Here in the Northeast, we have been blessed with seemingly unending hot, humid days with little to no rain. For us humans, we simply retreat to the air-conditioned house, but what about your flock?
Chickens can’t sweat like us, nor can they remove their feather jackets, so what can we do to help them keep cool?
A hens’ normal body temperature is between 104-107F which helps them to be more resistant to cold- the heat… [Read More]
For those of you who don’t yet raise chickens, the life of a backyard chicken keeper can seem like a strange and confusing world.
It doesn’t need to be though!
In this article we talk you through exactly what hens need to be healthy and good egg layers.
Many folks spoil their chickens in many ways– I’m guilty too, but hens need very few things to lead a happy and healthy life.
The basics… [Read More]
Eggs come in many shapes and sizes from the tiny quail eggs to the huge ostrich egg. Although the shape is generally oval, sometimes things go awry and you end up with an odd looking egg.
While you can’t fix everything, here are some ways in which your hens’ eggs will be better made and look more attractive.
When pullets start to lay, it can be erratic with some strange misshapen eggs at times. This is… [Read More]
The temperature here has reached a blazing ninety one Fahrenheit in the Northeast, with oppressive humidity to match. It’s almost impossible to go outside without wilting.
Chickens cannot sweat like us, so hot weather can be seriously problematic for them.
Whilst they can acclimate to hot climates pretty well, they do not do well in sudden heatwaves- these are the dangerous for your birds.
We have previously mentioned ways to keep your hens cool… [Read More]
Most people know the approximate age of their birds when they first get them.
But how do you know their age if you are given some birds or rescue some?
Knowing the age of your chickens is crucial, without it it’s difficult to know their egg laying ability, what to feed them and what their general health should be.
Ageing a chicken is obviously not an exact science and some breeds are exceptions to… [Read More]