requirements, visit The Livestock Conservancy’s website (www.livestockconservancy.org) and click on “Heritage Breeds,” then “Poultry Breeds,” and then “List of Chicken Breeds.” This will bring you to the Conservation Priority List (CPL) for chickens, where breeds are categorized according to the following criteria as defined by The Livestock Conservancy.
Critical: “Fewer than 500 breeding birds in the United States, with 5 or fewer primary breeding flocks (50 birds or more), and estimated global population less than 1,000.” Breeds in the Critical category in 2015 were the Campine, Chantecler, Crevecoeur, Holland, Modern Game, Nankin, Redcap, Russian Orloff, Spanish, Sultan, Sumatra, and Yokohama.
Threatened: “Fewer than 1,000 breeding birds in the United States, with 7 or fewer primary breeding flocks, and estimated global population less than 5,000.” Breeds in the Threatened category in 2015 were the Andalusian, Buckeye, Buttercup, Cubalaya, Delaware, Dorking, Faverolles, Java, Lakenvelder, Langshan, Malay, and Phoenix.
Watch: “Fewer than 5,000 breeding birds in the United States, with 10 or fewer primary breeding flocks, and estimated global population less than 10,000. Also included are breeds with genetic or numerical concerns or limited geographic distribution.” Breeds in the Watch category in 2015 were the Ancona, Aseel, Brahma, Catalana, Cochin, Cornish, Dominique, Hamburg, Houdan, Jersey Giant, La Fleche, Minorca, New Hampshire, Old English Game, Polish, Rhode Island White, Sebright, and Shamo.
Recovering: “Breeds that were once listed in another category and have exceeded Watch category numbers but are still in need of monitoring.” Breeds in the Recovering category in 2015 were the Australorp, nonindustrial Leghorn, Orpington, Plymouth Rock, nonindustrial Rhode Island Red, Sussex, and Wyandotte.
Study: “Breeds that are of interest but either lack definition or lack genetic or historical documentation.” Breeds in the Study category in 2015 were the Araucana, Icelandic, Manx Rumpy (or Persian Rumpless), and Saipan.
| What Is a Heritage Breed? In order to support the American Poultry Association (APA) in bringing the Heritage breeds back to popularity, The Livestock Conservancy has created a list of criteria that chickens must meet to be called Heritage. The following is the definition set forth by The Livestock Conservancy. Heritage chicken must adhere to all of the following conditions. 1.APA Standard Breed. Heritage chicken must be from parent and grandparent stock of breeds recognized by the APA prior to the mid-twentieth century, whose genetic line can be traced back multiple generations, and with traits that meet the APA Standard of Perfection guidelines for the breed. Heritage chicken must be produced and sired by an APA Standard breed. Heritage eggs must be laid by an APA Standard breed. 2.Naturally mating. Heritage chicken must be reproduced and genetically maintained through natural mating. Chickens marketed as Heritage must be the result of naturally mating pairs of both grandparent and parent stock. 3.Long, productive outdoor lifespan. Heritage chicken must have the genetic ability to live a long, vigorous life and thrive in the rigors of pasture-based, outdoor production systems. Breeding hens should be productive for five to seven years and roosters for three to five years. 4.Slow growth rate. Heritage chicken must have a moderate to slow rate of growth, reaching appropriate market weight for the breed in no less than sixteen weeks. This gives the chicken time to develop strong skeletal structure and healthy organs prior to building muscle mass. |
Housing and Feeding Your Chickens
Chickens aren’t choosy. Whether you provide a simple shack or luxurious villa, as long as the accommodations meet their basic housing needs, your birds will be tickled pink with them. A coop must shelter its inhabitants from wind, rain, snow, and sun and protect them from predators. It also needs to be reasonably well lit and ventilated and roomy enough for the number of birds it houses. When your chickens go inside, they should find sanitary bedding, roosts, nesting boxes, feeders, and waterers. For your flock’s continuing comfort and health, the coop should be clean and easy for both you and the birds to access.
Consider the breed and type of your chickens. For example, when it comes to indoor living space, laying hens demand more space than broiler chickens, which have much shorter life expectancies. Bantams require less indoor space than 10-pound Jersey Giants. Outdoors, a 3-foot uncovered enclosure will keep Jerseys safely contained but will never do for flying bantams. If you don’t provide the latter with a tall, covered run, you may find your entire flock going over the fence.
In northern climes, chicken abodes must be insulated to spare your birds frostbitten wattles, combs, and toes. In torrid southern locales, how to afford relief from the heat will be a major concern.
Costs, time, and aesthetics should be factored in as well. For example, a chicken keeper without a lot of spare cash might decide to build a coop rather than hiring a carpenter or buying a prefab unit. Almost anyone can construct a functional basic coop from scratch, recycling materials at very little cost. Other keepers may have the requisite carpentry skills but not the time to create their own chicken villas.
No matter how excited you are to get started, don’t pick up that hammer until you’ve made sure that the site is right. The where of coop building is very important. You don’t want to have to raze a half-constructed henhouse after you realize that it’s too close to the neighbor’s fence. Chicken keepers in suburban and urban areas are subject to municipal codes.
Also factor in your own preferences. For example, if watching hens peck in the yard will soothe your soul, it makes little sense to shut them away where you can’t see them.
Your Coop: Basic Requirements
Access, lighting, ventilation, insulation, and flooring all need to be carefully considered as you plan your coop. For example, how do you provide sufficient lighting and ventilation without compromising the effectiveness of your insulation? Which flooring materials are both sturdy and easy to clean? You must also think in terms of easy access for you and your flock—but not for predators.
Access
Your coop will need at least two doors: one for you and one or more for your birds. If your coop is low and close to the ground (a good design in northern climes, where body heat is wasted in taller structures), your door might simply be a hinged roof. With this kind of simple opening, you can easily feed and water your birds, tidy the coop, and gather eggs. If the coop is a standard, upright model, the roof should swing inward so chickens are less likely to escape when you open it.
Cut a chicken door (or more than one), 14 inches tall by 12 inches wide and 4–8 inches from the ground, in an outer wall. Use the cut-out piece of wood to make a ramp. Affix full-width molding (for traction) every 6 inches along its inside surface and then hinge it at the bottom so that the ramp doubles as a door that swings out and down. Fit it with a secure latch so you can bar the door closed at night. If raccoons are a problem in your area, choose a fairly complex latch—if a toddler can open the lock, then a raccoon can unlock it easily.
| Floor Space Requirements The minimum amount of floor space needed per chicken depends on several factors, including bird type, the presence of indoor roosts, and the size of the outdoor run. Free-range chickens and chickens with adequate outdoor runs and indoor roosts: Heavy breeds: 5 square feet per bird (2 square feet if slaughtered before sixteen weeks of age) Light breeds: 3 square feet per bird Bantams: 2 square feet per bird Confined chickens without access to outdoor runs: Heavy breeds: 10 square feet per bird (6 square feet if slaughtered before sixteen weeks of age) Light breeds: 8 square feet per bird Bantams: 5 square feet per bird |
