Author: Marilyn Medina

Crushed oyster shells. Crushed oyster shells are the best option for providing supplemental calcium. They stay in the digestive track the longest, which optimizes calcium absorption. Crushed eggshells make a good supplement in addition to crushed oyster shells. How do you treat calcium deficiency in chickens? The best way to treat your hen for a […]

Chickens commonly suffer from a variety of diseases and health conditions. Here are six of the most common health issues chickens face: Fowl Cholera. Coccidiosis. Avian Influenza. Fowl Pox. Newcastle Disease. Salmonellosis. What are the 5 causes of disease in poultry? These include ‘germs’ (bacteria, viruses, fungi), external parasites (lice and mites) and internal parasites […]

Squirrels are naturally herbivores but don’t shy away from eating flesh sometimes and will devour little defenseless birds like baby chickens. Will a squirrel eat my chickens? Because they are a member of the rodent family, squirrels are known to prey on small snakes, birds, young chickens, fellow rodents, and lizards. How do I keep […]

We did not know it was possible. 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. How long can chickens […]

Lettuce, kale, turnip greens and chard are great greens options. Watermelon, strawberries, and blueberries make healthy snacks for chickens when fed in moderation. A few flock favorites include: Vegetables: Lettuce, beets, broccoli, carrots, kale, swiss chard, squash, pumpkins and cucumbers. What should I feed my chicken daily? Chickens love fruit and vegetables, and you can […]

In addition to green food, turn-of-the-century chickens ate rations comprising grains, protein from milk or meat, and scraps from the family’s table. “Bits of bread, cheese, meat, cake, pie, doughnuts, all kinds of vegetables are served up to the hens,” Field wrote. “Nothing in the way of food comes amiss. What do you feed chickens […]

Is it cheaper to make your own chicken feed? Homemade chicken feed not only improves the health of your flock, but is usually slightly cheaper than buying pre-made feed. This option is particularly cost-effective if you are able to find grains and seeds in bulk from local grocery and bulk food stores. What is the […]

In addition to green food, turn-of-the-century chickens ate rations comprising grains, protein from milk or meat, and scraps from the family’s table. “Bits of bread, cheese, meat, cake, pie, doughnuts, all kinds of vegetables are served up to the hens,” Field wrote. “Nothing in the way of food comes amiss. What does chickens eat naturally? […]

A well known ballpark figure for estimating purpose is 1/4 pound of feed per chicken per day, or, 1.5 pounds of feed per chicken per week. Keep in mind that this is a ballpark figure. I think I feed a little more than this amount. Most feed is sold in a fifty pound sack. How […]

There are several ways you can encourage your hens to lay in their nest boxes, ensuring that you get the maximum number of fresh, clean eggs. Provide the Right Number of Nest Boxes. Make the Nest Boxes Appealing. Collect the Eggs Regularly. Provide Enough Roosting Spots. Train Your Chickens With a “Nest Egg” How do […]

Symptoms first start to appear 12 to 48 hours after the toxin has been ingested. Affected birds will first appear weak, drowsy and reluctant to move. The bird’s head will droop, later resting it on the ground, with their eyes closed and wings drooped. They may then lapse into a coma and die. How do […]

It might not be for everyone, but collecting rainwater for the chickens works great for us. We have a well and our drinking water goes through a lot of treatment before we can use it. It’s nice to be able to provide my chickens with fresh, clean water without all that processing. Is rain water […]

But you don’t want to keep chickens inside the house permanently; indoor pet chickens are just a bad idea. Firstly, it will make them unhappy. They prefer to be outside. Keeping a chicken inside your home permanently prevents them from expressing their natural behaviors. Can you keep a chicken indoors as a pet? “It’s never […]

Timing of Laying She won’t ovulate or lay eggs in the dark, and egg production rates vary with length and timing of photoperiod. All these factors influence the time of day an egg is laid, so it varies with each egg. But it usually occurs in the morning or early afternoon. What time of day […]

If you haven’t heard the egg song come from your chickens yet, it’s a bak-bak-baaaaak sort of melody. Most hens will do a line or two as they vacate the nest after laying their egg. I have one hen that doesn’t sing after laying an egg. She merely pops out of the nest quietly and […]

Step Three: Free-Range Time We generally don’t let new chickens out to free range until they’ve been in the coop for at least two weeks. This gives them time to acclimate to their new home and recognize the hen house as a safe place. How long do you keep new chickens locked up? What is […]

If they don’t then lock them in for two or three days. Make sure it is not in extreme temperatures and that they are safe and secure. They’ll get used to the coop and used to sleeping in it. It’s your number one option. How long should chickens be in coop at night? LOCK YOUR […]

If it is too deep, hens can make nests and lay on the floor. Try to improve lighting on the coop floor by opening a vent or turning the pop-hole towards the sunlight. Ex-battery hens may not have learnt to jump up onto perches and into nest boxes. They may need re-training. Why is my […]

The most common reasons for a chicken that don’t want to leave the coop are fear, age, the weather, flock bullying and injury or illness. Is it normal for chickens to stay in coop? So yes, chickens can stay inside their coop all day as long as they have everything they need for the entire […]

Some studies note that producers observed an overall increased flock calmness with LED lights because, it is suspected, they do not flicker the way CFL bulbs will. Because chickens have extremely sensitive eyesight, it is thought that the reduced flicker of LED bulbs was the cause of the calming effect. Is LED light OK for […]