Tag: Chicken

The bottom line is organic matter, leaves, wood chips, grass clippings, kitchen scraps — all go in the run. What is the best thing to put in the bottom of a chicken run? Ground cover within the coop can be anything from wood chips, straw and grass to bare ground. Organic materials tend to break […]

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 […]

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 […]

Do You Need a Roof on Your Chicken Run? Yes, a chicken run needs a roof to keep your hens inside, and protect them from predators, and the elements. What is the best roof for a chicken run? Plywood covered in a weatherproof material, such as metal, plastic, or shingles, is the best option for […]

How to Limit Chicken Coop Dust Regular Cleaning. Here’s the deal – chicken coop dust isn’t just harmful to you. Choose the Right Bedding. Improve Ventilation. Keep Appropriate Flock Sizes. Use a Respirator or Mask. Try Chicken Tractors or Free Ranging. How do you keep chicken coop dust free? Conclusion: How to Keep Chicken Coop […]

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? […]

Not only do chickens love a good dust bath, but they also love to do it with the rest of the flock. If one hen starts scratching, wriggling and flapping in the dirt, she will most likely be quickly joined by other hens in the bathing session. Not only do they bathe for hygiene, but […]

Hay must not be used for bedding because it soon gets damp, and that can cause fungal spores to grow that can cause aspergillosis. Do you use hay or straw for chickens? NEVER use hay as coop bedding. Hay is livestock feed, straw is livestock bedding. Hay is too “green” and tends to harbor mold […]

Here are some tips for keeping your yard in tact while still enjoying your backyard flock. Avoid Pollution. A small flock of backyard chickens love to eat grass, but it’s impossible for them to eat an entire yard of it. Respect The Limits Of Your Space. Let Grass Grow. What is the best thing to […]

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 […]

Like Grandma’s cold remedy, vinegar is healthy for chicken’s respiratory systems as well. It thins phlegm and has antibiotic properties. The highly acetic atmosphere that vinegar lends, makes an uncomfortable environment for bacteria. What does white vinegar do to chickens? Vinegar in the water can encourage a chicken to drink which activates the stomach’s production […]

COOK. Cook chicken thoroughly. All poultry products, including ground poultry, should always be cooked to 165 °F internal temperature as measured with a food thermometer; leftovers should be refrigerated no more than two hours after cooking. The color of cooked poultry is not a sure sign of its safety. How do I treat salmonella 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 […]

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. […]

Despite salmonella’s presence, residents with backyard chicken flocks can greatly reduce the risk of infection by taking simple precautions, Coufal said. Petting or holding live birds, handling farm fresh eggs or working in areas frequented by birds, such as the coop, can expose people to salmonella. Can you get salmonella from touching a chicken? People […]

In terms of roaming, each chicken, at a minimum, will require 15 square feet. So if you have 6 chickens, you will need around 90 square feet (6×15). This isn’t much land at all. A ten-foot-long by a nine-foot wide strip of grass would meet this. Do chickens need a lot of grass? When left […]

Lawn fertilizer isn’t safe for chickens if it’s synthetic, but organic lawn fertilizer can be safe for chickens. As long as it’s made of all-natural ingredients, it’s fine for them. Never use herbicides or pesticides near your chickens. How do you give grass to chickens? So, if you want to treat your hens, allow only […]

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. […]

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 […]

THURSDAY, Oct. 3, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In a finding that suggests organic is best, a new study indicates that chickens raised without antibiotics may have fewer types of antibiotic-resistant salmonella than animals raised at factory farms. How do I make sure my chicken doesn’t have Salmonella? Use a food thermometer to make sure chicken […]