People enjoy keeping chickens for many different reasons. Some chicken keepers simply have a passion for poultry. Others focus on the benefits chickens provide. In no particular order, here are 30 reasons to love chickens: Chicks grow fast. Chicks grow quickly from chickhood to maturity. In less than a year your new flock will settle […]
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Chickens instinctively seek a high place to sleep at night. Without such a place to roost inside their coop, they may roost outdoors. Chickens that roost outdoors at night are vulnerable to both predators and adverse weather. Providing them with a comfortable place to roost inside the coop at night keeps them safer. What is […]
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Chickens can swim, and some actually enjoy it. Others, not so much. That’s because a chicken is not as well equipped for swimming as a duck. But most chickens will at least wade into water to cool themselves down on a hot summer day. If the water is deep enough, a chicken might even paddle […]
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Chickens need a constant supply of fresh clean water in order to remain healthy and lay well. An easy and inexpensive way to ensure they remain hydrated is to water the chickens from a bowl. But should you water chickens from a bowl? Let’s look at why it’s not such a great idea as a […]
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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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The United States was officially founded as a nation on July 4, 1776, when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Although residents of the new country had plenty of chickens, many of the breeds we know today didn’t exist then. So let’s take a look at the chickens that were here at the […]
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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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What is the number one cause of death in backyard chickens? If you said “disease,” you’d be wrong. The primary cause of death in chickens is predation. Let’s take a closer look at this problem. How common is predation? Even the number one cause of death in chickens isn’t overall that common, according to a 2014 […]
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Do you deworm your chickens too often, or not often enough? Whether your chickens need deworming, and how often, has no one-size-fits-all answer. Factors that influence whether or not you should deworm your chickens include the type of worms present in your environment, how you house your chickens, and your climate. Why deworming is important. […]
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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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