Category Archives: Poultry

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. […]

You got chickens in your backyard with the intention of getting fresh eggs for your family.  You might be keeping chicken as a means of self-sufficiency, with eggs as the cheapest source of proteins available to man.  When the eggs start coming, you have them for breakfast, every day. As you take good care of […]

The Australorp breed of a chicken has been around since the 1890s or thereabout. It is still here today, thanks to it being a great egg-layer as well as good meat yield. A dual-purpose breed, the Australorp is a good choice for anyone who wants to keep chicken in their backyard or homestead. Australorp background […]

Have you been thinking about raising chickens, but your backyard is small? Once you have decided, you need to choose a breed or breeds that suit the backyard. Below are some popular breeds that will help you figure out the best fit. Buff Orpingtons  Orpington is a fairly recent breed. A coachman from England was […]

Many chicken owners find it so distressing when their chickens stop laying eggs. An experienced chicken owner knows how to tell that this is a part of the natural cycle of a hens’ life or other reasons that their chickens are not laying eggs. To be able to deal with the causes of chickens not […]

Culling is one of the practices that has been done for ages in livestock keeping. When it comes to chickens, culling is the process where you identify and remove the non-laying or low producing chickens from a laying flock. It is a continuous process from the time your chicks hatch to the peak of their […]

As much as we dislike the small disturbing insects, flies usually come along if you are keeping chicken.  Those black pestering creatures are usually at every nook and cranny in the farm and multiply pretty quickly with one female fly getting sexually active just after 24hours of being in the adult stage. A female fly […]

All around the world, every animal keeper has to deal with the smell of animal droppings. Chicken being no exception, can generate a whole lot of awful smells that might even land you in trouble with your neighbors. You do not have to struggle to hold your breath every time you enter a stinky chicken […]

Choosing the right type of chicken fencing can be a matter of life and death for your chickens. The type of chicken fence selected should be able to serve the purpose of protecting your chicken, while at the same time controlling their movements.  Sometimes a combination of different chicken fencing materials is used, taking advantage […]

In this article, we look at how high a chicken fence needs to be, including factors determining the height. We will also answer some frequently asked questions on the height of chicken fences.