Category: Meat

Quality Feed You don’t have to go crazy with some cutting-edge feed that’s guaranteed to make your chickens produce eggs the size of a garden gnome. It’s recommended that you use a diet of premium laying mash or pellet, along with occasional fresh fruit. vegetables, meal worms and other healthy treats. What food encourages chickens […]

Recycled Food 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. How do you naturally feed chickens? Our favorite choices for sprouted […]

‘ The chickens were buried in a 20-foot pit at Mohler’s poultry farm after they died from heat prostration last Friday. They ‘exploded’ 12 hours later, scattering pieces of poultry 40 feet. Friends and neighbors helped Mohler rebury the chicken bits. What causes chickens to explode? “Gangrenous dermatitis is a bacterial infection that is typically […]

10 Cheap Chicken Feed Ideas For Feeding Your Flock On A Budget Let Your Chickens Free Range. This is my favorite cheap chicken feed option. Sprouted Seeds Or Fodder. Fermented Seeds. Deer Corn When It’s In Season. Kitchen Scraps. Leftover Eggs. Sunflower Seeds. Bugs And Grubs. How do you feed chickens for free? 40 Ways […]

Can Chickens Survive on Grass Alone? Chickens cannot survive on just grass alone. It does not provide them with everything that they need, and they will eventually develop malnutrition and die. Therefore, you’ll need to provide other foods if you want your chicken to thrive. Can chickens live off just grass? Bugs provide protein, and […]

Creative Feed #5: Garden Toss your garden trimmings to your chickens. Offer your flock what’s left of your produce. Grow produce, especially for your flock. 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 to […]

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 go without feed? Still, like any captive […]

Here are six of the most common health issues chickens face: Fowl Cholera. Fowl Cholera is a chronic disease caused by Pasteurella Multocida that can affect the joints, wattles, infraohits, sinuses and other tissues. Coccidiosis. Avian Influenza. Fowl Pox. Newcastle Disease. Salmonellosis. How do you know if a chicken has a disease? If your flock […]

Because they are a member of the rodent family, squirrels are known to prey on small snakes, birds, young chickens, fellow rodents, and lizards. Their teeth follow the same structure of typical rodents with large incisors for gnawing and molars that can grind both nuts and flesh. How do you keep squirrels away from chickens? […]

There’s no denying it–chickens are flippin’ flappin’ weird. And you are about to become one, congrats. Chickens, as with most birds, possess the emotional and intelligence level of a 2 year old human child. Chickens feel emotions on that level including jealousy, fear, affection and sadness, among others. Do chickens get attached to their owners? […]

Lavender is a natural stress reliever which can be beneficial to laying and sitting hens. Lavender also increases blood circulation so it’s especially beneficial to chickens sitting on eggs who don’t get up and move around as much as they should. Can I use lavender oil in my chicken coop? Ancient remedies, such as lavender […]

These behaviours include nesting, foraging, ground scratching, perching, and dust bathing. Sufficient space, perches, litter, nest boxes, and a varied environment give hens the freedom to exercise and carry out normal behaviours. The expression of these behaviours leads to better health and welfare. What is normal chicken behavior? Chickens have a rigid social structure called […]

Mirrors: Adding reflective objects to the coop will entertain chickens as they watch or chase the dancing lights or interact with their own reflections. Hanging old CDs or small mirrors out of chickens’ reach is a good option, or mount a sturdy mirror to a pole or post where they can see it. Can chickens […]

10 Ways to Spoil Your Chickens Add a Mirror in Their Run. A fun and unusual way to entertain your chickens is by incorporating a mirror into their chicken run. Make a Chicken Swing. Set up Extra Perches. Give Them Straw. Create Veggie Pinatas. Invent a New Recipe. Change Things Around. Clean Their Coop. How […]

In order to consistently lay eggs, hens need about 16 hours of daylight and 8 hours of darkness when they’re roosting. Once less than 12 hours of daylight is available, egg productions slows down considerably if not ceases completely. Do chicken nesting boxes need to be dark? Ensure that your nest boxes are in a […]

It will take generally 3 to 7 days for clinical signs to appear in chickens, post ingestion of the poison. Initial signs are related to internal bleeding so they are often vague, and may include weakness, lethargy, and decrease or loss in appetite. The chicken may also be found dead, without clinical signs developing. Is […]

The use of blackout pullet houses is a common industry practice. The purpose of blackout housing is to sensitize (to make more responsive) the pullet’s brain such that when the pullet is exposed to long daylengths in the breeder house, she will respond with efficient egg production. Do chickens need to be in the dark? […]

An incomplete list of plants that are poisonous to chickens includes daffodils, foxglove, morning glory, yew, jimson weed, tulips, lily of the valley, azaleas, rhododendron, mountain laurel, monkshood, amaryllis, castor bean, trumpet vine, nightshade, nicotiana, and tansy. What should you not plant around chickens? What Plants Should I Avoid Growing Near Chicken? Daffodils. Foxglove. Hydrangea. […]

When deciding between red or clear heat lamps, it’s usually better to go with a red bulb. This lamp may put out gentler light that helps the chicks sleep and could prevent the chicks from pecking at each other’s combs and wattles. Is a red heat lamp okay for chickens? According to some studies, chickens […]

If your chickens are ill, they will not be very active, and will often not leave the coop to do their usual things. Their feathers will be ruffled or puffed out, and their combs may be pale. Chickens that are scared will try to hide or run away. How do I know if my chickens […]