Chickenss - Nov 01, 2019

The Leading Source for
Everything Chickens
At Murray McMurray Hatchery, we provide the highest quality poultry and products, and have been a
trusted, knowledgeable industry resource for generations. Whether you are an experienced or novice
enthusiast, we have over 100 breeds and the supplies you need to assist you with raising your flock.
ORDER ONLINE OR REQUEST A FREE CATALOG | MCMURRAYHATCHERY.COM | 800.456.3280
NEW FOR 2020: LAVENDER AND CHOCOLATE ORPINGTONS, IOWA BLUES, AND MORE
Circle No. 119 on the Reader Service Card.

6 CRITICAL AILMENTS ADOPT A HOMESTEADING CLASSES
OF SENIOR BIRDS BATTERY HEN FOR POULTRY-KEEPERS
GAZINE CELEB
FROM KEN
S MA RAT
ES
CHI
OUR
THE ESSENTIAL NOVEMBER/
POULTRY PUBLICATION DECEMBER 2019
BOREDOM
BUSTING
issue !
• CONSTRUCT A POULTRY PLAYGROUND
• CREATE ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
• MAKE TREAT RECIPES
• BUILD AN AUTOMATIC FEEDER
CHICKENS®
US/CAN $5.99 • Vol. 10, No. 06 • Issue code: 2019-12
November/December 2019 • Display until November 26, 2019.
Special Feature
12
0 71486 03094 2
CHICKENSMAGAZINE.COM 54 TIPS FROM A DECADE OF PUBLISHING
November/December 2019
Vol. 10 • No. 6
14 Decade of
Poultry Pointers
We took one great tip from each issue
and put them in a single article to
celebrate our diamond anniversary!
by Nicole Sipe
24 Poultry
Playgrounds
Keep your birds active by making their
coop, run and yard a place to play.
by Kathy Shea Mormino
32 Hen Corner
Homestead
Across the pond, an urbanite teaches
homesteading courses to spread her
chicken-keeping knowledge.
by Kenny Coogan
38 ’Tis the Season …

for Treats!
Seasonal treat recipes can help keep
your birds from getting bored.
by Mia McGregor
44 Ch-Ch-
Changes
Turn and face the age, with these six
ways hens change as they get older.
by Gail Damerow
50 Elderly
Ailments
Getting older means more health issues,
even for poultry.
by Gail Damerow
54 To Rescue
a Battery Hen
Rescue-keepers offer tips and resources
on helping abused commercial hens
COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
TORRIPHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK
that have been “put out to pasture.”

by Mia McGregor 4 Flock Talk 70 In the Kitchen
by Lisa Steele Root Vegetable Grain Bowls
by Lori Rice
62 8 Poultry Profile: Lakenvelder
72 Poultry Science
by the School of Veterinary
10 Chicken Feed Café
Automatic Feeder Medicine at UC Davis
by Frank Hyman 80 Last Squawk
60 General Store COVER: JOHN SHORT/GETTY IMAGES
62 One Cool Coop ADVERTISING SECTIONS

74 Farmers Market
66 Chicken Chat 77 Gallery
79 Classifieds
68 Shutterclucks
November/December 2019 • CHICKENS 1
PUBLISHED BY
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 • VOL. 10, NO. 6

Chickens® magazine (ISSN 2154-0845)
EDITORIAL ADVERTISING SALES is published bimonthly by
EG Media Investments LLC,
Group Editor Account Managers
4635 McEwen Road, Dallas, Texas 75244.
Roger Sipe Kenrick Murrell Corporate headquarters is located at
Sr. Web Editor kmurrell@egmediamags.com 4635 McEwen Road, Dallas, Texas 75244.
Keith Bowers Rima Dorsey
rdorsey@egmediamags.com POSTMASTER
Art Director Please send address changes to
Angel Ross Chickens, EG Media Investments LLC,
Cindy Kassebaum
aross@egmediamags.com
4635 McEwen Road, Dallas, Texas 75244.
Sr. Exec. Print Prod.
©2019 by EG Media Investments LLC.
Vipin Marwaha
Classified Sales Rep.
Sr. Sub. Manager All rights reserved. Reproduction of any
Darien Boughrum material from this issue in whole or in part is
Shailesh Khandelwal darienb@egmediamags.com strictly prohibited. Single copy price is $5.99.
Marketing Lead Subscription rate is $24.95 for six issues
Ajay Anand (one year), $37.95 for 12 issues (two years).
Canadian and foreign surface, add $15 extra
per year payable in U.S. funds. Please allow six
ChickensMagazine.com to eight weeks for new subscriptions to begin.

When changing address, give six weeks’ notice
www.facebook.com/hobbyfarmschickens and address label from latest copy, as well as
new address with ZIP code. Occasionally, we
make our subscriber list available to carefully
screened companies that offer products and
services that we believe would interest our
readers. If you do not want to receive these
offers and/or information, please write us at
Privacy Policy, EG Media Investments LLC,
4635 McEwen Road, Dallas, Texas 75244 or
email us at privacy@egmediamags.com.
CEO Sandeep Dua

VP, Sales & Marketing Kevin Isaacson
CFO Ajay Sharma
NICK BEER/SHUTTERSTOCK
HR Director Robert Turnbo

Logistics Director Alberto Chavez
FOR SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES OR CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Contact us at: EG Media Investments,
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40612608.
P.O. Box 70261, Philadelphia, PA 19176-9907;
Registration No. R126851765.
844-330-6373; or customerservice@egmediamags.com.
Printed in the United States.
2 CHICKENS • ChickensMagazine.com
We’ ve Got ’em !
FLOCK
Talk
by Lisa Steele
uPsLAsH
Treats to Eat
Q. During the summer months, I give my
chickens lots of vegetable garden trim-
mings, yard weeds and the like. Plus, they can
A. Chickens, like all of us, enjoy a snack
on occasion! There’s nothing wrong
with supplementing their diet with a wide
get out to free-range on the grass, so they find variety of healthy foods. I personally like to
heir own bugs and seeds. What do you suggest give my chickens a little treat every day, usu-
hat I feed them in the winter besides their ally in the late afternoon after they’ve filled up
egular layer feed? on their layer feed. And feeding seasonal treats
is a good idea, which can save you money.
Let’s Talk!
I love all the free treats available for them such
as bug-eaten leaves or produce from the garden,
kitchen leftovers, wild berries and, of course,
he creator of Fresh Eggs Daily (www.fresheggs grass clippings from my untreated yard! But
daily.com) and the author of several books including Gardening you’re right; in the winter, it can be slim pickings.
with Chickens and her newly released 101 Chicken Keeping Hacks. But cold-weather treats are especially
A fifth-generation chicken-keeper and master gardener, Steel lives important because chickens burn more calo-
on a small farm in Maine with her husband, two dogs, indoor/ ries in the winter months trying to stay warm.
outdoor barn cat, and flock of assorted chickens and ducks. The best cold-weather treat you can offer to
your flock is scratch grain, which is basically
a mix of various grains and seeds, usually pretty
heavy on corn. It should be fed before bedtime
so the chickens digest it overnight. The act of
A. Search locally when you’re starting your
backyard flock. Feed-supply stores and
local farms, breeders and hatcheries — if you’re
digestion itself creates heat which helps keep fortunate enough to live near one — are good
chickens warm on cold winter nights. starting points. They usually stock breeds that
Another good winter treat is warm oatmeal. are good for your climate and the area you live
It doesn’t need to be cooked. I just pour water in, offer sexed chicks (meaning you can choose
I heat in the teakettle over a dish of rolled oats. males or females), and there’s no shipping.
My chickens love it. A sprinkle of cayenne pep- However, if you have your eye on a specific
per can help improve circulation, which should breed, you’ll need to expand your search. All the
prevent frostbite. Cinnamon topping is said to major hatcheries ship nationwide, as do many
improve respiratory health. small breeders. Stick with those that are National
Because chickens who are penned up in Poultry Improvement Plan-certified to be sure
close quarters can get bored easily, other you will receive healthy chicks. Avian Influenza
good winter treats include squash, pumpkins (AI) Clean and Salmonella Clean are two other
or heads of cabbage that they can peck at. certifications that a hatchery may have.
Sunflower seeds or dried mealworms or grubs When choosing a source for chicks, don’t for-
are other good winter treats high in protein to get to check online for reviews, and make sure
help feathers regrow after the molting season. they have positive feedback from others. It’s
Nuts, such as peanuts (unsalted only please!), generally easy to contact reputable hatcheries/
provide some healthy fats to help your flock breeders via chat, email or phone as well, so go
maintain a healthy weight through the winter. that route if you have questions about a certain
Don’t forget that chickens need grit, which breed being a good fit for your flock. For very
are small stones, pebbles or very coarse dirt, rare breeds, you will likely need to place your
to help them digest their food. In the warm order in the early winter when hatcheries open
months, they can find their own as they free- ordering for the following spring because they
range in the yard, but when the ground is sell out fast.
frozen, you might need to supplement their But don’t worry! You won’t receive your chicks
diet with commercial poultry grit that can be in the middle of the winter. When you place
offered free-choice in a dispenser in the coop. your order, you can choose a week in the
spring that you would like them delivered.
Local Logic A good rule of thumb is to count back about eight
Q. I see beautiful chickens in magazines

and on social media, but I’m having
trouble finding either chickens or hatching
weeks from when the weather starts to warm up
to around the 50s to 60s to be sure that you will
be able to get your chicks outside before they
eggs locally. Help! grow too big! Y
Call a hatch-
ery before
ordering
chicks,
and ask
them what
breeds they
suggest
for your
region and
PCHT/sHuTTersToCk
climate.
They are
great
resources.
20% OFF!
20% OFF YOUR ORDER!

WHEN YOU USE THE CODE “FALLCM” AT CHECKOUT
We know how much you love your flock, so reward them with our tasty Happy Hen
Treats®. Made from quality ingredients, our treats are specially formulated for
chickens and other poultry. We know you’ll love our huge range of products, because
they are all tested and approved by our own backyard flock.
www.happyhentreats.com Limit One Use Per Customer. Valid Thru 11/30/19.

Poultry Profile
Lakenvelder
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.
Lakenvelder hens lay well

and are nonbroody setters of
medium-sized, porcelain-white
eggs. Though the breed is not
very large in size, chickens
produce a small amount
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 black head
sits a red, medium-sized single comb with five
points, which stands uniquely upright on females.
Its red wattles are medium-sized & well-rounded.
Earlobes are white; legs are slate.
STANDARD MALES weigh 5 pounds; STANDARD

HENS, 4 pounds. BANTAM COCKS weigh 24 ounces;
BANTAM HENS weigh 20 ounces.
FAENKOVA ELENA/SHUTTERSTOCK
FLIGHTY & WILLING TO FORAGE, LAKENVELDERS

ARE MOST COMFORTABLE IN FREE-RANGE
ENVIRONMENTS. THEY TEND TO BE NERVOUS &
UNCOMFORTABLE IN CONFINEMENT.
A taste of free-range in every bite.
Purina® Layena®+ Free Range Feed with Black Soldier Fly Larvae
New Purina® Layena®+ Free Range Layer Feed is made with insect protein and grains to mimic a free-
range diet. This diet includes our exclusive Oyster Strong® System to provide all 38 nutrients hens need
to stay strong and lay strong-shelled eggs – no supplementation needed.
Talk to your retailer or visit purinamills.com/freerange
Circle No. 114 on the Reader Service Card. ©2019 Purina Animal Nutrition LLC. All rights reserved.
Chicken Feed
Café | column & photos by Frank Hyman
Pop Cork, Get Fed

A ren’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
For a few years, I had been using a gravity-fed
chicken feeder: A tube holds the feed and sits
over a saucer, which dispenses it. The style is
a common one. Sometimes they are made of
plastic or, like mine, galvanized metal. I had
in a bowl at a restaurant’s check-out desk, no purchased it at a junk-tique shop for a few dollars.
one has pawed all over them. It holds 25 pounds of feed and resides under the
So why can’t chicken feeders work like coop where it stays dry and is easy to clean. Plus,
vending machines? It seems like when they’re the chickens can’t roost (and poop) on it.
hungry, hens should be able to poke a button However, gangs of sparrows did raid the
and have well-balanced, healthy snacks drop feeder’s open saucer now and then. Despite
Buttercup out. And because you’re the vendor of this their big appetites, they’re small enough to fit
gives the vending machine, you can make sure that the through the 2-by-4-inch openings in the fenc-
champagne snacks are, in fact, calibrated to deliver nutri- ing. Thank goodness mourning doves can’t get
cork a good tious pellets of chicken feed. in or I’d be buying bags of feed twice a day!
pop to get And what if this well-stocked vending So far, we haven’t had signs of rodents, but
the food machine also: I was sure some would show up for the grainy
to come • worked better than a conventional gravity- buffet eventually. Coming up with a new and
out. Pellets fed feeder, improved vermin-proof feeder was on my
work much • was easy to keep clean of chicken poop, to-do list.
better than • kept the food safe from rain,
mash with • and kept the chicken feed out of reach of Options to Consider
the vending the critters that don’t want to pay their rent Some people choose to keep sparrows and
machine. with eggs? rodents away from their feeders by enclosing
Tools & Supplies

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
a 3⁄4-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 entire pen in hardware cloth. That’s a valid Screw the
option if you have the time and money. champagne
Hardware cloth is not a cloth really but a heavy- corks onto
gauge type of wire fencing with 1⁄2-by-1⁄2-inch the eyebolts.
openings. But it is much heavier, more unwieldy The holes in
and costlier than the 14-gauge fence wire com- the bucket
monly used for enclosing hen pens. For example, are small
a 3-by-50-foot roll of hardware cloth costs three enough to
times as much as the same size roll of 14-gauge keep the
wire fencing. So I looked for other options. eyebolts
There are also some boxy, vermin-proof from falling
feeders made of either metal or cedar available out but big
online. This style is also a valid choice. The enough to
chickens step on a treadle that opens the lid let pellets
on the feeder, which allows them to eat. When fall out when
the chickens aren’t eating, the feeder closes up, the corks
blocking any birds or rodents. However, they half a million times): http://tinyurl.com/hclm- move.
can be expensive and were out of my budget. fby. Of course I’ve customized mine a bit for
There are construction plans available for these my Hentopia coop, but I have to give credit for
self-locking feeders, but the angled cuts and the the concept.
lever arms would be time-consuming to build. The short version: a 5-gallon bucket with a
And if enough debris gets under the treadle to tight-fitting lid to keep out the weather and crit-
block it, the feeder won’t open and the chickens ters hangs from a post at a height that allows
learn about fasting. So I ruled out that option, too. the hens to peck at an eye-bolt hanging down
from the bottom of the bucket. As the eyebolt
Vending Machines! moves, like a toggle switch, small amounts of
I was very glad to find “Gr8scott 1985’s” feed spill out of a hole. Hens eat the feed, leav-
YouTube video (which has been viewed about ing little or nothing for freeloading vermin.
Ask for R ed Lake Ear th® at your local Far m and Feed Stores.
Farmtek’s The longer version:
collapsible Buy two 4-inch long galvanized eyebolts
bucket holder with 1⁄4-inch diameter threads.
(above right) Drill two holes in the bottom of the bucket
can be easily that the eyebolts’ shafts will hang down
attached to a through. Put each hole roughly under the spot
coop wall and where the bucket handle attaches. The rea-
lays flat when soning will be clear later. The outside diameter
not in use. of the eye of these eyebolts is about an inch.
So I used a 3⁄4-inch spade bit to drill the holes
— small enough that the eyebolt won’t fall
through the hole but wide enough that pellets
will slip past the eyebolt when it moves. Drop
the eyebolt shafts through the holes.
Next, take a drill bit that matches the
diameter of the shaft (not the threads) of
Durable Doings the eyebolt. I used a 3⁄16-inch bit. Drill into

the bottom of a champagne cork a little
The 5-gallon buckets used for making feeders and waterers are over half the distance from one end to the
pretty tough, and they’ll last a long time if mounted on a stand or other. If you like, you can hold the cork with
suspended from a bucket holder. I like using the blue buckets from pliers. Regular wine corks will work, but I
Lowe’s because the darker color doesn’t show dirt like a white bucket. used champagne corks because they have a
But the plastic is a bit thinner and can tear where the handle meets more celebratory look. And they last longer,
the bucket. If you want to save some money by suspending your because they’re bigger.
buckets by the handle on a hook as we do, you’ll want to add a couple With one hand in the bucket holding the
of washers to each bucket to strengthen them. Here’s how. eye of the eyebolt and the other hand outside
The points where the ends of the metal handle meet the plastic the bucket, screw the cork onto the shaft of
sides of the bucket can tear over time. You can reinforce these two the eyebolt. The hole in the cork makes room
points by turning the bucket upside down and inserting a 1⁄2-inch for the shaft to enter without splitting it. But
washer over each hooked end of the handle on a Lowe’s bucket the threads will bite into the cork so it stays
(other styles of buckets may need a different sized washer). Just attached without using glue or duct tape or
follow these five steps. other things that could wear out.
1. After you’ve added the watering nipples or the eyebolts for With the eyebolts and corks in place and
the feeder, turn the empty bucket upside down hanging from the bottom of the bucket, chose
2. Slip a 1⁄2-inch washer over the end of the handle on each side. a spot from which to hang the bucket from a
You’ll need to move the handle a bit to do this. post of the pen or wall of the coop. You want
3. With both washers in place, let the handle hang straight down. the corks to hang at the height of the chickens’
4. While holding the handle in place, slowly turn the bucket and heads. Mark the spot for the hook.
handle right-side up so the washers don’t fall out. As with the champagne corks, use a drill
5. Hang the bucket handle on the hook. bit that matches the diameter of the shaft,
so there is room for it to enter the wood yet
the threads can bite into the wood. Screw the
hook into place.
Finally, fill the bucket with feed, and put the
watertight lid on; only pinch it closed at a cou-
ple spots to make it easier to open. Hang the
bucket from the hook. Make sure the corks are
hanging down, and tap them to so that food
drops out of the bucket. Now you see that the
position of the holes matters. If there’s a hole
at the back of the bucket, much of the feed
will bounce outside of the fencing. Here’s your
chance to learn from my mistake.
Teaching Your Chickens

a New Skill
Remove other sources of food so you can
focus the chickens’ attention on their new
vending machine. Some will get
it right away from watching you.
Or you may need to grab one or
more of them and tap their beaks
against the cork until you see
them get the idea. Then depending
on how smart your chickens are
the slower ones will either learn
how to trigger the new vending
machine in a few minutes — or
like ours — a couple days.
Some hen-keepers have had
luck using a red laser light to get
the hens to peck, but ours weren’t
interested. When they got hun-
gry enough, tapping on the corks
started making sense to the slow-
est of them. Now, they seem to
enjoy their new vending machine.
And the gangs of sparrows have
disappeared, too.
Support System
If you’re using containers larger
than a 5-gallon bucket for your
vending machine — such as a tote,
garbage can, pickle barrel, etc. —
you’ll want to hold them up off the
ground with cinder blocks, bricks
or pressure-treated wood. Leave a
space for the chickens to access the
champagne corks.
For 5-gallon-bucket vending
machines, Farmtek (www.farmtek.
com) sells a metal hoop called a
“collapsible bucket holder” that is
strong enough to support a 5-gallon
bucket full of feed or water. Use a
power drill and appropriate bits to
screw it into an outside wall of the
chicken coop inside the run. You
could also attach it to a post in the Circle No. 110 on the Reader Service Card.
run, but first you’ll need to secure
a 2-by-4 that’s about 12 inches
long to the post. Attach the bucket
holder to that.
For less money, I use a 4-inch
galvanized hook. I screw the hook
in at an angle into a post or an out-
side wall of your henhouse so the
vending machine is hanging inside
the run. Y
Frank Hyman is the author of Hentopia:

Create Hassle-Free Habitat for
Happy Chickens: 21 Innovative
Projects. He also writes the Cutting
Edge Crops column in Hobby Farms.

blessingscaptured/shutterstock
Decade of
Pointers
During the last 10 years, Chickens
has been published more than 50 times,
so we took one great tip from each
issue and put them in a single article
to celebrate our diamond anniversary!
Compiled by Nicole Sipe

W
hen the first issue of Chickens black and shine a heat lamp on it. This keeps
rolled off the printer back in the water thawed and also provides some
the spring of 2010, I was a warmth for the birds. No. 3, Fall/Winter 2010
bachelor living in California
with no kids and no plans to Brooder Room Basics
have any. I’m now happily married, living back If your chicks are huddled together directly
in Indiana where I grew up, with the two best under the heat source, your brooder is probably
boys anyone could ever have the privilege of too cold. You’ll need to lower the heat lamp
raising (chips off the old block!). closer to the chicks. No. 4, Spring 2011
One thing is still constant: Good poultry-
keeping information is still good poultry-keeping Coop Construction
information. So we thought it would be fun to Before building your coop, install a pad of
go through each issue and find some great tips cement pavers to put the coop on. This pre-
to share. So whether this is your first issue or vents any predators from digging underneath.
you’ve been with us for every one, here are some No. 5, Summer 2011
informative nuggets from the past decade of
Chickens magazine. — Roger Sipe, editor The Basics of Biosecurity
Observe your birds daily for signs of sick-
Overcoming Common Problems ness, and be prepared to act if illness or death
Keep a small area around the coop clear strikes. Isolate a sick bird from your other
of snow and ice during the winter, so your chickens immediately. No. 6, Fall 2011
chickens won’t have to freeze their feet just to
stretch their legs. From Issue No. 1, Spring 2010 News & Notes
If you run out of uses for eggs before your
A Breath of Fresh Air hens have stopped laying them, you can
Make sure your chickens have some access freeze them. To prevent the yolks from turning
to fresh air during the day outside of the coop, gummy, add 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt for each cup to
especially when temperatures rise. be used in general baking or breakfast dishes.
No. 2, Summer 2010 No. 7, Jan./Feb. 2012
Surviving Fowl Weather First Week Survival Guide

Keeping water in its liquid form can pose a A rigid, plastic kiddie pool filled with dry
significant challenge when temperatures take bedding can be a good temporary first home
an icy dive. Some people will paint the waterer for up to 25 baby chicks. No. 8, March/April 2012
#1
Keep a
small area
around the
coop clear
of snow and
ice during
the winter,
Jprice33/shutterstock
so your
chickens can
stretch their
legs without
freezing.
or Eliminator
r Od Su
erio pe
p r
Su
io
rO
PO
WE
do
RED
r Eli
BY
minator
S u p e ri o r
�e Original Odor Controlling Hay/Straw Chicken Bedding
Od
or
in
Eli
at to
ina
m
or
r
im
S u p er
i or O d or El
www.LucerneFarms.com • 800.723.4923

twin sails/shutterstock
It’s Time to Clean House
Use a mixture of leaves and pine shavings
for the floor area. This mixture also makes
great compost when moved out and aged.
No. 15, May/June 2013
See Saw Make Cuts

You’ll need more than just chicken wire to
keep your flock safe. Invest in a welded, galva-
nized, 14-gauge wire fence for your run’s outer
walls. No. 16, July/August 2013
The Days of Our Lives

Old hens cannot process nutrients as effi-
ciently as younger birds, and their bodies are
#6 depleted of minerals. Offer calcium in oyster

shell form, free choice, even if it’s supplemented
in their feed. No. 17, Sept./Oct. 2013
Observe Healthy Eggs for Healthy Eating Mothers Know Best

your birds Choose a consistent time to gather the day’s Some good nesting-box materials to consid-
daily for eggs. The longer that eggs sit in the nest box, er include wood shavings, sawdust, shredded
signs of the more likely they will be walked on or defe- paper and grass clippings from a nontreated
sickness. cated on by your flock. No. 9, May/June 2012 lawn. No. 18, Nov./Dec. 2013
Marvelous Manure Build a Better Feeder

The compost should be composed of a healthy For growing birds too small to reach your
carbon-to-nitrogen balance of brown material, newly built feeder, place a block of wood in
such as straw or coop bedding, dried leaves or front of the feeder to serve as a step ladder.
dried grass, and green material, such as chicken No. 19, Jan./Feb. 2014
manure, green grass clippings and kitchen scraps.
Chicken manure is so high in nitrogen, so you Coming Home to Roost
may be successful using a one part green to one In cold climates, round perches put birds’ feet
part brown mixture. No. 10, July/August 2012 at a greater risk of frostbite. In these areas, use
a flat, wooden perch that forces birds to spread
First Aid for Fowl
If your hen is going through a difficult molt,
abo photographY/shutterstock
you might consider fencing her in a separate
area of the yard, so the other hens don’t injure
her. No. 11, Sept./Oct. 2012
#34
Chilly Chickens
Protect combs and wattles from frostbite by
coating them with petroleum jelly or another
heavy moisturizer every few days.
No. 12, Nov./Dec. 2012
Cold Weather Tips

Collect the eggs as often as you can. Chicken The Good, the Bad and the Meh
eggs are composed of nearly 75 percent water, In general, garden vegetables that we
so they’ll freeze and crack quickly once exposed consider to be healthy for us to eat are also
to the cold air. No. 13, Jan./Feb. 2013 healthy for chickens to eat. But if your chick-
ens are accustomed to commercial feed, then
Raising Your Own it’s best at first to begin offering them garden
To develop and hatch successfully, eggs greens later in the day after they’ve fulfilled
should be incubated at a temperature between their dietary requirements by eating the com-
99 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit and 50 to 65 per- mercial mix. No. 34, July/August 2016
cent relative humidity. No. 14, March/April 2013
their feet out so their toes are kept
warm by the chickens’ breasts.
No. 20, March/April 2014
Planting for Poultry

Leave the stems on your home-
grown grain, and dry them upside
down in handful bundles. When
winter weather keeps your hens
inside the coop, hand bundles of
dry grain, high enough that the
chickens have stand on tiptoes or
hop to reach them. This will pro-
vide healthy exercise that may
also improve winter egg-laying.
No. 21, May/June 2014
Keep Your Cool

Chickens generally won’t even
touch water that registers above
90 degrees, so when the air tem-
peratures are high, it’s time for ice
cubes or ice blocks in your chickens’
water. Vitamins and electrolytes or
plain Pedialyte added to the water in
extreme heat can help your chickens
cope better with the heat.
No. 22, July/August 2014
What the Shell?!

When a chick grows to egg-laying
maturity, it’s time to switch from
a grower feed to a layer feed. Layer
feed has a higher level of calcium in
it than a grower feed.
No. 23, Sept./Oct. 2014
From Sea to Shining Sea

Ensure your birds have adequate
places to hide from predators when
they range, and lock up your chick-
ens well before dusk to avoid “the
killing hour” when predators feed
before dark. No. 24, Nov./Dec. 2014
Eggstraordinary Ideas
Eggshells can work wonders in
the garden to keep some pests,
such as slugs and snails, away from
plants. No. 25, Jan./Feb. 2015
This Little Light

Don’t keep an egg out of the incu-
bator (or out from under a broody
hen) for more than five minutes.
Each time you remove an egg, you
expose it to potential harm: the bac-
teria from your hands, for instance,

and especially inconsistent temperatures and take, and then clean the wounds as best as you
humidity. No. 26, March/April 2015 can with saline solution. If blood is flowing,
apply a generous amount of cornstarch directly
Off to a Good Start to the wound to stop the bleeding as quickly as
Young fowl need good traction on the brood- possible. No. 31, Jan./Feb. 2016
er floor, or you will have damaged legs and
slipped tendons on the hocks. Wood shaving The Need to Feed
and chopped straw are good bedding choices. Grit is an important ingredient in chicks’
No. 27, May/June 2015 diets that help them properly digest food.
(Chickens don’t have teeth, so they seek out
Shoo, Fly! tiny stones that grind up food in their giz-
Whenever possible, keep waterers out of the zards.) Free-ranging birds can find grit in their
coop. The use of poultry waterer nipples inside environment, but for brooder chicks, supple-
the chicken run is enormously helpful in main- mentary grit is mandatory to help them digest
taining a dry chicken yard while offering the their food. No. 32, March/April 2016
flock fresh water and preventing flies from sul-
lying the water supply. No. 28, July/August 2015 The Case of the Missing Eggs
Hens require at least 14 hours of light to
Sell & Swap Talk maintain egg production. To keep the gals lay-
Examine each chicken carefully before buying all year, use artificial lights to augment the
ing it. If the seller doesn’t want you to handle a natural sunlight when the day length decreases.
bird, don’t be shy about asking him to display it No. 33, May/June 2016
to your specifications. No. 29, Sept./Oct. 2015
Upcycling Eggshells
Prepping for Winter Sterilized eggshells, crushed or powered, can be
Reduce fire hazards in and around the heat- star cleaners around the house. Make a cleaning
ing source. Use poultry-safe hear lamps with paste by mixing sterilized, finely pulverized shells
guards, if possible, and on a timer to control with a little lemon juice, vinegar or water (plain or
the temperature. No. 30, Nov./Dec. 2015 soapy). The nontoxic abrasive can be used on pots,
pans or wherever you might use a store-bought
Looking for Natural Remedies abrasive cleaner. No. 35, Sept./Oct. 2016
In the event of an attack, bring the injured
hen inside somewhere warm and quiet, and Boredom-Busting Super Treats
give it a quick once-over to assess the damage. Active birds, especially in the winter, are
Call the vet if that’s the route you choose to happy birds. Allow birds to keep themselves
busy by foraging to keep them from activities
like pecking each other. No. 36, Nov./Dec. 2016
#38
For Maximum Wellbeing
Catnip, pennyroyal and fennel can be used
to repel insects. Grow them around your
chicken coop or crush and sprinkle them
inside. No. 37, Jan./Feb. 2017
Watching Out for Stress

n ck beer/shutterstock
The key to reducing stress in new mothers is

the same across species: Support them! Mother
hens should be given quiet, safe quarters to sit
in their clutches for the three weeks of incuba-
tion and for the several weeks after hatching.
Offer her food and water in the nest; otherwise,
a committed mama may rarely get off the nest
The Beauty of a Broody to take care of herself. No. 39, May/June 2017
If you want to hatch chickens with mama hens, you’re best
off with a broody breed. Silkies are noted for their keen desire Having Patients
to set and to mother chicks. Bantams of the setting breeds are Separating a symptomatic bird will hopeful-
good bets, too. No. 38, March/April 2017 ly keep the rest of your flock from also becom-
ing ill. Separation will also prevent your other
birds from bullying and attacking the ailing incubating and brooding chicks requires special tim-
animal, as flock pecking orders can restructure ing and climatic circumstances. There’s a reason spring
as a result of a weakened member. chicks are the cliché: The weather is neither too hot nor
No. 40, July/August 2017 too cold to either ship fertile eggs or chicks, and by the
time the birds are fully feathered — four to five weeks
Gimme Shelter! from hatching — the weather is warm enough for them to
Provide your flock with a dedicated home. be outdoors without a heater. No. 51, May/June 2019
Housing them with other animals — espe-
cially larger livestock — can result in fretful Show & Tell
temperatures, accidental injury and even Weeks before your show, you should train
death. Bunking your hens with other birds, your birds to be accustomed to being in a cage
such as turkeys, is also not recommended, and handle them a few times each day as a
due to possibility of illnesses such as black- judge would. No. 43, Jan./Feb. 2018
head disease passing between bird species.
No. 41, Sept./Oct. 2017 Chicken Health, From A to Z
Birds of different ages need varying amounts
A Season for Freezin’ of water. The older a bird is, the more water
Normally, farm-fresh eggs can be left out it typically needs. In summer, keep waterers
at room temperature for a few weeks on the out of direct sun. In winter, take precaution-
kitchen counter and still be fine to eat because ary measures to make sure the waterers don’t
the bloom or natural coating on the eggshell freeze. No. 44, March/April 2018
keeps out air and bacteria. However, if you
collect eggs that are cold to the touch, conden- Salad Salute
sation will probably form on the shells once Bugs and greens provide the nutrients that
they start to warm up, which can make the make the yolks of backyard hens so nutritious
properties of the bloom ineffective, so it’s good and beautifully orange. Look for ways to make
practice to refrigerate your eggs in the winter. sure your hens are getting enough greens in
No. 42, Nov./Dec. 2017 their diet. No. 45, May/June 2018

and grit for aiding digestion; both are usually
available wherever other chicken-keeping and
#48 farming supplies are sold. You can also purchase

them easily online. No. 52, July/August 2019
Being Good Stewards

Have you ever hatched your own chicks? Built
a chicken tractor? Taught a classroom of first
graders about chickens? Tried that garlic scape
pesto deviled egg recipe you swore you’d try?
Good chicken-keepers keep growing. The more
experiences you put under your belt, the more
bonder.olka/shutterstock
you can understand the many facets of life with
chickens, seeing them in a new way each time.
No. 53, Sept./Oct. 2019
Boredom Busters
Straw bales can be used to create barriers
between feeders and waterers to promote
walking or jumping by placing hay bales in
Feed your When the Heat is On such a way that birds can either jump over the
chickens Avoid giving chickens dietary additions via bales or walk in an S-shape to get to food and
more in treats during hot weather. Otherwise, body water. However, this should be done under
winter so temps will increase from calories burned careful supervision to make sure no birds go
they can during digestion. No. 46, July/August 2018 without food and water. Alternatively, you
generate could just place food and water far away from
body heat Eggs for Later each other to increase walking distance.
to stay One way to preserve your hens’ bounty is by No. 54, Nov./Dec. 2019
warm. freezing excess eggs. The simplest way is by
T
scrambling raw eggs in recipe-specific portions, hat’s a lot of chicken-keeping tips to take
pouring them into plastic freezer containers or in! Thank you for supporting Chickens
freezer-safe canning jars, and popping them magazine this past decade. We hope
into the freezer. They’ll keep for about nine you stick around for the next 10 years. Our
months. No. 47, Sept./Oct. 2018 best is yet to cluck! Y
Cold Chicken
#49
indY edge/shutterstock
Chickens need to eat more in winter to gen-
erate body heat to stay warm. So during the
winter, leave feed out all day, allowing them
to eat whenever they like. It’s also beneficial
to modify their diet slightly to increase the
amount of protein and fat they consume.
No. 48, Nov./Dec. 2018
Had I Only Known!

If you’re keeping chickens primarily for eggs
or meat, you need to replace the flock every
couple of years. If space is limited, you also
need to decide whether to keep the hens as
pets, butcher them for food, take them to be
slaughtered or have a source where they can Keeping a Clean Coop
live out the remainder of their non-producing Having the right tools for the job makes the
lives. No. 50, March/April 2019 task easier. Invest in a solid, dependable rake
and shovel. Have several empty, reliable buck-
For a Healthy Flock ets at the ready. A wheelbarrow is also a must
For some breeds and some flocks, a quality for transporting the broken-down matter from
feed alone is not enough. Supplement your coop to compost. No. 49, Jan./Feb. 2019
birds’ diets with oyster shells for added calcium
Playgrounds
Keep your birds active by making their
coop, run and yard a place to play.
Article and Photos by Kathy Shea Mormino
ur grandparents’ chickens spent their
days walking around pastures scratch-
ing and pecking for breakfast, lunch and
dinner; they consumed few, if any, treats
and racked up the miles in search of
meals. Many modern-day chickens are confined
to a much more limited space due to the risk of
predation or legal restrictions; if they wore tiny
pedometers, their daily totals would pale in com-
parison to grandma’s birds.
Whether free-range or confined, today’s
backyard chickens exercise less and are
given far too many treats in addition to their
nutritionally-complete layer feed. As a result,
research and poultry veterinarians tell us that
most of today’s pet chickens are dying prema-
turely from obesity-related health complica-
tions. Fortunately, we can turn that around and
optimize the health and lifespans of our back-
yard flocks with a few common sense modifi- Hanging fruits and vegetables are literally
cations to their lifestyle that sound hauntingly brain foods, exercising the mind and body!
familiar: a balanced diet and exercise.
time for unapproved extra-curricular activities,
Recess! so let’s build an outdoor recreation area that
Inadequate living space puts chickens at provides ample opportunities to exercise their
greater risk for obesity and behavioral prob- bodies and their minds! A collateral benefit
lems such as feather picking and egg-eating, to all this activity just happens to be endless
so maximizing yard space is critical to health hours of entertainment for human caretakers!
and wellness. The bare minimum outdoor
space allocation is ten square feet per bird, but Playground Planning
more is always better. Just as with children, Keep things interesting in the chicken yard
bored chickens can get into mischief; providing by mixing in different activities and features
enrichment activities within a spacious out- periodically. Chickens aren’t especially fond of
door area keeps chicken minds busy with no change, so don’t pull all these tricks out of your
Dust Bat h 4-Square

Animals living in the great outdoors will be exposed to insects
living in the environment, transported into the yard by wildlife;
that’s natural and expected. Chickens are able to rid themselves of
most pests most of the time by dust bathing, an activity whereby
they dig shallow ditches in the ground, roll around in the loose dirt
to distribute it throughout their feathers and skin and subsequently
shake it out along with hitch-hiking pests.
Dust bathing not only helps chickens maintain skin condition
and plumage, it’s good exercise (think: chicken yoga), a strategy for
staying cool in hot weather and an opportunity to socialize with flock-
mates. Why not provide your chickens with a choice of safe materials
to encourage dust bathing in locations of your choosing?
Offer a variety of containers filled with loose soil, peat moss or
sand; try large flower pots, buckets or tubs are all great dust bath
vessels. In this photo, my chickens enjoyed their choice of peat moss,
sand, cedar mulch and plain old dirt from the yard. We made a rudi-
mentary frame to section off the materials, but chickens would be just
as happy to dust bathe in any or all of the materials at once.
TWO FOR ONE LOW PRICE
Order Chickens and Hobby Farms for just
$
36.95 SAVE
49%
OFF THE
COVER PRICE
Subscribe online at www.hobbyfarms.com/farms-combo

or call 844-330-6373. Use promo code A59CHHF4
Chickens is published 6 times per year at the annual cover price of $35.94; Hobby Farms is published 6 times per year at the annual
cover price of $35.94. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery of first issue. Outside US, add $30 per year for postage. Pay in US funds only.
If you have
DIY skills,
make your
birds fun
objects to
perch on,
such as a
gazebo just
for them.
proverbial hat simultaneously. When thinking Safety Considerations

about the kind of activities you’d like to incor- Many of the following playground fea-
porate into a play space, consider features tures can be added to the inside of a spa-
offering varied vertical heights such as ladders, cious chicken run, but if you’d like to set up a
roosts and stairs the chickens can jump on or playground space outside the confines of the
fly up onto. Add variety with different textures, chicken run and your flock doesn’t customarily
colors, hiding places and natural features such free-range, consider portable electric poultry
as fallen branches, stumps, shrubs and trees. fencing. The fencing will keep the flock con-
fined to the area while preventing access by
four-legged predators.
Hawk netting or deer netting secured over the
top of the play space will exclude aerial preda-
tors. In the absence of netting, provide chickens
with areas to duck underneath for cover such as
barrels, rudimentary benches constructed from
an old door resting on top of two cinder blocks,
an old end table, or a homemade branch tee pee.
Weather Issues
A play yard should offer protection from the
sun in hot weather; shade cloth, beach umbrel-
las and tarps provide relief from the sun’s beat-
ing rays as will locating the play yard near nat-
urally shady areas underneath, trees, bushes
and ornamental grasses.
Chickens should not have to travel far to
stay hydrated in hot weather. Keep clean, fresh
Give your chickens interesting objects to explore. Place food inside drinking water in several locations throughout
a bottle with holes drilled in it. They will enjoy the challenge. the play space to encourage hydration.
Water Features During
With core body temperatures in the 104- to summer,
107-degree Fahrenheit range, and without a mister in
the benefit of sweat glands, chickens wearing a shady spot
built-in down jackets have difficulty staying in the play
comfortable in high environmental tempera- yard will be
tures. A mister in a shady spot in the play yard a welcome
will be a welcome relief as it cools the air sur- relief for
rounding it and the chickens. In temperatures hot hens.
over 90 degrees, watch for signs of heat stroke.
In addition to shade and plenty of cool
drinking water nearby, keep a bucket or tub full
of cool (not cold) water close to the flock. If any
flock member begins to look overheated, pant-
ing with wings away from its sides in addition
to appearing lethargic or pale in the wattles
and comb, immediately submerge them in the
cool water up to their neck for several minutes.
This cooling measure will bring its body tem-
perature down safely and quickly.
Even if chickens are not in danger of heat
stroke, a cool dip in the water can be a wel-
come relief to chickens not inclined to wade
into water independently. Some chickens do
enjoy wading in shallow pools of water on hot
days, in which case, a small toddler pool or
shallow container filled with cold water for
wading will be appreciated.
To Protect Your Property From Night Predator Animals

Nite•Guard Solar® has been proven effective in repelling predator animals for the past
19 years. Nite•Guard Solar attacks the deepest most primal fear of night animals, that
of being discovered. At sunset, Nite•Guard begins to flash and continues until sunrise.
The simple but effective fact is that a “flash of light” is sensed as an eye and becomes
Nite•Guard an immediate threat to the most ferocious night animals and they will run away.
Repellent Tape
Keeps predators CTION
away during the SATISFA
TEED PO Box 274 The World’s
daylight hours
GUAorRyAouNr money Princeton, MN
#1 Top Selling
$1495 Per Roll
bac k! 55371 Solar Powered
Security System
For information videos log on to:
DON’T BE FOOLED BY
niteguard.com • 1.800.328.6647
LIKE US ON
FACEBOOK COPY CATS

The Cafeteria
We have learned a tremendous amount
about the dietary requirements of laying hens
in the past 100 years of poultry nutrition study,
which gives today’s backyard chickens a sig-
nificant advantage grandma’s didn’t have.
Commercial layer rations are formulated to
ensure a precise, nutritionally complete bal-
ance of approximately 38 different nutrients
required by hens to maintain health and equip
them with the resources necessary to pro-
duce high quality eggs. When I use the term,
“treats,” I mean anything they eat that is not
their chicken feed (fruits, veggies, mealworms,
Hydrating Treats
scratch, table scraps, dietary supplements, etc.)
When chickens consume treats, including
Treats can be offered as an occasional activity but shouldn’t kitchen scraps, fruits, veggies, store-bought
be relied upon as a primary form of entertainment. Foods such as treats, feed supplements, etc., they no longer
cucumbers, zucchini and summer squash that contain a high per- receive the correct percentage of essential
centage of water while being low in calories are smart choices. nutrients from their complete feed. Treats, even
My chickens enjoy a spirited round of cucumber tetherball, and healthy treats, dilute the complete nutrition in
I appreciate that the treat requires a degree of mental agility and a chicken’s diet, reducing their ability to be opti-
some physical effort to consume. mally healthy, productive and live long lives.
Consider the problems we would create for
DIY CuCumber TeTherball a human infant if we were to add water to its
MaTerIals breast milk regularly; the formerly perfect diet
• cucumber or squash for that baby would be diluted, preventing the
• a bamboo skewer baby from growing and developing properly.
• a piece of long, sturdy string or floral wire* The same thing occurs when we over-treat our
pet chickens. Treats in moderation are fine occa-
DIrecTIons sionally. Limit edible treats to no more than 2
Using a skewer, poke a hole through the cucumber that is wide tablespoons per day per chicken, and don’t offer
enough to thread the string through. Once threaded, secure the edible treats every day or even every week.
cucumber tetherball to an overhead tree branch or garden shep-
herd’s hook. Now pull up a chair with your camera ready; this is Bowling for Crumbles
good entertainment for the whole family! Some chickens may Who says a nutritionally complete layer feed
need to be enticed into participating in this extracurricular activity. can’t be fun while encouraging fitness? Drill
Removing a bit of the skin from the cucumber with a vegetable six to eight small holes in an empty, dry plastic
peeler is usually enough to encourage attendance at the party. water bottle with a 1⁄2-inch drill bit, then fill it
half way with layer crumbles. The chickens will
*STrING aDVISOrY When offering chickens treats attached peck at the bottle as it rolls around the yard; as
to string, always use a thick material such as sisal that will not eas- pieces of feed fall out of the bottles, they race
ily break. Secure the string carefully so it can’t come loose from the each other for the nutritious bits! Provide sev-
structure it is attached to and eral bottles to the flock simultaneously to avoid
remove it from the chicken conflict & the accumulation of fowl penalties.
yard as soon as they lose inter-
est in the activity or whenever Christmas Tree Jungle Gym
you leave the yard. Whenever chickens are confined to spaces
If a chicken ingests string, smaller than they ordinarily enjoy due to inclem-
it can wreak havoc in its diges- ent weather, boredom and behavioral problems
tive tract, potentially causing such as feather picking, and egg-eating can
death or creating an emer- result. Keep chickens busy, entertained and
gency situation requiring pro- happy in winter by thinking outside the box;
fessional veterinary interven- provide novel objects for chickens to explore
tion. Always closely monitor and climb on such as a Christmas tree laid on
chickens with hanging treats; its side after the holidays, a wooden sled, old
you don’t want to miss chairs covered with evergreens and birch logs
a minute of it; trust me! stacked in an old crate.
FORGET TO CLOSE THE COOP AGAIN?
WHEN WILL YOUR LUCK RUN OUT?

•
•
•
•
•

• Battery
•
• Charging options:
Monkey Bars! activities. The variety will stimulate
Chickens have a natural instinct their minds, keep them out of each •
to roost up off the ground, encour- other’s hair (or feathers, if you like!)
age jumping up and flying down and encourage much needed exer- •
by provide your flock with a variety cise. The options for activities are • Many
of objects to roost on in varying only limited by your imagination,
heights. Use common and uncom- so get out there and enjoy discov- • Three sizes available
mon roosting materials such as ering which activities are most • Starting at $180 + options
wide tree branches, chairs, pallets, appreciated by your pet chickens! Y
an old tool box, stumps arranged in
varying heights, milk crates, an old Affectionately known internationally as
park bench, or ladders. Or if you’re The Chicken Chick®, Kathy Shea Mormino
feeling particularly ambitious ... is a social media influencer and author
try your hand at making a chicken of the bestselling book, The Chicken
gazebo! My chickens love the one Mr. Chick’s Guide to Backyard Chickens.
Chicken Chick made for them out of An attorney by trade, she offers an infor-
items found right in our backyard! mative style to modern chickeneering
through her award-winning Facebook
C
reate a playground that looks page and blog, The-Chicken-Chick.com.
different from your flock’s Kathy lives in Connecticut with her hus-
everyday environment, add band and daughters where she keeps

different elements from time to time more than 50 pet chickens, 10 beehives,
and vary it with season-appropriate a Yorkie and Netherland dwarf rabbit.

HEN CORNER
Across the pond,
an urbanite teaches homesteading
courses to spread her
chicken-keeping knowledge.
by Kenny Coogan
n an eight-hour layover while traveling abroad

in England, I circumnavigated “the tube” —
London’s underground public rapid transit sys-
tem — to visit a chicken owner in West London.
Hidden at the end of a line of townhouses, Sara
Ward and her family have transformed their house into an
urban smallholding dubbed “Hen Corner.” They are living
the country life complete with 24 hens, 100,000 honeybees,
a vegetable garden, fruit trees and micro-bakery — all on a
small city lot.
Ward and her husband, Andy, welcomed me into their
home on a stereotypical drizzly England day. As we sat in
their conservatory, where weekly homesteading classes are
held, they offered me Earl Grey tea and homemade fresh-
out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns.
Their homesteading journey began more than a decade
ago when they started questioning where their family’s
food was coming from. After a bit of research, they started
buying organic, because growing your own vegetables is
not always easy. “I’ve never been able to grow a carrot that
has been big enough to be peeled,” Ward says. “But we’ve
worked out what we can grow and what we can’t.”
COURTESY OF JULIET MURPHY
SARA WARD SITS AMID FRUIT TREES & CHICKENS
IN HER URBAN BACKYARD LOCATED IN WEST LONDON.

to offering classes, Ward is a regular columnist
for Country Living Magazine — one of the U.K.’s
most popular lifestyle magazines.
“Because we are doing it in London, we are
showing people what can be done in a city,”
Ward says. “A majority of people live in towns,
but there is a big aspiration for country life.
Lots of television programs and magazines talk
about how wonderful the country is.
“Initially, we advertised through the com-
pany who made the chicken coop. They ran
a program, of courses, for chicken owners to
showcase how easy it is to care for them —
particularly in London where people think,
‘I can’t raise chickens.’”
Ward gets her guests to celebrate their urban
homes while weaving in parts of the country-
side. Her husband says that a lot of people are
learning how the planet is being destroyed and
how people are part of the problem. They want
to mitigate their carbon footprint and make
wiser food choices, but they need practical
KENNY COOGAN
advice. Ward is schooling people to do just that
through her many workshops.
Workshops are offered in the evenings
ONE OF THE AUTHOR’S STUDENTS

during the week and will be attended by up to
a half dozen guests. Ward starts in the garden,
H A P P I L Y MEETS A BANTAM offering a freshly made cold drink. She then
F R I Z ZLE, D U R I N G A N I N T R O
serves mayonnaise made from her chicken’s
TO CHICKEN-KEEPING CLASS.
eggs on bread that she baked. This allows her
to talk about her weekly bakery, which she fol-
lows by discussing the details of chicken keep-
ing. At the end of the tour — and after every-
At the Homestead one has gotten a chance to ‘hug a hen’ — the
As they started homesteading, others became workshop retreats in the conservatory, where
interested, and a chicken coop company asked guests are treated once again to Ward’s kitchen
them to run a few poultry courses. Those work- skills. Over refreshments, Ward will peruse the
shops slowly ballooned Ward’s hobby into a full- course notes to make sure she didn’t miss any-
time business, where she was able to quit her thing. After the workshop the course notes are
job and start to homestead full-time. In addition sent digitally to attendees.
Star� ou� Ow�

If you are interested in offering your own homesteading workshops, consider including these
value-added commodities.
WORKSHOP VALUE ADDED COMMODITY

Animal-Training Clicker, Treat Pouch
Bee-Keeping Jar of Honey
Bread-Making Dough Scraper, Wooden Basket with Loaves
Chicken-Keeping 4 Freshly Laid Eggs
Pasta-Making Apron, Recipes
Preserving, Pickling & Jam-Making Jars, Recipes
Terrariums Completed Terrarium
COURTESY OFCERVENANSKY
WARD SHOWS HOW TO GIVE CHICKENS A PHYSICAL AT HER URBAN HENS COURSE.
Ward sold me on the idea of offering chicken workshop repertoire by offering things she was
workshops from my homestead by putting it going to do anyways such as making chutney,
this way: “The people were fascinated. They marmalades, apple wine and caring for bees.
met the chickens (and) had tea and cake, and “Very soon, I had courses for all parts of the
I showed them how to muck out the chickens. year, because it is very seasonal,” Ward says.
And I got paid for doing it.” “Bread is year-round, but it’s pretty definite
‘this is what we do in the summer’ and ‘this
Getting Started is what we do in the winter.’ Pickling and
In the beginning, Ward was working a day preserving happens in September, and there
job. When she wanted to go full time, her are Christmas courses and so on.” Her main
husband encouraged her to create a proper income is from courses and private bookings.
business plan, as he wasn’t quite sure that This includes school groups, where she teaches
workshops would be able to contribute enough 1,500 students a year. Each student receives
to the mortgage. hands-on skills.
“It was actually quite good,” Ward says. “It As I tried to translate Ward’s success into
helped me see what my competitors where, something that I could do at my home, I asked
what my strengths were, what I needed to earn her what she thought about strangers coming
and how I could do that. Rather than running to her home. “This room, the conservatory, con-
around and doing whatever I could possible do, nects to the kitchen and bathroom,” Ward says.
it should me what I needed to do. The first year “We welcome them through the house, but they
we spent a great amount of time planning. We don’t go in the house. I initially thought a weak-
redid the kitchen to get ready for courses, but ness was that it was my home, because they
we wanted a new kitchen anyway.” could go to a large farm or cooking school. The
By the end of the first year, Ward was finan- feedback that I’ve had is that people go to the
cially independent. She never borrowed money cookery schools and say ‘Well it was nice, but we
and is now earning more than she did from were working in teams, and we didn’t have the
her traditional job. She has expanded her beginning-to-end hands-on product.’

“We turned our weakness into our strength. If someone orders one loaf of specialty bread,
We tell them ‘This is us, and this is how we she usually makes a couple more to fill the
live. If you can do it with me in my home, you baking sheet, as the investment for making
can do it at your home.’” bread is in the prep and not cooking time.
On Friday at lunch, she’ll send out a message
Having Success regarding the spares she has to offer.
After Ward attended a baking class with her “We will then sell as much in spares as we
friend, they planned to meet up once a month to had preorders,” Ward says. “If spares occur
keep their baking skills honed. The idea was to after the sale, they go in the freezer and are
share each other’s loaves and for the leftovers to used for courses to feed the participants.
be sold to friends on social media. Ward created “People buy a bagel, see the chickens running
a posting inviting anyone who was interested to around and kids can swing in the hammock. If
come over on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. With mar- they are having to queue, they can have a cold
kets usually in the early mornings, Ward didn’t drink, see what we are about and then that usu-
know if Friday nights were going to be profitable. ally turns into them buying a course.”
On the first day, 30 people showed up and Having someone commit to spending £95
paid £380 (~$466 U.S.). With those net sales, she (~$116) to go to an outsider’s home can be diffi-
and her friend changed their monthly meet- cult. But if they have already spent £1 (~$1.23) on
ings to weekly and have been offering fresh a bagel, they feel more comfortable, Ward says.
bread every Friday since. Jars of preserves, fresh eggs from the chickens,
Early in the week, Ward asks for prepaid honey from the bees are also available.
orders via her Facebook group. On Thursday,
she starts the kneading and measuring process. Ward’s Ward
When I returned from my visit, I wanted to
mimic many of Ward’s workshop ideas. After
sprucing up my detached pool house, I started
offering make-and-take terrarium classes and
introductions to chicken-keeping and animal
training (chicken agility!). I partnered with the
local feed-supply store to help advertise it and
posted the events on my Facebook page. I also
advertised on free websites and listservs for
my area and created a TripAdvisor account. I’ve
been offering workshops for a year and have
had two to 12 attendees for each one.
Like Ward, I offer my courses Monday
through Friday. Because I also work full time, I
only offer my courses in the evenings. Each of
my workshops is presented once a month, and
I rotate the days to accommodate schedules.
My homeowner’s insurance would not cover
people paying to be on my property for an
event, so I purchased some additional business
insurance, which is $500 for a year. Because I
am within the city limits, I must also pay a busi-
ness tax of $125 a year. If you are going to sell or
offer chicken eggs, consult with your city and
state regulations. Regulations regarding the sell-
ing of baked goods are usually more lenient.
KENNY COOGAN
Tips & Advice

I found Hen Corner on TripAdvisor as being
listed as one of the best parts of London, and
HEN CORNER OFFERS WORKSHOPS WHERE

I’m not alone. “People have driven four to five
&
hours for a course,” Ward says. “People have
CHILDREN ARE ENCOURAGED TO MEET stayed in a hotel the night before and explored
CUDDLE A CHICKEN & COLLECT EGGS.
London. People come from [as far away as] New
York and Florida.”
COURTESY OF JULIET MURPHY
WARD’S FLOCK CONSISTS OF BANTAMS & STANDARD BREEDS TO SHOW HER PATRONS THE
DIFFERENT PATTERNS, COLORS & EGG VARIETIES A BACKYARD FLOCK CAN PRODUCE.
While I just started my homesteading work- hang out with me, I am going to make a new
shops, I’ve encountered a similar phenome- friend. If it is only one person, it is so much less
non. I’ve had people drive two hours to attend work and so much more relaxed. Then I switched
my two-hour terrarium and chicken classes, my mindset to ‘this is really awesome.’”
which end at 8:30 p.m. on a weekday! People The woman who attended was grateful, accord-
want to learn about homesteading, and they ing to Ward. It was the attendee’s third “home-
want to get hands-on experience. steading” course that she had booked (but first
The maximum number of people you accept with Ward). The other two bookings had canceled
for a workshop will depend on your space. I due to low registration. In the end, she received a
asked Ward if she ever cancels a class due to low private pasta-making class, while Ward got paid
registration. “We’ve never canceled, because you and her businesses reputation went untarnished.
never know why they booked it or how much “Empowering people is our goal,” Ward says.
it means to them,” she says. “Earlier this year, I “I’ve met the most amazing people. When we
did a pasta course, and one person booked it. I have kids come around here, we have them plant
thought I could be doing other things that day. a seed and take it home. I say ‘You are farmers.
But then I thought that it’s £95 (~$116) that I You are producing food. If you can look after herb
wouldn’t have had and if this person wants to seeds, that is the beginning of growing your own
food and feeding yourself.’”
GET CONNECTED
Kenny Coogan is a food, farm and flower colum-
nist. He leads workshops about owning chickens,
vegetable gardening, animal training and corporate
You can visit Hen Corner online at:
team-building at his Tampa, Florida, homestead. His
• www.hencorner.com
newest gardening book 99½ Homesteading Poems:
• www.facebook.com/HenCorner
A Backyard Guide to Raising Creatures, Growing
• Twitter @HenCorner
Opportunity and Cultivating Community is
available at www.kennycoogan.com.

‘Tis the season ...
Seasonal treat recipes can help keep
your birds from getting bored.
Recipes & Photos
by Mia McGregor
I
t’s a great time of year for tasty treat recipes for your backyard birds!
Whether you are looking for a warm winter treat or a cooling treat for those
hot summer days, we’ve got you covered. Remember: These are treats and
not a replacement for a healthy, balanced diet. A couple times a week or
a tablespoon or two per day per hen is plenty. An overly treat-heavy diet
could lead to health issues. That being said: Let’s get to the treats!
for Treats!
Pam Kirchhoff/shutterstocK

Grain Seed
Bloc�
Here is a hearty snack chickens can peck at for hours! The high-protein
ingredients also make this flock-block alternative (pictured on opposite
page) good for molting season.
INGREDIENTS
• 3 cups of seeds, grains, scratch, unsalted nuts (I use quinoa, flax
N�-Bak�
seeds, chia seeds and oats.)
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1
⁄2 cup chicken feed
Oat Balls
• 1
⁄2 cup mealworms or black oil sunflower seeds
• 3
⁄4 cup fruit or veggie scraps or dried fruit/veggie (I use raisins and
coconut flakes.)
• 4 surplus eggs from the chickens and their shells or flax/chia eggs
• 1
⁄4 cup coconut oil
• 3
⁄4 cup molasses
These are an easy versatile treat any time
of the year. They are tasty for humans as well PREPARATION
(unless you add mealworms to the mix!). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Yield: makes around 24 1-inch balls In a large bowl, mix dry ingre-
dients
INGREDIENTS In a separate large bowl, mix
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats wet ingredients.
• 1⁄2 cup ground flax Pour wet ingredients in with dry
• 1⁄2 cup raisins and/or coconut flakes ingredients, and mix with a spoon
• 1 tablespoon chia seed, sunflower seed, or your hands
amaranth, etc. Pour into greased or parchment
• ⁄3 cup honey
1
paper-lined pans. (I used two loaf
• 1⁄2 cup salt-free natural peanut butter pans, pictured right.) Thoroughly
press mixture into each pan with
PREPARATION your hands.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Cook for 30 minutes or until firm
Cover and chill dough in fridge 30+ minutes and dark on the sides
Roll into balls, or alternatively press dough into Remove from oven, and allow
parchment-lined dish, and freeze. Then cut into to cool completely. This should take a few hours.
blocks/bars. Invert pan and remove; scrape sides if needed. If it isn’t holding
Serve to the chickens. together, stick in freezer until firm or just feed it as a broken-up mix
Serve to chickens on dish or hang up in a suet feeder.
cozyOatmea�
During those cold times of the year especially where it snows, chick-
ens would surely appreciate some nice warm porridge. The pumpkin
adds an orange tinge and a healthy dose of beta-carotene.
INGREDIENTS
• 1⁄2 cup cooked oatmeal
• ⁄4 cup pureed pumpkin
1
• 1 teaspoon raw honey or molasses

• 1 tablespoon flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon mealworms
• 1 tablespoon raisins
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds if you used your own pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon whatever you want that is safe for chickens
PREPARATION
In a large bowl, stir together all the ingredients.
Serve to the chooks!
A Fruit-or-
Vegetabl�
Vessel
This recipe basically uses surplus seasonal fruits or vegetables as
treats. The produce itself is used as the container/dish.
INGREDIENTS
• Vary. Examples include apples, watermelons, pumpkins, cantaloupe,
squash, etc.
PREPARATION
Pick your fruit or vegetable. I use an apple (pictured above left) or a
melon (left).
Core it if needed. I cored my apples.
Fill with chicken-safe foods, such as salt-free peanut butter, flaxseed, etc.
Popsicle
puck�
This treat is extremely easy and perfect for the
summertime! Chickens will appreciate a cool treat to
beat the heat.
INGREDIENTS
• Vary. Examples include scrambled eggs (plain),
scrambled eggs with veggies or grains, peas,
blended greens, mashed fruit, blended fruit, etc.
PREPARATION
Mash up or blend ingredients in blender with
a little water or use whole ingredients.
Pour into the muffin tin. Add water, if needed,
so it can freeze into a puck.
Freeze until solid.
Invert pan so pucks can fall out. Run bottom of
pan under warm running water, if needed.
Serve to chickens in a shallow dish.
K
eeping chickens can be a lot more fun
when you spoil them with the occa-
sional homemade treat. Next time your
chickens are all cooped up and bored, consider
giving one of these recipes a try. Your chickens
are sure to have a clucking good time!
Mia McGregor lives in sunny Southern California

with her favorite crowing hen and a menagerie of
other critters.

Ch-Ch-Changes
Turn and face the age, with these six
ways hens change as they get older.
By Gail Damerow
H
ealthy hens can live 12 years or more, although they typically pass their
prime by the age of 3 to 4 years. In the days when chickens were kept pri-
marily for eggs and meat, hens were rarely kept past their prime years.
Today, when many chickens become beloved backyard pets, their keepers
are often unprepared for the transformations that occur as a hen ages.
Here are seven changes to watch for in hens that live to a ripe old age.
Marinanov/shutterstock; kev GreGory/shutterstock (opposite paGe)
Spontaneous
sex change can
cause an older
hen to develop
the characteris-
tics of a rooster.
oleksandr kovalov/shutterstock
Backyard 1. Appearance & Activity healthy hen, egg production drops approxi-
hens tend As a hen ages, her legs and feet get thicker mately 10 percent each year, compared to her
toward and rougher. Some hens — most notably old- first year production rate.
obesity as style large Old English games — grow spurs. The For example, a hen that lays 180 eggs in her
they age, older the hen gets, the longer the spurs are. first year can be expected to lay:
so be Older hens develop rigid breastbones, compared • about 160 eggs in her second year,
mindful to the more flexible breastbone of pullets. Seniors • 110 eggs a year at the age of 4,
to always also have firmer muscles and thicker, tougher • 55 eggs a year at the age of 8
feed a skin, compared to the soft muscles and papery • and 35 eggs at the age of 10.
proper diet thin, somewhat translucent skin of a pullet. A healthy hen that lives to the age of 10 or
and don’t Older hens generally feel more heavy and 12 years should continue to lay at least a few
provide solid, unless they develop one of the condi- eggs. A hen that stops laying altogether has
too many tions that cause an aging hen to lose weight some condition that interferes with laying —
treats. (see “Elderly Ailments” on page 50). Older hens often the condition is obesity. (See “Signs of
tend to be less active, moving less spryly than Obesity”sidebar on page 47.)
they once did, and often walk a little stiffly. In
a flock that includes young hens, older hens 3. Bigger Eggs
gradually lose rank in the pecking order. Although an older hen lays fewer eggs, the
eggs are larger, the shells are thinner, and the
2. Fewer Eggs albumen is runnier. If the hen lays eggs with
The older a hen is, the fewer eggs she lays brown shells, the shells will be a paler shade of
and the less regularly she lays them. For a brown. The usual explanation is that as a hen’s
Older hens
may not
produce
many eggs,
but they
can still
be useful
members of
the flock.
JaMes Jardine/flickr
eggs get larger, the same amount of brown- breeds, and therefore more easily become
pigment has to cover a larger surface area. This obese. Besides interfering with laying, obesity
explanation, however, doesn’t account for why can lead to significant health issues.
the pointy end of the egg tends to be lighter in
color than the rounded end. 5. Sex Change
Spontaneous sex change is a phenomenon
4. Excessive Fat whereby a hen develops the characteristics
Backyard hens tend toward obesity as they of a cock. A hen has two ovaries, but only the
age, especially if fed an improper diet or too left one produces eggs, while the right one
many treats. Chickens evolved with the abil-
Signs of Obesity
ity to develop an abdominal fat pad to use as
reserve energy during times when forage is
scarce. Most young chickens, especially active
free-range birds, have a relatively thin fat pad.
In general, an older chicken has a thicker fat A hen may be accumulating an unhealthy amount of fat if:
pad than a younger chicken. • She lays too few eggs for her age.
Old hens, especially inactive hens fed too • Her eggs have poor shell quality.
much grain, can accumulate enormous quanti- • She frequently lays multiple-yolk eggs.
ties of fat, to the point that the abdominal cavity • She lays eggs at night.
is virtually filled with fat. Heavy breed hens that • She prolapses — pink tissue protrudes from her vent after she
are characterized as being cold hardy conserve passes an egg.
fat more readily than lighter Mediterranean

c5 Media/shutterstock
A pullet (pictured)
has softer muscles
and papery thin
skin, compared
to an older hen’s
firmer muscles
and thicker skin.
remains undeveloped. If the left ovary becomes Sometimes an aging hen will crow during
inactive, testicular tissue of the right ovary is nonlaying periods, when male hormones exert
stimulated into functional activity, resulting in greater influence than female hormones. Sex
the hen’s getting a dose of the male hormone change in an older hen indicates she is reach-
responsible for crowing, enlargement of the ing the end of her productive life. Spontaneous
comb and the development of male plumage. sex change can occur earlier in a hen’s life
if the flock lacks a rooster or the hen has an
heidi bakk hansen/flickr
infection, tumor or other disease.
6. Deferred Broodiness
Some breeds rarely become broody when
they’re young but may brood as they age. This
deferred broodiness trait is especially typi-
cal of Chanteclers and Fayoumis. Individual
hens of other breeds may experience deferred
broodiness, as may hens resulting from a
cross between a hen of a breed that typically
broods and a cock of a breed known for lack of
broodiness. Even though a hen’s egg produc-
tion declines over time, if she has a history of
successfully brooding chicks (whether deferred
or not), she will still make a good mama hen
despite her age. Y
Gail Damerow has written numerous books about

The life expectancy of a healthy hen can be more than a chickens, among them The Chicken Health Hand-
decade, but its prime egg-production years will be over by book and Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens.
the time she turns 4 years old. Visit Gail Damerow’s Blog at www.gaildamerow.com.
Elderly
Ailments Getting older means more health issues,
even for poultry.
by Gail Damerow
ome conditions of chickens are slow to

develop, becoming apparent in aging
backyard hens kept well past their prime.
Here are a few such ailments that may
appear in older hens.
Preventing
obesity
in today’s
pampered
backyard
poultry is
a major
step toward
preventing
heart
failure.
Pendulous Crop Fatty Liver Syndrome

Pendulous crop can result from a loss of mus- The most common noninfectious cause of
cle tone as a chicken ages. The crop becomes so sudden death in backyard laying hens is fatty
fully distended that the muscles get stretched liver syndrome. When a hen starts laying eggs,
beyond their ability to bounce back. The more fat accumulates in her liver, making it soft and
the hen eats and drinks, the more the crop bulges, giving it a pale yellowish color compared to
until the squishy, baggy organ hangs down and the liver of a rooster the same age. Although
swings back and forth like a pendulum. this change to the liver is normal, in nearly all
The crop muscles may become so severely cases of death due to fatty liver syndrome, the
stretched they can’t return to normal. Some unfortunate hens are excessively fat.
hens get along quite well despite having a dis- Deaths most often occur during the summer,
tended crop. However, because the crop never when a hen’s need for dietary energy decreases
fully empties, digestion may be impaired, even- but she is fed too much energy relative to pro-
tually leading to emaciation and death. tein (in other words, too many grain treats),
and summer heat leaves her disinclined to
exercise enough to burn off the excess calories.
Osteoporosis
This condition occurs when the bones
become brittle and fragile and fracture more
easily. It typically occurs to a really good laying
hen that produces an egg nearly every day, but
doesn’t absorb enough dietary calcium — in the
form of large-particle oyster shell or limestone
granules — to put a sturdy shell around each
egg. Instead, she uses up a considerable amount
of skeletal calcium to form each eggshell.
As a result, the hen gradually loses structur-
al bone throughout her productive life, causing
her to have difficulty standing and walking. If
the hen is otherwise healthy, during periods
when she’s not laying eggs, her body reduces
the production of estrogen and resumes the
When a crop is healthy and full, it should be about the size of a formation of structural bone, restoring some
plum and not be tender. strength to her skeletal structure.
Marek’s Disease
Marek’s is caused by a herpesvirus that pri-
Fatty liver syndrome
marily infects young and growing chickens
only affects only
but can also affect aging hens. It is so common hens (females).
that you can safely assume your chickens have
Marek’s virus, even if they don’t show any
signs of infection.
The virus can remain dormant in a hen’s
body, causing slow-growing tumors that pro-
duce no other signs until they become so
massive in an aging bird that the chicken can-
not survive. Fayoumis, with their ultra-strong
constitution, are resistant to Marek’s disease.
Sebrights and Silkies, on the other hand, tend
to be particularly susceptible, as are some
strains of Polish, among other fancy breeds.
Tuberculosis
Avian tuberculosis is a chronic bacterial
disease that spreads slowly from one chicken
to another and takes a long time to develop. It
affects chickens that pick in soil, feed or water
that has been contaminated by the droppings
of infected chickens or other infected animals.
It is especially prevalent in the Midwestern
states where chickens free-range, are kept in
multi-age flocks or are housed in contact with
sheep or pigs. Typical signs of ATB are gradual
weight loss while eating well — a condition
known as going light (see “Going Light,” in the
July/August 2019 issue of Chickens) — resulting
in emaciation and eventually death. No effec-
tive treatment is known.
Heart Failure
Heart failure can afflict older chickens and
has many different causes. Sometimes it’s not
just one big thing but an accumulation of lesser
things over the years. A chicken’s high metabolic
rate naturally places great stress on its heart.
The chicken’s heart rate can be as high as 400
beats per minute, compared to a human’s heart
rate of 60 to100 beats per minute.
To handle the greater stress, the size of a
chicken’s heart relative to its body mass is
about 0.8 percent, compared to a human’s
heart size to body mass of about 0.6 percent.
Despite this adaptation, tumors or excess body
fat that cause breathing difficulty can restrict
oxygen intake and make the heart work harder.
For today’s pampered backyard hens, guarding
against obesity is a major step toward prevent-
ing heart failure. Y
Gail Damerow has written numerous books about

chickens, among them The Chicken Health Hand-
book and Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens.
Visit Gail Damerow’s Blog at www.gaildamerow.com.

Rescue-keepers offer tips and resources
on helping abused commercial hens
that have been “put out to pasture.”
By Mia McGregor
E
ggs may be considered nature’s perfect food, but the process
of bringing a constant supply of eggs to humans is not so
perfect. The continual increase in population and industri-
alization, as well as the decrease in self-sufficient living, has
brought about many commercial yet less-than-ethical inven-
tions in the food chain, one of which is battery chicken-farming.
Bruce Friedrich, executive director of The Good Food Institute, wrote
about battery hens in his article “The Cruelest of All Factory Farm
Products: Eggs From Caged Hens” for the Huffington Post.
“Battery cages are small wire cages where about 95% of laying hens
spend their entire lives,” he wrote. “Each hen is given about 67 to 76 square
inches of space (a standard sheet of paper measures 94 square inches). To
get a sense of a hen’s life in a battery cage, imagine spending your entire
life in a wire cage the size of your bathtub with four other people. You
wouldn’t be able to move, so your muscles and bones would deteriorate.
Your feet would become lacerated. You would go insane. That’s precisely
what happens to laying hens.”
While it has existed for a while, there are people who have seen its
downsides and felt the urge to help. For some, their way of helping is
through rescuing hens from the egg industry and giving them a second
chance at a happy, more natural life. Perhaps you can join the fight?
To Rescue a
SPFLAUM/SHUTTERSTOCK
Battery Hen
This owner
made a vest
for her for-
mer battery
hen while
her feathers
grew back in.
/shutterstock
Battery Background something to squawk about. The not so sunny
A battery farming-style of raising egg-laying side up of battery farming is:
hens arose in the late 1940s when researchers In the U.S. alone, approximately 83% of layer
found favorable results such as improved sanita- hens are kept in battery cages. In these cages,
tion and more uniform feeding leading to more they don’t have room to stretch their wings,
uniform eggs and less food needed. Other ben- and to prevent their pecking each other their
efits included higher egg production and lower beak tips are seared off as chicks. They get
mortality. Predators and temperature extremes no sunshine, dust baths, or nests to relax in
weren’t a problem, hygiene was improved, para- and lay their eggs. This is their life for approx-
site infestation was prevented, and diseases from imately 18 months when their production
outside carriers were reduced. declines, making them a financial liability to
That “sounds” great, right? From a produc- the farmer, and they get disposed of.
tion and business standpoint perhaps it does, Although hens often take a break from lay-
but from a chicken’s point of view, it’s not ing and molt during the cold season, the egg
Making Introductions
Rescuing hens includes • For the first month, also has good tips on her area where they have no con-
introducing them to your don’t keep rescued hens with website: www.clorofil.org/ tact with the existing flock.
pre-existing flock. A post at roosters as roosters may single-post/2017/10/ This includes no physical
henrescue.org (www.hen intimidate or hurt them, and introducing-new-chickens. contact as well as sight and
rescue.org/battery-hen-care) ex-battery hens have fragile The first step she men- smell. They should be quar-
has good advice about this legs from lack of exercise. tions is the important antined preferably for a full
as well as good advice on • Some puffing up of quarantine period. Rescue 30 days. This time allows any
rescued chicken care. They feathers is to be expected. organizations often do a possible illnesses, parasites,
suggest the following: Just keep an eye on chick- health check and quaran- etc. to become visible and
• Never introduce only one ens to make sure there is no tine beforehand, but if that be treated beforehand. Cross
hen to a flock as bullying may bullying. hasn’t been done such as contamination should also
occur, and preferably stick to Chicken-rescuer Isabelle a situation where they are be avoided through stringent
hens of similar size. Cnudde who is also the rescued directly from a farm hand-washing and changing
• Introduce hens in a founder of Clorofil, a non- it is important to quarantine shoes and preferably other
neutral space, and put down profit micro-sanctuary the new hens. clothing too between the
food in multiple areas as a focusing on farmed animal Quarantine is when the quarantine area and the pre-
distraction. education and outreach, new chickens are put in an existing coop and flock.
industry doesn’t allow this and instead uses
long hours of artificial lighting to trick their
bodies into laying eggs all year. Forced molt-
ing is also incorporated in some operations
through starving hens for up to two weeks.
Although they have already been bred to lay
250 to 300 eggs per year, these techniques
make them lay even more.
Common problems chickens experience from
kelly Whalley/shutterstock
battery farming are extremely long fingernails
and possible foot injury from the wire flooring,
overgrown beaks, and metabolic conditions and
eventual osteoporosis due to the lack of exercise
and constant depletion of calcium from lay-
ing so many eggs. Other health issues include
reproductive diseases, bone fractures and skele-
tal paralysis (caged layer fatigue).
Fowl Friends
Isabelle Cnudde is a chicken-rescuer. She
currently has five ex-commercial hens. She
is also the founder of Clorofil, a nonprofit
micro-sanctuary focusing on farmed animal
education and outreach where she gives classes
on chicken care and promotes chicken adoption.
terra incognita/shutterstock
Cnudde got involved in chicken rescue in 2014.

“After one of my chickens died, I wanted to
add a couple new hens to my little flock and
discovered that I could adopt chickens just like I
did for my dog and cats,” she says. “This led me
to Animal Place, a large farmed-animal sanctu-
ary that rescues farmed animals including hens
from the egg industry. Since 2010, they have res-
cued and adopted out almost 25,000 hens.” hens for over a year. She currently cares for Former bat-
Cnudde started volunteering and eventually one hen named Angie. The others she’s res- tery hens’
going into a battery cage farm with them and cued (17 in the past year) have been rehomed feathers
has been helping with each of their rescues, at local sanctuaries — such as Chenoa Manor start to
focusing mostly on the medical side and reha- and Rancho Relaxo — or adopted by other grow back
bilitation prior to adoption. The biggest thing rescuers. Spending time with chickens has in at their
she’s learned since rescuing these chickens is changed her perception of them, and the big- new forever
how amazing they are. She says they are full gest thing she’s learned since rescuing hens is homes.
of life despite the conditions they came from how unique each one of them really is. She’s
and finds it fascinating watching them dis- noticed that each hen has its own personality,
cover the world. quirks, likes and dislikes.
“You witness them grow from tiny hens “Angie, for example, is incredibly stubborn
with missing feathers to beautiful birds,” she and wants nothing more than a high perch at
says. “Their personalities blossom in front of night and a warm sunny spot during the day,”
your eyes.” Fain says. “And she will do anything to get
Cnudde has also noticed that breed doesn’t this. The first night we rescued her, she and
mean much. A common breed used in the egg [another hen we rescued] Coretta were being
industry is the Leghorn. “White Leghorns are kept in my spare bathtub while they were heal-
supposed to be skittish and flighty,” she says. ing. Despite the fact that she had never had
“But in my experience, they are the most social the room to even flap her wings before, Angie
birds I have ever had. They are also pretty smart, immediately started jumping over the netting
and I was able to teach a couple of them to peck we had set up to perch on my hairbrush on the
out a specific card out of a deck of cards!” bathroom counter. Her ability to fight for her
Mary Kate Fain is a board member of Species needs, and drive to do so even after years of
Revolution and has been rescuing ex-battery trauma, is amazing to me.”

Many res-
cue orga-
nizations
adopt out
former bat-
tery hens,
so they can
live out
their lives
in happier
situations.
roy riley/shutterstock
Adoption Agencies or local farms for more information. See our
One easy way to find chickens to adopt is to “Rescue Resources” sidebar on this page for
get in touch with battery hen rescue groups. A contact info.
quick online search reveals plenty of results.
Some people rescue their chickens by con- Tips for Aspiring Rescuers
tacting organizations. Others rescue theirs Jesse Argent is a battery hen rescuer in
directly from the farm or a live poultry market Australia and has a battery hen rescue page
or slaughterhouse. Some hens are even res- on Facebook. In one of his posts, he shares a
cued after falling off trucks headed towards plethora of good info for people considering
the slaughterhouse or after simply being aban- rehoming some battery hens. Here is a con-
doned somewhere. densed version of some of his points from a
Battery Cage Hen Rescue USA posts res- past Facebook post for people interested in get-
cue opportunities in the U.S. on its Facebook ting involved in his chicken rescue:
page. There are also organizations or sanctu- • The birds are missing a lot of feathers
aries such as Animal Place, mentioned ear- mostly from their necks, undersides and tails.
lier, where you can apply to adopt chickens Because of this, they can burn quite easily in
and other animals. United Poultry Concerns the sun when free-ranging at their new home
has a list of farmed animal sanctuaries in so they require a fair amount of shade until
the U.S. and worldwide. Get in touch with their feathers grow back.
rescue organizations, online groups or pages, • The birds have not been on any other type
of flooring besides the bottom of a wire cage so
they have extremely long nails. They will not be
Rescue Resources
used to walking on other surfaces right away.
• The birds did not have nesting boxes and
therefore will drop their eggs wherever they
Find out more about rescuing battery hens through these feel for the first few months.
resources. They are some of the most amazing char-
Animal Place: www.animalplace.org/rescue-ranch acters and overall great birds to own. They
Animals Australia: need a little more TLC at the start while they
www.animalsaustralia.org/features/adopt-a-battery-hen.php learn how everything works, but once they are
Battery Cage Hen Rescue USA: www.facebook.com/rescuehen settled in then they can become the best pets
Clorofil: www.clorofil.org you’ve ever owned.
Jesse Argent’s battery hen rescue page on Facebook: Fain’s tip for people interested in rescuing
www.facebook.com/batteryhenrescue battery chickens is to make sure your are
United Poultry Concerns: www.upc-online.org doing it with the hen’s best interests at heart,
and not just for free eggs. Rescuing chickens
Itchy was re-homed through a battery hen welfare trust. She
decided to retire from laying eggs after having to produce two
eggs per day for about 17 months in the battery in a cage the
size of an A4 sheet of paper. This is her when she first arrived at
photos by leonard bentley/flickr
her new home (left) and then a few months later (above).
after a first molt they become all beautiful.

[They also will] have a shorter lifespan than
heritage breeds. We bred them to lay so many
eggs that they will most probably die from
some reproductive issue.”
A
ccording to Alexander Craig, media
is challenging, but the reward of doing so is and communications manager at the
much greater than a couple eggs could ever American Society for the Prevention of
be,” she says. Cruelty to Animals‎, birds — including egg-laying
She also mentions that ex-battery hens will hens — are the animals most urgently in need of
inevitably have some health issues — respira- protection. He shares that some states are ban-
tory, reproductive, injuries and infections — and ning battery cages, and more than 100 retailers
need veterinary care. Finding a qualified vet and companies have set policies to go cage-free.
should be top priority, she says, noting that The ASPCA’s Shop With Your Heart pledge asks
depending on the hen’s issues, you might have people to choose more plant-based foods and
vet bills totaling up to $1,000, as well as ongoing alternatives or animal products with certifica-
costs. She recommends calling different animal tions such as Animal Welfare Approved, Certified
hospitals or asking around online in order to Humane and Global Animal Partnership Steps 2+.
find a good avian vet with chicken experience. Another option is just raising your own chickens.
Cnudde has feeding advice for rescued chick- We may never know for sure what came
ens. “All battery hens are de-beaked, which first — the chicken or the egg — but the love of
means that part of their beaks were cut off to chickens is something we all have in common.
avoid them hurting each other in the small Consider helping out some ex-battery chickens
cages they live in,” she says. “It is something you this year and enjoy watching them transform
can easily deal with by providing a deep dish into full-feathered beauties. Y
and crumbles — instead of pellets — and cut-
ting some of their treats in smaller pieces. Mia McGregor lives in sunny southern California
“They look a bit scruffy at first as they broke with her favorite crowing hen and a menagerie of
their feathers rubbing against the cages, but other critters.

General Store
bring the chickens inside with rooster, hen and chic(k) décor.
by Sarah E. Coleman
5
3
8 6
10
1. A little Poulet with your pinot? Make your guests giggle even before they’ve had a glass of wine with a hilarious Coq Au Vin Wine
Stopper, Le Crock Coq Herb Infuser and Fried Chicken Erasers. $12. www.genuinefred.com 2. Tell the world the truth every time you
wear this “EASILy dIStrACtEd by CHICkEnS” Shirt. Hoodies and other styles available, too. Prices vary. www.redbubble.com
3. Add a splash of color to dreary days with a Watercolor Chicken License Plate. Made of aluminum, it’s sturdy and water-resistant.
$24.99. www.artistshot.com 4. Decorate your walls with a vintage-looking Chicken breeds Poster, available in vintage white,
light and dark parchment, and ivory. Price varies by size. www.etsy.com/shop/DavesOffice 5. Celebrate with your feathered friends
as you marry your two-legged love with a Glass Chicken Wedding Cake topper Figurine. $16.50. www.weddingcollectibles.com
6. Supplement your chicken’s diet with Henny Penny Scratch block, which contains whole grains, grit and oyster shell. Price varies.
www.seedfactory.com 7. Serve libations in style in a Mama Hen Wine Glass. $19.95. www.amazon.com 8. Bring a smile to your
face every time you answer the phone no matter who’s calling with a Chicken Phone Case from Dream Raven Designs, available
for iPhone and Samsung, in Buff Orpington, Brahma and Rhode Island Red. $19.45. www.etsy.com/shop/DreamRavenDesigns
9. The rocky® Legacy 32 boot has stitch-out construction, a Proprietary Vibram® outsole with a cushioned midsole and a fiberglass
shank. It’s made for any farm terrain with waterproof, full-grain leather to keep feet dry without trapping in perspiration. $159.99.
www.rockyboots.com 10. Cover up windblown autumn hair in style with Life Is better with Chickens Around Hat that tells the world
what you already knows. $24.99. www.rubysrubbish.com Y

SHOOT YOUR COOP!
Email us a short write up about your chicken coop along with a few
images to chickens@chickensmagazine.com with the subject line Cool
Coop, and include your name and mailing address.
We’ll send one person a prize package of Frenzy Products (total
value ~$60): a 30-ounce Mealworm Frenzy, a 30-ounce Grub Frenzy,
and a Fresh Frenzy, which is 10 individually packs of juicy mealworms,
from our sponsor Happy Hen Treats (www.happyhentreats.com)!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. Contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States or District of Columbia,
age 21 or older. Entries must be received between 12:00:01 a.m. PT on 8/25/2019 and 11:59:59 p.m. PT on 10/25/2019. See
Official Rules on page 64. Void where prohibited by law. Sponsor: EG Media Investments LLC
O L
A Texan gets rew Hunger of Katy, Texas, sent us this awesome idea for
creative with
hog panels
to build a
D a chicken run. He needed to build about a 60-foot chicken
run to let his chickens get from their elevated cedar chicken
coop, which is their primary pen, to the back acreage with-
out getting out into Hunger’s yard. “Because they love to find the cat
food in the garage and then poop on everything there!” he says.
creative “Other chicken runs that I have seen used wood. However, we are in
coop ramp a very wet environment, so wood and dirt don’t mix for long here. So
for his birds. I went to a farm-supply store and purchased 16-foot long, galvanized,
ho panel sections. I leaned those together at the top with a small
l post to keep them from moving. I kept the smaller opening at
Got
ottom and the larger openings at the top. This went together in
nutes with UV-resistant zip ties. Eventually, I had to drape some
COOP?
hicken wire over the top when some of the chickens learned that
they could jump up and get through the larger openings. I like it
because the galvanized panels will last for such a very long time.
“If there is a downside for the average reader, it may be that
go t a coo l coo p or chi cke n-r un setup,
If you’ve the panels are somewhat expensive and the 16-foot sections can
e ph oto s an d we mi gh t pu bli sh them
send us som be difficult to haul. But if you take a set of bolt cutters and eye
in an upcoming issue! protection to the supply store, you can cut them into shorter sec-
Email them to ons before you load them up to leave.”
chickens@chickensmagazine.com

full sweepstakes & contest rules
chIcken chAt eSSAY (page 66) & one cool cooP eSSAY(page 66) ShuttercluckS Photo conteSt (page 68)
oFFIcIAl ruleS • no PurchASe neceSSArY to enter or WIn oFFIcIAl ruleS • no PurchASe neceSSArY to enter or WIn
Sponsor/entry Period: Enter between 12:00:01 a.m. PT on 10/25/2019 and 11:59:59 p.m. PT on 12/25/2019. Sponsor: EG Media Invest- Sponsor/entry Period: Enter between 12:00:01 a.m. PT on 8/25/2019 and 11:59:59 p.m. PT on 10/25/2019. Sponsor: EG Media Invest-
ments LLC, 4635 McEwen Road, Dallas, TX 75244 eligibility: Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., 21 years or older. ments LLC, 4635 McEwen Road, Dallas, TX 75244 eligibility: Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., 21 years or older.
Employees of Sponsor are not eligible to enter. how to enter: Email your 750- to 1,000-word story and up to five photo(s) (“Theme”) Employees of Sponsor are not eligible to enter. how to enter: Email your photo(s) (“Theme”) to chickens@chickensmagazine.com,
to chickens@chickensmagazine.com, with the subject line “Chicken Chat” or “One Cool Coop” and include your name and mailing with the subject line “Shutterclucks” and include your name and mailing address. You may enter up to five images. requirements of
address. requirements of entry: Entries must meet the following requirements and you represent and warrant and agree that: Your entry: Entries must meet the following requirements and you represent and warrant and agree that: Your Entry was created by you or
Entry was created by you or you have the rights or received prior permission from any person involved in its creation or any person you have the rights or received prior permission from any person involved in its creation or any person depicted in the materials and
depicted in the materials and you have the right to use the Entry, and all elements of the Entry, and can grant the license granted here- you have the right to use the Entry, and all elements of the Entry, and can grant the license granted herein; The Entry does not contain
in; The Entry does not contain any prominent use of third party trademarks, trade names, brands or logos; The Entry does not depict any prominent use of third party trademarks, trade names, brands or logos; The Entry does not depict any individual other than the
any individual other than the Entrant; The Entry does not defame or otherwise violate the rights of any third party; and The Entry can’t Entrant; The Entry does not defame or otherwise violate the rights of any third party; and The Entry can’t be offensive or contain any
be offensive or contain any elements such as nudity, graphically violent imagery, sexually suggestive imagery or be explicitly racial, elements such as nudity, graphically violent imagery, sexually suggestive imagery or be explicitly racial, profane, slanderous or visually
profane, slanderous or visually depict alcohol or gambling or be contrary to the interests of Contest or Sponsor, as determined in the depict alcohol or gambling or be contrary to the interests of Contest or Sponsor, as determined in the sole discretion of the Sponsor.
sole discretion of the Sponsor. Grant of license: By entering, you grant Sponsor the perpetual, fully paid, irrevocable, exclusive license Grant of license: By entering, you grant Sponsor the perpetual, fully paid, irrevocable, exclusive license to reproduce, distribute, license,
to reproduce, distribute, license, display or otherwise use throughout the world your Entry in any manner for any purpose, including display or otherwise use throughout the world your Entry in any manner for any purpose, including advertising for Sponsor or others
advertising for Sponsor or others without further consent or payment to you or any other person or entity. The Entry may be published without further consent or payment to you or any other person or entity. The Entry may be published and posted online, but
and posted online, but you agree that Sponsor has no obligation to post or publish your Entry and that such posting or publication has you agree that Sponsor has no obligation to post or publish your Entry and that such posting or publication has no bearing
no bearing on whether you are a winner. You will hold Sponsor harmless from any claim by any third party relating to any rights in on whether you are a winner. You will hold Sponsor harmless from any claim by any third party relating to any rights in your
your Entry. Winner Selection: One Winner will be selected by Sponsor from all eligible entries received during the Entry Period. The Entry. Winner Selection: Ten potential Winners will be selected by Sponsor from all eligible entries received during the Entry Period.
odds of winning are determined by the number of eligible Entries received. Judging: Judging consists of two rounds of evaluation. The odds of winning are determined by the number of eligible Entries received. Judging: Judging consists of two rounds of evaluation.
In round one, editors will select two entries from among all eligible entries based on the following criteria (“Judging Criteria”): (1) In round one, editors will select 10 entries from among all eligible entries based on the following criteria (“Judging Criteria”): (1)
Readability: 75 percent; (2) Photographic Quality: 25 percent. The entries selected in round one will proceed to round two. In round two, Creativity: 50 percent; (2) Photographic Quality: 50 percent. The entries selected in round one will proceed to round two. In round two,
editors will collectively select a winner based on Judging Criteria. In the event of a tie, the tied entries will be resubmitted to the Judges editors will collectively select a winner based on Judging Criteria. In the event of a tie, the tied entries will be resubmitted to the Judges
for a rejudging between the tied entries alone. In the event that a tie remains after rejudging, the entry with the highest score in the for a rejudging between the tied entries alone. In the event that a tie remains after rejudging, the entry with the highest score in the
readability criteria will be declared the winner. Decisions of the Judges are final and binding. Winner notification: Potential winners creativity criteria will be declared the winner. Decisions of the Judges are final and binding. Winner notification: Potential winners will
will be notified on or about 12/25/2019 via the email address they provide at entry. If a winner doesn’t respond within 72 hours, the be notified on or about 10/25/2019 via the email address they provide at entry. If a winner doesn’t respond within 72 hours, the email
email is undeliverable (sent three times over five days), if entrant is ineligible or doesn’t accept the prize, the prize will be forfeited and is undeliverable (sent three times over five days), if entrant is ineligible or doesn’t accept the prize, the prize will be forfeited and the
the next runner-up will be selected. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission (except where prohibited by law) to use each winner’s next runner-up will be selected. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission (except where prohibited by law) to use each winner’s
name, city and state where winner is located and likeness for promotional purposes without further compensation. Prizes: The prize name, city and state where winner is located and likeness for promotional purposes without further compensation. Prizes: The prize
to be awarded and the approximate retail value (“ARV”) is one T-shirt and farm sign of around $50 (Chicken Chat) OR package of to be awarded and the approximate retail value (“ARV”) is two Nite Guard Solars at $19.95x2. Winners are responsible for any taxes
Happy Hen Treats of around $60 (One Cool Coop). Winners are responsible for any taxes on prize. No substitution or cash equivalent on prize. No substitution or cash equivalent permitted, except by Sponsor. Prize is nontransferrable. One prize per person/household.
permitted, except by Sponsor. Prize is nontransferrable. One prize per person/household. conditions: Entrants agree to the Official conditions: Entrants agree to the Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Entrants release, defend
Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Entrants release, defend and hold harmless Sponsor and com- and hold harmless Sponsor and companies providing prizes from any and all liability whatsoever against Sponsor and companies
panies providing prizes from any and all liability whatsoever against Sponsor and companies providing prizes arising out of Entrant’s providing prizes arising out of Entrant’s participation or use of a prize. Sponsor is not responsible for any error in the printing of the
participation or use of a prize. Sponsor is not responsible for any error in the printing of the offer, administration of the Contest or the offer, administration of the Contest or the announcement of any prize or in the event Sponsor is prevented from continuing the
announcement of any prize or in the event Sponsor is prevented from continuing the Contest by any event beyond its control. Entries Contest by any event beyond its control. Entries that have been tampered with, altered or generated by an automated device are
that have been tampered with, altered or generated by an automated device are void. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, illegible void. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, illegible entries or delay, error or interruption in transmission of Entries. Sponsor
entries or delay, error or interruption in transmission of Entries. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any Entry or terminate the Con- reserves the right to disqualify any Entry or terminate the Contest if it becomes technically corrupted and/or select winners from
test if it becomes technically corrupted and/or select winners from among all eligible Entries received prior to termination. If there are among all eligible Entries received prior to termination. If there are not enough qualified Entries to qualify as Finalists, Sponsor
not enough qualified Entries to qualify as Finalists, Sponsor reserves the right to select less than the number of Finalists listed in these reserves the right to select less than the number of Finalists listed in these Official Rules. In the event of any complaint alleging a
Official Rules. In the event of any complaint alleging a violation of any third-party right relating to an Entry, Sponsor reserves the right violation of any third-party right relating to an Entry, Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify the Entry. By participating, Entrant
to disqualify the Entry. By participating, Entrant acknowledges that Sponsor does not waive any rights to use similar or related ideas acknowledges that Sponsor does not waive any rights to use similar or related ideas that might be contained in an Entry. Any and all
that might be contained in an Entry. Any and all claims in connection with the Contest must be brought in a court within the State of claims in connection with the Contest must be brought in a court within the State of Delaware and the all disputes will be governed
Delaware and the all disputes will be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware and shall be resolved individually, without resort by the laws of the State of Delaware and shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action. BY PARTICIPATING,
to any form of class action. BY PARTICIPATING, ENTRANT HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHTS OR CLAIMS TO ATTORNEY’S FEES, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, ENTRANT HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHTS OR CLAIMS TO ATTORNEY’S FEES, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL
PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ENTRANT, WHETHER FORESEEABLE OR NOT AND WHETHER BASED ON NEGLIGENCE DAMAGES OF ENTRANT, WHETHER FORESEEABLE OR NOT AND WHETHER BASED ON NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE. Winner’s list: For the
OR OTHERWISE. Winner’s list: For the names of the winners, mail a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Sponsor at Chickens maga- names of the winners, mail a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Sponsor at Chickens magazine, Shutterclucks winners November/
zine, Chicken Chat/Cool Coop winners, 4101 Tates Creek Centre Drive, Suite 150, #324, Lexington, KY 40517. December 2019, 4101 Tates Creek Centre Drive, Suite 150, #324, Lexington, KY 40517. Privacy: Information you submit will be subject to
Privacy: Information you submit will be subject to Sponsor’s Privacy Policy. For information, email privacy@egmediamags.com. Sponsor’s Privacy Policy. For information, email privacy@egmediamags.com. Y
Advertising Index For more information about the products or services shown in this issue, circle the
corresponding RS Nos. (limit 10) on the blown-in Reader Service card in this issue and mail it.
RS Page RS Page RS Page

No. Advertiser No. No. Advertiser No. No. Advertiser No.
103 Absorbent Products Inc. .............................23 107 EZ Pluckers .................................................75 112 Nite-Guard LLC ............................................29
(800) 667-0336; www.absorbentproductsltd.com (888) 831-9883; www.ezpluckers.com (800) 328-6647; www.niteguard.com

104 Absorbent Products Inc. ...............................5 108 Goodwinol Products Corp. ..........................19 113 Nopec ..........................................................31
(800) 667-0336; www.absorbentproductsltd.com (970) 834-1229; www.goodwinol.com (512) 995-0058; www.chickendoors.com
105 Absorbent Products Inc. .............................11 109 Hen Saver.....................................................74
115 Randall Burkey Co. ........................................7
(800) 667-0336; www.absorbentproductsltd.com (800) 980-4165; www.hensaver.com
(830) 331-2311; www.happyhentreats.com
101 American Bantam Association ...................75 110 Kreamer Feed Inc. .......................................13
116 Stromberg's Chicks &
(973) 271-3335; www.bantamclub.com (570) 850-6578; www.kreamerfeed.com
Gamebirds Unlimited..................................... 21
114 Animal Feed & Supplements .........................9 118 Lucerne Farms.............................................17
(218) 587-2222; www.strombergschickens.com
(800) 227-8941; www.purinamills.com (800) 723-4923; www.lucernefarms.com
117 TDL Industry Inc. .................................Cover 3
102 Brinsea Products Inc. .................................75 111 Manna Pro Corp. ..................................Cover 2
(916) 224-6509;
(321) 267-7009; www.brinsea.com (636) 681-1784; www.mannapro.com
www.roosterboosterproducts.com
106 Egg Carton Store, The..................................74 119 Murray McMurray Hatchery ................Cover 4
(866) 333-1132; www.eggcartonstore.com (800) 456-3280; www.mcmurrayhatchery.com
DOUBLE DOWN & ER MEA
BROIL BASICS
T
SAVE BIG
LK BIRD
LE YO
DOUB MYSTERIES
& FROM
ELONS MYTHS
SH & M TS
SQUAFALL TREA
FOR
2018
TOBER
BER/OC
SEPTEM
L PO ULTRY
SENTIA
THE ES ATION
PUBLIC
6 WAYS to
PRESERVE
EGGS
SAFE
HUMANE & G
HARVESTIN
GUIDE
Get a one-year subscription to both lth

& Hdevaice
A
KEEP A
FAMILY
COW
AL MILK
ROP
NATOMY
NCERNS
Chickens and Hobby Farms

E FOR RE
ORATIV TOBER
18
20
COMM0EM SUE! BER/OC
10 IS
TH
SEPTEM
$20,00 RON
GROSSOWING SAFF
BY GR
and save 49% off the combined LIVING

FOR IT
100
RURAL RE AND PR
OF
PLEASU
cover price! ESSENMTAIA

L TIPS
LL-FARM to S
SUCCESS
Cold-Weath
ORCHARNDS
OPTIO
er
ONLY
EEP
FEEDING SH
G GOATS
& BREEDIN
S 20 8 10
HOBBY FARM Is ue ode 20 8
8 No 05 un il O tober 3
99 Vol
US/CAN $5 er 2018 Di play
/Octob 10
Septembe
1
488 95
36.95
0 718 96
RMS.COM
HOBBYFA
$
Limited Time Offer
ACT NOW!
Fill out the form below and mail it to:

EG Media Investments LLC, PO Box 70261, Philadelphia, PA 19176-9907

IT
S T T - SEND YES! Sign me up for a one-year subscription to Chickens and Hobby Farms for only $36.95.
JU TI U
LI T-C (That’s 12 issues for a $34.93 savings off the cover price)
FIL
Method of Payment  Check Enclosed  Credit Card  Money Order  Bill Me Later
Payment through Credit Card  Visa  MC  AMEX  Discover Name on Credit Card
Credit Card Number                 Expiration Date / /
Subscriber Name: First Middle Last
Address
City State Zip
Phone Email
Signature Date / /
Subscribe online at www.hobbyfarms.com/farms-combo and use promo code A59CHHF2

or call, toll-free, 844-330-6373. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery of the first issue.
Outside U.S., add $30 per year for postage, payable in U.S. fund only.
Chicken
Chat | column & photos by Katze Roman
Something to Crow About

M
y family moved to a small town Getting Nakeds
in the Midwest of about 700 peo- We ordered our baby chickens online. The day
ple right before Christmas of 2018. that they arrived in the mail, I was elated at the
Having chickens was a must for us, so we 18 peeping yellow chicks looking back at me.
waited eight months for our house because We ordered Naked Necks partly because of
it was zoned for agriculture and had 3 acres their name and partly because we loved the
right off a river, which meant we could have way they looked. I raised them in the brooder
roosters, too! of our screened-in front porch.
Silkie Smooth
Soon after, a coworker of my mother men-
tioned that she had a noisy rooster that she
desperately wanted to get rid of. She said she’d
give us the rooster free of charge and even
throw in a laying hen if I’d come and get them.
I quickly jumped on the deal and made the
hour trip with my husband and daughter to
her home to find a waddling, noisy, scraggly
Silkie rooster. I fell in love all over again! We
named the rooster Benji and the accompany-
ing Silkie hen Macy May.
Meet the Peeps

Necked Neck The Naked Neck chicks quickly joined our
peeps get two older additions, and Macy May adopted
acquainted the babies as her own after losing her fer-
to their new tilized eggs to an infection. Our flock is now
brooder. a family of 20, and my daughter absolutely
Tell Us Your Story!

E mail the story of your chickens in about 750 words to chickens@chickensmagazine.com
(subject line: Chicken Chat). Be sure to include high-resolution images or photos of yourself,
your chickens and/or your coop. The author of each issue’s published essay will receive a special
farm sign and T-shirt from Stromberg’s Chickens and Game Birds Unlimited (800-720-1134;
www.strombergschickens.com), which offers a selection of birds, books, supplies and
equipment for the breeding, rearing and management of poultry, ducks, guineas, waterfowl,
game birds, peafowl, pheasants, quail and doves!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. Contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States
or District of Columbia, age 21 or older. Entries must be received between 12:00:01 a.m. PT on 10/25/2019 and 11:59:59 p.m. PT on
12/25/2019. See Official Rules on page 64. Void where prohibited by law. Sponsor: EG Media Investments LLC
enjoys chasing them around and gathering Katze
eggs as much as I love driving my neighbors Roman’s
Naked Necks crazy with Benji’s nonstop crowing! husband,
Jonathan
Naked Neck chickens may look like
W
small turkeys, but they are all chicken! The henever we have company, I’m the (left), holds
breed was created to be easier for cooks first to offer a tour of our flock, their rooster.
to pluck. Nakeds, of course, due well in boasting about the exotic breed we
warm climates but they actually fare well chose and showing off our birds. Katze Roman
in the cold, too, despite their feather I love waking up every morning and listen- loves to
shortcomings and large combs. Naked ing to Benji having “crow offs” with our new show off her
Necks are said to be calm, friendly and neighbors’ roosters. Our chickens have been Midwestern
one of the easiest chickens to tame. an absolute blessing to us! Y Naked Necks
(above).
Katze Roman lives in New Milford, Illinois.

Winner!
KABRINA MARTINEZ-MARCHANT
Reading, Pennsylvania
SHARE YOUR PICTURES!

Email us an image of your chicken
or flock to chickens@chickens
magazine.com with the subject line
Shutterclucks, and include your name
and mailing address.
We’ll send one winner two security
lights from Nite Guard Solar®
(www.niteguard.com),
which scare the wits out
of night preda-
tors — including
coyotes, foxes,
hawks, owls, rac-
coons, skunks,
weasels and
more.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO
ENTER. Contest is open to legal resi-
dents of the 50 United States
or District of Columbia, age 21 or older.
Entries must be received between
12:00:01 a.m. PT on 10/25/2019 and
11:59:59 p.m. PT on 12/25/2019. See
Official Rules on page 64. Void where
prohibited by law. Sponsor: EG Media
Investments LLC
Candi Barnum Susan Buchanan Amy Mitchell
Concord, California Meridianville, Alabama Indianola, Iowa
Marcy Lapinsky Sarah Massey Kellie Schwartz

Indiana, Pennsylvania Winfield, West Virginia Valley, Washington
Wanda Warren Sienna Warlow Christine Southworth

Berryville, Arkansas Olympia, Washington Southampton, Massachusetts

IN THE KITCHEN
recipe & photo by Lori Rice
ROASTED
ROOT VEGETABLE
Grain Bowls
T his comforting winter meal is sure to warm

the belly as autumn days turn toward win-
ter. Here, roasted winter vegetables are
paired with hearty whole grains. Buckwheat groats,
or kasha, are used, but feel free to substitute your
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spread the potatoes, carrots and onion on a large
rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of
the olive oil, and toss to coat all ingredients. Spread
favorite grain such as wheat berries or wild rice. into a single layer, and bake for 15 minutes.
A dressing of olive oil and sage with a touch of Remove the pan from the oven, and carefully
maple syrup gives the meal even more seasonal stir the vegetables, moving them to one side of the
flavor. It’s topped with a soft or hard-boiled egg pan. Add the beets to empty side of the pan and
making it ideal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. drizzle with the remaining 1⁄2 tablespoon of olive
YIELD: 4 servings oil. Return to the oven, and bake 20 to 30 more
minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the veg-
INGREDIENTS etables have started to brown.
bowl In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dress-
• 1 pound small gold potatoes, chopped ing ingredients.
• 3 medium rainbow carrots, sliced To serve, add 1⁄4 of the buckwheat groats to
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 4 serving bowls. Add an equal amount of roasted
• 11⁄2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil vegetables. Drizzle each with dressing, and top
• 1⁄2 pound small red beets, cooked and peeled, with a halved egg and serve warm.
quartered
• 1 cup dry buckwheat groats, cooked according Lori Rice is a writer and nutritional scientist. Visit www.
to package directions loririce.com and www.fakefoodfree.com to learn more.
• 4 large eggs, soft- or hard-boiled, peeled and
halved
dressing
• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large fresh sage leaves, minced
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
CHRISTOPHER GARDINER/SHUTTERSTOCK
Poultry
Science | by the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis
Boredom Busters
O ne of the great pleasures of raising
backyard chickens is watching them
roam, jump, peck and dust bathe to
their heart’s content. From finding “new” items
and running around with them in their beaks
From a welfare perspective, environmental
enrichments provide an important mental
and physical stimulus that prevents boredom,
reduces fearfulness, enhances learning and
improves the health of your flock.
as the rest of the flock gives chase to laying In this column, we will focus on ways to
eggs in the most unusual places, chickens can enhance dust bathing, perching and other
be quite curious, adventurous and just plain behaviors using hay bales and shade structures
quirky. Hence, it can be very rewarding and along with some tips on how to build upon
entertaining to let them express those natu- them if you already use them with the goal
ral behaviors in the outdoors. However, while of making your backyard more complex and
chickens are very good at entertaining them- enriching for your flock.
selves — and us — there are ways you can
help your chicken’s quirky side shine through Shade Structures
by the addition of a few extra toys (aka envi- If your birds are shy and don’t seem to want
ronmental enrichments). to stray too far from your coop, consider using
In the most general sense, these “boredom portable shade structures to encourage graz-
busters” can be thought of as environmental ing and exploration. Shade structures provide
modifications that are designed to encourage protection from then sun as well as from aerial
and enhance the expression of natural behav- predators. By adding a covered structure and
iors such as perching and dust bathing to creating a sense of security, your birds will be
maintain or improve the health of your chickens. more likely to branch out and be less fearful
This portable shade structure is easy and easy to build. Shade cloth that blocks 90% of the sun does the trick.
If you are interested in making this or a similar design, go to https://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/files/236853.pdf.
Straw bales
overall. As a bonus, your birds may even use
encourage
them as a perching station! natural
foraging
PRO TIP behaviors.
A good way to keep your birds from grazing
the same spot is to move the shade structures
every day.
Bales of fun!
Straw bales of wheat give you the most bang
for your buck. They encourage natural foraging
behaviors, reduce aggression and improve leg
health. Instead of pecking themselves or their
friends, birds can spend hours pecking and
scratching through bales.
However, if not deployed correctly, bales can
backfire and cause more pecking and aggres-
sion among your flock especially if there is
a really dominant chicken that doesn’t like
to share. If you notice that your chickens are
fighting too aggressively over who gets to play
with the straw bale, try adding multiple straw
bales and out them far away from each other. In general, chickens have a strong desire to
This layout makes it difficult for dominant dust bathe. In fact, you may observe chickens
chickens to fight off unwanted visitors because trying to dust bathe in the absence of dustlike
there are too many bales to protect and too particles, an activity known as “sham dust
much ground to cover between bales. bathing.” However, some studies have shown
Eventually the dominant chicken will give up that chickens that sham dust bathe may
and let the others join in on the fun. Hint: You become frustrated and that it doesn’t provide
can use the same approach with other types of the same benefits that dust bathing provides.
enrichments or toys. Straw bales can also double Moreover, there is some evidence that sug-
as platform perches and encourage birds to jump gests that adult chickens may develop severe
on and off leading to better coordination and pecking habits if not provided with adequate
stronger leg muscles and bones. dust bathing material as chicks. The the-
ory is that during the early establishment of
PRO TIP dust-bathing behavior, pecking that would
Straw bales can be used to create barriers naturally occur during dust bathing becomes
between feeders and waterers to promote redirected to pecking feathers. Therefore,
walking or jumping by placing hay bales in even if chickens can sham dust bathe, it’s still
such a way that birds can either jump over the important to provide appropriate material that
bales or walk in an S-shape to get to food and is dry, crumbly and fine like sand or peat as
water. However, this should be done under early as possible.
careful supervision to make sure no birds go Ideally, chicks should have access to appro-
without food and water. Alternatively, you priate material the first weeks of age when the
could just place food and water far away from formation of dust bathing behavior is occurring
each other to increase walking distance. but providing the material after three weeks is
still beneficial. If your chickens have access to
Dust Baths dirt and/or you use bedding like rice hulls or
Chickens are naturally good at dust bathing. peat, you may already be providing an appro-
This is great news because dust bathing has priate substance that promotes dust bathing.
many benefits.
Dust bathing helps keep feathers clean by PRO TIP
getting rid of excess feather oil, which can lead If you want to enhance the benefits of dust
to matted feathers with poor insulating capac- bathing for ectoparasite control, research
ity. Similarly, dust bathing can help get rid of from the University of California Riverside has
ectoparasites, which are parasites that live on shown that a 1:4 ratio of food-grade diatoma-
the outside of its host such as chicken body ceous earth to sand is effective at managing
louse, mites and sticktight fleas. mites and lice in chickens.

The FaRmeRs maRkeT
Hens inspect their new sandbox dust-bathing area.
To utilize this environmental be carried effectively onto the skin

enrichment, fill a kiddie pool, plastic and between feathers.
cat litter box or similar container with It’s also important to consider
®
the appropriate amount of food-grade that the dust-bathing station will
diatomaceous earth and play sand, require maintenance to keep it clean
and mix them carefully while wear- and full. One option to help keep
FREE SHIPPING ing a dust mask (diatomaceous earth the station clean and full longer is
on all cartons and can cause irritation in humans). to limit its availability to the middle
filler flats! Then, as your chickens dust bathe, of the day, every two days, which is
the diatomaceous earth gets on their the time of day and frequency that
FOAM | PAPER-PULP | PLASTIC skin and in direct contact with mites. chickens tend to dust bathe in.
YARD SIGNS | CUSTOM LABELS Once on the mites, the diatoma-
ceous earth can absorb or damage Perches
the outer cuticle of ectoparasites and Chickens naturally feel safer
cause death by desiccation. With when they are resting up high and
this mechanism of action in mind, away from predators. Perches are
Follow us for deals, new it’s important to note that the use of a great way to give your chickens a
Let's Get Social! products & giveaways! diatomaceous earth in combination sense of security and a great way
Call for pallet pricing! (866) 333 - 1132 with other materials such as hay to promote leg health. Activities
WWW.EGGCARTONSTORE.COM may not be as effective because the such as jumping and balancing on
Circle No. 106 on the Reader Service Card. diatomaceous earth is less likely to perches help strengthen muscles
and bones, both of which reduce The FaRmeRs maRkeT
the chances of your birds becoming
injured and possibly even reduce
the effects of lameness.
In addition, by spending less
time walking or lying on the
ground — where it can be moist
and high in ammonia — and more
time perching, your chickens will
have more time to dry their feet
and chest. This is good for your
birds because prolonged exposure
to moisture and ammonia can lead
to skin infections or an abscess
to form on their feet, a condition
known as bumblefoot. Therefore,
even though chickens are pretty
good at finding places to perch on
it is a good practice to provide safe
perching stations.
While there aren’t any clear or
set rules on how to build perches,
there are some general guidelines
and tips that might be good to
consider. For example, it’s highly
recommended to measure out
enough perch space to give each
bird 6 to 10 inches of personal
room. This ensures that all your
chickens have a chance to perch
should they decide to all perch at
the same time, which they seem to
enjoy doing especially at night.
In order to prevent birds from
easily pecking other birds while still
benefiting from perching together
for warmth, place perch bars 14
inches apart — assuming you need
more than one perch. In terms of Circle No. 101 on the Reader Service Card.
the perch size and shape, chickens
seem to like 2-by-2-inch scare bars
with rounded edges. Hatch your own eggs…
Although birds like to perch up Brinsea the world leading incubator manufacturer is adding
high, perches shouldn’t be higher to its range of incubators, brooders, egg candlers
than 3 feet off the ground in order and automatic coop door openers.
to prevent leg injuries, keel bone
All with
damage or egg ruptures. Traditional ranty
3 year war
perch designs consist of A-frame NEW
structures or step structures that range
lean on a wall. As with dust-bathing
material, perches should also be
added early on in a perfect world,
otherwise chicks won’t use them as
much as when they become adults.
Free
As a general rule of thumb, Color
perches should be added by 6 weeks For more information Catalog www.brinsea.com
www.brinsea.com
of age. For chicks, perches can be or call 1-888-667-7009
simple single-bar perches and to Circle No. 102 on the Reader Service Card.

B
encourage their use consider placing them y using a combination of these envi-
near feeders and waterers with the goal of get- ronmental enrichments to make your
ting them in the habit of perching in the early backyard more complex, you can help
stages of muscle and bone development. your flock express a wider range of natu-
ral behaviors more often, prevent abnormal
PRO TIP behaviors from developing, encourage explo-
If you use more than one perch, the highest ration and learning, increase exercise and
part of a perch is highly desirable so it is not lastly reduce fearfulness in your flock. If you
uncommon to see chickens fight for a space are already using some of these enrichments
at the top. Gentle pecks here and there are and think your birds are getting bored of them
generally normal but if your birds become too consider moving them around into different
aggressive, consider using a horizontal perch configurations or consider making a rotational
design where all the bars are the same height schedule where you take out enrichments and
(this is optimal). This design may help reduce reintroduce them after a few weeks. Hopefully
fighting in some cases by eliminating the after reading this column, you are inspired to
desire to compete for the best spot. try new environmental enrichments or build
Better yet, try a combination of designs to upon those you already use today. Y
accommodate for different preferences. For
It’s a natural
instinct for example, using a combination of a step and This article was written by Myrna Cadena (Ph.D.
your chick- horizontal structure has been shown to reduce candidate in the Animal Biology Graduate Group at
ens to want aggression in chickens as opposed to using UC Davis) and Dr. Maurice Pitesky from the UC Davis
to roost. only one type of design. School of Veterinary Medicine-Cooperative Extension.
SuSie’S Farm/Flickr
le Hatch
k
Cac
er
y ®
ADVERTISE HERE!
Rates as low as $1.20 per word
(20-word minimum)
FREE DESIGN on Boxed Ads
Contact
Darien Boughrum
(707) 280-1074 | DarienB@egmediamags.com
T OP OW NLINE
U LT R Y F A R M
78 CHICKENS • Chickensmagazine.com GaLLEry

Classifieds
Breeder Classifieds Classifieds
COCHIN FEEDERS
JamIE maTTS CoCHINS — Selling Juvenile birds, mEaLWormS by THE PoUND offers the lowest
no chicks or eggs. Showbirds. 283 State Highway prices on dried mealworms, free shipping to the
235, Harpursville, Ny 13787; 607-725-7390; www. contintental U.S. www.mealwormsbythepound.
facebook.com/jamiemattscochins com
HATCHERIES NESTING BOXES

CHICKEN SCraTCH PoULTry — black/blue KooP Disposable Nesting boxes. Easy - Com-
Copper marans; blue Laced red and Lavender postable - Clean Wholesale and retail available.
Wyandotte; blue/black ameraucana; Welsum-
more info at: www.koophaus.com
mer; olive Egger; Coronation Sussex; Light
Sussex; Lavender, Chocolate and Jubilee orping-
tons; rumpless araucana; ayam Cemani; Cream
Legbar; malines. Larry and angela mcEwen, rr3,
BOOK YOUR AD!

box 44, mcLeansboro, IL 62859; 618-643-5602;
www.chickenscratchpoultry.com
frEEDom raNGEr HaTCHEry, INC. — Hatching

year-round. Strong, robust and healthy freedom
ranger broilers. 717-336-4878; www.freedom- DARIEN BOUGHRUM
rangerhatchery.com DarienB@egmediamags.com | 707-280-1074
frEE CaTaLoG — Chicks, turkeys, ducklings,
goslings, guineas, bantams, game birds, books,
equipment. Hoffman Hatchery, P.o. box 129E,
Gratz, Pa 17030; 717-365-3694; www.hoffman-
hatchery.com
mETZEr farmS — Hatching 30 breeds of duck/

geese & 2 breeds of excellent meat chickens.
minimum order two ducklings/goslings or six
chicks. year-round hatching. free Catalog. 800-
424-7755; www.metzerfarms.com
moyEr’S CHICKS — our royal, Imperial and

robust White day-old broilers are perfect for
backyard, Pasture or Commercial Growers. www.
moyerschicks.com 800-669-3772
myErS PoULTry farm — free Catalog. broiler

meat chicks: fast-/slower-growing, layer chicks,
ducklings, goslings, turkeys, guineas. 966 ragers
Hill road, South fork, Pa 15956; 814-539-7026;
www.myerspoultry.com
JERSEY GIANT
NICELy LaCED bLUE/bLaCK/SPLaSH Jersey Gi-
ants. High Producers of large brown eggs/meat.
4-H aPa winners/shipping. No Catalog. maria
Hall; Texting: 502-548-1075; www.mariasjerseygi-
ants.com
WATERFOWL
DUCKLINGS aND GoSLINGS — many domestic
rare breeds: Calls, runners, magpies, Cresteds,
africans, Saxony, appleyards. free brochure. 218-
222-3556; www.johnsonswaterfowl.com
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK
@HobbyfarmSCHICKENS

k
Last
Squaw
“I have come
to regard November
as the older,
harder man’s
October.
I appreciate
the early darkness
and cooler
temperatures.
It puts my mind in
a different place than
October. It is a month
for a quieter, slightly
more subdued
celebration
of summer’s death
as winter tightens
its grip.” Y
— Henry rollins,
AmericAn singer/
songwriter
Theera DisayaraT/shuTTersTock

Chickenss - Nov 01, 2019

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

Chickenss - Nov 01, 2019

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chickenss - Nov 01, 2019

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Leading Source for

Circle No. 119 on the Reader Service Card.

38 ’Tis the Season …

that have been “put out to pasture.”

62 One Cool Coop ADVERTISING SECTIONS

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 • VOL. 10, NO. 6

ChickensMagazine.com to eight weeks for new subscriptions to begin.

CEO Sandeep Dua

HR Director Robert Turnbo

FOR SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES OR CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Q. I see beautiful chickens in magazines

20% OFF YOUR ORDER!

www.happyhentreats.com Limit One Use Per Customer. Valid Thru 11/30/19.

Lakenvelder’s contrast of black

Lakenvelder hens lay well

STANDARD MALES weigh 5 pounds; STANDARD

FLIGHTY & WILLING TO FORAGE, LAKENVELDERS

Talk to your retailer or visit purinamills.com/freerange

Pop Cork, Get Fed

Tools & Supplies

Durable Doings the eyebolt. I used a 3⁄16-inch bit. Drill into

Teaching Your Chickens

Frank Hyman is the author of Hentopia:

November/December 2019 • CHICKENS 13

Compiled by Nicole Sipe

November/December 2019 • CHICKENS 15

Surviving Fowl Weather First Week Survival Guide

Circle No. 117 on the Reader Service Card.

See Saw Make Cuts

The Days of Our Lives

#6 depleted of minerals. Offer calcium in oyster

Observe Healthy Eggs for Healthy Eating Mothers Know Best

Marvelous Manure Build a Better Feeder

Cold Weather Tips

Planting for Poultry

Keep Your Cool

What the Shell?!

From Sea to Shining Sea

This Little Light

November/December 2019 • CHICKENS 19

Watching Out for Stress

The key to reducing stress in new mothers is

Circle No. 116 on the Reader Service Card.

#48 farming supplies are sold. You can also purchase

Being Good Stewards

Had I Only Known!

Dust Bat h 4-Square

Subscribe online at www.hobbyfarms.com/farms-combo

proverbial hat simultaneously. When thinking Safety Considerations

To Protect Your Property From Night Predator Animals

Circle No. 112 on the Reader Service Card.

and vary it with season-appropriate a Yorkie and Netherland dwarf rabbit.

n an eight-hour layover while traveling abroad

IN HER URBAN BACKYARD LOCATED IN WEST LONDON.

November/December 2019 • CHICKENS 33

ONE OF THE AUTHOR’S STUDENTS

Star� ou� Ow�

WORKSHOP VALUE ADDED COMMODITY