Our Chickens
Chickens are where JK Homegrown started, and while the farm has grown far beyond them, they still have an important place here. Our chicken programs include both preservation work, with birds bred toward the standards detailed in the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection, and birds bred with practical farm traits in mind, including egg production, meat production, and, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a pretty green egg?
Silver Ameraucana
Preservation/Standard Bred Project
Foundation line: Steve Neumann
Size: Large Fowl
Primary focus: preserving type, breed characteristics, productivity, and genetic diversity
Selection priorities: structure, correct coloration/patterning, egg production, temperament, and overall breed quality
Current goal:
Don’t screw up what Steve built.
Improve combs
Eliminate yellow skin gene (it’s hiding and rarely pops up. I will be test breeding to identify the birds carrying this recessive trait)
Dark Moon Eggers
Dual Purpose Project
Foundation: Zombie hybrids, Marans, Bresse, Leghorn
Size: Large Fowl
Primary focus: meat production without losing egg production, hardiness, useful farm birds, and fibro based birds with striking plumage
Selection priorities: body structure, laying ability, health, temperament, and vigor
Current goal:
Select for the best birds for meat production and for egg production, then clan mate these groups to refine the traits
Continue developing my selection process for this project
Homegrown Eggers
Egg Color Project
Foundation: Ameraucana, Marans, Legbar, Naked Neck
Size: Large Fowl
Primary focus: productive birds suited to small farms and homesteads that lay attractive egg colors without sacrificing healthy type
Selection priorities: body structure, laying ability, health, temperament, vigor, and attractive egg colors
Current goal:
Evaluate grow outs for body structure and only keep the best.
Refine selections once pullets start laying and cockerels mature.
DNA testing all males for blue egg genes.
Our Egg Flock
Egg Production
Breeds: Ameraucana, Marans, Legbar, Naked Neck, Leghorn, & Hybrids
Size: Large Fowl
Primary focus: productive birds that lay well
Selection priorities: body structure, laying ability, health, temperament, and vigor
Our Egg Flock is a mixed flock much like any backyard keeper would have. This is also where I let myself keep some chickens simply because I think they’re pretty or my “just for fun” breeds. They still need to lay well to get to stay in the Egg Flock though. These birds produce the majority of the eggs sold in our stand as Farm Fresh Eggs. Fertility is not monitored and there' isn’t always a cock bird in this group.
When I have soft culls from a breeding program, those birds can end up in our egg flock if they are not rehomed. These are birds that have good structure but are disqualified from their breeding program for some other fault.