Chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese and more!
Poultry
My Journey to Backyard Chickens
Renee writes her first Meyer Hatchery Blog and talks about how she began with her backyard chickens. It’s not what you would expect!
Chicken Egg Anatomy 101
As an Agriculture teacher one of my favorite topics to teach about is poultry. There are so many topics and discussions to cover that I could teach a year round class on poultry alone and would not be able to cover everything. With that being said, I do believe it is important to understand the anatomy of the egg itself.
Breed Spotlight: The Delaware
The Delaware chicken breed has a rich history that begins in the early 1940’s in Ocean View, Delaware. Learn more about the Delaware here!
Chick Genetics: Auto-sexing versus Sex-linked Hybrid Breeds
The desire to have as many female chicks as possible is so great that there are specific breeds of chickens that have been bred so that the flock owner or hatchery can determine the gender of day-old chicks more easily. Breeds that are either autosexing breeds or sex-linked hybrid breeds produce chicks that are slightly different colors between the genders at hatch.
Crooked Toes in Chickens: Causes and Treatment
Crooked or bent toes in chicks can be an unsightly condition, but in the majority of cases, having bent toes does not affect the chicken’s ability to live a completely normal life. Crooked or bent toes (bending sideways) is different from a condition called curled toes paralysis (toes curl under causing the bird to walk on the top of the foot). Here are a few reasons when and why your chicks may develop curled or bent toes and how to treat them.
Breed Spotlight: The Rhode Island Red
The Rhode Island Red originated in Little Compton, Rhode Island in the mid 1800’s, making it one of the oldest American-bred chicken breeds. It began in farmers’ homestead flocks, where a highly productive egg layer was needed, but whose excess roosters could still dress out as decent table birds.
Frizzle Presentation in Poultry: Why Isn't My "Frizzle" Chick Frizzled?
The frizzle feathering sometimes found in chickens is a rare occurrence, and therefore highly desired in some breeds. Here is an overview of how the frizzle feather mutation occurs and why not all chicks sold as frizzles will have frizzled feathers.
Crazy Chicken Lady Starter Kit Buying Guide
I think at one time or another, every crazy chicken lady was once an onlooker, wondering what all of the hype over chickens is about. Perhaps it started with an innocent desire to have fresh eggs in one’s own backyard, or an interest in a unique pet. But eventually many of us cannot stop at just a “few” chickens.
Why Some “Blue” Feathered Chicken Breeds May Not Always Look Blue
One of the most enjoyable things about keeping chickens is the vast range of different colors and patterns that the chicken breeds can display, allowing us all to have a beautiful flock. But in a few breeds, the chick you receive in your flock may grow up to not resemble the breed’s photo on our website or in our catalog. Here’s an explanation of why the blue chicken breeds will also have black and splash chicks as possible color variations you may receive.
Cleaning and Storing Your Chickens’ Freshly Laid Eggs
Cleaning is not always necessary, as freshly laid eggs have a protective layer called the “bloom”, that seals out bacteria and allows the eggs to last longer outside of the refrigerator. Consider this when deciding where you’ll be storing them.
Always try to provide fresh bedding for your hens to help keep eggs cleaner (and keep your girls happier also!) Fresh bedding will not always guarantee cleanliness, but will give you a better probability.
What Are Pullet Eggs?
A pullet is a hen who is under one year and has only been laying an egg for about a few months. Generally pullets will lay their first egg between week 18 and 24, however, depending on the time of year you receive your chicks, this may take a little bit longer. A pullet will lay this smaller sized egg for about 4 weeks before they start to get bigger.
Using the Incredible Egg Washer Kit: Clean Eggs Sell!
You can certainly use plain hot tap water to wash the eggs, but I have found the Incredible Egg Washer kit to be a much more effective and efficient way to clean the eggs. Since I have a large flock and gather about 60 eggs a day, I was spending about 30 minutes hand washing each egg at my kitchen sink.
5 Dual Purpose Breeds to Consider
Dual purpose chickens are a great addition to any flock. A dual purpose breed is one that lays eggs consistently as well as being a breed that can be a meat provider. Dual purpose breeds are commonly a heavy breed, and are hardy as well. Here are some excellent dual purpose chicken breeds.
High Production Layers Are Top Choices for Small Flock Owners
For many small farm owners, having a steady supply of eggs is one of the top reasons for owning a flock of backyard chickens. We want to highlight three of our top-producing layer breeds for you to consider adding to your flock. One of the highest producing layer...
How To Brood Broad-Breasted Turkey Poults
Brooding day old poults is very much like brooding day old chicks but with a few little adjustments to ensure the health and well being of your new little ones. Most often poults will be fully feathered and will be ready to move into their outdoor housing around 6-7 weeks of age.
Why Is My Hen Not Laying? Reasons Why You May See a Decline in Egg Production
There are several reasons why you may experience a decrease in your flock’s egg production. Most of the reasons fall into a few broad categories: hen health, age and nutrition or environmental factors. Let’s explore some of the most common reasons why hens slow down or stop laying eggs altogether.
Chicken Math, Explained
Whether you are new to chicken keeping or a seasoned veteran, chances are you have heard the term chicken math. Chances are even higher than you have calculated some of your own chicken math, even if you were not aware of it!
3 Great Reasons to Keep a Rooster in Your Flock
I’m absolutely in love with having a few roosters in my flock. If you live in an area where roosters are allowed, I want to persuade you to keep one in your flock too. Here are the top 3 reasons why I keep a rooster around (or three!).
