Chickens is a trusted resource for information on the nutrition, health and wellbeing of these delightful birds, as well as the care, collection and consumption of their eggs. Includes timeless "how-to's", valuable advice, and entertaining photos.
Q. During the summer months, I give my chickens lots of vegetable garden trimmings, yard weeds and the like. Plus, they can get out to free-range on the grass, so they find their own bugs and seeds. What do you suggest that I feed them in the winter besides their regular layer feed? A. Chickens, like all of us, enjoy a snack on occasion! There’s nothing wrong with supplementing their diet with a wide variety of healthy foods. I personally like to give my chickens a little treat every day, usually in the late afternoon after they’ve filled up on their layer feed. And feeding seasonal treats is a good idea, which can save you money. I love all the free treats available for them such as bug-eaten leaves or…
Some sources say the Lakenvelder breed was developed near the border of Holland & Germany during the early 19th century. Others argue that it has a far more ancient lineage, possibly having ancestors related to the first domestic chickens. The breed first arrived in America around 1900 and was admitted into the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection in 1939. Lakenvelder’s contrast of black & white feathers resemble a dark shadow cast on a white sheet. The Lakenvelder’s head, neck, saddle & tail have rich black plumage, while its body is a brilliant white. This type of color contrasting is sometimes referred to as a “belt.” The breed is quick to mature, yet its distinctive plumage and markings usually take until the third molting to fully appear. Atop the Lakenvelder’s…
Aren’t vending machines great? You pop in some change, poke a button and a well-balanced, healthy snack drops out — well, a snack of some kind! At least you can rest assured that unlike mints in a bowl at a restaurant’s check-out desk, no one has pawed all over them. So why can’t chicken feeders work like vending machines? It seems like when they’re hungry, hens should be able to poke a button and have well-balanced, healthy snacks drop out. And because you’re the vendor of this vending machine, you can make sure that the snacks are, in fact, calibrated to deliver nutritious pellets of chicken feed. And what if this well-stocked vending machine also: • worked better than a conventional gravity- fed feeder, • was easy to keep clean…
Gather everything before starting this project. • one or more 5-gallon bucket (or larger plastic container if you have numerous chickens). • two galvanized eyebolts (4-by- 1/4 inch). • two champagne corks • something from which to suspend the bucket so the corks are about head-high to a chicken: either a 4-inch galvanized hook like you’d use to suspend a porch swing or a folding bucket holder • bit that allows you to predrill holes for the hook or bucket holder • power drill. • a 3/16-inch drill bit for the corks and a3/4-inch spade bit for the eyebolt holes • pliers to hold the corks while you drill them if you’re not comfortable holding them with your hand…
The 5-gallon buckets used for making feeders and waterers are pretty tough, and they’ll last a long time if mounted on a stand or suspended from a bucket holder. I like using the blue buckets from Lowe’s because the darker color doesn’t show dirt like a white bucket. But the plastic is a bit thinner and can tear where the handle meets the bucket. If you want to save some money by suspending your buckets by the handle on a hook as we do, you’ll want to add a couple of washers to each bucket to strengthen them. Here’s how. The points where the ends of the metal handle meet the plastic sides of the bucket can tear over time. You can reinforce these two points by turning the bucket…
When the first issue of Chickens rolled off the printer back in the spring of 2010, I was a bachelor living in California with no kids and no plans to have any. I’m now happily married, living back in Indiana where I grew up, with the two best boys anyone could ever have the privilege of raising (chips off the old block!). One thing is still constant: Good poultry-keeping information is still good poultry-keeping information. So we thought it would be fun to go through each issue and find some great tips to share. So whether this is your first issue or you’ve been with us for every one, here are some informative nuggets from the past decade of Chickens magazine. — Roger Sipe, editor Overcoming Common Problems Keep a…
