Category Archives: Chickens

When you have a flock of chickens and plenty of eggs, it’s natural to think about selling them. But how much should you charge for your farm-fresh eggs? Is $4 a dozen a fair price? Some people might argue that store-bought eggs are cheaper, but that’s not always the case. In this article, we’ll discuss […]

I understand how distressing it can be to find little bugs crawling on your skin. In my experience, these bugs are usually mites or chicken lice, and they can be quite common in chicken coops. In this article, I’ll share my experience with mites on my chickens, and some of the ways I’ve found to […]

One of the things that you might be wondering is whether or not feeding your chickens scraps is a good idea. Some people believe that feeding chickens scraps can make their eggs taste funny, while others think it’s a great way to save money on chicken feed. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and […]

As a chicken owner, one of the main concerns is to keep the birds happy and busy in their run. Chickens that are bored and have nothing to do can easily become agitated and start pecking at each other, which can lead to serious health problems. Therefore, it’s important to provide a stimulating environment for […]

Raising chickens is a rewarding experience. You get fresh eggs, meat, and fertilizer while enjoying the company of these fascinating creatures. However, one question that many beginners ask is whether different types of chickens can coexist in the same environment. Specifically, can standard chickens, bantams, and seramas be free-ranged and housed together? In this article, […]

There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to raising healthy and happy chicks. In this article, we will cover the best practices for ensuring your chicks grow up healthy and strong, as well as some things to look out for along the way. Stick to Chick Crumble for Nutritional Balance Raising […]

I have lost chicks to cats. Not my cats but stray cats that come into my backyard looking for food.  My 2 cats live side by side with chickens. I got them used to be around chickens since they were kittens. Can cats and chickens live together? It is very possible for cats and chickens […]

We keep chicken for eggs and meat. One in a while, the egg supply drops. Chickens stop or reduce their rate of laying.  We get worried about why we are not having enough eggs for breakfast. The kids keep asking for eggs. You tell them that there are no eggs. They respond by telling them […]

Dogs have been said to be man’s best friend and chickens are the cheapest provider of proteins to humanity. Dogs will offer companionship, protect people and their properties. Chickens are not only great companions but also provide eggs and meat. Can you keep chickens with dogs?  We have heard horrifying encounters between dogs and chickens. […]

Mortality in chickens can be heartbreaking for any chicken keeper. None of my backyard chickens died when I started keeping chickens. Until I decided to hatch my own eggs and scale up my flock.  We had traveled for the day. When got back in the evening, I did not check on the chicks. The next […]

One of the most understood chickens is the rooster. They are seen as a nuisance by some people while others view them as an integral part of any flock.  A visiting friend once told me that I was doing zero work since I did not have a rooster. She went further and explained how I […]

When I first started keeping chickens in my backyard, I always wondered if the neighbors would come complaining about the noise.  One of the major concerns for any aspiring backyard chicken keeper is noise. Noise from chickens can be a nuisance in urban and suburban areas. In some localities, there are laws that keep urban […]

Though it might sound absurd, a major concern of new poultry keepers is if their chickens will fly away. And never come back. They do not specifically worry if the chickens will fly to another city or country, but if they will get out of their enclosures. For backyard poultry keepers, the concern might be […]

Come rain or snow, it is good to get chickens ready so that they can survive and remain productive throughout the frost.  Winter is coming. Temperatures drop. Snow falls. Hours of the natural light become less.  There is less food for predators. Your chickens become a target.  In this article, we cover some of the […]

When I was constructing my chicken coop, I didn’t make any provision for artificial Lighting.  This is because I did not see the need at the time. Since it is time to install one, I am looking at the different discussions around the need for artificial lighting in the chicken coop.  The concept of supplemental […]

With an automatic chicken door, you do not have to worry about your chickens getting out of the coop in the morning and getting locked in the evening.  They will be securely locked in at night and automatically let out in the morning when the automatic chicken doors open according to the time you have […]

During my early days of keeping chickens, I noticed my chickens’ wings were droopy and they had their mouths open. There were panting. Initially, I thought they might be sick. I called a friend who informed me that that is the way chickens behave when it is too hot.  When it is hot, human beings […]

One of the challenges I faced when I started keeping chickens was the odor. When I got my first chicks, I put up the brooder in the house. I did not know that the smell would be so awful. After 3 days, I had to relocate the brooder. We could not stand the nauseating odor.  […]

Chicken coops can attract rats and mice because they offer shelter, food, water, and the perfect breeding ground. Whether the chickens and coop are yours or the neighbors,  prevention measures should be taken from the beginning. This is because is usually easier to prevent rats and mice from getting into the chicken coop than getting […]

Salmonella is a type of bacteria related to food poisoning in form of a disease called salmonellosis. It affects the intestinal tract of humans, chickens, and other poultry and mammals in general. According to a July 2010 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, humans can become infected with the Salmonella bacteria after eating […]

I started keeping chickens without a plan.  My mum gave us 2 hens and a cockerel for processing as meat for the children. We decided to keep them in the dog kennel. We had just let go of Sparky, our old dog, who used to get sick now and then, due to diseases spread by […]

As I was growing up, I never saw chicken being scalded. Never witnessed chicken being plucked using mechanical pluckers.  My grandmother, together with my mother would hold the chicken, and pluck it very fast before it lost its body heat. As long as the chicken was warm, the feathers would come out with little resistance. […]