Believe it or not, chicken eggs are quite scientifically classified…and most people will be surprised to know that it’s not so much size that denotes the classifications of Pee-wee through Jumbo, but weight. Weight, that is, pretty much down to the ounce. Six ounces sets apart small from large, and large from jumbo. Precise weight measuring is how grocery stores determine which eggs go in which cartons and get charged what prices. This chart,… [Read More]
Imagine reaching into your nesting box and feeling a soft, rubbery…something. What in the world? Yes, it’s a shell-less egg in between all your lovely breakfast eggs. So, what does this mean? Is there something wrong with your hen? Not necessarily, but there are things you can do to prevent your hen’s eggs from looking like a yolk-filled water balloon. Lets take a look at the causes of soft shelled and rubbery eggs and what… [Read More]
We all know that you don’t need a rooster to get an egg right? Our hens will lay an egg daily with or without any assistance from the male sex. However, if you want fertilized eggs, you will need a rooster need a rooster to perform his duties with your hens, which he will be happy to do on a continuous basis.
A rooster is genetically programmed to take the task of populating the… [Read More]
It’s that time of year when thoughts turn towards getting or hatching some chicks, so we thought we would dedicate this article to hatching eggs whether they be your own hens or bought eggs.
There are a few important points to know when hatching for the first time, so if you are a hatching novice, read on!
Hatching chicks is as much an art as it is science. Once you have discovered the best and… [Read More]
Our ‘topic of today’ is all about how chickens make and lay those delicious ‘cackleberries’ that we all love!
We usually don’t think too much about the ‘how’ of egg laying – I think it is fascinating – I hope you will agree. It is a long and fairly complex process which can occasionally be fraught with problems, some of which we will discuss here today.
Time & Hormones – The Internal Clock
Nearly… [Read More]