The Humble Hatchery Journal
Welcome!
If you're reading this, thank you for stopping by.
Whether you're a longtime poultry enthusiast, someone discovering Puerto Rican Kikirikis for the first time, or simply curious about these remarkable little chickens, I'm glad you're here.
My name is Lindsay Gonzales, founder of Humble Hatchery. By profession, I'm a science teacher with a master's degree in Biological Sciences. By passion and experience, I'm a researcher, educator, author, and breeder dedicated to learning as much as I can about one of the most fascinating breeds of chicken in the world - the Puerto Rican Kikiriki.
This journal is something I've dreamed about creating for quite some time.
Why Start a Blog? Over the past several years, I've noticed something unique about the Kikiriki community.
Some of the most valuable knowledge doesn't exist in books.
It lives in conversations between breeders.
It lives in old photographs, family stories, personal experiences, and lessons learned through years of caring for these birds.
Unfortunately, much of that information can disappear just as quickly as it's shared.
A Facebook post gets buried.
A comment is forgotten.
A photo is lost.
A breeder retires.
A story fades.
I wanted to create a place where knowledge could be preserved - not just for today, but for future generations of Kikiriki enthusiasts.
My Mission? The Humble Hatchery Journal exists to preserve, share, and celebrate knowledge about Puerto Rican Kikiriki chickens through science, research, education, and community collaboration.
I don't pretend to have every answer.
In fact, one of the greatest lessons science has taught me is that learning never stops.
Some articles will share established poultry science.
Others will document observations from my own flock.
Some will explore the history of the breed.
Others will feature interviews, community perspectives, or questions that we're still working to answer together.
My goal isn't to be the final authority.
My goal is to create a place where curiosity is welcomed and learning is shared.
What Can You Expect? Each week I'll be publishing a new article covering topics such as:
Puerto Rican Kikiriki history
Incubation and hatching
Genetics
Breeding projects
Meet the flock
Poultry health and management
Scientific explanations behind common questions
Community research projects
The developing, community-driven Kikiriki Standards of Perfection guide
Whether you're hatching your first egg or have spent decades breeding poultry, I hope you'll find something valuable here.
One of my personal goals is to honor the Puerto Rican roots of the Kikiriki.
Whenever possible, I want to learn directly from individuals with firsthand knowledge of the breed's history, traditions, and development. Their voices deserve to be preserved alongside modern observations and scientific understanding.
At the same time, I believe science has an important role to play.
Careful observation, documentation, genetics, and data analysis help us better understand these birds while respecting the history that came before us.
To me, those two approaches don't compete - they complement one another!
Thank you for reading this. Starting something new is always nervously exciting. I'm grateful you've chosen to spend a few minutes reading my very first journal entry!
I hope this becomes more than just a blog.
I hope it becomes a resource, a conversation, and a growing library of knowledge that helps preserve the incredible Puerto Rican Kikiriki for years to come!
Whether you visit once or become a regular reader, thank you for being part of the journey.
Happy reading,
Lindsay Gonzales, M.Sc.
Founder, Humble Hatchery
