Posts Tagged ‘everything chicken mel’

Raising-Chickens.org Newsletter #20

Welcome to all things Chicken!

COOP MAINTENANCE In the US, where we are based, the seasons are changing. In many areas some early cold fronts have moved in after unusually hot and dry months. With these changes in weather your chickens and local wild life are working to adapt. Chickens will be molting; losing many feathers and growing in new ones to protect them through winter. Wild life will be looking for a warm winter home that includes or is near a good food supply.

Colder weather can mean an increase in mice or rats that want to take advantage of free room and board at the chicken house. Both rats and mice are most active at night, so you may not see them, but should be looking for their tell-tale signs. Small to large holes chewed in wooden floors or walls, droppings and a sudden increase in chicken feed usage are the most common signs of rodents in the coop. The smell of the chicken house will change, too. Rodent droppings and urine can carry diseases or bacteria that can be deadly to chickens.

I recently did my summer’s end deep clean in the coop. I found some holes in the floor when I removed the old shavings. When I removed the damaged floor board I found an unusual number of chicken feathers that appeared to have been pulled under the coop to make a nice warm nest for the rodents. They were planning to stay a while.

Be very cautious if you decide to use traps or poisons to get rid of rodents. However you do it, you need to get rid of them or they will multiply out of control and affect the health and peace of mind of your chickens. Chicken feed is an ideal rodent feed, too, so you may want to raise the feeder at night. Just make sure someone will lower it each morning.

I was able to safely place rat and mouse poison under the floor boards of the coop as we made our repair. Wire around the base of the coop keeps chickens and most critters from going under. I’m making sure to check around the coop each morning for any dead rodents that chickens might eat.

Snapping mouse and rat traps can be placed in the coop by placing them under a crate or wire cage that will let rodents in, but not chickens. Chickens will be attracted to baited traps, sticky traps, poison baits or poisoned rodents. Be 100% sure your chickens can’t be harmed in the process of getting rid of rodents.

It’s important to repair any holes chewed by rodents. Checking for places that larger pests can gain access to your chickens is important all year, but especially now. Many chicken predators need to put on winter fat to keep warm and healthy. Chickens and their feed need good protection as temperatures get lower.

A clean coop will cut down on odors that can attract predators while increasing air quality. A thick layer of dry litter, like wood shavings or straw will help insulate the coop from cold temps, too. Coop floors should be raised off the ground, if possible. Make sure that the coop has some ventilation, but protects chickens from predators, wind, rain and drafts.

A leaky roof can cause frost bite and loss of chicken toes and feet when temps dip below freezing. Providing clean and dry wooden roosts or perches well off the floor will protect your chickens and their toes. Chickens forced to sleep on the ground or cold wire will be uncomfortable in the cold and may lose toes. For chickens that live on wire you can use straw or hay layers to keep toes warm and prevent frost bite and drafts.

Chicken feeders and feed storage must be kept dry to prevent spoiling. Even though chickens seem to be able to eat just about anything, moldy feed can make them very sick. You may want to provide a heat lamp at night for your chickens if they have large combs. The high combs of roosters and some hens may turn purple with temperatures below freezing, which is the first sign that warm blood is unable to flow and keep combs alive.

The second sign of frost bite is when comb tips turn black. This means that comb portion is dead and will not revive or grow back. This frost bite to the combs generally poses no health risk, but can make exhibition poultry unshowable.

In general, healthy mature chickens suited for the type of climate you experience should be able to winter without too much extra care. When choosing chicken breeds make sure your climate is good for them. The most important things you can do are to keep the coop environment clean, safe and dry, make sure you provide plenty of quality feed, enough room for all to roost and exercise and a clean water supply that won’t freeze.

For more tips on winter chicken care please check out our extensive library on the website. Did you know that egg production is affected by the number of daylight hours in many breeds? Did you know that you can maintain good egg production through fall and winter months with artificial lighting?

TRUE OR FALSE: Chickens can easily digest whole sunflower and safflower seeds, including the shell?

Please check out the web site http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3hRXC61x0VDKmgM&b=ndNSPo41sT_kh71z6EtMyw for more detailed information. See: Organic Chickens, Feeding Chickens, Meat Chickens , and our Chicken Sitemap and Questions for lots of healthy ideas for your chickens.

If you are interested in or already have backyard chickens, our web site offers much needed information that may help you avoid or solve problems. We have a library of over 1000 questions and answers from people all over the world, plus articles, that can help you get started learning what you need to know.

Stay tuned for our next newsletter!

Your Guide to Everything Chicken Mel www.raising-chickens.org, 101 Preston Court, Macon, GA. 31210

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?jJwsbEyMnLSsTByczCyszLRGtIxsDJwMLIzM

Raising-Chickens.org Newsletter #19

Welcome to all things Chicken!

Chicken Eggs

Over the decades eggs have been blamed for “bad” cholesterol problems in humans. If you are raising chickens, or thinking of keeping chickens for the pleasure of having your own fresh eggs, you’ve probably decided eggs are a healthy and natural food, as I have. How we keep and feed our chickens is what will make the quality of their eggs far superior to any eggs you can buy at your grocery store.

Over the last few years, with medical scares in my human family, I’ve become more and more interested in understanding what foods I should have in my diet and what foods to avoid. It’s been very interesting to learn that how the foods are prepared can be just as important as how foods, like eggs, are produced. Some studies show that consuming egg whites without any yolks can cause a dietary imbalance, though millions are consuming egg white omelets thinking they are doing the right thing.

The following link addresses some recent bad press that eggs have received concerning “bad” cholesterol, the type that can clog arteries, and offers good information, in my way of thinking, that shows some studies to be more accurate and complete than others.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3XiLlhSZEJDKmgM&b=5jMsh8Q0kG0DiB1g.hx_wA

Another form of bad press, which is now considered a medical “fact” is that consuming raw eggs is extremely dangerous due to the possibility of salmonella poisoning. Professional human Dieticians will command that no raw eggs should ever be consumed. Even veterinarians try to scare people from feeding raw eggs to cats and dogs because of the salmonella issue. I feed raw eggs to myself and my dogs and cats from my own healthy and free range chickens. I have done this for years and no salmonella here.

Removing any droppings from eggs is the best and safest way to reduce any potential salmonella risk in your own kitchen.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3XiLlhSZEJDKmgM&b=v_BvqgYLCYCHEWP.CfujPg

In my studies of more balanced and holistic information I’ve found that it’s cooked egg yolks that can potentially lead to bad cholesterol, because even good fats, such as olive oil and the good fats that can be in egg yolks, once cooked on high heat are difficult for our bodies to process, and may be more harmful than nutritional.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3XiLlhSZEJDKmgM&b=3kJ1sn9Q7nPkSF_jHDwM5g

Probably the most important thing I want to communicate is that educating ourselves, rather than relying on the latest scare tactics in the press, in how we feed our chickens and ourselves and pets, can help avoid making decisions based on incomplete or false information. In my opinion, the press is often overly anxious to throw the baby out with the bath water when it comes to eggs. If we dig a little deeper to understand the why of a matter, we can make healthier choices for ourselves and the animals in our care.

In no way do we pretend here to tell you what is safe and healthy for your human family, but rather offer what we believe may be a more accurate or alternative view that can help you choose what is best for yourself and those in your care; be they human, chicken or beloved pets.

Eggs have been a treasured and valuable food source of humans and other species for quite a long time. It’s possible that commercial egg production has created such an unnatural egg that buyers and consumers should be very concerned. As for healthy backyard chickens, family farm chickens, and humanely and organically raised commercial chickens, well, this is a different egg altogether.

Please check out the web site http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3XiLlhSZEJDKmgM&b=msZOBnUWg_Mo4Mb7Mq36MQ for more detailed information. See: Organic Chickens, Feeding Chickens, Meat Chickens , and our Chicken Sitemap and Questions for lots of healthy ideas for your chickens.

If you are interested in or already have backyard chickens, our web site offers much needed information that may help you avoid or solve problems. We have a library of over 1000 questions and answers from people all over the world, plus articles, that can help you get started learning what you need to know.

Stay tuned for our next newsletter!

Your Guide to Everything Chicken Mel www.raising-chickens.org, 101 Preston Court, Macon, GA. 31210

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?jJwsbEyMnLSsTByczCyszLRGtIys7EwczKwc

Raising-Chickens.org Newsletter #18

Welcome to all things Chicken!

Natural Chickens

Many terms are used these days to describe the housing, care and feeding of chickens. Chicken products use terms like: Organic, Free Range, Natural, Vegetarian, and Cage-free. The poultry industry works to reduce care and feeding costs, speed up the development of chickens through breeding and care methods, but most important is profit. In today’s economy feed prices can sky-rocket with droughts, poor growing seasons and rising fuel prices. How to balance quality and affordability can be an on-going process for the chicken industry as well as the family farm or back yard chicken keeper.

If you like the idea of raising natural chickens you’ll want to understand where chickens came from and how they live naturally. See our article on the Red Jungle Fowl, the ancestor of all domestic chicken breeds.

It saddens me to see chickens that live their lives on dirt or wire. A natural chicken spends much of the day searching through grasses and leaf litter of the jungle or forest floor and fields for seeds, tender shoots, bugs, worms, spiders, berries and fallen fruits, sometimes small reptiles and rodents, too. Chickens can eat ticks and other pesky creatures and devour insects that might eat plants we care about. Their digestive tract is designed to process it all with plenty of water and grit.

Processed feeds are made up of many things. Proteins, fats and starches are mashed, heated and turned into pellets and crumbles losing much of their quality and benefits during processing, storage and shipping. Vitamins, minerals and other supplements are added and help make up for what is lost in manufacturing. Processed feeds do provide needed calories and nutrition for chickens but are void of the benefits of live foods. I recommend both and always recommend to buy the best feeds you can afford.

Natural unprocessed seeds and grains are alive and contain enzymes and the potential to become a whole and reproductive plant, just as an egg we harvest from the hen house might have the potential to become a mature and healthy chicken. The more natural diet a hen can consume means eggs that are richer in health benefits for us or the chick that is to mature inside. Meat from naturally raised chickens is better for us, too.

Not everyone can go “organic”. Personally, I have great difficulty finding a steady supplier of organic chicken feed that is affordable. So, what’s the solution…..Allowing our chickens to free range. The more hours our chickens can spend searching through natural areas for foods they instinctively know are good for them, the healthier they and any products we hope to receive from them will be.

A natural chicken diet can be simulated by supplying readily available whole and nutrient valuable seeds like safflower and black oil sunflower, fruits and vegetables in season, and even chemical free grass clippings if we are unable to let our chickens roam. A varied diet is the most natural thing for a chicken.

Though a natural chicken diet might cost more in time and money, our reward can be healthier, happier chickens that live longer productive lives. What you might spend on feed or a bigger chicken yard you can save in medications and buying replacement chickens, while knowing you are getting the best quality eggs, and possibly chicks and meat from your flock.

Please check out the web site http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3ipeGJ0sNJDKmgM&b=pp8T_IJDuu9e5seHF1KKcg for more detailed information. See: Organic Chickens, Feeding Chickens, Meat Chickens , and our Chicken Sitemap and Questions for lots of healthy ideas for your chickens.

If you are interested in or already have backyard chickens, our web site offers much needed information that may help you avoid or solve problems. We have a library of over 1000 questions and answers from people all over the world, plus articles, that can help you get started learning what you need to know.

Previous Newsletter (click here)

Stay tuned for our next newsletter!

Your Guide to Everything Chicken Mel www.raising-chickens.org, 101 Preston Court, Macon, GA. 31210

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?jJwsbEyMnLSsTByczCyszLRGtIyszCxszCxM

Raising-Chickens.org Newsletter #17A

Just a reminder to all of you who are interested in learning more about Mila – the world’s healthiest whole raw food. What is Mila you ask? It is a nutrient dense, whole raw food packed with Omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, protein and phytonutrients! It is non-GMO, sugar-free, gluten-free, and trans-fat free. Mila – the miracle seed webinar will be on July 17th 2012 at 3 P.M. EST. To join the webinar please click on link below http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3Vk.Bvw.LZDKmgM&b=kkFoPAEuITPExhjTlX9gug Type name and city in the “Name” field; leave “Password” blank

Wednesday the 17th: 3:00 pm ET / 12:00 pm PT Hosted by Susan Stewart – Director

If you are interested in or already have backyard chickens, our web site offers much needed information that may help you avoid or solve problems. We have a library of over 1000 questions and answers from people all over the world, plus articles, that can help you get started learning what you need to know.

Previous Newsletter (click here)

Stay tuned for our next newsletter!

Got Chicken: New Auction Site catering to backyard chicken enthusiest. Raising-chickens.org has launched an auction site for the buying and selling of poultry and other domesticated birds.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3Vk.Bvw.LZDKmgM&b=8glnzZ7o70rXFGZNgirdGA

If you are interested in or already have backyard chickens, our web site offers much needed information that may help you avoid or solve problems. We have a library of over 1000 questions and answers from people all over the world, plus articles, that can help you get started learning what you need to know.

Previous Newsletter (click here)

Stay tuned for our next newsletter! Your Guide to Everything Chicken Mel www.raising-chickens.org, 101 Preston Court, Macon, GA. 31210

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?jJwsbEyMnLSsTByczCyszLRGtIysDCyMTGyc

Raising-Chickens.org Newsletter #17A

Just a reminder to all of you who are interested in learning more about Mila – the world’s healthiest whole raw food. What is Mila you ask? It is a nutrient dense, whole raw food packed with Omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, protein and phytonutrients! It is non-GMO, sugar-free, gluten-free, and trans-fat free. Mila – the miracle seed webinar will be on July 17th 2012 at 3 P.M. EST. To join the webinar please click on link below http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3msuMUblIZDKmgM&b=VTFgSGq2Q3n5KVRWNBLCNw Type name and city in the “Name” field; leave “Password” blank

Wednesday the 17th: 3:00 pm ET / 12:00 pm PT Hosted by Susan Stewart – Director

If you are interested in or already have backyard chickens, our web site offers much needed information that may help you avoid or solve problems. We have a library of over 1000 questions and answers from people all over the world, plus articles, that can help you get started learning what you need to know.

Previous Newsletter (click here)

Stay tuned for our next newsletter!

Got Chicken: New Auction Site catering to backyard chicken enthusiest. Raising-chickens.org has launched an auction site for the buying and selling of poultry and other domesticated birds.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3msuMUblIZDKmgM&b=rX8ZYh2MYcmyJjojjCVPcA

If you are interested in or already have backyard chickens, our web site offers much needed information that may help you avoid or solve problems. We have a library of over 1000 questions and answers from people all over the world, plus articles, that can help you get started learning what you need to know.

Previous Newsletter (click here)

Stay tuned for our next newsletter! Your Guide to Everything Chicken Mel www.raising-chickens.org, 101 Preston Court, Macon, GA. 31210

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?jJwsbEyMnLSsTByczCyszLRGtIysDMxMHIwM

Raising-Chickens.org Newsletter #15

Welcome back or if this is your first newsletter we are excited you are with us. We look forward to being your guide to everything chicken.

Early Summer 2012!

Almost anywhere you live, springtime and summer offer a bounty of fresh greens and foods for your chickens. If at all possible, letting your chickens out of their yard into lawns and garden or pasture areas will increase their health and the healthy contents of their eggs and meat. If you can free range your chickens, springtime and summer in many places can offer the most natural chicken foods that they love. Remember that chickens will scratch the ground and dig dust baths in dry areas. They may disturb young plants and can work against your landscaping efforts, so think chickens when designing gardens and yards that will have chickens roaming through.

The first thing my chickens do when I let them out in the morning is gobble up tender blades of grass, grass seeds right from their stalks, and their favorite seems to be the little white clover blooms scattered across the lawn. In exchange for access to these fresh organic and healthy foods we gain bright orange egg yolks, due to the beta carotene available in fresh greens. I watched one of my chickens steadily pecking at the ground under a big apple tree for something too small for me to see. She spent about a half hour gobbling up something, maybe grass seeds left over from a recent mowing.

This is also a great time of year to save on feed costs. Putting out less feed for chickens, even layers, will encourage them to forage. The hungrier they are, especially in the cool morning, the harder they will work to find bugs, worms, seeds and a host of vegetation. They know and will eat what is good for them. In the fall and winter when fresh foods are less plentiful it’s vital that chickens be offered the best quality feeds. I recommend that feed be always available this part of the year, and of course always plenty of clean water.

If you’re raising chicks and don’t have a safe way to let the little ones free range, offering fresh greens from your garden, including grass clippings (chemical and fertilizer free), dark and colorful lettuces and some fruits, too, will help them grow strong and healthy. They will also benefit from exposure to direct sunlight during cooler parts of the day. Sunshine and fresh natural foods will help your chickens develop healthy immune systems that can fight against illness and disease.

Chickens large and small that are caged in dark areas may become sick and fall victim to disease much more easily than chickens out in the sunshine and fresh air. Always make sure that chickens can cool off in some shade during the hottest weather. Shade and sunshine are so important for chickens, but not too much of either. Chickens, from the smallest chick in a brooder to the biggest, will regulate their own body temperature if they are able to move freely from warmer to cooler areas. If indoors, fans may be needed to cool pens and cages. Offering water with electrolytes and vitamins regularly during heat waves will help prevent heat stress and stroke and should be offered to chicks and chickens that have been shipped.

When selecting a new breed of chicken for your coop and chicken yard make sure to pick one that will do well in your climate. Chickens developed for extremely cold climates, like Hedemora, won’t be able to take the heat, and chickens developed in warm areas, like Seramas, can’t handle the cold. Selecting a local breed, either developed for your state, or that has been successfully bred and free ranged in your area for generations, will help ensure chickens that will be hardy.

Got Chicken: New Auction Site catering to backyard chicken enthusiest. Raising-chickens.org has launched an auction site for the buying and selling of poultry and other domesticated birds.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3kB_Zf8P37DKmgM&b=VKGkQZLJsZPGiITF5MMk3g

If you are interested in or already have backyard chickens, our web site offers much needed information that may help you avoid or solve problems. We have a library of over 1000 questions and answers from people all over the world, plus articles, that can help you get started learning what you need to know.

Previous Newsletter (click here)

Stay tuned for our next newsletter!

Your Guide to Everything Chicken Mel www.raising-chickens.org, 101 Preston Court, Macon, GA. 31210

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?jJwsbEyMnLSsTByczCyszLRGtIwsbEwcTOyM

Raising-Chickens.org Newsletter #14

Welcome back or if this is your first newsletter we are excited you are with us. We look forward to being your guide to everything chicken.

It’s Almost Time for Broody Hens!

Some of us prefer our chicks incubated and hatched under a nice warm hen or two, or three or more. Our broodiest hens may not be the ones we want babies from, but that won’t matter to them. Broody hens will be happy to keep any eggs placed under them warm. If you don’t want your hens sitting on eggs, make sure to remove eggs and broody hens from nests daily.

If you don’t feel sure about using hens to hatch eggs, you can always use an electric incubator and brooder.

Once most hens go broody, hormone changes in their bodies take over and they become fully intent on staying on the nest and hatching those eggs. It takes about 21 days. Not all hens are good brooders. Some will brood, but won’t bond with and care for chicks. Some won’t brood, but will care for chicks.

Different breeds are known for brooding abilities and some are known for having no clue what broodiness or raising chicks is all about. Try to learn about your hens, so you know what to expect. Quite often Heritage Breeds have retained natural reproduction instincts and Production Breeds have lost them through generations of breeding focused on egg and meat production.

When using broody hens to incubate and care for chicks one of the most important things is to have a safe place. Broody hens will enter a trance-like state where they instinctively stay very still and quiet and rarely eat. This instinct is a carry-over from their ancestors that had to nest on forest or jungle floors, where all that protected them was the camouflage of their feathers and picking a good spot. Broody hens want to protect their nest so can fall prey to predators easily.

A separate pen in the coop will help keep hens safe and distractions to a minimum. A separate area all together, if you have the room is great. Food and water close will mean hens can eat, drink and stretch their legs a little, and get right back to work on the nest.

In a flock with laying hens and broody hens sharing nest boxes, your layers may decide to push a setting hen off the nest and add her egg to the clutch. This distraction might mean more eggs under a hen than she can keep warm and could cause a poor hatch rate. When possible, broody hens will try to find a hidden nesting area away from any competition, so providing privacy is a good plan if you’re counting on chicks.

Consider the safety of your hens and the chicks that will hatch. Chicken wire or smaller will keep most predators out and the birds feeling safe and secure. If you’re raising bantam breeds standard chicken wire may be too big to keep some hatchlings contained.

As chicks grow they can be moved with the hen that hatched them to larger quarters. Often hens know the voice of each chick that she’s hatched and will not accept new chicks into her care. She may attack, even kill strange chicks.

As chicks grow and can keep their bodies warm with good feathering, the hen can be removed. Juvenile and small chickens need protection. Covered pens will prevent hawks from taking off with young chickens and bantam breeds.

Once a hen has hatched and raised a clutch it’s a great idea to give her a break. Weeks of good food and exercise will help her recover from her weeks of work. She should start to lay again soon and may want to raise some more chicks. Some hens are like that.

And as always remember to purchase your chicken supplies from us at our store.

Got Chicken: New Auction Site catering to backyard chicken enthusiest. Raising-chickens.org has launched an auction site for the buying and selling of poultry and other domesticated birds.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3kTRfAC6INDKmgM&b=hVXkRq9digKfGiuTXODGTQ

If you are interested in or already have backyard chickens, our web site offers much needed information that may help you avoid or solve problems. We have a library of over 1000 questions and answers from people all over the world, plus articles, that can help you get started learning what you need to know.

Previous Newsletter (click here)

Stay tuned for our next newsletter!

Your Guide to Everything Chicken Mel www.raising-chickens.org, 101 Preston Court, Macon, GA. 31210

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?jJwsbEyMnLSsTByczCyszLRGtIwszKxMrKyM

Raising-Chickens.org Newsletter #13

Welcome back or if this is your first newsletter we are excited you are with us. We look forward to being your guide to everything chicken.

Spring Cleaning the Chicken House

For me there’s a great sense of accomplishment after completing a deep clean of any corner of my world that needs it. Besides the parrot cage in the living room, and the cat litter boxes, the one place in my world that always benefits from a good deep clean is the chicken house.

As the days get longer and warmer chickens are spending more and more time out of the coop. Making the time on a nice warm or hot day to clean the coop is best. Many coops will benefit from a good scraping of floors, walls, nest boxes and perches to remove dried droppings after all litter and nesting materials are removed. At least once a year it’s a great idea get out the hose and spray down and scrub the chicken house, top to bottom.

Many chicken houses are primarily wooden and all the little nooks and crannies throughout the structure can be a perfect breeding ground for certain mites that can have a very negative impact on chicken health. If you suspect or know you have had a mite or other parasite problem you might want to use dish-washing detergent solution to scrub all surfaces. If you’ve had any sick chickens, you might want to use a disinfecting strength of bleach water to scrub surfaces as well.

Be cautious that your chickens aren’t going to drink soapy water or bleach water. If you choose to use chemicals to treat for parasites, follow directions carefully. If using bleach or other strong smelling products make sure to allow plenty of time to air out the coop before allowing chickens back in. Start early in the day to give enough hours drying and airing time before chickens need to come in and roost.

This is a great time to scrub and disinfect water and feed containers, plus look for any needed repairs to the coop. Before replacing nesting and flooring litter make sure the coop is free from puddles and overly damp areas. Once I replace the floor and nest litter I sprinkle Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth onto the shavings. This product is 100% natural, provides some trace minerals to chickens and can deter all kinds of insects, parasites and bugs that might want to call your coop or your chickens home. If you do this type of deep clean at least once a year you will be rewarded with a good sense of accomplishment knowing you are providing a clean and healthy environment for your chickens. From cob webs and dust to layers of droppings, much filth can build up over just a few years. Keeping odors down in the coop may require removing and replacing floor litter once a month or more often.

If you can avoid using toxic chemicals the used floor litter can be used directly on some plants or composted for a great organic fertilizer.

And as always remember to purchase your chicken supplies from us at our store.

Got Chicken: New Auction Site catering to backyard chicken enthusiest. Raising-chickens.org has launched an auction site for the buying and selling of poultry and other domesticated birds.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3iICNE0aQdDKmgM&b=swv0czH7UqYvPVi.YJX5ew

If you are interested in or already have backyard chickens, our web site offers much needed information that may help you avoid or solve problems. We have a library of over 1000 questions and answers from people all over the world, plus articles, that can help you get started learning what you need to know.

Previous Newsletter (click here)

Stay tuned for our next newsletter!

Your Guide to Everything Chicken Mel www.raising-chickens.org, 101 Preston Court, Macon, GA. 31210

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?jJwsbEyMnLSsTByczCyszLRGtIwsDOwcHOxM

Raising-Chickens.org Newsletter #12

Welcome back or if this is your first newsletter we are excited you are with us. We look forward to being your guide to everything chicken.

Thinking About Free-Range Chickens But Afraid To Let Them Out?

We want to get rid of that fear and replace it with some great information. Understanding the needs and habits of chickens can make keeping them and free-ranging them as simple as some people make it look, even if you’re new at this. One of the most important aspects of keeping chickens is a healthy diet and environment. How we house and care for our chickens can add to or take away from their health. The healthiest products from chickens and the most hassle free care will come with exercise, balanced diet, and a clean environment that keeps chickens safe but from feeling “cooped up”.

If you already have chickens and keep them locked up for fear they won’t come back or predators, you can allow them safe and supervised freedom with these simple steps. If you’re able to let them out safely every day or just once a week, the same steps will help train chickens to come back to the coop each evening, like clock-work. First, it’s important with a new flock they be allowed to learn where their new home is, especially if you’ve purchased point of lay or other mature chickens. Keeping them inside their chicken yard attached to the coop for a week or two will allow them to adjust and feel safe and comfortable.

Free-ranging will provide exercise and a more healthy and natural chicken life as long as no pesticides or other chemicals or predators are in the environment to harm them. So, the more free-range time, the better. Pet dogs should be leashed or kenneled if you’re not sure how they will react to chickens loose in their yard.

To begin letting your chickens out, wait until an hour or so before they usually go to roost for the night, so about 2 hours before sunset, and open the gate. Chickens are curious and will probably be happy to leave their pen. You might give them a little treat right outside the gate, to draw them out and help them stay close. Now your job is to relax and enjoy watching your chickens for the next hour. (This is actually a highly prized activity for many chicken keepers. If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend it.) If you really don’t have an hour, a half hour will be fine. As daylight begins to fade their instincts tell chickens to return to their roosts. Make sure the gate or entrance to the coop stays open, so they don’t become confused and look for another place to roost. You may have a few happy stragglers unwilling to give up their new found freedom as soon as others, but with limited light they will soon head home to roost.

By starting this late in the day you have the benefit of not having to chase chickens to round them up again as you might in the morning or early afternoon. Chickens have a very strong instinct to return to their usual roosting site near sunset as long as it has been a safe place in the past.

If your schedule doesn’t often permit supervised freedom for your chickens, letting them out in this way, as often as possible will add to their health and happiness. If you plan to allow your chickens to free-range often, letting them out a little earlier each time, will help them find their way back to the coop easily, no matter how many hours they have been out.

It’s often not safe to allow chickens to free-range if no one’s home. It depends where you live. You may need to make sure stray dogs or other predators stay away, but chickens have been free-ranging around the world for thousands of years. Scratching through pastures, back yards, and open areas can provide excellent nutrients to chicken diet, like some vitamins, minerals, enzymes and trace elements, that you can’t get from a sack of feed. Chickens always locked up in the same small yard will soon deplete the natural resources available. Training you chickens to come to a certain call for a special treat is another tool that can help you round up free ranging chickens, if the need arises. I offer mine black oil sunflower seeds that offer a great source of quality fat and protein, and they always come running.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!

Got Chicken: New Auction Site catering to backyard chicken enthusiest. Raising-chickens.org has launched an auction site for the buying and selling of poultry and other domesticated birds.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3h8YDwEewhDKmgM&b=EBrmmAWe1bvJznUzSI2klA

If you are interested in or already have backyard chickens, our web site offers much needed information that may help you avoid or solve problems. We have a library of over 1000 questions and answers from people all over the world, plus articles, that can help you get started learning what you need to know.

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Your Guide to Everything Chicken Mel www.raising-chickens.org, 101 Preston Court, Macon, GA. 31210

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Raising-Chickens.org Newsletter #8

Welcome back or if this is your first newsletter we are excited you are with us. We look forward to being your guide to everything chicken.

Vitamins for Chickens and Winter Care Tips

Last night when I went to lock the chickens up for the night I heard a couple of sneezes. I watched for a minute and noticed two different hens clearing liquid from their nares. I haven’t heard that sound since last year.

We’ve been having unusual weather this fall, a little bit of everything: frosty nights, beautiful sunny days in the 70′s, high winds, thunder, lightning and lots of rain. My chickens love being out in the yard rain or shine. I noticed some pretty soaked chickens the last few days and was concerned about them getting too cold. Wet chickens have trouble maintaining body heat which can lower immune system defenses.

My first line of defense against signs of sickness is vitamins, for me or chickens. For my chickens I buy a multivitamin electrolyte powder. There are a few different manufacturers; right now I’m using Durvet. I used it last year to get rid of sneezes and never needed antibiotics. For three days I give a double dose of the product. I like to mix it with layer crumbles and warm water and deliver it to the coop first thing in the morning. The chickens really enjoy filling their crops with nice warm mush on a cold morning.

The vitamin powder can be mixed into water supplies or dry feed, too. I keep this product on hand at all times. It’s great for giving extra vitamins when signs of illness show up or as a regular supplement. The electrolytes are great for chickens in the summer for good hydration or to help a weak chicken. It’s packaged for poultry, swine, ruminants, and horses.

Most chicken feeds contain some vitamin and mineral supplements. Chickens that free-range and have good feed should get most of the vitamins they need Spring and Summer. During stressful times, like the molt, high heat, sudden cold snaps and winter weather, providing a vitamin supplement is a great idea.

Vitamins can help prevent respiratory and other infections and the need for antibiotics. They can be given daily, weekly, or monthly as you feel is necessary. During the cold and winter months I give vitamin supplements at least once a month, more if I have concerns for chicken health.

During winter months, with the coop closed up more to prevent chilling drafts, toxic fumes are more likely to build up from droppings. Check the coop daily for strong odors. Replacing floor litter often will prevent ammonia fumes from burning delicate airways in chickens. Open up the coop and let it air out whenever possible, too. Irritated airways can lead to infection.

As well as preventing drafts in the chicken coop, some ventilation is necessary, so don’t try to completely seal the chicken coop at night. Installing a couple of small vents low in the coop can keep just enough fresh air circulating to maintain a healthier atmosphere for the chickens and prevent predators and rodents from entering.

Providing covered areas in the chicken yard offers shade in the summer and a good place for chickens to get out into the fresh air, even during heavy rains storms. I use straw bales under the shelter to provide some wind protection or just a nice place for chickens to sit off the ground.

Please check out our chicken supplies on our website. We’ve got poultry supplies, arts and gifts. If you would like to see additional items please just drop us an email me and we will do our best to accommodate your requests (raisingchickens.org@gmail.com). We will be adding additional items throughout the year.

Got Chicken: New Auction Site catering to backyard chicken enthusiest. Raising-chickens.org has launched an auction site for the buying and selling of poultry and other domesticated birds.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=IH8kY&m=3WR8fzwId_DKmgM&b=MtO0D0ELJP_vO_FF3.rQMg

Your Guide to Everything Chicken Mel www.raising-chickens.org, 101 Preston Court, Macon, GA. 31210

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?jJwsbEyMnLSsTByczCyszLRGtIxMrGwc7Iyc