If you’ve ever watched chickens bustling around in a yard, you know they seem to go about their routines without using their little minds much. In fact, their behavior is quite complex, fascinating, and baffling. I aim to help you understand that these common chicken behaviors are more than random acts. They are intrinsic parts … Read more
If you’re raising chickens in a hot climate, shade is necessary. This post will discuss shade and other ways to keep your chickens cool when things get hot. After all, chickens, like us, need a pause from the blazing sun to remain healthy and happy. Heat stress can ruffle any chicken’s feathers, leading to various … Read more
If you want to encourage your chickens to lay more eggs, you must meet three essential factors or conditions. There are more than three, but the essentials are good food, fresh water, and a stress-free environment. Chickens are sensitive creatures, and even minor disturbances in their habitat can influence their egg-laying ability. After a predator … Read more
Can you imagine eating a hamburger, chasing it with a handful of pebbles, and going about your business without giving it a thought? Me neither! Chickens do! Chickens don’t have ready access to hamburgers, but if they eat hard grains like corn or cracked corn, then they need grit. if you feed your chickens straight … Read more
When you are lonely and feeling blue, you naturally go to the coop and seek chicken companionship, and everything is okay, right? Of course not! People need people to feel companionship and security and to cure their loneliness. Are chickens any different? Let’s get into it. Chickens are far more than just barnyard animals; they’re … Read more
Anyone interested in poultry care should understand chickens’ internal workings. One interesting aspect of avian biology is the cloaca, an essential part of a chicken’s anatomy. The cloaca, the vent in bird species, has many roles. It serves as the exit point for digestive waste, including “urine,” the entry route for reproductive cells, an antibody … Read more
When winter winds howl and temperatures drop into the 20s Fahrenheit, it’s comforting to know that your chickens are snug and well-protected in their cozy coop. I want to share ten cozy designs for all of you do-it-yourself people who prefer to know exactly what goes into the construction of your coop and want to … Read more
When setting up a chicken coop, the security of chickens hinges on the materials chosen for their enclosure. Like many, you may find yourself weighing the merits of chicken wire against hardware cloth. The comparison is worthwhile since the two are commonly used yet differ significantly. Chicken wire is often the go-to material for new … Read more
Ugh! It’s 4:30 AM, and I must go to both coops before my job. It’s dark, and the ground is usually wet, muddy, and slippery in the spring. MY KINGDOM FOR AN AUTOMATIC DOOR, I CRY! If you manage a flock of chickens, you’re well aware of the daily responsibilities that come with their care. … Read more
People are more health conscious these days, or maybe it’s just that a huge portion of society, the baby boomers, are at the age where health is more of a priority than ever.. Whatever the reason, a word that has gained popularity is ‘sustainable’ or ‘sustainability.’ Sustainable practices, living, farming, and eating—a part of this … Read more