Backyard chickens can stand very cold temperatures and most breeds don’t normally have any problems getting through a UK winter providing they have shelter available from wind and rain and sufficient food which they turn into energy to keep warm. There are however a number of things to consider as …
Keeping chickens is a lot of fun but as winter approaches, it’s important for poultry keepers to think ahead a little. Whilst it seems a long way off yet, winter can be a very difficult time for us and for our birds. With the cold, dark mornings and dark evenings, …
Artificial Lighting can keep your chickens laying as daylight hours fall and as most of us know, egg production from all birds is linked to changing patterns of daylight. Hens for example that are kept under natural daylight hours will lay the majority of their eggs during the spring and summer …
Chickens are kept in almost every country in the World and can survive in some very cold environments with just a little care from us. A common question I hear from chicken keepers in the UK is “Can Chickens Handle the Cold Weather?” Or “Will my Chickens Survive in the …
This month, I am extremely pleased to welcome Jeremy Hobson to our blog. Jeremy is the author of numerous poultry books and magazine articles about poultry keeping which have taught me so much over the years.
Although Jeremy may be no spring chicken himself, (Jeremy’s words not mine…!) here he suggests some ways of preparing for and ensuring healthy, early, chicks from your breeding stock.
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm is located in Alberta, Canada. During the winter the temperature can drop as low as -45C. Specialist care is of course required. I’m pleased to welcome Tara Higgins as a guest post this week to share her tips for looking after bantam ducks in these …
How much shelter should you provide chickens with, in addition to the chicken house? Chickens can be quite sensible when it starts to rain and most chicken breeds are relatively hardy but you will still need to give them some form of shelter in addition to the hen house so they can shelter …
Getting ready to keep the chickens together over the winter months.
Frostbite or a frozen comb usually affects the male of breeds with larger combs, the Leghorn being a classic example. It causes the tips of the comb to turn black and in time, drop off. Fertility during the next season can be affected although in mild cases doesn’t seem to be …
There can be several reasons why chickens have stopped laying but with a little bit of detective work, you can normally work out why your birds aren’t laying. Generally speaking, all chickens will stop laying when they go through a moult as the protein that was being used to produce …
