Blindness is not a common condition among chickens. But when it does occur, it can be disconcerting for both the chicken and the human handler. Aside from injury resulting from a poke in the eye, here are three main reasons why a chicken goes blind. Marek’s Disease Marek’s disease is a cancer in chickens caused […]
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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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Many things affect an egg’s shell color, texture, and strength. Among them are improper nutrition, environmental stress, age, and disease. Let’s look at some of the most common reasons why chickens lay eggs with abnormal shells. Poor Nutrition Improper nutrition can cause hens to lay eggs with soft shells or thin shells that crack easily. […]
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All chickens have spur buds. Roosters are well known for their spur buds developing into full-blown spurs. But hen’s can grow spurs, too. While some roosters — notably certain strains of Cubalaya — maintain only rudimentary spurs, some hens develop long rooster-like spurs. As with roosters, the longer the spur, the older the hen. Which […]
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To store fresh eggs for the long term without refrigeration, an alternative to the traditional method of submerging them in water glass (sodium silicate) is to use lime water (calcium hydroxide). Both are highly alkaline saturated solutions, with a pH of about 12.4. Both seal eggshell pores to prevent evaporation from within the egg, as […]
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Before refrigeration became commonplace, submerging eggs in water glass was the preferred method of storage. Water glass, also known as sodium silicate, is a glassy solid (silicon dioxide) that dissolves in water. It has numerous industrial uses, including as a food preservative and a desiccant (silica gel pack) to protect delicate items from absorbing moisture. […]
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Chickens and other poultry are birds, right? So logically you’d think it wouldn’t be a problem for your flock to mingle with wild birds. But here are three reasons why chickens and wild birds shouldn’t mix. Fowl Mites The northern fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) is the most serious external parasite of chickens. It is the […]
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As a chicken keeper, you may sometimes have more eggs than you can use, while at other times you have too few. Logically you’d want to preserve surplus eggs in times of plenty to use in times of need. By far the safest way to store eggs long-term is in a refrigerator. Save only eggs […]
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The final step of an egg’s formation inside a hen is the application of an invisible coating. We chicken keepers call it bloom, but technically it’s the cuticle. Bloom consists primarily of 80 to 95% proteins. It also contains polysaccharides (complex carbohydrates that dissolve into simple sugars) and lipids (insoluble oily or greasy compounds). Lubrication […]
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