Rachel Hurd Anger Not long ago, one of my hens laid an egg that weighed a mere ounce—even smaller than the USDA’s minimum weight for a peewee egg. Since then, the same hen has laid one more. Two days after I’d brought that second egg in from the nest box, I was busy getting […]
Rachel Hurd Anger Any suggestions for chickens and hurricanes in Florida? Leave them in the coop? Lock them in the shed? What’s best for them? —Jeff, via Facebook I love this question. Because my experience is raising chickens in Kentucky, I generally focus on the severe weather most common to me: thunderstorms and snowstorms, though […]
Rachel Hurd Anger Our flock’s annual molt has always begun with the Polish in mid-summer. Next is the Partridge Plymouth Rock in late summer. In early fall, it’s the Australorp’s turn. Finally, the Silver Laced Wyandotte experiences her awkward nudity through the chilly days between Thanksgiving and the first days of December. This year, […]
You’re most familiar with botulism in your home-canned goods, but did you know it can affect your chickens?
Rachel Hurd Anger Adding to an existing flock in the city is tricky. Usually, we only want females. We aren’t allowed enough chickens on our property to breed, and because many roosters are prone to aggression and overbreeding, they’re often too dangerous to have around our small flock of laying hens. Plus, many cities […]
Rachel Hurd Anger “Is this a hen or a rooster?” It’s an honest and frequently asked question that often accompanies a photo of an unsexed chick. Obviously the person is asking whether a chick is female or male, but a chick cannot be a hen or a rooster based on the definition of the […]
Help eliminate food waste and trampled grass in the run with a DIY chicken feeder made from PVC piping.
Rachel Hurd Anger If you have a small flock, you know immediately when something’s not quite normal. And it sure doesn’t take much to shock you when your hens produce something that looks like it came from a bird you didn’t know you had, though that’s not to say that something is wrong either. Our […]
Even when we do things right, we must rely on chicken biology for egg production. Consider these things if your flock’s egg production is in decline.
Moving can be tough, especially when animals are involved. If you’re relocating to a new property and taking your flock with you it’s important to keep their health and safety in mind—both during traveling and when it’s time to introduce your flock to their new coop. One of the options when moving your ladies […]
