Wondering if you need to add a rooster to your backyard coop? The short answer is no, you don’t need to add a rooster into the mix to keep your hens occupied or to keep enjoying those tasty backyard eggs. But, there are some benefits that you’ll enjoy with a rooster that you might be […]
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As you decide on the best way to raise your chickens, it’s important to get some things straight about free range. The first thing you should know is that the USDA defines “free range” as chickens that have been “allowed access to the outside.” This is a pretty loose definition, and basically means that […]
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Well, just when we thought we’ve heard it all: researchers have claimed that science is getting close to being able to adjust the DNA in a chicken to create a “chickenosaurus” or a chicken-dinosaur. Researchers have announced that they’ve successfully modified the beak area of a chicken embryo so that it looks like a dinosaur’s […]
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Scientists believe humans first started coexisting with chickens thousands of years ago in Southeast Asia and China. For much of that time, however, chickens weren’t used as a common food source. Chicken bones from this early period of human civilization are scattered and sparse, suggesting that they were used in sports and rituals rather than […]
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Have you ever wondered what makes a rooster crow? Well, some scientists Nagoya University have recently made it their mission to prove once and for all how all of this crowing business works, and it might not be what you think. One widely accepted belief is that roosters crow at the first sign of daylight; […]
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Birds (chickens, in particular) are very social creatures. They exhibit behaviors deeply engrained in their genetic code that maintain social order and promote the propagation of their species. One such behavior is broodiness, or the tendency for birds to sit on clutches of eggs to incubate them after they’ve been laid. This might be beneficial […]
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Imagine you walk out to your chicken coop and find a soft-shelled egg, or even an egg with no shell at all. It would be a pretty disturbing sight, especially if you’ve never seen one before. Besides the fact that these eggs are pretty messy to handle, they could also be an alarm that something […]
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If you have chickens in your back yard, you may have begun to notice that they’ve formed their very own clique with certain chickens exhibiting specific behavior and other chickens reacting or reciprocating. Ever wonder why? It’s all about the pecking order! First of all, you should know that your chickens are social creatures, so […]
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Back in the 1950’s, broiler chickens were, on average, about one fourth the weight of today’s broiler chickens. They’ve gotten bigger, bulkier and meatier. A recent article in the Huffington Post illustrates this point with photographs comparing broiler chickens in 1957, 1978 and 2005. The difference is striking; the broiler chicken from 1957 looks like […]
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Chickens may not get the typical head cold like we do, but they are subject to some illnesses that are really tough on their immune systems and can even lead to death. One such illness, called coccidiosis, is very common among young chickens, but can be treated effectively if caught early. Coccidiosis is […]
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