Free Range Chicken Facts

Are free-range eggs better, and should you let your chickens roam?Free-range eggs from hens that actually spend time outdoors foraging are nutritionally superior to cage-raised eggs, with higher levels of vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and lower cholesterol. The USDA definition of “free-range” is loose enough to be nearly meaningless, so the label alone doesn’t … Read more

How To Raise Meat Birds

How do you raise meat birds? Meat birds, typically Cornish Cross hybrids, go from chick to table-ready in 7 to 8 weeks. They need high-protein broiler feed (22–24%), about 3 square feet of coop space each, constant access to feed and water, and minimal exercise. Keep them separate from your laying flock if possible. The … Read more

What To Do For A Sick Chicken

What should you do if your chicken is sick? Separate the sick bird from the flock immediately to prevent spread. Identify the symptoms: droopiness, ruffled feathers, diarrhea, labored breathing, or reduced eating are common warning signs. Common culprits include coccidiosis, Marek’s disease, fowl cholera, avian flu, and salmonella (paratyphoid). Most conditions respond better to prevention … Read more

Compare Chicken Breeds

A lineup of the following mix of chickens, sitting on a fence, having a good time gossiping: White Leghorn, Delaware, Black Australorp, Rhode Island Red, Araucana, Plymouth Rock.

What are the best chicken breeds for a backyard flock? The best backyard chicken breeds are hardy, friendly, easy to find, and lay at least 200 eggs per year. Top picks include Rhode Island Reds, Red Stars, Plymouth Rocks, Black Australorps, and White Leghorns. All reliable, widely available, and well-suited for small flock keepers. For … Read more

Why Do Chickens Cluck? Other Chicken Behavior

Four impressionist chickens clucking into empty cartoon ballons.

Chickens cluck when they are content. It is their baseline conversational sound, the vocal equivalent of a flock just going about its day. But clucking is only one small part of a surprisingly rich communication system. Chickens produce a range of vocalizations, and each one means something specific. I have kept backyard chickens for years, … Read more

Top Egg Cartons Reviews And Complaints

Top Egg Cartons Reviews And Complaints – Your Guide To Best and Worst Materials for Your Backyard Flock If you gather eggs, whether you run a backyard flock or supply eggs at a small commercial scale, picking the right egg cartons matters. Getting eggs from Point A to B safely is important, and egg cartons … Read more