How Long Will A Chicken Stay Broody?

“I know you’ve addressed this topic before but I’d like to know how long a chicken will stay broody. I’ve got one that’s going on six weeks. There’s no roosters. Just eleven hens. I most always let them out to wander the backyard at night for an hour or two before sunset. I’ve been throwing…

Continue Reading →

Insulating Chicken Coop Walls & Ceiling…

“Hi Wendy and Duncan, thank you so much for all the time and serious effort you put into answering questions and circulating this newsletter. We live in the South of the South island in New Zealand (a fabulous place) and have a temperate climate. A cold winter sees us having maybe a dozen frosts to…

Continue Reading →

Light Movable Chicken Coop Fence – Movable Chicken Enclosures…

“I have heard of a light moveable coop fence for giving chickens some time to forage out in the yard. We have 10 chickens. Where could we find a plan to make such a fence?” ~ Elinore Hi Elinore, Thanks for the question. There are many options for movable chicken enclosures but if you don’t…

Continue Reading →

What Is An “Egg Mobile”?

“I’ve heard the term “egg mobile”, could you tell me more about the concept? Sincerely” ~ Dave in Wichita, Kansas Hi Dave, Thanks for the question. I wanted to answer both yours and Elinore’s question this week because some people confuse the two ideas. An “egg mobile” is a concept touted (and it think developed)…

Continue Reading →

Shipping Chicken Eggs Overseas…

“I thoroughly enjoy your newsletters, please keep them coming! I live in Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa. I keep a variety of chickens and ducks – in my backyard – I call them my living lawn ornaments. There appears to be a shortage of good breeding stock of Buff Orpingtons, Rhode Island reds, Faverolles, Turkens…

Continue Reading →

Delayed Chick Hatching

“I just hatched out my first batch of eggs from an incubator. I have only had chickens for about a year, so I’ve been reading your newsletter to find out how to take care of them. The incubator instructions said to discard eggs after 25 days, so on day 26 I started to throw out…

Continue Reading →

Oak Trees, Acorns, & Chickens…

“First of all I would like to say how much I like the newsletter. I look forward to receiving it. I have about eight chickens in my garden, the coop will have a covered run of eighteen feet long by six feet wide and six foot six high. The problem I have is that near…

Continue Reading →

Egg Production in Bantam Hens…

“I am a suburbanite and although chickens are legal I have limited space for my coop. Therefore, I am curious about bantam breeds and wonder if any have been breed for egg production (quantity and/or size), or do we just assume that their production will mirror the larger breed for which they represent in miniature?…

Continue Reading →