Back in Print at Last!
Genetics of the Fowl: The Classic Guide to Chicken Genetics and Poultry Breeding 
by F. B. Hutt

Genetics of the Fowl has been the indispensible companion of chicken breeders since it was first published in 1949. Chapters include the genetics of plumage, egg production, body size, disease resistance, and much more. The readable style of the book is a refreshing change from modern tomes written for an audience of researchers. Genetics of the Fowl makes fascinating and thought-provoking reading even for people who are not serious poultry breeders.

Greatly prized and long out of print, used copies of the original 1949 printing routinely sell for over $100. Our suggested list price is $44.95.

This book has been brought back by Norton Creek Press as part of its Norton Creek Classics line.

The late F. B. Hutt was Professor of Animal Genetics at Cornell University.
 

What's So Great About this Book?

Hutt was quite a writer. In addition to discussing the nuts and bolts of how the individual genes work, such as the mechanism of rose comb vs. pea comb vs. walnut comb, he describes breeding strategy very clearly, and the various barriers to success.

The last chapter, "Breeding in Practice," analyzes all sorts of breeding strategies and discusses why certain things worked easily while others failed miserably, with plenty of examples. This use of examples and consideration of practical concerns is not limited to the last chapter, though. Hutt breathes life into a topic that might otherwise seem dull, and by the time you reach the end of the book you've been exposed to hundreds of examples of the breeding art.

One example of Hutt's practical approach was when he discovered that his data was all messed up because he was using two brooder houses. One brooder house was off by itself, and grew nice healthy chicks. The other was right next to a henhouse, and the chicks came down with whatever the hens had. Rather than build a second isolated brooder house and make the problem go away, Hutt decided to use the "bad" brooder house in a series of experiments that eventually proved that it was possible to breed for disease resistance!

People have often asked me if a book first published in 1949 can really be fully relevant today, but when the same people ask me specific genetic questions, the answers always seem to be in Genetics of the Fowl, if they can be discovered at all.

I've sold a number of copies of Genetics of the Fowl to poultry scientists, people who keep completely up to date on the field. They find Hutt to be useful and fascinating.

Table of Contents

Ordering

Ordering From Online Booksellers

Canadian Readers can order this book on Amazon.ca.

British Readers: Now available at Amazon.co.uk!

Special-Order From Your Favorite Bookstores

While specialty books like these aren't kept on the shelves in your local bookstores, you should have no trouble special-ordering them.

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News and Views From the Farm Happenings on the farm, plus advice and hopefully-interesting digressions. In blog format. Read back issues of my poultry newsletter, which ran from 2003-2007. It has been replaced by my farm blog.

 

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