Laws on Keeping Chickens
Although most UK laws are aimed at the commercial poultry sector, we still have to follow several regulations. In the US there is a lot of variation between cities.
Breeding in Numbers
Whether you are an experienced poultry breeder or relatively new to the hobby, there are some common factors which have to be learnt in order to improve your stock. The principle factor in breeding is the ‘art of selection.’ This basically means acquiring the knowledge to understand what is and what isn’t desirable when assessing the […]
Avian Leukosis
Whilst we are all very familiar with Marek’s disease, causing tumours in chicken flocks, Avian Leukosis disease is another tumour causing virus that can have equally devastating effects. Avian leukosis virus belongs to a family of viruses called retroviruses. Included in this family are bovine leukosis (affecting cattle), feline leukosis (affecting cats) and HIV. Note that […]
Red Top Fly Traps
The Red Top Fly Trap was something I discovered a couple of years ago and now buy half a dozen of these every year to control the number of flies around the garden and my poultry pens and houses that are spread across an acre of land.
An Introduction To Poultry Plumage
Grant Brereton, a lifelong poultry breeder, is an internationally acclaimed authority on poultry plumage genetics and has written a book and several e-books on the subject. Here, he looks at where it all began. Black and red When learning about poultry plumage there is only one starting point: the Red Jungle Fowl, assumed to be […]
Lameness and Leg Problems
Lameness and leg problems can occasionally occur in poultry, and there are various reasons these can occur. Start by catching the bird as quickly and calmly as possible. A catching net can really help in large areas, but you can use the corner of a run to catch a bird quickly, especially if there are […]
Diarrhoea in Backyard Chickens
Alongside respiratory disease- diarrhoea is one of the most common conditions to affect chickens kept on smallholdings or in domestic situations such as the back garden. The causes of diarrhoea in poultry Before we look at causes of diarrhoea it is worth mentioning that a normal bird dropping should be firm and brown with a […]
Antibiotic Use In Back Yard Poultry
I am a layman when it comes to veterinary science. I have no qualifications in this field, so this information should naturally be taken as a ‘view’ and part of your overall research into what is best for your poultry. Antibiotics are a fairly common treatment given to poultry on prescription to treat a variety […]
Gardening with Chickens and Other Poultry
Pammy Riggs, author of ‘Keeping Chickens’ for Dummies looks at gardening with chickens and other poultry.
Success with Chickens Book Review
Jeremy Hobson is certainly no newcomer to the world of poultry, having kept chickens for over 40 years and this is evident in his writing. Jeremy offers very practical advice to chicken keepers and Success with Chickens is both an enjoyable read and useful reference book for newcomers to the hobby…
The Beginner’s Guide to Keeping Geese
This beginners guide to keeping geese will take you, step by step, through the basics of keeping geese, whether you are wondering whether geese are the right choice for you or if you have already purchased your geese and want to learn more.
Beginner’s Guide to Keeping Ducks
Keeping a few domestic ducks in the garden is growing in popularity. In this beginner’s guide to keeping ducks, I will cover all the basics you’ll need to consider before getting ducks.
The History of Aylesbury Ducks
The white Aylesbury is, and deservedly, a universal favourite. Its snowy plumage and comfortable comportment make it a credit to the poultry yard, while its broad and deep breast and its ample back, convey the assurance that its satisfaction will not cease at its death. In parts of Buckinghamshire, England, this member of the duck […]
Suprelorin Implant For Chickens
The suprelorin implant was originally designed to induce temporary infertility in male dogs but strangely also stops chickens laying for anything up to six months. With my two implant girls it was a three month and two month respite from egg laying demands. It is therefore ideal for prolapses or other egg issues, such as peritonitis, […]
Keeping Call Ducks
At one time Call Ducks were known as Decoys and were fed or tethered at the entrance to long traps. Their loud calling would entice wild ducks into the traps which would then be caught for commercial use. Calls have been known in Britain since the 1850’s and was one of the first few breeds […]
Grandpa’s Feeders Review
Feeding chickens is a straight forward task and there are of course a number of different feeders available for the poultry keeper, whatever the flock size. The challenge soon becomes ensuring that your chickens are the ones getting the food and not the local squirrel, crow, rook, pigeon, rat or mouse population!
Omlet Chicken Netting Review
In this Equipment Focus, I look at Omlet chicken netting that is a portable solution that can be used to keep your chickens inside an area to free-range or to keep them out of an area of your garden like the vegetable patch!
Chocolate Orpingtons
The Chocolate Orpington is a relatively new colour of Orpington and currently to my knowledge only exists in bantam size although I’m sure it won’t be long before they are crossed into large fowl.
Breeding Tips for Marans
This article has some breeding tips for Marans chickens to obtain the right colour and quantity of dark brown eggs. The Marans (and please note they are called ‘Marans’ after the port town in Charente Maritime, France, not ‘Maran’ as you will see written on many webpages) is one of a few breeds that lays beautiful chocolate […]
Drinking Water Quality and Dehydration
Water is so important for the correct digestion and the overall health of chickens and other poultry so really shouldn’t be over-looked. Water is THE most important nutrient in a bird’s diet. Half of a bird’s body is made up of water and eggs are made up of around 65% water. Clean, fresh drinking water […]