Breed, Hybrid: What’s This All About?

Leafing through the Hoover’s Hatchery catalog or clicking through its website is a fun way to discover the amazing diversity of poultry The sheer number of chicken types is fascinating but it can be confusing Just what is a breed? Hybrid?

 

Just What Is a Breed?

 

One thing is certain All chickens belong to the same species, whether they are immense Jersey Giants or diminutive bantams Such useful birds probably were developed from the Red Jungle Fowl, which still lives in the wild in some southern Asian forests Scientifically the modern chicken is Galus galus domesticus  

 

It can get complicated People

California Grey: An Unusual and Fun Hybrid Breed

Want to try an amazingly productive yet unusual chicken with a fascinating history?

The California Grey might be just right

What Makes California Grey Chickens Unique?

California Grey’s are oddballs Most families tending backyard flocks prefer brown egg laying, large bodied breeds and hybrids California Grey’s look like Barred Rocks with the distinctive barred feather pattern that gives them a name shared by a common night bird, the Barred Owl Some poultry fanciers call the color pattern “cuckoo”

Glance at a California Grey hen and it would be easy to assume it’s a slimmed down

What Is a Heritage Breed Chicken?

If you have spent any time browsing backyard poultry forums or hatchery catalogs, you have probably run across the phrase “heritage breed” more than once A heritage breed chicken is a traditional, slow-growing bird that can mate naturally, live a long, productive life on pasture, and trace its lineage back to standardized breeds recognized generations ago These are the same hardy chickens that fed families long before commercial hybrids showed up, and they are making a strong comeback in backyard flocks across the country

Chickens have been a source of protein for hundreds of years When Spanish explorers arrived in

VIDEO: Different Chicken Breeds and Hybrids