A strain, also called a bloodline or simply a line, is a family of related chickens. They are distinctive in having been selectively bred by a single person or organization long enough for all the chickens to be uniquely uniform in some way. Each strain of purebred chickens has all the traits that define its […]
Continue Reading
If one of your hens lays a super big egg, it likely contains another egg inside. Such an egg is called a double egg or a double-shell egg and is the result of a reverse peristalsis contraction. How an Egg Is Laid To understand how this happens, you need to know how an egg […]
Continue Reading
Based on discussions and photos circulating online, there seems to be a bit of confusion about the difference between a blue laced red Wyandotte and a splash laced red Wyandotte. Since the two varieties are related and look somewhat similar, the confusion is justified. Another issue of confusion is the origin of blue laced […]
Continue Reading
Bumblefoot describes a chicken’s inflamed foot with a hard, swollen abscess in the foot pad. The word bumble originally referred to the affected chicken’s unsteady gait caused by the swelling. In recent times, the core of the abscess, or the abscess itself, has been referred to as a bumble. The abscess may start out […]
Continue Reading
Guinea fowl are notoriously independent, often preferring to roost outdoors at night. They are more likely to perch high on a tree limb or on top of the coop roof, than to sleep inside, where they would be safe from owls and other night prowling predators. Getting guineas to go inside at night is the […]
Continue Reading
When planning your next order of chicks from the hatchery, give careful consideration to how many roosters you want (if any), and the real possibility that some of the chicks might not survive. Below are some important points to keep in mind when making your ordering decisions. Sexed Chicks For many breeds you have the […]
Continue Reading
How much water a chicken drinks each day depends on numerous factors including the bird’s size, water palatability, feed intake, feed composition, the environmental temperature, the bird’s condition of health, and whether the bird is laying. Under normal conditions, the average chicken drinks between one and two cups of water each day. A laying […]
Continue Reading
How much feed a chicken eats each week varies with the chicken’s age, breed, and strain, degree of activity, and condition of health. Other factors include the ration’s palatability and texture, and its energy and protein content. In cold weather, a chicken stays warm by eating more than it does during the heat of […]
Continue Reading
Buying a ready-made chicken coop, instead of building one yourself, has several advantages. It doesn’t require any carpentry tools or skills. It doesn’t take up several weekends of your free time to put together. And you don’t need a PhD in all the features a chicken coop needs. But you should know enough about how […]
Continue Reading
All female chickens lay eggs, and all hens lay best in their first year of production. But some chicken breeds lay better than others. Hens that lay best are of breeds that have been selectively bred for egg production, rather than for fast growth or exhibition qualities. Layers of Eggs with Brown Shells Chicken […]
Continue Reading