Author: Lorraine Wade

Chickens must sleep in a coop at night if they are to be safe from predators, warm, and protected from the worst of the weather. Unfortunately, just about every predator out there finds chickens irresistible. If you allow your birds to sleep outside, there will come a day that a predator takes them. Can chickens […]

All commercial meat chickens do NOT have worms in their intestines. Even if they did (which can happen with free-range meat chickens) the worms do NOT get into the meat. Commercially-rtaised eggs, especially from hens in cages, do NOT have worms. Can maggots be found in cooked chicken? As bizarre as it might sound that […]

Embryo becomes a chick (breathing air with its lungs). Internal and external pipping occurs. What is the fetus in a chicken egg? Balut (/bəˈluːt/ bə-LOOT, /ˈbɑːluːt/ BAH-loot; also spelled as balot) is a fertilized developing egg embryo that is boiled and eaten from the shell. Does a chicken have a fetus? Chick Embryo Development. A […]

Ventilation is important to prevent illness, mold, and fungus. Insulation required, ventilation type depends on amount of chickens in coop. May need additional heat source, but usually a heated water dish will provide enough warmth unless you have very few chickens or a very large coop. How do you keep mold out of a chicken […]

Backyard poultry, like chickens and ducks, can carry Salmonella germs even if they look healthy and clean. Salmonella germs are spread by touching backyard poultry or anything in the areas where they live and roam and then touching your mouth or food with unwashed hands. How do chickens get infected with salmonella? It is common […]

Don’t wash eggs, because colder water can pull Salmonella on the egg shell into the egg. Refrigerate eggs after collecting them. Cook eggs thoroughly so that yolks are not runny and whites are firm. Raw and undercooked eggs may contain Salmonella bacteria that can make you sick. How do you protect eggs from Salmonella? Buy […]

If you’re allergic to chicken, you may also be allergic to live chicken droppings, chicken feathers, and chicken feather dust. This sensitivity can extend to the feathers and droppings of other types of poultry too, such as turkey. What are the symptoms of being allergic to chicken? Symptoms of a chicken allergy coughing or wheezing. […]

Leave most clippings on the lawn but harvest some for the hens. To bring the lawn to the chickens simply dump a bag of fresh green lawn clippings in the run and stand back. The hens will scamper to the pile, scratch it apart, and feast on clippings and tasty insects they discover mixed in. […]

Try out some of these grasses and legumes for your pasture-raised poultry flock. Kentucky Bluegrass. What It Is. A cool-season, perennial grass that grows well in the central and northern U.S. Perennial Ryegrass. What It Is. A cool-season, perennial grass found across the U.S. White Clover. What It Is. What pasture grass is best for […]

Wood chips are the white wood of the tree and shouldn’t be confused with bark chips; bark chips/mulch should not be used in runs or enclosures as it can go mouldy and produce spores which can lead to respiratory illness in chickens. What’s the best thing to put down in a chicken run? Ground cover […]

Chickens generate dust. Poultry dust is comprised of dander (dead skin), feathers, litter and bird droppings. Over time, it can coat and blanket everything in the coop. As chickens move about the coop, the dust can become airborne and lead to serious respiratory issues and illness. How do I make my chicken run less dusty? […]

Building a Chicken Run The first step in building your run is to dig holes for your fence posts. Sinking them in concrete will ensure that they stay put. Use a level to be sure they are all set in straight, and a measuring tape to be sure they are set equidistant from each other—6 […]

If you do not have the option of a roof or a well-drained chicken run, then this is another great solution. Put down a layer of sand 10-15cm thick across the wettest areas of the run. Try, where possible, to keep a grassy area also. How do you keep the bottom of a chicken coop […]

Remember: don’t use chicken wire for your coop or run: chicken wire is not a barrier to predators. Wolves, coyotes and other predators can tear right through it like tissue paper. (Chicken wire should only be used to keep chickens in, not to keep predators out.) Ideally, use welded wire fencing or hardware cloth. Is […]

One of the perennial grasses most tolerant to poultry grazing is KY bluegrass. This species is well adapted in the central states of Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri and north of these states where it often naturally occurs in well managed pastures. Whats the best pasture for chickens? 3 Forages For Pasture-Raised Chickens Kentucky Bluegrass. What […]

In inclement weather, sand inside the coop is dry and dust-bath-ready. Eggs in nest boxes remain cleaner in wet or muddy outdoor conditions because hens’ feet are cleaned and dried while walking through sand inside the coop to reach nest boxes. Sand is easily cleaned with a cat-litter scoop, rake or sifter. How do you […]