Table of contents for January - February 2025 in Chickens

From her earliest days as a chick, Joan was different and just a tad — well, more than a tad — bossy and aggressive. When my wife Elaine and I would place feed in the brooder where we kept our heritage Rhode Island Red chicks, Joan would charge forward with the little cockerels to eat first. As Joan grew older, she took to rushing her female flock mates, much in the same way the little cockerels would charge at each other and engage in mock battles. By the time she was 12 weeks old, Joan was the undisputed female leader of the flock. It was around that time that this pullet received her name. We name all our chickens, and Elaine is in charge of giving appellations to the hens,…

A chicken’s constitution — that is, the state of its health — largely depends on the owner’s ability to care for its needs. In the lifelong pursuit of health and happiness, a chicken will produce best when it has access to high-nutrient feed, participates in natural chicken behaviors and lives in a low-stress environment, which includes its breed’s suitability for its environment. Temperatures can vary greatly within defined regions of the United States, from state to state and city to city. Because extreme temperatures are the greatest threat to flocks, those extremes are what chicken-keepers must prepare for every summer and winter. In Northern winters, flocks need protection from biting cold. In Southern summers, chickens need salvation from sweltering heat. Almost everywhere in-between, chicken-keepers must learn to protect their flocks…

In winter, be sure to keep a shovel handy to clear paths and the coop entrace. CLEAR PATHWAYS: Use a shovel to clear the way from your house to your henhouse. Scatter sand (not salt) over the whole path, particularly each endpoint, to promote traction and inhibit ice buildup. A snow-free walkway takes the drudgery out of reaching your chickens, especially when the rest of your yard is under three-foot drifts. An added bonus: on sunny days, your birds can get some much-needed exercise on the path. My husband, Jae, uses our snowblower to create a loop leading from our deck out to and between each of our coops. This pathway makes hauling feed and water much easier for me, and going for winter strolls much easier for our girls.…

“How do I avoid getting sick?” is a common question when folks consider keeping chickens, but you can get poultry without getting sick with some basic precautions. First-time flock owners sometimes feel completely lost, as though they’ve been tossed into an ocean without knowing how to swim. It’s a common sentiment, one shared even by those you’d expect to be experts when it comes to raising chickens. Mike reached out to me over Easter weekend. He felt it was the perfect time to talk chicks. Not only does he come from a long line of chicken keepers — his parents, grandparents and great-grandparents all kept breeding flicks — but Mike has a leg up on other poultry owners. He’s a veterinarian with his own clinic in southern New Mexico. During…

Bantams are an excellent choice for beginners as their small bodies (about ⅓ the size of a standard chicken) and friendly dispositions make them perfect for first-time owners. Whether you’re looking for a fanciful pet or a good producer of tiny eggs, this list has something for everyone. Silkie The Silkie is a true bantam (meaning there is no standard-sized Silkie). Originating in Southeast Asia, the breed is believed to date back to the 13th century. Featuring silky fur in lieu of feathers, a pompom crest, beard and five toes (most breeds have four), this Asiatic breed is easy to recognize. Silkie chickens have a friendly, laid-back, and affectionate personality. Hens are fair layers, averaging two to four small white eggs weekly. AVERAGE LIFESPAN: 7 to 9 years HEALTH CONCERNS:…

Debate will always reign whether the chicken or the egg came first, but no one can dispute the importance of the egg in a hen’s life-cycle, nor the enjoyment of collecting fresh eggs. Whether a hen is young or old, egg production can also be an indicator of their health. Knowing about eggs can help you know more about your chickens, whichever came first. WHAT’S IN AN EGG? In a rather remarkable feat of nature, the egg is one of those rare food items produced in its own protective packaging. Every unfertilized egg has the same features inside: a yellow yolk, the albumen (known as the egg white), the chalaza connecting the albumen with the yolk and shell, a germinal disc for fertilization and the vitelline (or inner) membrane protecting…

Sausage and creamy Gouda come together to create a savory pancake that can be served for breakfast or dinner. Each serving is topped with poached or fried eggs and fresh basil. It’s a flavorful twist on a classic when you need a new idea for any meal of the day. SERVINGS: 4 INGREDIENTS 1½ cups buttermilk pancake mix 1½ cups chicken stock 1 large egg ¼ pound Italian or breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled ⅓ cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese 2 scallions, thinly sliced ½ teaspoon finely chopped basil leaves ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon salt butter or oil, for cooking pancakes 4 to 8 large eggs, poached or fried, for serving small basil leaves, for garnish PREPARATION Whisk together the pancake mix, chicken stock and the egg in…

By the time winter rolls around, many backyard chicken-keepers are in full flow about run enrichment, feed additives and frostbite. All of these are common issues that we deal with during the winter months, and each one certainly deserves our full attention. However, one thing that doesn’t get talked about as much but that is critically important to our chickens’ health is air quality in the chicken coop. Chickens have very delicate respiratory systems, and they’re a lot more vulnerable to respiratory illnesses than most other animals. One of the reasons for this is because of the air sacs in their lungs and throughout their bodies. These air sacs are essential for breathing but are thin-walled and very delicate. Mammals don’t have these specialized sacs. What’s so fascinating is that…

In summer of 2020, amid COVID-19 shutdowns and egg shortages, we needed a chicken vet. Holly’s regular vet was out of town and Chrisie’s vet was so busy that they couldn’t fit in clients for weeks. In a bizarre coincidence, we both had chickens that had serious crop infections that would not resolve without antibiotics and prescription-strength antifungal medications. After making many phone calls, Holly located an avian vet who would see poultry and welcomed new patients. Pleasantville Animal Hospital in Fallston, Maryland, was a 40-minute drive for her, but well worth it. Because of COVID restrictions, clients would wait in their cars for a vet tech to come out and retrieve the patients. The avian veterinarian, Rebecca Gouranis, would consult with clients over the phone, then come out and…

Buckeye chickens are uniquely American, and they make wonderful dual-purpose birds, bred for harvesting meat and providing eggs. They are the only American chicken developed by a woman and were bred specifically to thrive under harsh conditions. This makes them exceptional chickens for backyards, homesteads and breeders alike, and despite being nearly lost as a breed, as the commercial poultry industry saw no value in some heritage breeds, their versatility is rapidly being rediscovered by backyard and small-scale chicken-keepers. If you want large, beautiful birds that are good for meat and eggs, can withstand heat and cold, and are excellent foragers, then consider the breed from The Buckeye State! BUCKEYE BEGINNINGS In 1879, Nettie Metcalf of Warren, Ohio, began searching for a chicken that she could raise and sell to…

In the world of livestock, chickens are the easiest animal to raise on the farm or homestead and usually the starting point for most homesteaders. They’ve been called the gateway farming animal for their simplicity, accessibility and the amount of return for their care. In recent years, they’ve grown in popularity because many cities have lightened restrictions on keeping chickens. Today I offer one other homestead animal that rivals the chicken in ease of care: the rabbit. In general, rabbits are quite easy to care for, and we’ll explore the details of care for these adorable critters in this article. The good news is that chickens and rabbits can — and often do — cohabitate on a homestead harmoniously. With a few precautions, of course, you can reap the rewards…