Here’s a common scenario: You cannot legally keep a rooster in your area, so you got sexed chicks that were supposed to be all female. By the time one of them started crowing, and you realized he was a rooster, he had become a beloved member of your family flock. What to do? It’s hard […]
A hen can stop laying eggs for any number of reasons. At the top of the list is the fall molt. As winter approaches, chickens shed their worn feathers and grow a set of new plumage to better keep them warm through cold weather. During the molt, all hens slow down in production, and some […]
A picture-perfect Pilgrim-era turkey, the Narragansett was developed by early settlers as a cross between Norfolk Black turkeys brought from Europe and local wild turkeys. Having its origins in Rhode Island, the turkey was named after the state’s Narragansett Bay. It was once a common feature in farmyards, but eventually lost favor to more cost-effective […]
Chicks shipped by mail require a little extra TLC compared to chicks you might hatch at home. Think about how you feel after a long journey — dehydrated, exhausted, probably a bit cranky. What you look forward to most is a long drink and a warm bed. Baby chicks are no different. They suffer the […]
Lining your hens’ nests with something clean and soft protects eggs from getting cracked in the nest and also simplifies nest clean-out. Every chicken keeper has a favorite nest liner. Here are some poplar options: Turf Nest Liner Plastic turf nest pads have grass-like tufts on the upper side and a smooth surface on the […]
Newly hatched poultry come equipped with yolk reserves that provide baby birds with nutrients for many hours after they hatch. It’s nature’s way of allowing the early hatchers to remain in the nest until the whole brood has hatched. Hatchery chicks shipped by mail take advantage of these yolk reserves during the day or two […]
Every summer, health departments all across the country launch campaigns to prevent the spread of the mosquito-borne West Nile virus. West Nile prevention efforts are taken especially seriously in hot southern states where mosquito activity is more prevalent. Humans infected by the virus can exhibit a variety of symptoms, from fever and headaches to more […]