Happy Bird
What is more delightful than watching contented chickens dust bathe, forage and scratch in the dirt? You can help keep your birds jolly by providing enrichment and a healthy environment for play.
This section will discuss topics such as:
Understanding pecking order
How to determine if your chicken is stressed
Creative ways to keep chickens engaged
LATEST BLOG POSTS ON THIS TOPIC:
Keeping Your Flock Cool: Assessing and Reducing Heat Stress in Backyard Chickens
Just like us humans, heat stress can be a major concern for backyard chickens. Poultry, particularly chickens, are susceptible to heat-related issues, which can lead to reduced egg production, poor growth, and even fatalities if not properly managed. Understanding how to assess and reduce heat stress is essential to ensure the health and well-being of your flock. In this article, we'll delve into the basics of identifying heat stress in chickens and implementing effective measures to keep your feathered friends cool and content. Identifying Heat Stress in Chickens Chickens are most comfortable in temperatures between 65°F to 75°F (18°C
Don’t Judge your Chickens…Unless of course you are a Chicken Judge
Judging chickens is a fascinating skill that requires a keen eye, attention to detail, and a deep understanding of poultry standards. Whether you're a backyard chicken enthusiast or aspire to participate in poultry shows, knowing a little about the basic of poultry judging is a good skill to have. In this article, we will delve into the basics of judging chickens, providing a comprehensive guide for beginners to start their journey in the captivating world of poultry evaluation. If you really get interested in poultry judging, get in touch with your local 4-H and FFA chapters to start participating
Good Riddance to Rickets
Causes of Rickets Rickets in humans’ chickens and every other animal that gets rickets is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin D3, phosphorus, or imbalance between Calcium and Phosphorus. Of all these, a deficiency of Vitamin D3 is the most common, and that is often secondary to bad feed that has been depleted of fat-soluble vitamins including Vitamin D. Ultimately, rickets usually occurs due to improper nutrition which results in poor skeletal calcification. Signs and Symptoms In chickens, rickets typically causes soft and pliable or rubbery bones and beaks that appear deformed. You can see this and other clinical
Promoting Positive Behaviors and Reducing Negative Behaviors
Whether you are a chicken, parrot, parakeet or human, we are all products of our environment. If you have an environment that has adequate shelter, food and water, most likely you and your pet birds will be happy and healthy. Promote Positive Behaviors Just like with human kiddos it’s good to offer enrichments at an early age. No matter what type of pet bird(s) you have, try to make sure your birds can do the following: Fostering foraging/pecking/scratching Foraging and scratching (when birds look for food by “scratching” the ground with both feet) for food is a
Digestive Issues in Chickens
We all want to make sure our chickens are happy and healthy. Just like us humans, diet and nutrition are essential for the overall health of chickens. The following article focuses on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of chickens and how best to keep our birds happy and healthy with respect to diet and nutrition. Gastrointestinal Tract of a Chicken From start to end, a chicken’s digestive tract is quite different than our own, though there are some analogous parts between our two species. The chicken picks up food with its beak and secretes saliva to help moisten the
Setting Up a Brooder
The goal of the brooder is to simulate the environment that would normally be present for chicks after hatching. In other words, the brooder keeps your chicks safe, warm, fed and watered. Big picture, your brooder should: Be free from drafts but have good ventilation to prevent ammonia build-up Prevent rodents and predators from access Warm and cozy Have access to proper feed and clean water Have bedding like rice hulls or wood shavings Here are a few other handy brooder hints: Brooder Space Set up your brooder space as a ring with approximately 0.5-1.0 square feet per