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.
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Articles by Tamsin Cooper

What is Coconut Oil Good for in Chicken Husbandry?
July 10, 2021 · · 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.

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Breed Profile: Indian Runner Duck
June 14, 2021 · · Poultry 101

The Indian Runner Duck is a good layer and excellent forager, suited to roaming over land in groups. Their many and varied colors have influenced many modern breeds and varieties.

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Chicken Nests: How to Get Chickens to Lay Eggs in Nesting Boxes

Chicken nests are sometimes found in unexpected places. Why do hens do this? And how to get chickens to lay eggs in nesting boxes?

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Breed Profile: Dorking Chicken
April 21, 2021 · · Chickens 101

The Dorking chicken is one of our ultra rare chicken breeds with a long heritage: an excellent mother and forager with an adorable nature. Dorking chicken egg color may be just white, but their plumage comes in various beautiful colors.

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Breed Profile: Black Turkey
April 12, 2021 · · Poultry 101

The Black turkey, sometimes called the Black Spanish or Norfolk Black, is a heritage variety of traditional poultry popular before the 1960s. Consumers are rediscovering its hardy attributes and superior flavor.

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Breed Profile: Plymouth Rock Chicken
March 1, 2021 · · Chickens 101

Plymouth Rock chickens are hardy and friendly dual-purpose chickens developed in the United States. Barred Rocks make adorable backyard companions!

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Breed Profile: Lakenvelder Chicken
February 19, 2021 · · Chickens 101

Lakenvelder chickens are excellent foragers, good layers, and are hardy birds with beautifully striking plumage. They are an endangered heritage breed from Germany and the Netherlands.

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Chicken Noises: What Do They Mean?
January 17, 2021 · · Chickens 101

Chicken noises comprise a language that poultry use to express their emotions and their intentions, as well as warning of different types of danger. Read how to understand their calls better.

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Breed Profile: Cornish Chicken
January 16, 2021 · · Chickens 101

The Cornish chicken is a heritage breed, in contrast to the hybrids used for “Cornish hen,” Cornish Rock and commercial broiler products. This slow-growing bird maintains natural breeding and foraging abilities.

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Do Chickens Have Full Color Vision?
November 2, 2020 · · Chickens 101

Do chickens have full color vision? How does the world appear to them? Can chickens see in the dark? The study of their extraordinary eyesight is starting to reveal answers to these mysteries and more.

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