Christine Heinrichs outlines some of the many different poultry organizations available nationwide to help young folks learn more about poultry care and feeding. Kids are attracted to chickens from the first time they hear the story of the Little Red Hen.  Poultry organizations can help them build those attractions into solid life paths. Additionally, poultry […]

Raising Cornish Cross birds for meat? Learn the math of planning ahead to budget for feed, and track your bird’s weight gains. This is part of a series of articles on Cornish Cross broiler management. Here are links to the other parts of the series: Cornish Cross History Setting up for Cornish Cross Success Setting […]

Newcastle disease is a highly contagious poultry virus. Learn signs, symptoms, prevention and control for the health and safety of your flock.   The number of backyard chicken enthusiasts has exploded in recent months. Hatcheries and feed stores across the country have seen sales for chicks to first-time customers skyrocket. But many poultry experts are […]

It’s about time to incubate spring chicks. Learn more about what dandling is and what you can expect to see. -Advertisement- Candling is the process of shining a concentrated beam of light through the shell of a developing egg to gather details about the embryo inside.   What is a “Candler” A variety of specialized […]

Interested in free-ranging your chickens? Make smart choices and keep your birds safe with these tips from Jonathon Engels. Many chicken owners, especially of the backyard ilk, would prefer to have their birds live free and enjoy a life that few hens ever do. But in reality, that’s not the way it goes. Like chickens, […]

Chickens needs baths too, but they prefer dust. Liz Fulghum shares her tips and tricks to help your birds exfoliate and dislodge insects. If you’re new to chickens, you may have noticed your flock digging a shallow ditch in a sunny spot and then rolling around, getting all down and dirty. They may puff themselves […]

Easily process Cornish Cross broilers with this clever and usable setup from Anne Gordon. This article is Part 4 of an ongoing series on Cornish Cross Chickens. Here are links to other parts in the series: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Perhaps the greatest distinction between Cornish Cross broilers and layer chickens is how […]

Chickens are one of the easiest livestock to take care of, but did you know there are different ways to feed your chickens other than with regular chicken feed? While you can buy chicken feed at the farm store, or even make your own, there are ways you can cut down on the cost of feed. […]

Insulate, Clean, and Cover: Winterizing Your Coop The cold winter months bring many new challenges to backyard chicken keepers, particularly regarding the safety and well-being of your flock. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to face these challenges head-on without too much difficulty. Not only that, but the same steps you can take to […]

Part of our Breed Profiles series, the Buckeye is a dual-purpose bird with gorgeous dark-red plumage. History For those of you who know that Ohio is call the Buckeye State after the tree, you won’t be surprised to learn that the Buckeye chicken breed was originally developed by Nettie Metcalf of Warren, Ohio, in 1896. […]