About the Author

Jeremy Chartier

At 12 years old, Jeremy Chartier became involved with his local 4-H group, later joined the local FFA chapter, and showed livestock until his college years. After graduating from the Ratcliffe Hicks School of Agriculture at UConn, he joined the University of Maine’s Poultry Service Provider training program. Today Jeremy sells started pullets to local backyard farmers, is still involved with 4-H as a poultry showmanship judge, and writes about his passion for farming.

How to Avoid Chicken Feed Storage Mistakes

July 12, 2020 · Jeremy Chartier · Feed & Health

Chicken feed storage is not something that many of us put much thought into. We’re usually more concerned about coop design, predator control, and keeping our birds healthy.

Keeping Show Chickens Healthy

June 16, 2020 · Jeremy Chartier · Feed & Health

Show chickens are hugely entertaining. Fun, as they may be, keeping and exhibiting show chicken breeds can be more involved than keeping run-of-the-mill egg layers.

Mitigating Ammonia: Your Options in Poultry Litter Treatment

June 13, 2020 · Jeremy Chartier · Coops

Some of us keep our beloved birds in precarious situations. I don’t mean we necessarily put them in direct danger, but the very idea of us keeping backyard chickens in an otherwise urban environment can be a precarious peace-keeping mission.

Raising Turkeys with Chickens – Is it a Good Idea?

May 14, 2020 · Jeremy Chartier · Kids' Corner, Poultry 101

Raising turkeys with chickens has been discouraged for years, but despite that, many homesteaders are going back to a mixed flock approach. There are some excellent benefits to keeping a mixed flock, but there are some serious bird health hazards associated with it as well.

Show Chickens For Kids

April 24, 2020 · Jeremy Chartier · Chickens 101

Show Chickens are a great way to get your kids interested in agriculture, started in 4-H and give them a positive experience in poultry showmanship.

How to Tell if Eggs are Bad

April 22, 2020 · Jeremy Chartier · Flock Files

Eggshells are a porous, which allows air, moisture, and some contaminants to pass through. Spoilage bacteria are the most common culprits of eggs turning rotten. When laid, the hen deposits a protective bloom, but this cuticle is not completely impenetrable, so whether or not you wash the egg, bacteria will eventually traverse that porous shell.