OUR BIRDS
Misty wood farms uses three breed of chicken for our flock the Dominique, Deleware, and the Buckeye. They are all egg layers and all are heritage breeds with excellent foraging skills. They do not produce like the modern breeds do but the slight loss in volume is more than made up for in the quality of the product. All are quite hardy and will continue to lay through out the winter months.
Dominiques:
The Dominique, also known as the Dominicker, is a breed of chicken originating in the United Kingdom. It is considered America's oldest breed of chicken, having been brought to New England from southern England during colonial times. By the 19th century, they were widely popular and were raised in many parts of the country. Dominiques are a dual purpose breed, being valued for their meat as well as for their brown eggs. They weigh 6 to 8 pounds (2.7 to 3.6 kg) at maturity. In earlier times, their feathers were much sought after as stuffing for pillows and mattresses.
Appearance
Dominiques, sometimes called Dominickers, are quite distinctive in appearance, having a rose comb and a heavy plumage of irregularly striped black-and-white feathers (a pattern called "barring" or sometimes "hawk coloring"). The breed matures quickly, producing eggs at about six months of age.
At first glance, Dominiques and Barred Rocks appear strikingly similar, often leading to confusion when discerning a particular breed. The strongest indicators are the Comb,Plumage and Colour
- Comb
Dominiques possess a rose comb while Barred Rocks possess a single comb.
- Plumage
Dominiques exhibit staggered barring in their plumage, lending to a somewhat mottled appearance. Barred Rocks exhibit crisp, parallel barring.
- Colour
Dominiques exhibit a softer contrast of "not quite black on not quite white", while Barred Rocks exhibit a high-contrast black-on-white color.
Disposition and Behavior
Dominique hens tend to be calm, personable birds (a desirable trait in an egg production bird). Their calm, steady demeanor makes them successful as show birds or family pets. However, Dominique roosters are said to be even more aggressive than the Rhode Island Red and is known to kill small cats, snakes, and even mink.
The hens tend to be good mothers, brooding and raising chicks with a high rate of success.
The Dominique is hardy and a good forager, traits which are attributed to the harsh conditions in which the breed first developed.
History
After the Plymouth Rock breed was developed from the Dominiques in the 1870s, the Dominiques' popularity declined, until by 1950 they were so rare as to be considered nearly extinct. During the 1970s, Dominiques were listed in "Critical" status by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, with fewer than 500 breeding birds in North America. However, due to a revival of interest in them and other rare breeds, the Dominiques have made a comeback and are now listed on the "Watch" list, indicating lesser danger of extinction
Delewares:
The Delaware is a breed of chicken originating in the U.S. state of Delaware. It was once of relative importance to the U.S. chicken industry, but today is critically endangered. It is primarily suited to meat production but also lays reasonably well. It has plumage of a unique pattern, and is accepted in to poultry standards for showing.
Characteristics
With males weighing 8.5 pounds (3.9 kilos) and hens 6.5 pounds (3 kilos), the Delaware is a medium sized breed. They have rather large, bright red colored single combs and wattles. Delawares appear in a single color type: a white body and breast, with light black barring on the ends of the hackle, wings and tails. It is similar to the Columbian color seen in some breeds, but has barring in the dark portions, rather than uniform black.[1] Also of note is that all feathers have a white quill and shaft, which, combined with yellow skin, makes for a cleaner appearing carcass.[2] Like most standard breeds of chicken, the Delaware has a miniaturized bantam version; however, these are rarely seen.
Delawares are hardy birds that mature quickly. Hens are good layers[3] of large to jumbo brown eggs and will go broody. Unlike the most common commercial meat birds in use today, the Delaware does well in free range operations. In temperament, it is a calm and friendly breed.[4]
History
In the early 20th century, crosses of Barred Plymouth Rock roosters on New Hampshire hens was a common choice for producing broilers. Occasionally, this mating produces sports with light coloration. By breeding these white (genetically silver) sports intentionally, George Ellis of Delaware created the breed in 1940. He first chose to call them Indian Rivers, but later the name was switched to match its state of origin. At the time, the Delmarva Peninsula, where the breed was created, supplied chicken to the entirety of the East Coast of the United States through companies such as Perdue Farms.[5] The Delaware rapidly became the premiere broiler fowl in use in the region,[2] thus affecting the industry at large.[4] In 1952, it was recognized for exhibition by acceptance in to the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection.[5]
Beginning in the mid-1950s, commercial farms began to use the White Cornish-Rock cross that would come to dominate the chicken industry into the next century. The speedy adoption of the Cornish-Rock saw the decline of the Delaware, though it persisted in some areas into the 1960s. In the 21st century, the Delaware is considered a critically endangered breed by organizations such as the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.[2] It is also included in Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste, a list of heritage foods in danger of extinction.[6]
Buckeyes:
The Buckeye is a breed of chicken originating in the U.S. state of Ohio. Created in the late 19th century, Buckeyes are the only breed of American chicken known to have been created by a woman, and the only one to have a small "pea" comb. As of 2008, Buckeyes are extremely rare, and breed conservation organizations have recognized them as critically endangered. The breed's name is derived from Ohio's nickname of "Buckeye state", and their mahogany color is said ideally to resemble the seeds of the Ohio Buckeye plant (Aesculus glabra). They are a dual-purpose chicken that have a decent laying ability and strong meat production characteristics. Buckeyes are yellow skinned chickens who lay brown eggs.
History
The Buckeye was first bred and developed in 1896, by a Warren, Ohio resident named Nettie Metcalf.[1] They are the only American breed of chicken known to have been developed by a woman, despite the fact that women were customarily given charge of the household poultry flock throughout much of U.S. history.[2] Metcalf crossbred Barred Plymouth Rocks, Buff Cochins, and some black breasted red games to produce the Buckeye. Her goal was a functional breed that could produce well in the bitter Midwest winters. Contrary to popular belief the Buckeye breed was created before the Rhode Island Red breed and actually sent birds to the RIR breeders for them to improve their breed.[3]
The Buckeye was admitted to the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection in 1904.[4] Entrance in to the Standard of Perfection signifies official certification as a breed by the Association, and thus allows Buckeyes to be entered in to poultry shows and judged according to the breed standard (as outlined in the Standard of Perfection).
The recognition of Buckeyes in the Standard has been a significant factor in its survival.[1] In the past, largely due its lack of color variations, the Buckeye has not been an especially popular exhibition breed, but there is growing interest in the exhibition poultry fancy for this dual-purpose, heritage variety of bird. Not adopted by commercial operations, the Buckeye has generally been a bird of smaller farm flocks. Today the breed status is listed as Critical by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy,[5] Critical being defined as fewer than 500 breeding birds in the United States, with five or fewer primary breeding flocks (50 birds or more), and globally endangered.[6] The breed is also included in the Slow Food USA Ark of Taste, a catalog of heritage foods in danger of extinction.[7]
The Buckeye male weighs an average of 9 lbs (4.1 kg), and the hen 6.5 lbs (3 kg). The breed has yellow skin and lays brown eggs. Its primary color is a mahogany red with black tails; sometimes males have other dark feathering. According to the breed standard, a Buckeye's plumage should ideally resemble the hue of an Ohio Buckeye's seeds. Especially in the hen, the breed is very similar in appearance to the Rhode Island Red, although can be differentiated by a bar of slate color on the back feathers close to the body; the body is also much more compact, with a short, yet broad, back.[8]
The Buckeye is the only purely American breed to sport a pea comb, and this, combined with its stocky build, makes it a supremely cold hardy chicken.[5] Other breeds of fowl developed in the U.S. (such as the Ameraucana) may sport pea combs, but these chickens were primarily created from foreign birds. It also bears some traits of Game fowl in frame and disposition, being assertive in character and a very good forager. Generally calm, the cock birds in rare cases may become aggressive. Despite its game heritage, it tolerates confinement well, although it will be much happier and produce better if allowed to range on grass. The Buckeye is said by breeders to be disinclined towards feather picking. A good meat producer and layer of between 150 to 200 eggs per year [9], the Buckeye is a dual purpose chicken well–suited to small farmyard and backyard flocks.
Above information as seen in WIKIPEDIA online encyclopedia!!!