Tamsin Cooper, Author at Backyard Poultry

Breed Profile: Hamburg Chicken

May 22, 2020 · Tamsin Cooper · Chickens 101

The Hamburg chicken is a good layer with an active manner and beautiful feathers. Her origin is somewhat mysterious, having both British and Dutch roots.

Phenomenally Hardy Traits Found in Backyard Chicken Genetics

May 16, 2020 · Tamsin Cooper · Chickens 101

Chicken genetics studies confirm amazing resilience to local diseases in African chickens, providing productive gains to smallholders raising native heritage chicken breeds.

Poultry Cognition—Are Chickens Smart?

May 11, 2020 · Tamsin Cooper · Chickens 101

Are chickens smart? Research reveals that they learn fast, feel emotions, have good memories, and use complex logic and social tactics.

Chick and Duckling Imprinting

March 10, 2020 · Tamsin Cooper · Poultry 101

Chick and duckling imprinting has important psychological effects on the individual bird and the flock, so it is important to get it right from the start.

Breed Profile: Bresse Chicken

December 24, 2019 · Tamsin Cooper · Chickens 101

Bresse chickens are France’s best tasting meat chickens. Much of their flavor is due to the unique geography they freely range over, as well as traditional feeding and husbandry methods.

Breed Profile: Golden Comet Chickens

November 23, 2019 · Tamsin Cooper · Chickens 101

Golden Comet chickens are friendly, calm, and prolific layers, making excellent backyard birds, but life is often shortened by reproductive tract issues.

Guinea–Chicken Hybrid: Can Chickens and Guineas Breed?

November 9, 2019 · Tamsin Cooper · Poultry 101

Guinea–chicken hybrids are an unusual phenomenon, as nature does not favor the cross, leading to health issues and early death.

Chicken Husbandry: Five Welfare Needs

October 25, 2019 · Tamsin Cooper · Chickens 101

Chicken welfare is an important consideration within chicken husbandry. We need to know chickens’ needs in order to raise them to be healthy and productive.

A Chicken’s Five Basic Needs

October 25, 2019 · Tamsin Cooper · Flock Files

Chickens are sensitive to their environment, motivations, and sense of well-being. Happy chickens cope better with changes and challenges, whereas distressed birds may easily go downhill.