Tag: chicken

Chickens, History and Ancestry

The Domestication History of Chickens 

Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) in Kaziranga National park in Assam, India
by K. Kris Hirst

The history of chickens (Gallus domesticus) is still a bit of a puzzle. Scholars agree that they were first domesticated from a wild form called red junglefowl (Gallus gallus), a bird that still runs wild in most of southeast Asia, most likely hybridized with the gray junglefowl (G. sonneratii). That occurred probably about 8,000 years ago. Recent research suggests, however, there may have been multiple other domestication events in distinct areas of South and Southeast Asia, southern China, Thailand, Burma, and India… Continue Reading

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Speckled Sussex: Egg Production, Temperament and More

by The Happy Chicken Coop


The Speckled Sussex is an old-time favorite in its homeland of England. It has endured over the centuries to become a firm favorite with a dedicated following.
Although it, and other varieties of Sussex fowl, was in danger of dying out in the early 1900s, a few die-hard poultry keepers kept the lines going, greatly improving on the stock in hand to give us the robust, healthy stock that we have today. Read Article

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Special Needs Chicken, Excessive Nail Growth

Tools You’ll Need for Clipping Nails

Cookie is my silkie bantam with special needs. Her toenails, of all things, grow and grow to the point where they interfere with her walking. Crazy! Once a month I wrap her in a towel, lay her in my lap on her back, and cut them with bird nail clippers.

Excessive nail growth is not all that uncommon when birds are kept on soft bedding such as shavings or sand, but Cookie is free roam. She scratches around in crushed granite and dirt all day like everyone else in the flock. I have no explanation for her absurd nail growth. But if left unattended, she’d have her very own desert snow skis, so we deal with it.
I use bird nail clippers, and Kwik Stop (Styptic Powder) which stops bleeding just in case one is cut too short. This is a powder that you apply to the nail if it’s bleeding and it will stop immediately.
If this happens, pack the powder on the end of the nail and apply pressure. Most important, don’t panic, just do your best, and if you make a mistake and cut one too short… well, that’s what styptic powder is for! Both items are available on Amazon or at your local pet/feed store.

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