“Growing up in the city, I knew nothing about farming, and started from the bottom up when I met Brian! One of the first times I came to the farm, I went into a chicken house and was blown away by the size and scope—I didn’t have any concept of what ‘raising chickens’ entailed! I’ve … Read more
Reading Time: 5 minutes Common intestinal parasite affecting poultry still being widely researched. Learn more about roundworm resistance. Story by Sue Norris Roundworms are found wherever mammals and birds are found. As the most common intestinal parasite in birds and mammals worldwide, even healthy animals — and humans — can suffer from roundworms. The chicken … Read more
Reading Time: 5 minutes Hens for Hire is a great way to have chickens available in schools and for teaching about poultry. By Susie Kearley Paul and Sandy McEvoy are the founders of Hen House Farm, a small farm in an idyllic part of Devon, England. They hire hens to schools, families, care homes, and … Read more
Reading Time: 7 minutes Preparing for and pampering poults. Story and photos by Jennifer Sartell IDEALLY, I WANTED OUR HEN TO HATCH OUT a brood of turkeys and raise them herself. But in the past two springs, our turkey hens have proven to be lacking in the maternal instinct department. This year, I was determined … Read more
Reading Time: 4 minutes Keeping a mixed flock creates exciting dynamics with hens and guinea fowl hens. Story by Chris Lesley In the realm of well-known livestock birds, guinea fowl place, at best, a distant fourth behind chickens, turkeys, and ducks. However, just because they’re overlooked doesn’t mean they aren’t wonderful, worthwhile birds in their … Read more
Reading Time: 5 minutes Raise guinea fowl for meat birds, slower growth than chickens, but more meat per bird. Story and photos by Sherri Talbot For homesteaders interested in raising guinea keets for meat, there’s far less information available than those for breeders raising meat chickens. However, guinea fowl are more self-sufficient than chickens, eat … Read more
Reading Time: 5 minutes Flock leaders are alpha hens who protect everyone else. Hail to the Queen! Story and photos by Erin Snyder The queen of the flock is an often-overlooked role in the flock, as many chicken keepers view their flock’s queen as being a bossy nuisance. While the queen is often seen pecking … Read more
What is avian leukosis? Avian leukosis belongs to a family of viruses termed “retroviruses.” It is confined to birds and cannot spread to humans or any other species. Like all retroviruses, avian leukosis is relatively weak and does not survive well outside of the bird. The virus impacts the bird’s immunity, and can eventually form … Read more
Reading Time: 6 minutes Adding desired production traits to your flock. By Doug Ottinger. Whether you have a purebred flock or a mixed flock, choosing the right rooster (or roosters) will certainly add more than just a “real farm” feeling to your property. While many of us enjoy hearing a rooster crow throughout the day … Read more
Expert advice on feeding corn, lash eggs, broody hens, chicken coops, and heritage birds. CRACKED CORN Is cracked corn okay in summer or what is the alternative?Janice ** Hi JaniceCorn is a nice treat for chickens, but shouldn’t be fed to them as their main diet. Offer some as an occasional treat; they’ll enjoy scratching … Read more