Chickens are very social animals. In my little herd (I know, I know) of beaked wonders, there are a few different breeds. They were all raised together from when they were chicks. Even so, as adults they tend to stick with their own kind… The Rhodies with the Rhodies, and the Brahmas with the Brahmas. … Read more
We just went through another lovely winter here in Upstate New York, and my chickens all survived. This isn’t Minnesota, but it gets pretty darned cold here, with temperatures dropping below zero Fahrenheit for days. So, I know a little about how much cold chickens tolerate in the winter, and it’s why I’m writing Keeping … Read more
There are few things that make your skin crawl more than the thought of lice. There are many types of lice and the ones we are going to discuss are the chicken-infecting kind. Don’t worry. If your chickens get lice, you are not going get them on you. Chicken lice like chickens, not people. That’s … Read more
I’m a live-and-let-live kind of guy. If I see something a little out of the ordinary, let’s say, and it isn’t hurting anybody, I tend to look the other way. Finding a few chickens tucked away in a basement where they can’t be seen by the public is not something that you see every day. … Read more
One late afternoon several years ago, I arrived at home to find that there had been a massacre of my flock. There were chickens everywhere – on the lawn, in the weeds, over the embankment. It was brutal. Many foxes live in my area, and when they have kits, they become killing machines. One lucky … Read more
When it comes to breakfast, if you asked someone what three foods come to mind when you think about breakfast, I’m willing to bet that 9 times out of 10, eggs are going to be in the top 3. Two-thirds of the breakfast menu items at that place with the gold-colored arches contain eggs. It’s … Read more
If you have ever shopped for baby chicks at a store where you could actually see them, you probably noticed that one or two of the little puffballs had a sore spot. Maybe you even saw some blood. The occasion might have been a little disconcerting because it might have seemed like all the other … Read more
There are many new chicken owners these days. There has been an upsurge in the farm to table movement of late, and chickens have been a part of it. More and more people want organic, and fresh, and locally grown, and locally raised, etc. Cage-raised eggs are taboo. Cage free and free-range are terms on … Read more
Is the Incubator Warehouse Insta Brooder worth buying? Yes, for most backyard flock keepers brooding up to 30 chicks at a time. At $99.99 it’s an all-in-one setup. It includes a lightweight cloth pen, removable mesh top, and the Vrooder radiant heat plate included. It’s not heavy-duty, but it’s sturdy enough for chick-level wear and … Read more
When I was around 12 years of age, my father brought home ten chickens that had stopped laying. Being a thrifty fellow, he thought it would be a good idea to put these birds in the freezer to feed the family as the occasion arose. He put the birds on a chopping block and, one … Read more