One of the realities of breeding chickens is experiencing deformities in newly hatched chicks. Most of the time deformed embryos don’t survive to hatch, but sometimes one does. The more eggs you hatch, the more likely you are to occasionally find hatched chicks with deformities of one sort or another. Why deformities happen in newly […]
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Chickens, and people, commonly carry Salmonella bacteria in their intestines, but don’t necessarily get sick. Chickens shed the bacteria in their poop, which — you know if you have chickens — ends up everywhere chickens go. Bacteria that enter your mouth can result in a common intestinal infection (salmonellosis). You can easily avoid this infection by not […]
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Angel wing in ducks and geese is a cosmetic issue more than a serious health concern. However, the deformity, which goes by various other names — airplane wing, crooked wing, slipped wing, split wing, carpal deformity — mars the appearance of an otherwise beautiful backyard duck or goose. What Is Angel Wing? Angel wing is […]
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The handsome and robust Aseel chicken is known for being friendly with humans but aggressive toward other chickens, including other Aseels. The hens, although not especially prolific layers, are excellent broodies and fiercely protective mothers. This slow growing breed is especially flavorful when raised for meat. Aseel chickens are hardy, heat tolerant, and super active […]
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Mud balls are dark, hard lumps clinging to a chicken’s toes and sometimes the shanks. Some mud balls consist of mostly chicken poop. Others consist mostly of mud. In either case, more poop, mud, and other debris adds to the accumulation. Before long the poor chicken is trying to walk with sizable cement-hard balls clinging […]
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Chickens that otherwise get enough to eat typically won’t eat anything that’s bad for them. Or at least they are unlikely to eat enough to make them sick. And feeding kitchen scraps can be a nutritious way to add variety to your chickens’ diet. But feed scraps only in moderation, and avoid feeding these four […]
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Mandarin ducks and Wood ducks are both extremely colorful and are often mistaken for one another. Although they easily may be confused, they originate from different continents and have a few other key distinguishing features. Primary among these features is the plumage pattern of the respective drakes. First let’s look at the similarities. Mandarin Ducks […]
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An amazing characteristic of Phoenix chickens is their exceptionally long and multiple tail feathers. Even the hens have more tail feathers than most other chickens. The Phoenix was developed from the Onagadori, a breed from Japan that has a non-molting gene. Despite its exceptionally long tail, the Phoenix lacks the non-molting gene and therefore molts […]
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Choosing between heritage vs. broad breast turkeys can be confusing. Although they both come from the same genetic background, they differ in many ways. The former can mate naturally, is slower growing, and smaller in size. The latter grow more quickly and weigh more, but breeding them requires artificial insemination. Plus, largely because of differences […]
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Woody breast, also called wooden breast, is a muscle condition in fast-growing Cornish Cross broilers that makes the breast meat tough and fibrous like wood. It’s safe to eat but the meat quality suffers, which can be mitigated by the cooking method. The main cause is rapid growth leading to poor oxygen supply in the […]
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