About the Author

Tamsin Cooper

Tamsin Cooper keeps goats and chickens on her smallholding in France, where she aspires to live as sustainably as possible. She follows the latest research on farm animal behavior and has mentored on animal welfare courses.

What is Coconut Oil Good for in Chicken Husbandry?

February 18, 2020 · Tamsin Cooper · Feed & Health

Is coconut oil good for chickens? How can we use it in chicken keeping? Can we feed it to them and does it help fight disease? Here I attempt to sort the facts from the maybes.

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.

Breed Profile: Welsh Harlequin Ducks

March 14, 2019 · Tamsin Cooper · Poultry 101

Welsh Harlequin ducks make an excellent small duck breed for backyard keeper. They are placid, great foragers and provide both eggs and meat.