Raising chickens is fun for the whole family. Kids especially love collecting fresh eggs. More and more families are choosing to keep chickens for a variety of reasons. Fresh daily eggs and for their companionship. Some people are also choosing to raise chickens for their meat. Growing your own meat can be quite rewarding but its not for everyone. If… Read more »
There were a number of things that I didn’t expect when we were first planning to get chickens. This post details some of the behaviors that were a surprise to me. Healthy Chickens As I mentioned in a post about getting your first chickens, I got some advice from a local farmer – who offers chicken classes – about what I… Read more »
Feeding chickens table scraps is a topic that generates a lot of debate. This article looks at some of the pro’s and con’s of feeding chickens table scraps and offers some useful suggestions for those who wish to do indulge their birds. Most experts agree that feeding your chickens properly is a key to their overall health and longevity. For most backyard hobbyists,… Read more »
For many people, when they are starting or constructing their chicken coops, they are going to find that the baby chicks that they are getting are going to require quite a bit of care. Baby chicks are not meant to put be put immediately into the chicken coop, as doing this is going to ensure that the chick is not… Read more »
Much like humans and all other animals, chicken coop chickens need to have plenty of breathing room to stay in optimal health. The problem is compounded for chickens because, unlike most humans, you also have to worry about the droppings which your birds excrete. These droppings are high in ammonia, which is just as toxic to poultry as it is… Read more »
Chickens can be roughly categorized into layers (egg producers), meat breeds, show breeds and hybrid (crosses between two breeds). These aren’t absolutes, and most of these breeds are considered dual-purpose, for example Rhode Island Reds can be considered both layers and meat chickens. There are usually trade offs with each of the breeds, so there isn’t a “perfect breed” – although anyone with chickens will… Read more »
When it comes to increasing your flock, hatching chickens is one of the most economical ways of making that happen. But like all things associated with raising chickens, you need to be prepared and informed before you begin the process. In addition to your chicken coop or hen house, you will need an electric incubator and a brooder (for after they hatch). Generally, it… Read more »