by Cackle Hatchery What is the best place to buy baby chicks? Without a doubt, Cackle Hatchery® is by far the best place to buy baby chicks, along with everything you might need to raise them to be happy, healthy chickens. Here’s why: Largest Selection Cackle Hatchery offers 230 varieties of poultry. That’s more varieties […]
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Cannibalism is the disagreeable habit chickens have of pecking one another until they draw blood. And then pecking some more. Chickens may engage in any one of six forms of cannibalism, varying by age and gender. Toe Picking — Chicks Toe picking is a common problem among chicks. It can occur in a brooder where […]
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The best number of chickens for your backyard flock relates to both your goal in having chickens and the type of environment you can provide. Here are four ways to determine the best number of chickens for your flock. Local Regulations First find out how many chickens you can legally have. Local regulations, such as […]
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Everyone uses the word “flock” when referring to chickens. But what is a flock? And how many chickens make a flock? Definition of Flock According to Merriam-Webster, a flock is a group of animals (such as birds or sheep) assembled or herded together. The dictionary that came on my computer further refines the definition as […]
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Chicken keepers vary in levels of experience, from novice to expert. But no matter how knowledgeable we might be, and how carefully we manage our flocks, all chicken keepers face the same three challenges. Predators Everyone who keeps poultry sooner or later experiences that heart-stopping moment of realization that a predator has come to call. […]
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Placing a value on chickens killed by a dog is not always easy. To start with, most backyard chicken keepers value their chickens much more than the birds’ economic value. However, anyone wishing to obtain compensation from the dog’s owner must set aside emotions and try to make the best case for the chickens’ monetary […]
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Successfully transitioning young poultry from their brooder to permanent outdoor facilities requires following a few common-sense guidelines. First determine that the birds are ready to move from their brooder, taking into consideration such factors as how well feathered the birds are, and outdoor temperatures during both daytime and nighttime. Degree of Feathering Fully-feathered poultry are […]
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As spring weather begins to warm in March and April, a lot of people start thinking about ordering chicks. Unfortunately, everyone else has the same idea, and hatcheries rapidly sell out of many breeds during those months. If you place your order in March or April, you may end up waiting a month or more […]
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Keeping chickens in the garden may be picturesque, but chickens can do a lot of damage in a surprisingly short time, especially to freshly planted seeds or tender sprouts. A couple of chickens roaming in a large garden after the plants mature may do little damage, but in a small or newly planted garden just […]
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Chickens do not attract flies. Filth attracts flies. Backyard chickens are confined to an unnatural environment, and problems arise when that environment lacks proper management. An accumulation of moist droppings provides an ideal place for flies to lay eggs and for the eggs to develop into maggots, which in turn make more flies. Droppings can’t […]
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