animals
Everything Worth Knowing About Chicken Eggs
“It was a brave man who first ate an oyster,” Jonathon Swift said, but the first person to eat an egg must have been even braver. Or very, very hungry. Imagine breaking open an egg, not knowing what you’ll find inside!
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Raising Pekin Ducks
My husband and I decided to start raising Pekin ducks kind of on a whim. We were picking out the birds for our chicken flock and saw the ducklings on the hatchery’s site.
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The Emotional Gauntlet of Raising Meat Chickens & Other Livestock
“You’re raising meat chickens? You horrible, heartless human.”
It’s a constant fight, isn’t it? And there are many sides on the battlefield.
Cats + Chickens = Toxoplasmosis in Humans?
If you have cats and are raising meat chickens, be aware of the potential dangers of toxoplasmosis in humans.
Anyone who has had chickens for more than a few minutes becomes aware of the devastating protozoal disease coccidiosis, which happens wherever chickens are.
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Understanding Sex-Link Hybrid Chickens
At Backyard Poultry we get questions all the time asking for help identifying the breed of various chickens. Many times the chickens pictured are not purebred chickens at all but crossbreeds / hybrid chickens hatcheries produce for very specific purposes – such as egg production.
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Guinea Fowl Care: Housing and Winter Survival
Guinea fowl that are trained to roost inside a shelter at night will outlive those that roost in trees. Guinea fowl have been reported to have lived to be 17 years or older, but unfortunately, more lose their lives to predators than to old age.
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My Experience Raising Emus (They Make Great Pets!)
Add to Favorites I embarked on raising emus a couple years ago. I wanted to hatch one so bad because they are “cute,” however it is more than just cuteness …
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The Economics of Egg Farming
When I started egg farming, I kept track of my costs. The numbers surprised me. Turning a profit leaves a lot of factors to consider.
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How to Start Raising Chickens For Eggs
More and more people, in both rural and urban areas, are starting to raise chickens. Raising chickens for eggs is a great family project and an easy way to be more self-sustainable.
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Chicken Predators and Winter: Tips to Keep Your Flock Safe
Add to Favorites Chicken predators are always a concern for small flock owners, but the risk of attack may actually be worse in winter months. Winter is the season of privation …
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