Zone 1 thru 3 Zone 4 Zone 5 Zone 6 Zone 7 8 Extra charges for each baby chick 12 cents 19 cents 22 cents 24 cents 26 cents 27 cents Extra for each guinea, bantam, quail, or pheasant 11 cents 19 cents 22 cents 24 cents 26 cents 27 cents Extra for each duckling or turkey 14 cents 23 cents 26 cents 28 cents 30 cents 32 cents Extra for each gosling 22 cents 34 cents 39 cents 43 cents 47 cents 53 cents U.S. Postal Service Official Zone Chart To print out steps and US Postal Service Zone Chart Click Here     For ordering by internet, select the "blue tabs" to the left, make breed/variety selection, select quantity and USE the shopping cart check out process for electronic ordering process, which will also figure the shipping charge for you.

100% Live Delivery Guaranteed
We guarantee that you will receive full count of live, healthy poultry according to this guarantee. We place extra chicks in each box to help fulfill this guarantee. However, if losses should occur in shipment and you do receive less live chicks than you ordered, we will make an adjustment either by replacing poultry, (we are not able to ship just a few chicks for replacement) or process a refund for the chick price or a credit to another order you are placing for the current year.  Please open chick boxes immediately and inspect poultry. If your shipment is INSURED and you do not have a full count that you paid for (don't count any extras we may have sent), please ask the delivery agent to sign your Statement of Loss (PS form 1000) and send to us immediately. If your shipment was NOT INSURED and you have a loss, then call us ASAP for an adjustment. This guarantee is only for the safe and live delivery of your poultry. 
Any loss must be reported to the hatchery within 3 days of receipt for any adjustment to be made.  We DO NOT offer any guarantee/replacements/refunds on shipments of peafowl.

                                                                                  
Quality Guaranteed. All Cackle poultry are guaranteed to be of the grade, quality, sex and breed as represented. Should any error occur we will make prompt adjustment. In producing these chicks the seller has followed approved and recommended methods of flock control and egg selection and has established sanitary and disease control standards in the Hatchery operation. Seller does not warrant poultry to be free from any disease which could not be ascertained at the time of sale. Liability is limited in all cases to replacement of damaged chicks and extra chicks must apply. Replacement good for 1 time only. Under no circumstances shall our liability, on claims of any kind, exceed the total price paid for poultry. We participate in the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Health inspection service "National Poultry Improvement Plan".

Website/Catalog Pricing:
While we have taken every precaution to ensure accurate prices, we cannot guarantee the website/catalog to be free of pricing and description errors.  Also, prices may change without notice.  The merchandise prices on this website supersede all prior prices. 

10% discount for Qualified Youth Organizations is for pre-ordered sales only. Discount does not apply to in-store sales from the brooder or any sales of assortments or specials.  This discount is only good at the time of ordering and is void for any added or changed orders or retroactive request for the discounts.  The discount also only applies to orders of 30 birds or less.  You will be requested to furnish your group name and/or leaders.

Sexing guaranteed 95%. We guarantee on a 100 paid pullet order that you will receive at least 95 pullets. If we make an error and did not live up to our stated guarantee, we will refund the difference between pullet and cockerel prices.  Claims must be sent directly to us when chicks are not more than 12 weeks old.  Does not apply to assorted chicks.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY to you as a customer is to provide healthy good quality chicks that arrive to you alive and in good condition.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY is to provide an environment with proper heat, food and water as given in our care sheet.  The care sheet is to be read at the time of ordering your birds (preparation information) and read again at time of delivery of birds.  To report any unsafe delivery to us as instructed in the above "Live Delivery Guarantee" section.  "Care Sheet - information found on the home page of www. cacklehatchery.com/page14.html and a hard copy enclosed with your shipment of birds.

10% CANCELED ORDER FEE (RESTOCKING FEE) – Any orders placed and then cancelled will have 10% of the total price deducted from the total purchase and shipping price and the difference refunded by check if paid by check and if paid by credit card will have the credit card credited back the difference. Rationale for the fee: Orders paid for/booked are taken off the market for sale and are marked sold and we potentially could have a lost opportunity for a buyer if cancelled . Cancelled orders create book keeping and labor cost to process the cancelled order, labor to recalculate deletions and adding back on the sell sheets, along with postage or credit card fees to process credits. Our chicks pricing is not formulated for cancelled order cost.  We do make exceptions for the 10% fee for emergencies and will move a ship date to another date; however, every effort should be made to be prepared to receive your chicks on your given date.  Refunds are processed ASAP, but on busy rare occasions can take up to 3 weeks to be completed.  It is common practice for customers to order their poultry 2-8 weeks in advance of the time they would like them delivered.  Because live new chicks become perishable the day they hatch, it is necessary to have them all sold well before their hatch date.  Newly hatched chicks have their 3 day supply of yolk still in their system to sustain them for their trip to your home.  We ship every Monday and Wednesday and your birds should arrive at your post office or mailing address within 2 days.  Your confirmation notice will give you your hatch/ship date.  You should be very flexible around your delivery date so you can take your birds immediately to your brooder to be warmed up so they will go to eating and drinking.  See our care sheet and preparation.

We NO longer accept orders booked WITHOUT payment. Orders must be paid at time of booking the order.

Returned Check Charge - $25.00

Boxing: All poultry will be boxed according to the weather, so the poultry will have the best chance of survival. Because of this, breeds and sexes must be mixed.  Unless indicated by you, breeds and sexes will not be marked.

Can I make changes to my order or add more birds to my order?  We are NO longer accepting additions to orders or changes to orders.  REASON: It has created too many mistakes to orders, caused double shipments, caused our bird counts to not be right for selling birds and caused shorting other customer's orders.  OPTIONS:  The best option is to make a new order for the added birds (we can ship as little as 15 birds including bantams and the overall postage cost is not that much for the added order).  The other option is to cancel the order with a 10% cancel fee (fee explained above) and start all over with a new order on a new available shipping date.  Cackle Hatchery will look at solving this issue (additions and changes without causing problems) for the 2010 hatch season.

At no time will our guarantee exceed the original purchase price.

RETURN POLICY

At NO time will Cackle Hatchery accept any returns of live poultry, sick poultry or dead poultry.  If you have encountered a problem please call our customer service department at 417-532-4581.

Cackle Hatchery's Return Policy on all products other than live birds.

If, within 30 days, you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase.   We will replace the item or provide a credit for the full merchandise: shipping and handling charges are not refundable.  Special and custom orders are not refundable, but any defective parts will be replaced.  Returns cannot be shipped C.O.D.

If outside of 30 days, we will inspect the defective product and will, if applicable, issue a credit for future purchases from our company.  The customer is responsible for all return shipping costs until the product is declared defective.  If the product is declared defective, the customer will be credited the cost of the product and the return shipping cost.  If a replacement item is desired, we will not ship the new item until we have received the defective goods.

If the product is unused, and still in its original packaging, we will review the product upon receipt and may issue a credit, minus 20% restocking fee.  The customer is responsible for return shipping cost.  Special and custom orders are not returnable.

Please send all returns to:	Postal Service	UPS - Fed X
	Cackle Hatchery Return Department P.O. Box 529 Lebanon, MO  65536	Cackle Hatchery Return Department 411 W. Commercial St. Lebanon, MO  65536

Please be sure to include at least one of the following with the product: invoice number, order number, and/or account number.

If you have any questions concerning your defective product or return, please contact our customer service department at 1-417-532-4581 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and  4:30  p.m. CST.

If you received a defective product and are within 30 days of purchase. We will issue a refund or exchange for the defective item.  The customer is responsible for all return shipping costs until the product is declared defective.  If the product is declared defective, we will credit the customer for the cost of the product and the return shipping cost.  If a replacement item is desired, we will not ship the new item until we receive the defective goods.

2008 $100 Prize Winner for Best of Breed	$100 Prize Winner for Poultry Show Ribbon	$100 Prize Winner for Funny, Cute, Originality or Artistic Photo
GUTHRIE COUNTY FAIR, 2007 DEAR CACKLE HATCHERY,       THIS IS ONE OF THE AWARDS THAT I WON WITH YOUR BLACK ROSE COMBS THAT I ORDERED LAST YEAR.  THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT CHICKS.   DANNIELLE MCCORKEL	Here is a picture of my daughter Lauren with her Quail Antwerp Belgium that we bought from you in March of 2007.  Last year they were the grand champion poultry project at the Defiance (OH) county fair.  This year they were the champion bantams and were the reserve champion poultry project.  Thanks!  Paul Payne  Hicksville, OH	Dear Cackle; The ducks we ordered from you love our water slide we made for them.   Delores,  Norman, IN.

2009 CONTEST WINNERS

2009 $100 Prize Winner for Best of Breed	2009 $100 Prize Winner for Poultry Show Ribbon	2009 $100 Prize Winner for Funny, Cute, Originality or Artistic Photo
Thank you Cackle! I won Best of Breed and Grand Champion of Cass County Jr. Livestock Association Show 2009.  Sawyer, Cass County, MO.	I showed many chickens I purchased from Cackle Hatchery at the Oconto Falls County Fair on Aug. 29, 2009.  I won many blue ribbons, Best of Breed ribbons and "Best Chicken in the Barn Award" with a blue Cochin.  Thanks for a great year! Kayle, Oconto Falls, WI	Thank you Cackle Hatchery for the chicks you sent us. A photo shot caught a crumb in mid-air while my son was feeding his rooster. Karen, Fairfield, MT

Watch Virtual Tour of Cackle Hatchery Photo Contest Winners and Runners Up Click Here
(Best viewed using high speed or DSL is slow to load)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do we pay for shipping? Yes, internet orders automatically figure your shipping for you with online orders.  Mail in orders or phone orders use our shipping chart.  We do NOT charge small order fees or box fees like some suppliers.

How far in advance should I book my order of chicks? As soon as you know when and how many you want to order you should go ahead and book your order.  We start taking orders January 2nd for that current year to be booked and shipped for anytime between Feb.-Sept.  You can pick the month you would like your poultry shipped to you or note ASAP.  It is common practice to order 2-6 weeks prior to the date you want for delivery.  For rush orders, we recommend to note as a comment that it is ok to substitute similar kinds in the event we are short on one or two of your requested breeds.  When we receive your order, we look for the earliest possible date for ALL of your breeds requested and are available together.  Some breeds (rare turkey, guineas, ducks, geese, and game birds) are not available for later in the year.  Customers can consider ordering the chicken orders on a separate order for a possible earlier delivery time.  We then secure that date and take those birds off the market for sale and send you a confirmation of your hatch/ship date.  Because live newly hatched chicks become perishable the day they hatch, it is necessary to have them all sold well before their hatch date.  Newly hatched chicks have their three day supply of yolk still in their system to sustain them for their trip to your home.  Cackle hatches 110,000 -140,000 poultry per week and we do a pretty good job of counting our chicks before they hatch when we secure your order.

For RUSH orders, we recommend to "note as a comment" that it is OK to substitute similar kinds in the event we are short on one or two of your requested breeds rather than postponing to another ship/hatch date.  When we receive your order, we look for the earliest possible date for ALL of your breeds requested and are available.

When will my supplies arrive?  Supplies sometime come in separate boxes or from separate shipped locations and you may receive your supplies over a number of days and not all on the same delivery date.  Normally your supplies order from Cackle Hatchery arrive to your delivery address with 6-16 days of the time we receive your paid order.  All supplies to be used with your new chicks purchased from Cackle Hatchery need to be ordered well in advance (3-4 weeks) of your chick ship date.

 How do you ship your chickens? We ONLY ship through the US Postal Service.  Other carriers do NOT handle baby chick shipments.

Can I make changes to my order or add more birds to my order?  We are NO longer accepting additions to orders or changes to orders.  REASON: It has created too many mistakes to orders, caused double shipments, caused our bird counts to not be right for selling birds and caused shorting other customer's orders.  OPTIONS:  The best option is to make a new order for the added birds (we can ship as little as 15 birds including bantams and the overall postage cost is not that much for the added order).  The other option is to cancel the order with a 10% cancel fee (fee explained above) and start all over with a new order on a new available shipping date.  Cackle Hatchery will look at solving this issue (additions and changes without causing problems) for the 2011 hatch season.

10% CANCELED ORDER FEE (RESTOCKING FEE) – Any orders placed and then cancelled will have 10% of the total price deducted from the total purchase and shipping price and the difference refunded by check if paid by check and if paid by credit card will have the credit card credited back the difference. Rationale for the fee: Orders paid for/booked are taken off the market for sale and are marked sold and we potentially could have a lost opportunity for a buyer if cancelled . Cancelled orders create book keeping and labor cost to process the cancelled order, labor to recalculate deletions and adding back on the sell sheets, along with postage or credit card fees to process credits. Our chicks pricing is not formulated for cancelled order cost.  We do make exceptions for the 10% fee for emergencies and will move a ship date to another date; however, every effect should be made to be prepared to receive your chicks on your given date.  Refunds are processed ASAP, but on busy rare occasions can take up to 3 weeks to be completed.  It is common practice for customers to order their poultry 2-8 weeks in advance of the time they would like them delivered.  Because live new chicks become perishable the day they hatch, it is necessary to have them all sold well before their hatch date.  Newly hatched chicks have their 3 day supply of yolk still in their system to sustain them for their trip to your home.  We ship every Monday and Wednesday and your birds should arrive at your post office or mailing address within 2 days.  Your confirmation notice will give you your hatch/ship date.  You should be very flexible around your delivery date so you can take your birds immediately to your brooder to be warmed up so they will go to eating and drinking.  See our care sheet and preparation

How do the birds survive being shipped by mail? Newly hatched poultry have a 3 day supply of yolk left in their system to provide for them the first 3 days of life.  Mail travel is usually 2-3 day delivery.  Also the first 3 days of life the chicks have a great immune system to adapt to the changing temperature during travel.  We also pack the chicks differently depending on the time of year and current travel conditions..

Where do you ship to? We ship through out 48 of United States including Alaska, and Puerto Rico.  We currently do not ship to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the state of Hawaii.  Cackle Hatchery tests our breeder flocks for several different things, Virginia is requiring a test that the State of Missouri state labs do not have the manpower or facilities need to do the blood work that Virginia is requiring.  The White Pekin duck is the only duck that the state of Florida will allow us to ship into that state.  The state of Florida does not want any other ducks that are similar to wild ducks shipped into the state.  We do not ship anywhere else outside the USA,

What days are chicks shipped from Cackle Hatchery and what is your minimum order? We ship on every Monday and Wednesday from Feb. - Sept.  Cackle has a minimum order of a total of 15 chicks (for warmth purposes).  Bantam minimum order is 25 chicks for Feb. - March. Bantam minimum order is 15 chicks for the balance of the year.  There is a minimum order per breed/variety of 5 chicks for entire year.  Bobwhite Quail and Coturnix Quail have a minimum order of 50 chicks to ship.  All Pheasant have a minimum of 15 chicks to ship.  The Chukar Partridge has a minimum of 30 chicks to ship.  No minimum on turkeys, ducks, or geese if shipped with other birds to make the 15 total minimum chicks ordered.

Will the post office deliver our chicks to us at our home or do we need to go to the post office to pick them up?  Each post office has their own policy.  We put on your box all the phone numbers you gave to us and we instruct the post office to call you.  You should call the post office on the day you expect the delivery of the chicks. Delivery can be 1-3 days.

My hens are not laying yet, why is this? Most breeds will start to lay at 5-8 months of age.  If not you can check several things; You need to feed them at this age with "egg pellets or crumble", it has everything they need.  Maybe throw a hand full of scratch a day for a treat and make them scratch for exercise.  Stay away from corn, there is already the right amount of corn in the egg pellets.  There is not enough nutrition within corn to keep chickens healthy.  Make sure the chickens are not sick, light weight, pale faced, wormy, lice and mite infested.  Make sure the hens get some sun light and some fresh air each day.  Make sure they have dry ground, wind breaks and a place to roost at night. Hens need full water and feed available all day to produce eggs. If it is fall, winter or early spring you can put one light on the birds at night with an automatic timer to turn on at 5:00 a.m. and go off at 10:00 a.m.  Do not keep the light on all night, it will stress the birds and they will pick feathers, stress and get sick.  Have their  nest in the darker area of the coop so the hens feel good about laying in the nest.  Make sure the hens are not too crowded in the pen or coop and if you have roosters with the hens don't have more than 1 rooster to every 10 hens. Sometimes the hens are laying, except you may have a black snake eating your eggs.  Also, you may have a hen that is eating eggs and the shell.  If you think this is happening watch for hens peaking at eggs.  If you find one hen that you suspect, put her up and see if your egg numbers increase.  Once a hen starts to eat eggs you very seldom can break her and it is best to get rid of her.  She will also teach the other hens to break eggs and it is best to get rid of her. 

What is the difference between cockerel, cock, stag, pullet, hen and straight run?  Cockerels are males age 1 day to 12 months of age, cock is a male over 1 year old, stag is a male 5-11 months of age, pullets are females age 1 day to 12 months of age, hen is over 1 years old and straight run is a term for males and females mixed as they hatch and not separated.  Generally 100 straight run chicks will give you 50 pullets and 50 cockerels as an average.

Will hens lay without a rooster with them? Yes, hens lay without a rooster. The eggs will not be fertilized and will not hatch.

What birds should only be bought for butchering? The Cornish Cross, White Turkey and our Bronze Turkey will not survive long if not butchered.  They grow too fast and too big and will have heart attacks and /or leg problems.

What breeds/varieties make the best pets for kids? Cackle offers several but here is a list of better ones: Light Brahma, all of the Cochin STD varieties and Cochin Bantam varieties.

I have a small incubator, what is the range for Humidity? Incubations set at 84 1/2 for a wet bulb reading and hatching stage 87 wet bulb reading.

Why should we buy from Cackle? Cackle specializes in shipping and hatching pure bred poultry since 1936.  We offer the most competitive pricing along with the quality of the breeding bloodlines and health.  We are located in the central USA for best over all mail order distribution.

When my birds are grown how much space do I need for their pen or coop? We recommend about 4 square feet for every standard or large fowl chicken and 2-3 square feet for every bantam or smaller breed chicken.

I want to purchase breeds/varieties that the hens will be good setters and mothers for raising their own chicks or eggs placed under them, which are the best? Silkie varieties and the bantam Cochin varieties are real good brood mothers.

My chickens are sick, where do I find information about common poultry diseases? Check our link page for links to poultry disease information.

How do I care for baby chicks? We send along a care sheet with each shipment of birds.  You can also look on Cackle's home page for care instructions.

What do I feed my new little chicks? Feed only chick starter.  It is formulated for all the right nutrition the birds need and it's made the right size for the birds to eat the feed.

Can I mix different size chicks with each other? Not recommended because they will peck each other or be too much of bullies.  We recommend to wait until full grown to mix the birds so they can defend themselves better.

How does Cackle know what are pullets or cockerels? Some of our breeds are color sexable, some of our breeds are bred so the males and females produce as chicks a long wing feather or a short wing feather for male or female and then some of our breeds are vent sexed by a professional chick sexer.

When will my credit cared be charged out? The day the order is taken by phone, internet, or mail ordered received.  In order for us to book birds in advance and take them off the market we must have the birds paid for.

What would happen if some of my birds perished during shipment? Refer to the "guarantee" question.

Is it safe to handle Poultry?  Live animals and pets can be a source of potentially harmful micro-organisms; therefore, precautions must be taken when handling and caring for them to prevent fecal/oral transmission among people.  Children should be supervised as they handle animals and pets to make sure they don't put their hands or fingers in their mouth.  Always wash your hands with soap and warm water after handling any animal or pet.  You should always hold or handle a chicken in a proper way to prevent an accidental flogging/spurring, accidental pecking in the eye or wing flapping that scratches your eye.

Do I need a permit for poultry?  Check your town (in city limits) for any restriction.  Generally no restrictions for counties.  It is always good to be a good neighbor and make sure you do not have a noisy crowing rooster bothering a neighbor or a coop that needs cleaned as the smell may bother your neighbor.

What size pen or coop should I have for grown birds? Standard size birds 3-4 square feet per bird and bantam size 2-3 square feet.

Why do my birds peck each other? By nature chickens peek each other and some is normal.  However, when they pick all the feather off or kill each other it could be brought on by a number of reasons, some are: They may be to crowded, they may be too hot, you may have too much light on them or light on too long in the night, be sure you are feeding them chicken feed (if they are not getting the right nutrients they will pick each other) or not enough roost.

Why is the Commonwealth of Virginia not allowing baby chicks shipped into their state by several hatcheries?  Cackle Hatchery tests our breeder flocks for several different things, Virginia is requiring a test that the State of Missouri state labs do not have the manpower or facilities needs to do the blood work that Virginia is requiring.

What states have restrictions on mail order poultry orders? Common Wealth of Virginia (see FAQ about Virginia), Hawaii only allows chickens, NOT duck, turkey or geese.  For Hawaii orders Cackle needs your order, payment, mailing address, physical address for permit, additional $10.00 fee for permit/processing and you need to order 4-5 weeks before your desired delivery date.  Florida restricts duck mail ordered into their state.  Of the duck breeds we offer, Florida only allows the White Pekin to be mailed into their state.  Missouri Residents need a permit for Bob White Quail and Pheasant orders for pick-up or mail ordered.  Your permit number must be on your order form.

What discounts does Cackle Hatchery offer? Discounts for 4_H, FFA and junior poultry clubs (write the name of Chapter club, location/membership number.  We offer specials and surplus deals on the catalog and website.   We sometimes offer weekly specials on the web site.   Feed dealers/farm and ranch stores can set up a wholesale account.  Pick up sales for Surplus dealers from June-July (arrangements made with Clifton or Jeff).

How do I prepare for the arrival of my chicks?  ARRIVAL DATE - FIRST DAY instructions. Be sure you have some flexible time to pick up your birds from the post office.  Sometimes they do not arrive when expected.  Be sure to have your brooder area set up and heating source tested out so the birds can go straight into the brooder as soon as they arrive.  Refrain from handling or playing with the birds the first 24 hours.  We recommend for the first day to have the drinking water at 98 degrees F.  This is because the birds are small with little weight to them on arrival.  They will drink a lot of water which if too cool can rapidly decrease their body temperature and put them into shock or make them sick.  Take each chick, one at a time and with your fingers hold the chick's head and do a quick dip of the chick's beak into the water and then let go of the chick. You can add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to 1 quart of 98 degree water and shake well.  Use this mixture for the first 8 hours and then change to regular water. Normally the chicks will not start drinking or eating until they have first warmed up.  The heat source needs to be at least 98-100 degrees, measured 1 inch off the brooder floor directly under the heat source. Make plenty of room so the birds can walk away from the heat source when they get too hot.  A guide is one brooder lamp per 25 chicks using a 100 watt regular light bulb.  The bottom of the bulb should be about 18 inches above the floor (check for 98-100 degrees at floor level).  Make sure the chicks have a big area to move away from the heat as needed.  Lay down several layers of tissue paper all around the brooder floor and sprinkle chick starter on the tissue paper.  Their feet will not slip on the tissue paper and they will pick at all the sprinkled chick starter.  Change the tissue paper out as needed.  Then the next day remove the tissue paper and/or sprinkled feed and use your normal feeder.  You can also order a "Starter Kit" from Cackle Hatchery.  It should be ordered and shipped in advance of your chicks.

Does Cackle Hatchery guarantee live delivery of my order?  We guarantee that you will receive full count of live, healthy poultry according to this guarantee.  We place extra chicks in each box to help fulfill this guarantee.  However, if losses should occur in shipment and you do receive less live chicks than you ordered and paid for, we will make an adjustment either by replacing poultry or by cash refund at the discretion of the hatchery. Please open chick boxes immediately and inspect poultry.  If your shipment is INSURED and you do not have a full count of live chicks that you paid for (don't county any extras we may have sent), please ask the delivery agent to sign your statement of loss (PS form 1000) and send to us immediately.  If your shipment was NOT INSURED and you have a loss, then call us ASAP for an adjustment.  This guarantee is only for the safe and live delivery of your poultry.  Any loss must be reported to the hatchery within 3 days of receipt for any adjustment to be made.

What is Cackle Hatchery's quality guarantee? All Cackle poultry are guarantee to be of the grade, quality, sex and breed as represented.  Should any error occur we will make prompt adjustment.  In producing these chicks the seller has followed approved and recommended methods of flock control and egg selection and has established sanitary and disease control standards in the Hatchery operation. Seller does not warrant poultry to be free from any disease which could not be ascertained at the time of sale.  Liability is limited in all cases to replacement of damaged chicks and extra chicks must apply.  Replacement good for 1 time only.  Under no circumstances shall our liability, on claims of any kind, exceed the total price paid for poultry.  We participate in the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Health inspection service "National Poultry Improvement Plan".

Why do some of my chicks have dried droppings stuck to their bottoms (Pasty butt)?  It is best to wash it off with warm soapy water.  It blocks the chick's vent and the chick can not eliminate itself.  It it persists you may need to consider medications, cleaning the waters, feeders and the floor area.  Chicks that have been chilled or overheated can cause pasty butts.

What do you mean by a clean-legged chicken? The chicken does not have any feathers on the shanks or legs.  Booted or feather-legged are chicken with feathers on their shanks or legs.

I have a hen that died and her butt bottom is bulging or hemorrhage? Could be the hen had a "blow out". Vent damaged caused by laying a huge egg, or could be damage caused by the pullet laying at too young of an age.

I have several hens that are not laying and are broody wanting to stay on the nest?  You need to break them up if you want them to continue to lay.  It is hard to break up a hen but you could try to keep her in a separate wire cage in light.  In other words, make it uncomfortable for her and do this for 3-5 days.

My chickens seem to fight each other? Most chicken will peck or fight a little to establish a pecking order within a flock and this is common.  If you add new birds to a pen they will fight or peck a little to establish a new pecking order and it is recommended to keep a watch on them for the first 1-2 days. 

What is molting?  Chicken annually go through a molt in late summer or fall and begin growing new feathers and plumage.  Sometimes a lot of new feathers are grown and some just a few feathers.  Keep in mind in the spring and summer your ugliest hens (a lot of feathers off) are most times your best layers. Molting hens usually will not lay eggs during their molting time.

What is "green" or "blood filled"?  Terms that mean that the chicken's feathers are still growing and the feathers still have blood in the feather shaft.

What should I do about sharp spurs that might harm someone?  Hold the bird's leg and use a hack saw to saw off the spur.  Saw 1/2 inch away from the leg so there is a blunt 1/2 inch spur left on the bird.

How do I know if my pullets are ready to lay? Generally if they are 5-8 months of age, they have red combs and they are singing you should have eggs.  You can pick the hen up and feel between the 2 bones of their bottom.  If 3 fingers will fit between the bones they should be laying.  If only 2 fingers fit between the bones then the hen will usually start to lay with 3-6 weeks.

How many hens do I need to keep my family with eggs?  As a guide 10 hens age 8 months to 2 years old will provide about 7 eggs a day.  Most females will go into a molt for 2-3 months each year around late summer/early fall. This is a time they stop laying and grow new feathers.  Our brown egg layers after 5-8 months of age should provide 200 - 300  eggs over  365 days per hen.

Why should I buy chicks from a hatchery rather than buying grown fowl from swap meets, neighbors or other places?  We recommend  buying hatchery chicks because they are disease free.  When buying grown birds that appear healthy at the time, they could have a number of viral respiratory diseases that are not symptomatic at the time and may be immune but can pass the disease to your healthy birds.

Do my chicks need a roost pole?  Most chickens are more comfortable to sleep on a roost rather than the floor.  As young chicks they stay on the floor, but soon start looking for a place to jump to or roost.  We recommend for chicks to set up some poles about 12 inches off the floor and periodically raise the poles after all the chicks have master that height.  Depending of the breed at 8 months of age you can keep the pole height about 4-7 feet high.  One inch diameter round poles work good and you can use PVC or wooded poles.  Metal poles are not good (metal conducts the cold too much in winter). 

How do I tell if my eggs are fresh to eat?  Refrigerate eggs up to 7-10 days old and use.  You can test an egg by putting the egg in a dish of cold water and fresh eggs sink and older eggs will float.  Also older eggs when broken into a pan and the white and yellow yolk will latten or run ; these are old eggs.  Fresh eggs are firm when broken into a pan.

How do I treat my chickens for lice? To see if your poultry has lice, pick up the chicken holding both legs with one hand and tip the chicken upside down.  Pull the feathers back around the butt area to look for lice.  The lice stay around the butt area for moisture and if you see any running around the base of the feathers then you need to treat them.  One easy way is to buy some "Seven" garden/pet dusting powder at your local farm store.  Use about a tablespoon of the dusting powder and cover the base of the feathers and skin in about a 2 inch radius of the butt area.  Do this every 30 days for 3 months.  Extreme cases you will find parasites in the ears and under the wings. In this case treat these areas also. It is also a good idea to treat the roost poles and ground area to maintain control of the parasites.  Chicken lice will not want to stay on humans and are different from human lice.  After treating your fowl for lice, simply take a good long shower to remove any chicken lice that might be on you or in your hair.

 What is the terminology "Standard (STD)" or "Bantam" mean?  In a short answer a Standard breed is the large version of the breed/variety and a Bantam breed is the miniature version of the Standard breed.

What kinds of poultry do better with just one male in the pen?  Generally speaking a pen of Peafowl, Saipan and Standard Old English do better with just one male in the pen.

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