A Michigan farmer is trying to breed a chicken that looks like a dinosaur, but his 2 founding hens ‘still are shaped like potatoes’

Farmers and homesteaders often dabble in selective breeding to boost egg production or the meat on their livestock. Michigan farmer Jordan Royal (@j.royalimage), however, has started something more ambitious, which he calls the Emerald Raptor project. In a post that got more than 4.8 million views on Instagram, he gave a day-one update on his mission to “selectively breed a chicken with prehistoric looks, a friendly personality, and some beautiful green eggs!” In other words, he wants to make a dinosaur.

Jordan told his viewers that the project involves two hens, Bantam Cochin sisters named Myrtle and Gertie. While they’re the foundation of his work, Jordan noted, “There’s just one problem. They still are shaped like potatoes, and I need raptors.” He also shared that his current rooster is Frank, who brings a deep chest, a nice stance, and a temperament he knows well. However, Frank is very much a chicken, so he’s been looking at other, more raptor-like chicken breeds.

For the size, he currently has dark brown eggs from Jersey Giants. For the green eggs, he is introducing Green Queens. Eventually, Jordan’s goal is to crossbreed with the Índio Gigante for the size and shape. However, he is also considering another breed that none of his viewers thus far had thought of, to help gradually move to the dinosaur silhouette. In his day two update, he showed everyone the Ko Shamo eggs he got in the mail.

A big challenge will be keeping his crossbreeds healthy

When followers expressed concern about the health of the birds, Jordan was candid, noting that it’s impossible to fully eliminate abnormalities in crossbreeds. He explained, “But I try to be diligent in selecting for traits that only add the overall health and performance of all my birds. So no unnecessary traits like large crests, or anything that can hinder full movement.” He added that any birds that suffer or struggle with health would not be bred further.

According to the New Roots Institute, selective breeding, or artificial selection, allows humans to increase the frequency of desirable traits in a population by choosing which individuals reproduce. While nature usually lets the environment decide which traits are passed down, breeders take the reins to speed up the process. 

Humans have been using this method for roughly 10,000 years to alter everything from the size of corn kernels to the temperament of dogs. It has also yielded specific varieties of meat like the well-marbled, expensive Wagyu beef.

His project impressed his viewers and encouraged a lot of input. One user, for instance, suggested, “You need to mix the gigante with a brahma chicken.” Another person pointed to other birds, noting, “Current day Velociraptor, is called a ‘Roadrunner’. I watch a huge one in my back yard that runs head down after lizards, snakes and mice.” Someone else jokingly warned, “Don’t you know this is how Jurassic park started; you need frog dna.” 

Jordan promised regular updates on his experiment, and as he closed his post, he excitedly told his viewers, “So this is generation zero. Let’s make some dinosaurs.”