Chickens have three primary goals in life — to eat, to avoid being eaten, and to make more chickens. Thus, flock necessities involve providing your chickens with everything they need to achieve these goals. Nutrition A chicken’s nutritional needs change, depending on the chicken’s age. Commercially prepared poultry feed therefore is variously formulated for baby […]
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Bantam chickens make perfect starter birds for beginning poultry keepers, especially young ones. Here are 10 reasons why bantams are the best chickens for kids. Bantams Are Small Pint-size bantams rarely weigh more than two pounds. Because of their smaller size and lighter weight, these diminutive chickens can be less intimidating for kids than some […]
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What, exactly, are free-range chickens? According to USDA, free-range chickens must be “allowed access to the outside.” That doesn’t mean they actually have to go outside. They just have to have outdoor access. On the other hand, to many rural chicken keepers, free range means letting the chickens go wherever they wish. That’s a non-starter […]
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Some 75.5 million Americans — or about 30% of the entire population — live in a community governed by a Homeowners Association (HOA), according to the Foundation for Community Association Research. Further, the 365,000 different HOAs each enforce their own set of rules. And not all Homeowners Association rules allow chickens. Chickens and HOAs An […]
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Each fall most chickens go through an annual molt, during which a shiny new set of feathers replaces their previous plumage. During the molt, nutrients used to produce eggs are diverted to producing feathers. As a result, laying slows, or ceases altogether. The best layers molt fast and furious, as if in a hurry to […]
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What’s the difference between a standard chicken versus a bantam chicken? To understand the difference, let’s look at what a standard chicken is and what a bantam is. Standard Chicken The word “standard” when applied to chickens can be confusing. In some contexts it means that the breed has been standardized by the American Poultry […]
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Easter Egger bantam chickens are a smaller version of chickens that originate from a cross between blue-egg laying Ameraucanas and breeds that lay eggs with brown shells. The result is a breeding population of chickens with a variety of conformations and plumage colors, and that lay eggs with a wide range of shell colors. Physical […]
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A chicken’s beak is an important tool for gathering food, drinking water, and exploring and manipulating objects in the environment. A chicken also uses its beak for preening, nest building, and engaging in social interactions. But occasionally a chick hatches with, or later develops, a deformity known as crossbeak. Also called crossed beak or scissors […]
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A child’s initial experience with chickens is often the most memorable. To ensure that the youngster’s introduction to chickens is pleasant and fun, consider these qualities when choosing the best first chickens for kids: They are calm in disposition They are friendly with people The breed is appropriate for small hands The chickens enjoy hugs […]
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Lakenvelder chickens are an ancient laying breed from the Utrecht area of southern Holland and the neighboring Nordrhein-Westfalen area of Germany. They take their name from the Dutch village of Lakervelt, in a region that favors the color pattern of a white mid section with black extremities. Besides Lakenvelder chickens, examples include goats, rabbits, pigs, […]
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