Rat snakes are often called chicken snakes because they hang around chicken coops. Their intent is to eat rats and mice, but after they’ve cleared out the rodents they look around for something else to eat. Bird eggs are often on a rat snake’s menu, and poultry eggs are no exception. Young poultry are also […]
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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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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 […]
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Getting ready to receive your first order of chicks from Cackle Hatchery? Congratulations! Keeping a flock of chickens offers a great way to provide food for you and your family, control pests on your property and more. But before your chicks arrive, you’ll need to set up a brooder so they can have a place […]
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Mean chickens occasionally appear in nearly any breed, more commonly among roosters than among hens. The first thing to do is try to figure out what triggers an attack. Sometimes it’s something as simple as he doesn’t like your new chore boots, your favorite floppy pants, or the way you swing the feed bucket. Making […]
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Providing a healthy, hygienic environment for chickens to grow and thrive is a win-win for everyone—your chickens will be happy, and as a result, you will be, too. If you’re looking for effective ways to improve the health and well-being of your flock, you can start by making a dust bath! You may have already […]
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It’s no secret that farm fresh eggs are tastier and better for baking and cooking than the store bought kind. Raising chickens for their eggs can be a very rewarding endeavor, but there’s a lot of preparation that goes into it. So what do you need to know to get started? Prep Before […]
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Debate rages over whether it’s better to feed and water chickens inside the coop or outdoors in the run. The right answer depends on a number of factors, including how big the coop is in relation to the flock size, whether or not the chickens are confined indoors overnight and for how long, how secure […]
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All insecticides are toxic to some extent, or they wouldn’t work. Permethrin is a synthetic version of pyrethrins — natural insecticides that are extracted from daisy-like flowers. Compared to natural pyrethrins, synthetic versions persist longer in the environment and therefore need to be applied less often. Permethrin comes in the form of a dust […]
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