The Red Ranger has become quite popular as a dual purpose backyard breed. It is primarily a meat bird but does lay eggs if it is allowed to. We have received a couple of inquiries regarding this particular bird, so here is what we have discovered about this personable little chicken. Technically they are not […]
This blue feathered chicken comes from the Mediterranean area where it is still found today (although in very small numbers). A rare beauty is a very apt description of this ancient breed. It is a bird that enjoys its’ freedom and is very capable of surviving in adverse conditions. In this article we discuss everything […]
Read More… from Andalusian Chicken: All You Need To Know About This Blue Hen
I was recently asked what my ‘go to’ books are, if I need advice or ideas with raising chickens. Whilst we cover almost everything imaginable about chickens at The Happy Chicken Coop, there is still something nice about having a paper book! Without hesitation, I could think of five books which have helped me with […]
Read More… from 7 Must Read Chicken Books for Backyard Chicken Keepers
Did you ever imagine in your wildest dreams that you would be putting a diaper (nappy) on a chicken? No? Well, read on my friends. Chicken diapers may have seemed like a harebrained idea a few years back, but now it is commonly done. Around 1% of urban households in the larger US cities (New […]
Read More… from Chicken Diapers 101: Should Your Chicken Use One?
Chicken drinking nipples are a fairly recent innovation in the backyard poultry world although the commercial industry has been using them for several years. In fact, regular drinkers have not been used in the commercial poultry field for years. One of the biggest benefits of drinking nipples is the fact that it keeps the water […]
Chicken feed may not be something you give a great deal of thought to – you go buy a bag for your hens and that’s it. Companies that manufacture chicken feed actually give a great deal of thought, time and research to feeding all poultry exactly what they need. If your hens are eating the […]
We stretched the ‘lap’ chicken to house chicken, but it boils down to the same thing: a chicken that is comfortable to be in a house with people, and can be considered a companion bird. A bird that will thrive in a secure confined space with its favorite owner. We considered ‘good’ egg laying as […]
Sounds like a simple question right? However, there are many costs to ‘having a chicken’, so today we are going to meander through the cost of the birds and their associated needs. Roughly speaking your costs can be divided up into the chickens, feed, housing and maintenance or fixed costs. Without a doubt the most […]
I am always surprised when I’m asked this question. I suppose it’s a logical question for those not too familiar with poultry. Do I need a Rooster for hens to lay eggs? A rooster does serve a couple of useful purposes to the flock which can be a good thing for the hens and keeper […]
Happy New Year! If you are a gardener, you have been poring over seed catalogs, feverishly planning the layout of your garden. If you are a chicken addict you have been studying the catalogs trying to decide which breed you want to add to your flock this year. Perhaps a certain breed didn’t work out […]