Chicken Keeping Secrets

“I intend to keep chickens in 2009 for the first time in an area of the garden that has never had any poultry on it before and I will buy pullets. Can you tell me how the chickens might get red mites or lice if they are ‘clean’ at the time of purchase? Thanks.” ~ David Brown

This week’s article may not be for the faint of heart but it’s important for all of us who are keeping chickens.

We’re going to be talking about poultry mites and lice. I must confess that just thinking about mites and lice gives me the heebie-jeebies and makes me start to itch. If you’re like me, I’d suggest not reading this article just before it’s time for bed or you’ll be scratching all night long. But it’s important that we cover this so that you can be informed about these little critters and how to care for your chickens. (more…)

So you’ve chosen your model and you have your incubator. You’ve decided where to locate it and you’ve thoroughly cleaned it. Now is the time to make sure everything is working properly before you set your eggs. You’ll remember from last week that there are two types of incubators; still-air and forced-air.

Each type will require a different temperature. The manufacturers instructions will tell you the correct temperature required for their model. Usually however, a forced-air model requires a temperature around 99-100 degrees and a still-air model requires a temperature around 100-102 degrees to compensate for the layering of temperatures within the unit. Again, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions very carefully so that you’ll have the greatest success. (more…)

This week in our “Basics” series, we’ll talk about chicken egg incubators and what type would work best for you. There are incubators available for sale that will handle whatever needs or future plans you may have. They can handle anywhere from a few eggs up to 75,000. There are kerosene or oil models available but most models are run on electricity. Each model runs a little differently so it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully… (more…)

Each week I answer a readers question in this space. Sometimes I try to thoroughly answer a question a lot of people are asking. This week I’m going to answer a number of questions asked by many of you. The answers don’t require too much explanation. Maybe you’ll find something in here that you’ve been wondering…

“Can hens lay eggs without a rooster?”

Yes, the hen will ovulate with or without a rooster. A rooster is only necessary if you want to have fertile eggs and hatch chicks.

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I hope you all had a great week, let’s get started talking about broody hens. The easiest way to hatch eggs is to let your hen sit on them. She keeps them at the perfect temperature and naturally incubates them. When a hen decides that it’s time to start a family, it’s called going broody. (more…)