Two days into a recent hatch and I had to revive a weak chick and then another! The hatch was sporadic. We had eight broody hens. There was no schedule to the hatch. The eggs were started sporadically and I was out of town. While I was away, new eggs were gathered by the broody hens! It was a bit out of control. One hen out of the eight allowed me to move her to the nursery. The other broody hens had a fit about being moved and so I put them back in the coop where they continued to brood. I … [Read more...]
Grubs and Mealworms Can Help with Molting
Chickens love grubs and mealworms. Feeding these high protein dried insect treats during molting, increases the protein fed to the flock. Increasing the protein is one of the positive things you can do to help the chickens recover quickly and easily from the hard, seasonal, fall molt. Take a look at some of the facts about molting in chickens and why feeding grubs and mealworms to the birds is so beneficial. What is Molt in Chickens? During the seasonal or yearly molt, … [Read more...]
How to Choose Chicks for Your Flock
Is it time for you to choose chicks to add to your flock? Maybe you are going to choose chicks based on egg laying, or breed characteristics. Perhaps you are looking to increase one particular breed in your flock. When you get to the feed store, how do you make a decision on which chicks from the bin, should go home with you. What breeds will serve your purpose? And, what if you choose a rooster. There are some important considerations when choosing chicks from the bin. Before heading out, … [Read more...]
10 Wild Herbs for Chicken Health
Do you forage for wild herbs for chicken health for your flock? When we keep chickens in coops and runs, we have to provide the majority of the nutrition. Present day chicken keeping varies and the picture may be totally different than in days gone by. A few generations back, our grandparents kept chickens free ranging in the barnyard. Some chickens were kept in small backyards, roaming freely, eating all the bugs and wild herbs they could find. Those wild herbs for chicken health were a free … [Read more...]
Luxury Chicken Coop Upgrade
Our coop is a converted garden shed. It contains the basics of chicken life but no chicken coop upgrade. Slowly, we have added some upgrades and replacement parts, repaired windows, holes, and secured the flooring. No real luxury for the chicken coop, just a nice sturdy structure. I guess the chickens have been reading some lifestyle magazines because Whynnie's latest diary entry is a list of what the flock thinks is "necessary". Read what Whynnie feels are important features … [Read more...]
