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Rooster-to-Hen Ratio — Why It Matters

Hamburg chickens

Chicken keepers who overlook the importance of the rooster-to-hen ratio may wonder why their flocks experience problems. Too many roosters lead to fighting, stressed and over-mated hens, lower egg production, and poor fertility. Surprisingly, too few roosters create some of the same issues. Let’s look at why getting this balance right matters so much. The […]

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Celebrate with Chicks on Route 66

chicks on Route 66 graphic

What better way to celebrate the historic highway’s centennial than to get your chicks on Route 66! The thruway — which runs from Chicago to Santa Monica, California — opened in 1926 as one of the original roads in the United States highway system. Ten years after Route 66 opened, Cackle Hatchery® was established in […]

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Call Ducks in the Heritage Breed Spotlight

White Call Duck

Call ducks are the smallest domestic duck breed. Compact and feisty, they have tiny, round bodies, short necks, small heads, and short bills. These ducks come in numerous colors, not all of which are admitted to the American Standard of Perfection. How did this duck breed get its name? In the 1600s, Call ducks were used […]

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How to Water Baby Chicks

Chicks drinking water

A baby chick’s body is about 70% water. Therefore, water is the most important nutrient for a newly hatched chick. In fact, a hatchling can’t digest feed without water. So a chick should drink water even before it eats anything. Here are the ins and outs of how to water baby chicks. How long can […]

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Bugs in New Chicken Feed — What Are They?

Weevil in chicken feed

Quite a large variety of bugs enjoy grain products as much as chickens do. Bugs eat the grain and propagate by laying eggs in the grain kernels. They can affect dried grains (chicken scratch), as well as processed pellets, crumbles, and mash. Let’s look at how to identify what kind of bugs they are, how […]

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Celebrate Heritage Poultry Breeds

Heritage Buff Duck

Every year during the third week of May, we get to shine a spotlight on International Heritage Breeds Week. It’s all about raising awareness for those endangered old-school poultry breeds that are hanging on by a thread. Get creative—host a little event in your area, or just share some photos of your flock. The goal? […]

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How to Remove Mud Balls from a Chicken’s Toes and Shanks

How to Remove Mud Balls from a Chicken’s Toes and Shanks

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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Swedish Flower Hen

swedish Flower hen

Swedish Flower Hen – Sold as Baby Chicks Only – 

Minimums –

Not Sexed = 3

Female = 3

Male = 1

Total of 3 birds to ship

Seasonal/Shipped Feb thru mid August

Limit of 5 Females

Limit of 10 Straight Run

 

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