Author: Justin Shelton

“Chicken meat, and in particular the skin of the chicken, has more omega-6 fatty acids than any other meat. Omega-6 is an unsaturated fat that increases inflammation in the body and is the driving force behind cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and cancer, to name a few diseases.” Is it healthy to […]

The meat of the chicken wings is actually white, not dark like most people expect. You might think you only get two wing pieces per chicken, when in fact there are four: two drumettes and two “flats.” It’s as though the chicken invented its own four-for-one wing special. Are chicken wings real wings? Despite their […]

Among women who ate poultry, women who ate greater amounts of poultry had a decreased risk of breast cancer. Women who ate the most poultry (top 20%) had a 15% increased risk of breast cancer compared to those who ate the least poultry (lowest 20%). What foods can trigger breast cancer? As such, it’s best […]

Roosters have internal testicles located at the base of the spine and under the tail. They also have a cloaca which serves as the portal by which sperm exits the rooster’s body. How many balls do chickens have? They’ve got two bean-shaped testes located against their backbone in front of the kidneys. Rooster testicles vary […]

Most hens lay about an egg a day, and if you don’t plan on collecting them, they will end up all over the coop, dirty and cracked. Additionally, uncollected eggs are a magnet for predators and rodents, especially in the winter. Is keeping chickens dirty? (Q: Are chickens dirty or smelly?) Reality: Chickens are very […]

There is a lot of flavor in the well browned skin. If you are making broth or soup however, the removal of the skin will produce a broth that is less fatty, and whereas the broth’s flavor is attained by long cooking of the carcass or chicken pieces, it makes sense to remove the skin. […]

“Fear, cold temperatures or a change in surroundings can all cause piling,” says Tom Watkins, general manager at Murray McMurray Hatchery in Webster City, Iowa. “When any of those things happen, a chicken’s normal reflex is to congregate in one spot with others of its flock. Why do chickens pile? Piling occurs when baby chicks […]

Some chicken keepers have experienced their chickens pilling on top of each other on the coop floor or inside a nest box. This behaviour is a little more unusual but it can happen in situations where the chickens are cold or because their young and inexperienced. Why do my chickens lay on top of each […]

We say a hen has “gone broody” when something in her biological clock kicks in and she starts sitting on a nest of eggs. It usually happens in the spring or early summertime but I’ve had hens suddenly go broody in September. The most obvious sign of broody hen behavior is she won’t get off […]

Avian chlamydiosis (AC) is a disease of birds caused by the bacteria Chlamydia psittaci. AC is common in wild, caged and aviary birds. All birds can be infected by AC, but pet birds, especially parrots (e.g. budgies, lorikeets and cockatiels) most commonly pass infection to humans. Can you get Chlamydia from a bird? Psittacosis is […]

Chickens can become infected and spread CRD through direct contact with infected or carrier birds, contact with contaminated equipment, or from hen to chick. It can be diagnosed by submitting samples for testing. Treatment is with antibiotics although it is not curative and only treats clinical signs. How do you prevent chickens from getting infected? […]

If you suspect that your chicken is spoiled, do not eat it. It’s always best to discard chicken that you suspect has gone bad. Eating spoiled chicken can cause food poisoning, even if it’s cooked thoroughly. Can I eat a 2 year old chicken? There really is no such thing as a bird that is […]

the human age of a 5-month-old chicken is 12 years; from 7 months to 2 years, every 1 chicken month is about 1 human year; a 3-year-old chicken is roughly 33 years old in human years; each subsequent chicken year equals 10 human years. Can a chicken live for 7 years? Chicken lifespans vary widely, […]

Almost all chickens have external parasites and lice are the most common. Your birds can live with a few lice crawling on the skin under their feathers. How do I make sure my chickens don’t get lice? Dust Baths Are a Must With this in mind, be sure to give your chickens a dust bath […]

An average chicken breast weighs 174 g, or about 6 ounces (oz). But sizes vary from smaller cuts at around 4 oz, to larger ones at 8 to 10 oz. There’s no right or wrong choice here. It really depends on what you’re cooking and how much chicken you want. How much would 2 chicken […]

Many chicken keepers prefer nipple drinkers over conventional style drinkers for reasons of convenience and cleanliness. Nipple waterers involve so much less cleaning and are so much easier to refill, that they’re quickly becoming the watering method of choice for backyarders. Do chickens get enough water from chicken nipples? the hens get plenty of water, […]

These noises simply mean that your chickens are contented and happy. What is this? However, if you hear repeated strident, insistent noises, this could indicate that something is wrong. Either the chicks are being threatened by a predator, the brooder is too hot or too cold, or they are out of food or water. How […]