About the Author

Marissa Ames

Editor of Goat Journal and Backyard Poultry magazines, Marissa Ames runs a small homestead in Fallon, Nevada, where she focuses on saving and propagating rare breeds of goats and garden vegetables. She and her husband, Russ, travel to Africa where they serve as agricultural advisors for the nonprofit I Am Zambia. She spends her free time eating lunch.
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Articles by Marissa Ames

Ask The Expert February/March 2022
July 7, 2022 · · Ask The Expert, Members Only

Add to Favorites Barred Rocks Not Laying  Carol: Hello, I have six 22-week-old hens. Four Barred Rock and two that are orange-brown colored. The two orange-brown hens started laying eggs …

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Ask the Expert April/May 2022
July 7, 2022 · · Ask The Expert, Members Only

Add to Favorites Booties For Bumblefoot?  Hi Marissa,   Do you know about neoprene booties for Pekin ducks that have bumblefoot?   Thank you,   Deborah  ***********************************  Hi Deborah,  I haven’t personally used …

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Ask The Expert June/July 2022
June 30, 2022 · · Ask The Expert, Feed & Health, Members Only

Add to Favorites Mandarin Breeding I look forward to your emails. I have a pair of Mandarins, but it is the law in South Africa to pinion all nonindigenous waterfowl. …

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Keeping Chicks Warm: It’s All About the Heat!
April 11, 2022 · · Feed & Health

Do chickens need heat in winter? And how long do chicks need a heat lamp? Learn the basics of keeping chicks warm.

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How Genetics Determine Duck Egg Color
April 11, 2022 · · Ducks, Eggs & Meat

Duck egg color doesn’t follow specific rules. Why can some ducks, of the same breed, lay blue eggs while the others lay white?

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Hatching Duck Eggs: Can Chickens Hatch Ducks?
April 6, 2022 · · Eggs & Meat, Poultry 101

My experience hatching duck eggs led me to ask: Will chickens foster eggs from another species and raise them? The answer was, absolutely!

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How to Order Baby Chicks in the Mail
January 24, 2022 · · Chickens 101

Learn how to order baby chicks in the mail by finding a reputable chick hatchery with good customer reviews.

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How Snow in Chicken Pens and Runs Affects Your Flock
November 26, 2021 · · Coops

My chickens love being outside. I keep a light in the coop to welcome them inside during bad weather, when it gets dark early and the rain leaves the open-air chicken pens and runs in puddles.

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Broad-breasted Vs. Heritage Turkeys
November 23, 2021 · · Eggs & Meat

Though frozen turkeys reside in your grocery store all year, they become the main attraction during the final two months. Many like the idea of heritage turkeys for Thanksgiving

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What is a Heritage Turkey and What Does Hormone-Free Mean?
November 10, 2021 · · Poultry 101

What is a heritage turkey, and why is it so expensive for being so small? Are standard turkeys raised humanely? How can you ensure you purchase a hormone-free turkey this year?

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