Despite the beginnings of H&N International in North America in 1945 and the triumphal progress of Nick Chick and the following H&N breeds into global markets, many US farmers are not aware that in fact they are breeding with the iconic layer hen. “Nick Chick? I have H&Ns” is a common reply.

Unlike other genetics, H&N International offers layer parent stock only, and only five powerful breeds—each of them excelling in the industry, leading in adaptability to local market demands and production conditions. They can thrive in any climate, any housing, with any feed and for any egg target. Brown, Crystal, Coral or Super—all, like the first breed Nick Chick, will “nick” with the local market and individual aims of local farmers.

Rocket Science, Computers and Chickens

Behind this potential of “nickchickability” is Arthur and Mary Heisdorfs’ heritage of scientific methods in the reciprocal breeding of layer hens, and their personal approach to farming. Many people will say breeding is not rocket science, but the Heisdorfs made it one.

They were meticulous: every detail mattered and was recorded. And the gargantuan amounts of data they accumulated from their farm were processed by some of the earliest International Business Machines, better known as IBM.

Computers were bulky, to put it mildly, and in those days Big Blue was still rather a small and unheard-of brand in most industries. The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) started using an IBM 705 in June 1957 in their project Vanguard, which was even before the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, better known as NASA, was founded in 1958!
And despite a growing interest among American farmers to also get “H&Ns”, H&N International North America set out to bring back the memory of how Nick Chick came to fame.

“Unlike other genetics, H&N International offers layer parent stock only, and only five powerful breeds—each of them excelling in the industry, leading in adaptability to local market demands and production conditions.