Initially, from Spain, the Minorca chicken made her way to the US and into the hearts of backyard poultry enthusiasts, and with good reason: Who needs to wait for double-yolks when you have a Minorca? This beautiful chicken lays some of the largest eggs out of all the standard breeds. So if you are looking […]
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There’s a reason people refer to getting settled in as “nesting.” Chickens are the masters of creating a comfy nook for themselves to either roost or lay their delicious eggs. Planning for chickens includes the vital decision of which type of chicken coop bedding to use. Bedding serves many purposes besides comfort; it must also […]
Maybe you are just curious, or maybe you have in mind a nice, big chicken dinner or large eggs, either way knowing you have likely wondered at least once what is the largest Chicken breed. The answer is easy: The Jersey Giant is the largest chicken breed. There are many other large chicken breeds, for […]
We all love our feathered friends, but how much do we know about their life? What happens after the egg is fertilized? What developmental stages do they go through? The chicken life cycle is explained here. How long do they live? We thought we would take the time to look at the life stages of […]
Chicken Roosts, you would think that there isn’t much to write about regarding roosting perches, right? As ‘seasoned’ poultry keepers, we sometimes are surprised by seemingly simple questions that new folks ask – but keep on asking! We take for granted things that we have found or worked out, maybe second nature to us, but […]
Read More… from Chicken Roosts: What Are Perches and Why Your Hens Need Them
I’m betting that some of you are already going ‘eww’ and have started scratching! The good news is that chicken mites live on chickens (in general) – not people. Although they can and will bite you, possibly causing local skin irritation. If left untreated, mites can be extremely harmful to your chickens and can even […]
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The vast majority of chickens have chicken combs, but why is that? It is a very unique and important part of the chicken, as we shall learn. Scientists found the first ‘combs’ on the dinosaur remains of the Edmontosaurus (one of the last dinosaurs on Earth). Today we will explore exactly why chickens have combs, […]
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Did you know that chickens can produce over 24 distinct sounds/calls? If you answered yes – you are right, but do you know what each of them means? Research has shown us that they talk about a lot of things – from food to danger. They can combine these noises to make even more ‘dialog’ […]
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Egg binding is a serious problem and can lead to the death of the hen. Many times though, with proper intervention and care, hens can go on to live a good, long life giving you lots of nutritious eggs! An egg-bound chicken has unique symptoms which you can easily spot if you know what to […]
Chicken nesting boxes aren’t essential for hens to lay eggs. They can (and do) lay where they feel secure. The nesting box is essential for you, the flock keeper, unless you enjoy searching the yard, outbuildings, and under every bush or overhang for eggs! In this article, we cover the basics of nesting boxes, including […]
Read More… from Chicken Nesting Boxes 101 and 13 Best DIY Plans