Life on the Farm
Bielefelder chicks, like those of other autosex breeds, may be sexed at the time of hatch based on the color and markings of the chicks’ down. As is true for sex link chickens, the autosexing phenomenon takes advantage of genes...
Alektorophobia is the irrational fear of chickens, often stemming from past traumatic experiences. This anxiety disorder leads to extreme reactions, sometimes culminating in panic attacks at the mere thought of chickens. Treatment typically involves gradual exposure to chickens, although severe cases may require therapy. It remains underreported due to embarrassment among sufferers.
Lavender, or a sort of pastel slate blue, is one of the loveliest plumage colors in chickens. The color lavender is not common, primarily because of the breeding challenges involved. Still, several breeds come in lavender varieties, including Ameraucana, Marans,...
If you are considering getting ducks, you likely already have chickens. To help you understand the habits and needs of ducks, here are just of the many ways ducks differ from chickens. Brooding Requirements Ducklings in general are much hardier...
Numerous folk methods floating around the internet claim to accurately determine the sex of an egg before or during incubation. But do they work? Can you really sex an egg before it hatches? Technically the gender ratio of chicks at...
Chickens have been associated with people for so long that our language is peppered with idioms deriving from that association. Even city folks who have never seen a live chicken use such expressions, often without realizing what they actually mean....
Understanding whether or not vinegar in your chickens’ water promotes flock health requires first understanding pH. In case you missed, or forgot, this part of chemistry class, let’s start with a quick review. The pH Scale The acidity or alkalinity...
Chickens are just big birds. And bigger birds than chickens fly really well. So let’s find out why chickens don’t fly. Or at least why they don’t fly as well as, say, a hawk. Wing Loading The short answer is...
Dual-purpose chickens are the classic backyard breeds. Farmers, like my grandparents, kept them to produce both eggs and meat for sale, until the introduction of commercial hybrids developed solely as layers or solely as broilers. In commercial production both hens...
Marek’s disease is so common you can assume your chickens have it, even if they don’t show any signs. But while some chickens resist Marek’s disease, others succumb. The question is: Why? What is Marek’s Disease? Marek’s disease is the...
