There are a number of ways to pick up and hold a hen, but being chickens as they are, catching is altogether a different subject! It is important to hold a hen the correct way for the following reasons: – It is easier to verify the absence of lice, injuries and administer medication. – It … Lire la suite How to handle a chicken
It is widely believed that one can simply add new additions to an existing flock without any repercussions – we assume that they will get along just fine. This is very far from the truth, as any experienced keeper will tell you! Chickens are very social creatures – they are very susceptible to stressful situations … Lire la suite Introducing new hens into your flock
Here in this part of France, October is a fairly quiet month when it comes to chickens at home. There is not a great deal to do aside from the usual maintenance jobs, the redmite season is just about over and the leaves are starting to fall which the chickens simply love. Its a very … Lire la suite October: The Start of Chicken Season
Every year birds renew their feathers, either partially or totally. This means that their old feathers fall out and new ones grow in. The old feathers can either fall out in one go, leaving them bald, or a little at a time. From my experience this just depends on the individual, the climate and their … Lire la suite The moult
A short but handy article this week! A very regular question that comes up, especially in Spring and Autumn, is « when will my pullets start laying eggs »? What is a point-of-lay pullet? A point-of-lay pullet is a female chicken that is fully grown and is about to start laying her first eggs. Honest sellers will … Lire la suite Point of lay pullet – is she ready to lay?
Evolution – the egg came first! Our beloved hens have secrets, many of which we will never know! But one we do know is – your favourite flock of feathered friends are proven direct descendants of dinosaurs and more specifically, the Tyranosauras Rex! What’s even more surprising, after attending many a dinosaur display over the … Lire la suite The Fascinating Evolution of Chickens from Dinosaurs
What is the crop? The crop is a muscular sac located at the base of the hen’s neck, which stores food for the day and can sometimes be impacted or have a bacterial imbalance. Sour crop Caused by moldy food, this phenomenon is noticeable when handling the crop. It’s soft and full of liquid, instead … Lire la suite Problems with the crop
Some of the jargon used in relation to poultry can sound like a foreign language, so here’s a little guide to help you! General terminology Breed related terminology Hybrids often have a handy sex-link gene making it easy to sex day-old chicks by colour. The parents are often opposing colours (white/black) to one another, so … Lire la suite Essential Poultry Terminology: A Beginner’s Guide
Usually in the form of a scab on the sole of the foot in the centre, this can be caused by jumping off a high perch onto hard ground on a regular basis. Symptoms can be nothing at all to favouring one leg or limping. Treatment is straight forward but takes some time to recover. … Lire la suite Bumblefoot
As a chicken keeper, you will certainly have noticed that your flock has character, especially as individuals but as a group too! One problem you may have had the pleasure of experiencing is hens roosting in the nest box, or perhaps even on top of the henhouse. This is especially noticeable when they first arrive … Lire la suite Why Chickens Roost Outside and How to Prevent It
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