Frostbitten combs can be a problem for chickens that live in damp, drafty conditions during freezing weather. Toes may also be frostbitten, but not as commonly as combs and wattles, especially when the chickens have a place to rest where their feet are not in direct contact with a frozen surface. The easiest way to […]
Continue ReadingNational Steak and Poultry Expands Chicken Product Recall
On November 23, the Oklahoma-based company National Steak and Poultry issued a recall of roughly 17,000 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products that had been packaged in early October. These products included a number of pre-cooked products including the popular Hormel brand of roasted chicken breast strips. This initial recall stemmed from concerns that the products […]
Continue ReadingThe Best Mating Ratios for Poultry: How Many Hens per Rooster?
The optimal mating ratio for chickens, turkeys, and other poultry is not the same ratio in which they typically hatch. Most poultry naturally hatch approximately 50 percent females and 50 percent males. If your goal is to obtain fertile eggs for hatching, that ratio will result in males fighting excessively with each other, and when […]
Continue ReadingSupermarket Egg Prices Fall to Ten-Year Low
Last year, in the wake of an avian flu outbreak that forced states to cull over 43 million birds, egg prices in grocery stores throughout the country spiked to historic levels. The average price of eggs peaked at about $3 per dozen after more than doubling in a period of just a few months. For […]
Continue ReadingPractical Advantages of Raising Guinea Fowl
If you’re looking for a new addition to your homestead, there are a number of excellent practical advantages to raising guinea fowl. These boisterous, black-feathered fowl can provide tremendous benefits to your property. They can also be raised in conjunction with a flock of chickens! Protection and Pest Control Two of the greatest […]
Continue ReadingHow to Provide Comfort Roosts for Your Chickens
At dusk, chickens instinctively seek a high place to spend the night where they feel safe from predators. Lacking a comfortable place to roost inside their coop, they may seek an outdoor roost. It might be the top of a fence or gate, in a tree, or even on the coop roof. Chickens that roost […]
Continue ReadingRogue Rooster Evades Capture in Pittsburgh
Roosters are strictly forbidden by Pittsburgh’s city code, but that hasn’t stopped one rooster from taking up residence in the Steel City. Now known as Rudy, the rooster began squatting on the property of 69-year-old Henry Gaston a few years ago. He was originally accompanied by two other roosters, but they have since been apprehended […]
Continue ReadingWhat Do Baby Chicks Eat?
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 […]
Continue ReadingStudies Find Light and Sound Can Affect Chicken Productivity
Nothing can foul up your day like losing sleep to the persistent beeping of a dying smoke detector. And is there anything more agitating than waking up from a dead sleep with a bright line shining in your eyes? We rely on a good night’s sleep to get the rest and relaxation we need to […]
Continue ReadingTips on Watering Baby Chicks in a Brooder
Baby chicks must have access to clean, fresh water at all times. During the first few days after they hatch, a one-quart waterer will furnish enough water for up to 25 chicks raised in a brooder. An inexpensive watering option is a screw-on plastic base that fits a one-quart narrow mouth jar. Another option is […]
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