Picking the Right Bird for the Job: Disease Resilience in Heritage Breeds

This project examined whether heritage and non-conventional chicken breeds differ in their susceptibility to organisms common on open-environment poultry farms. Researchers raised chicks from seven breeds under controlled conditions and exposed them separately to Eimeria, an intestinal parasite, and Campylobacter, a bacterium associated with foodborne illness. Every bird exposed to Eimeria became infected, but the severity of intestinal damage varied by breed. Campylobacter colonization also differed substantially: Silver-Laced Wyandottes had the highest infection rate, while four breeds showed no colonization. No breed performed best against both organisms, suggesting potential trade-offs in disease defenses. The findings indicate that breed selection could eventually help producers manage disease with less reliance on parasiticides and antibiotics. However, studies involving adult birds, multiple simultaneous infections, farm conditions, and production outcomes are needed before specific breeds can be recommended.