Author: Lorraine Wade

What Essential Oils Are Safe Around Chickens?

When you clean your coop, deep clean while spicing things up with a homemade cleaning solution featuring lemon, grapefruit, lime, peppermint, lavender, rosemary, thyme, cinnamon, eucalyptus or tea tree essential oils. Which essential oils are safe for chickens? Top 8 Essential Oils for Chickens Oregano. Lavender. Melaleuca. Frankincense. Peppermint. Melaleuca (Tea Tree) Lemon. Wild Orange. […]

Can Ducks And Chickens Eat Lavender?

It’s not just the scent of lavender that can be beneficial to your ducks. It’s rich in antioxidants that help to support the circulatory system and the digestive system. What’s more, lavender boasts antibacterial and antifungal properties that help to keep both your ducks and their living quarters safe. Is lavender poisonous to chickens? Growing […]

How Do You Know If A Chicken Has A Disease?

Common symptoms include loss of appetite, diarrhea with a greenish tinge, ruffled feathers, swollen purple wattle, swollen comb, swollen joints, lameness, oral, nasal and ocular discharge and sudden death. What are the common symptoms of disease in chicken? Common signs of disease in poultry feather loss (unless birds are going through a natural moult) general […]

How Do You Keep Squirrels Away From Chickens?

Squirrel Proof Your Chicken Feeder You can squirrel-proof your chicken feeder by adding chicken wire to the base and around the feeder. Wiring, such as plastic bird netting, hardware cloth, or chicken wire, can keep squirrels out of your chicken feeder. How do I keep squirrels out of my chicken coop? How to protect chickens […]

Can Rats Eat Chicken Bones?

Leftover cooked bones – pork, beef or large chicken bones – are a good source of protein for your rat. Leave a little meat on the bone and allow your rat chew through it. He will wear down his ever-growing teeth to get to the rich marrow inside. Can rats have bones? Definitely! Like all […]

Do Chickens Eat Once Twice A Day?

Broiler breeder hens are typically provided a restricted amount of feed once a day. This feed is rapidly consumed; therefore, the hens fast for an extended period of time before their next feeding. In the current research, the effects on reproductive performance of implementing a twice-a-day vs. Is it OK to feed chickens once a […]

How Long Do You Feed Chickens Starter Feed?

A healthful starter feed should be filled with complete proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Your chicks should eat starter feed for the first eight weeks of their life, until they are introduced to grower feed. When should I switch from starter feed to layer feed? When birds reach 18 weeks old or when the […]

What Do Chickens Eat When They Free Range?

True free-range chickens are those that range outdoors on pasture. Meaning they do what all chickens do naturally: eat bugs, greens, and whatever leftovers they can scrounge or scratch up. What do I feed free range chickens? And they aren’t picky; chickens enjoy everything from beetles and grasshoppers to worms and even ticks! Not only […]

What Happens If Chickens Eat Too Much Salt?

Collier (1892) reported the results of feeding varying amounts of salt to two year old hens. No harmful results were noticed in these experiments involving six hens until the intake of salt reached 0.063 ounces per hen per day. This amount, however, was sufficient to cause diarrhea in two of the hens. Can I give […]

What Do Homesteaders Feed Their Chickens?

Grow produce, especially for your flock. Mangal and chard beet are great feeds, as well as salad bars, squash, and crucifers. Cooked (not raw) potatoes could serve as a staple for your chickens. Consider growing winter squashes as they store extremely well and can be used as winter feeds. What did they feed chickens in […]

How Can I Save Money On My Chickens?

How to Save Money When Keeping Chickens Build Your Own Coop. Raise Your Own Chicks. Visit Livestock Auctions. Make Your Own Feed. Free Ranging. Save Kitchen Scraps. Recycle Eggshells. Make Fertilizer. How do I keep my chickens on a budget? Raising Chickens On a Dime: 14 Ways To Save Money On Your Flock Grow a […]

Can Chickens Survive Without Grain?

We knew given sufficient land, chickens can survive mostly on forage and scraps. We also believed the common “wisdom”: without feeding a complete and balanced chicken feed formulated for layers, hens can’t sustain high rates of laying and their health is likely to suffer. Can you feed chickens without grain? The truth is that you […]

Do Chickens Explode When They Drink Soda?

Chickens won’t explode if they drink soda. Nonetheless, soda can suffocate your chickens to death. Soda will fill your chickens’ digestive system with plenty of gas, leading to constant burping. Do birds explode when they drink soda? There is a myth that because birds can’t burp that the carbonation will make their stomachs swell up, […]

What Do Chickens In The Wild Eat?

These types of birds are also known as Wild Fowl or Jungle Fowl. Being able to express the same behaviours as wild chickens helps keep our backyard pets and egg-producers in the best condition. Insects chickens love to eat in the wild: Crickets. Flies. Spiders. Ticks. Caterpillars. Grasshoppers. Grubs. Beetles. What do chickens eat in […]

Can Chickens Explode In Minecraft?

The Exploding Chicken is created when a player feeds a chicken 1 TNT. It can also be spawned if a dispenser dispenses TNT directly onto a chicken. How do you make chickens explode in Minecraft? Chicken Bomb – Minecraft PE Step 1: Build a Tower. Build a tower. Step 2: Floating Block. Break all the […]

What Did Chickens Eat Before Grain?

Before commercial feed, chickens free ranged for their food, eating plants and insects where they found them. On farms, they were often also fed table scraps, leftover grain from other farm animals, and cracked corn. Natural feeding would often result in fewer eggs overall. What did they feed chickens in the old days? In addition […]