This summer, the United States celebrates its 250th birthday, and there will be parades, fireworks, and bunting on every Main Street Meanwhile, the oldest American tradition on your block will be out back rather than on the parade route Backyard chicken keeping is older than the nation itself, and the good news for anyone carrying on that tradition today is that several of the very same classic American chicken breeds that helped settle the country are still scratching around farmyards right now In this guide we round up seven founding breeds and take a close look at the oldest
Choosing the Best Breeds for Backyard Flocks
No one knows exactly how many chicken breeds exist There are hundreds, and possibly thousands The Hoover’s Hatchery catalog alone lists at least 100 breeds, and a few new ones get added every year There are heritage breeds, modern hybrids, specialty egg layers, broilers, and a handful of oddballs that don’t fit neatly into any category at all So with that many options in front of you, how does a family pick the best chicken breeds for a backyard flock? It can feel overwhelming The good news is that choosing is genuinely one of the most fun parts of