Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Guidelines for Heritage Chicken Breed Categorization
The ALBC has created guidelines to determine whether a breed of chicken is a heritage
breed. The following is a summary. I urge anyone interested in livestock history, genetic
preservation, or livestock in general to join this group.
Heritage chickens:
Originate from parent and grandparent stock of breeds recognized by the APA,
although I and others believe that breeds with a long history should be included,
even if not recognized by the APA
Are naturally mating and produce fertile eggs
Have a rich chicken flavor and a firm texture to the meat
Are raised outdoors on green pasture during the growing season, considered the
humane way to raise heritage chickens
Have a long, productive life span of up to seven years
Grow at a normal, more natural rate, allowing time to develop healthy bodies and
thus more texture and flavor to the meat
Take 16 or more weeks to reach market weight
Have longer legs and bodies and more dark meat than modern breeds
Must be cooked slowly and at a lower temperature than modern breeds
The Changing Face of Backyard Poultry Raising
I grew up in a small, isolated, mountain valley out west, where poultry production was
not a major farm enterprise. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, two operations in the
area supplied the local grocery stores. One farm specialized in large white eggs from a
magnificent flock of White Minorcas; the other had a large flock of Rhode Island Reds
that produced brown eggs. Both raisers allowed their birds free range of their property
(before free range was considered unique) and fed them mainly grains raised in the local
area (wheat, oats and barley with supplements of byproducts from the local cheese fact-
ory). These operating systems were both profitable and ecologically sound. The poultry
had a large, somewhat insulated building for roosting and laying, and an outside pen
space to roam. The birds were healthy and not confined to cages in a climate-controlled
building.
When I returned in the late 1980s, neither farm was still operating. Legislation had
tightened the rules about where stores could obtain their eggs and the farmers had re-
tired. In 1984 I moved to Iowa where you could still see an old laying house on nearly
