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Get Your Chicks On Route 66

A sign that reads "Get Chicks on Route 66"

You probably know you can get your kicks on Route 66, but did you know you also can get your chicks on Route 66? Cackle Hatchery® opened for business in downtown Lebanon, Missouri, in 1936, just ten years after the opening of historic Route 66. Four blocks off Route 66, the hatchery today is one […]

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Breed Spotlight: Aseel Chicken

An Aseel Chicken

The Aseel chicken is an ancient game fowl from India. The name of this indigenous breed means trueborn or purebred. Aseels have an upright stance, square shanks, and short legs set wide apart. Their ears are red, and they have a pea comb and minimal wattles. These slow-growing chickens have well developed muscles, although their […]

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How Many Chicken Nest Boxes Do You Need?

a row of chicken nest boxes

How many chicken nest boxes you need in your coop depends in part on the number of hens in your flock. A second factor is whether or not your hens one of the top laying breeds. Here are some guidelines for determining the best number of nests for your specific flock. How Many Nests The […]

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How to Mix Different Chicken Breeds in One Flock

a mixed flock of chickens outside

Like a lot of chicken keepers, you might want to include a variety of breeds in your backyard flock. Maybe you look forward to gathering baskets full of colorful eggs. Or, rather than all one breed of the same color and type, you prefer a more interesting variety of colors, sizes, and personalities. Or maybe […]

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Breed Spotlight: Appenzeller Spitzhauben Chickens

Appenzeller Spitzhauben

Spitzhauben chickens originate in the Appenzell district of Switzerland. They are therefore often called Appenzeller Spitzhaubens. The Swiss word spitzhauben refers to the breed’s crest of forward curving feathers, which remind Appenzell residents of their traditional lady’s bonnets. Near Extinction According to The Livestock Conservancy, Spitzhaubens have been known since the 16th century, kept in […]

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Blackhead in Turkeys Is a Serious Disease

white turkeys outside

Blackhead is a serious disease of turkeys. Histomonas meleagridis protozoa cause the disease, leading to its technical name: histomoniasis. Histomonad protozoa occur in nearly all poultry environments, except where the soil is dry, loose, and sandy. A turkey gets blackhead when histomonads lodge in the bird’s ceca, or blind intestinal pouches. From there they migrate […]

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What Kind of Chickens Live the Longest?

Jungle Fowl

The average well-cared-for chicken may live 8 to 10 years. Some chickens survive 15 years or more. Many factors contribute to a chicken’s longevity. Some of these factors relate to genetics. Other factors have to do with good management. Guinness Records The first chicken recognized by Guinness World Records as the World’s Oldest Living Chicken […]

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When Not to Add Vinegar to Chickens’ Water

chickens drinking from waterer

A lot of chicken keepers are fond of adding vinegar to their chickens’ drinking water. Chickens like the taste of vinegar in mild doses — one tablespoon vinegar per gallon of water. And since hens run the risk of dehydration during hot summer weather, many backyard keepers add vinegar to chickens’ water to encourage their […]

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Safe Kitchen Scraps for Chickens

chickens eating cooked eggs

Listing all the things chickens will eat that are good for them would be nearly impossible. Chickens will eat just about anything, and the few things that aren’t good for them aren’t good for humans, either. Still, let’s take a quick look at some of the safe kitchen scraps for chickens. Fruits Chickens love just […]

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