get the best out of their land.
Some of us are even dreaming of more land and more chickens (my apologies to Alys Fowler, it was a momentary lapse in concentration)
I get sent quite a few bits of poultry paraphernalia from kit, to houses, dietary supplements to books as I’m always more than happy to give things a field trial on my own flocks.
I’ll always give the stuff a good go and let the supplier know my thoughts, no matter how candid. Lets face it, there’s a lot of chickenailia hitting the market, some of it produced by people trying to make a quick buck but by equal measure a fair chunk is produced by people or firms genuinely trying to aid the backyard keeper and only when give some good honest constructive feedback will they be able to improve or enhance the product.
It’s nice though to be simply sent something that needs no testing, doesn’t need dragging through a field or pouring on a pile of red mite and that’s just what I got sent from Sarah McKenzie at Stopham Garden Poultry (@stophampoultry). Sarah is an illustrator who takes on commissions for pet portraits but also produces greetings cards which I have to say I rather like as they do capture the attitude of one or two chickens I know! Here’s a few of her pictures.
Culling chicks in a backyard or smallholding scenario is something you need to know how to do. You might need to do it because the bird is sick or perhaps as is the truth, it’s a male bird and you don’t need it and its unsuitable for the table (see part 1). Not many books provide instruction on how to do it and if you intend to breed chickens then its a skill you will require.
Find a table or work surface with a clear right angled edge
Hold the chick in the fist with your thumb up as if hitching a ride so the chicks head is just above the tip of your thumb
Place the thumb against the neck of the chick and put the other side of the chicks neck against the table edge
Press firmly and quickly with the thumb against the table edge
You will feel the neck of the chick dislocate. It is now dead.
The chick will be moving in your hand (as if struggling). This is involuntary muscle contractions and not actually struggling
Hold the chick in position until the movement subsides.
Brown Leghorn Bantams – the males have very poor table properties
Note:
Following a few queries about precisely how the chick is held heres an image to help (no stuffed animals were injured during the taking of this shot)
When I’m not out working with my livestock I’m frequently stuck behind a computer writing articles on poultry but this week saw something a bit different. I found myself stuck in front of camera discussing poultry with Adam Henson of BBC Countryfile fame.
Adam is recording another DVD in the Smallholder Series and this time its on poultry. He’s an absolute pleasure to work with and it’s safe to say he’s a farmer first and presenter second. That’s not a reflection on his abilities by the way, but more his thirst for knowledge and enthusiasm for farming even at my relatively small scale flat pack chicken breeding establishment.
Anyway, our respective ‘farms’ might well be grossly different in size but the keen business sense of livestock farming isn’t absent on either of us, evident in the length of negotiations surrounding his purchase of a pair of Barred Plymouth Rock growers!
I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product when the DVD hopefully goes on sale in 2013. I’m told I didn’t fluff any lines but seeing will be believing
Confused as to what makes a layer, or the care regime for game birds? Breeds of chickens can be split into categories and whilst theres no doubting each individual breed or bird will have its own specific characteristics or care regime, there are generics that can be applied to help you select which breeds will suit your needs.
Layer Breeds
Characteristics
Excellent layers, large numbers of eggs
Light birds, tend to be the smaller of the large fowl breeds
Quick maturing
Excellent foragers
Spritely character, tend not to tame easily
Non-sitters, don’t go broody often
Care & Management
Capable of short flight, suitably high fencing or a roofed in run required
Clean legged, capable of coping with wet conditions
Table Breeds
Characteristics
Heavy, large birds with males often exceeding 10lb in weight
Not very active
Non flighty
Placid nature/ Non aggressive
Poor layers compared to “Layer” breeds
Do go broody, excellent mothers
Care & Management
Low fencing is sufficient
Not big rangers, happy in a smaller space
Big appetite, care needed to avoid getting fat
Accommodation needs to be appropriately proportioned
Low perches to avoid leg or foot problems
Large nest boxes required
True Bantams
Characteristics
These breeds have no large fowl counterparts and only occur in a bantam form
Tend to be ornamental in appearance
“Showy” appearance
Not known for egg laying
Broody, make excellent mothers
Proud cockerels, can suffer ‘little man syndrome’
Care & Management
Can be kept in a small enclosure
Great for small gardens
Very good for young children
Housing needs to be sized accordingly
Roof maybe required as some breeds are flighty
Need a dry run, short stature can mean dirty feathers in wet conditions
Game Breeds
Characteristics
Self confident & assertive
Very intolerant of other breeds or birds outside of their flock
Non flighty
Can become extremely trusting toward the keeper
Hard feathered, posture more important than plumage
Strong & dominant
Very poor layers
Care & Management
Extremely tough and durable
Require secure housing must be kept separate from other birds
Need suspended drinkers & feeders due to upright posture
Some breeds monogamous
Ornamental Breeds
Characteristics
Grouped because of their accentuated features
Generally rare and specialist show birds
Carry attributes of the other groups
Qualities very breed specific
Usually very striking looking breeds
Care & Management
Very variable husbandry requirements
Tailored care & housing according to breed
Can be a challenge to show successfully
Dual Purpose Breeds
Characteristics
An all rounder, reasonable layer, reasonable table weight
Durable breeds, cope well with poor weather
Can be tamed with patience
General placid & tolerant with other breeds
Some go broody, others are non sitters
Care & Management
Dependent upon individual breeds as different ones take different characteristics from either the layer or the table breed
Twitter sure is a curious thing…. not long after my Guardian blog on ‘rescue hens’ was posted on their site Gavin Loughlin dropped me a tweet about a song and video that he has on YouTube. Its a pertinent and quirky song with an excellent animation, and certainly one any chickeneer should take a moment to watch… hope you enjoy it.
You can find Gavin on Twitter as @GavinLoughlin or @Finding_Violet
Earlier in the year I was approached by a publishing house to collaborate/contribute to a new book on chickens and after some incredibly tight deadlines, and burning a bit of midnight oil I’m pleased to say its complete… well put it this way, the authors are now complete though we are yet to see the final version in the flesh (or should I say paper). Anyway, due to the clever cross section of poultry people the publishers asked to get involved with the book, it promises to be a slight different read to the usual keeping chickens style book described as
“a timely, encyclopedic, science-based study that offers a true understanding of the species, reclaiming it from its commercial status as a mere egg and meat provider. Topics include anatomy, developmental biology, ancestry, breeding and origins, and there is a comprehensive look at chicken behaviour . The book’s final chapter is devoted to a beautiful visual study of the characteristics of particular breeds, providing quick-reference information on husbandry, particulars and appearance.”
Its available on pre-order from Amazon and is due for release later this year.
My thanks to those who helped me along the way on the sections I wrote, both in terms of images and sense checks – very much appreciated.
Whilst doing some research recently for an upcoming poultry book I’m involved in writing I was reminded about the “The Chicken-of-tomorrow” contest. For those not familiar with this ‘contest’ you may well have just missed the biggest social, agricultural, food based event of the last 1000 years.
You don’t believe me? Watch these two video’s if you have the time and you may be surprised and you may just find the 20minutes you spend watching them somewhat thought provoking.
The film is an element of what was perhaps the most potent Public Relations exercise ever to have hit the world.
Let me explain a little. The Post War Western world was suffering a significant shortage of meat, meat being an essential source of protein in our diets. Chickens at this time were invariably kept for egg laying (eggs being a cheap, accessible source of protein). Chicken meat wasn’t as readily consumed in the early 20th century as it is now; it was a case of eating surplus cockerels or hens that had passed their laying best. Some table fowl existed but these were a luxury item, so invariably the chicken that reached the pot was either scrawny or a tough old bird; many urban households preferring instead to ignore chicken as an option.
During the war eggs and chicken meat came under more scrutiny as a source of essential rations. “A million eggs for a million soldiers” ran one headline in the US National Poultry Digest and demand for eggs and broilers grew. Consequently the humble farm chicken switched to chicken farming in less than a decade. It was however in 1946 when the major stakeholders converged and the shape of poultry, the poultry industry and the waistline of the world was to change forever through the birth of “The Chicken-of-Tomorrow” contest.
Agriculturists, scientists, breeders, farmers, and grocers all combine together in one very subtle but very deliberate PR exercise to not only promote poultry as an excellent source of protein but also to change attitudes toward the chicken. I won’t deny it, I do like a good conspiracy theory but I’m not going to build this in to one, in fact it could almost be said that it was ‘pioneering’ work that took place. The intent behind the contest was to produce ‘improved’ chickens, chickens that carried more meat, grew quickly and gave a more efficient yield in terms of feed conversion.
This could be frowned upon but ultimately it was a funded exercise to accelerate what any smallholder would be trying to do in their backyard. When the farmyard chicken became more focused upon as a source of food during the 19th century the objective was, and still is (outside of the poultry exhibition circuit) to produce good utility strains or breeds of chicken. The difference here was that through clever and careful publicity, coupled with prize funding and a foresight beyond what most of today’s corporations are capable of, the full range of stakeholders became engaged in process that went on to change the world, but far more imperceptibly than an iphone or even the internet.
The ‘contests’ ran in three year cycles from 1946 to 1961 and went through regional heats on to national competitions. This wasn’t however a case of playing one breed off against another, it was about hybridising existing breeds and then submitted 400 eggs to a fully controlled hatchery in each region where the birds would be hatched, monitored and slaughtered ( where upon the results would be declared in terms of the ‘best’ chicken). Hundreds of thousands of chickens, in fact it’s probably safe to say millions of chickens, were a part of this process. The objective was understandable and quite possibly well intentioned; it was however how it evolved that becomes the leg bone of contention.
It was only a matter of time before the chicken ceased to be livestock and became a crop. Maximising yield became the governing factor, and quite possible because the PR promoting chicken meat was hugely successful, then the drive to produce quick growing eating machines that converted cereal feed into protein rich meat flicked a switch that spelt out a welfare disaster for the animal.
A meat bird now can be table ready in under 8 weeks, it can be bought for £4 (or 2 for a fiver in some supermarkets) and it will weigh around 4lb in weight (Back in the 70’s the drumsticks or leg bones would be invariably broken. This may have been down to the post slaughter handling but if you looked closely (using what you might have learnt from CSI) you would have seen it was a pre mortem injury… the bird had literally converted its feed into flesh instead of bone resulting in its legs being weak and breaking under the weight.)
I started this out with a bold statement saying this contest changed “the shape of poultry, the poultry industry and the waistline of the world”. The first two points hopefully now speak for themselves but what of the final point, waistline. A simple wander through a high street or supermarket will highlight this. What are chicken nuggets? When did buffalo wings become the meal of the Super Bowl? Popcorn chicken? Chicken fingers? Chicken in hotdogs? The list could go on, there’s no denying that ‘chicken’ once either a scrawny addition to the table or a luxury most couldn’t afford, now appears to be consumed on a titanic scale and all this has come about in the last 50 years – a global consumption acceleration matched by no other meat product on the planet.
And so to the question, has the “Chicken-of-tomorrow” become yesterday? Animal welfare is certainly an agenda item. In recent decades we once again see clever and careful publicity working but this time bringing welfare to the fore. Slowly consumers are becoming more aware of food production, and slowly attitudes are changing. This year 2012 saw the banning of battery cage egg production systems, a small but positive step that can’t help but make you think the tide might be changing. Pioneering as the poultry contest initiated in the 1940’s might have been, the time has come for another rethink. Poultry are one of the few creatures we openly consume before they are born and after they are dead. Spend time around poultry and they seem quite content with this lot, albeit it having little choice but what does the future hold for yesterday’s chicken of tomorrow?
