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12 Days of Poultry Giveaway
It’s back! Score a poultry present every day from Backyard Poultry and its wonderful partners. Enter daily for 12 days for your chance to win.
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Raising Backyard Turkeys for Meat
Of all homestead poultry projects, raising backyard turkeys seems to appeal to the least number of people. Turkeys are amazingly stupid — from the newly hatched poults who can starve to death while trampling in their feed because they haven’t learned where to find it, to the hens who lay their eggs standing up.
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Broad-breasted Vs. Heritage Turkeys
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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Six Winter Keeping Tips for Backyard Chickens
Many people ask: Do chickens need heat in winter? The answer is backyard chickens are far more cold-hardy than you may imagine. Courtesy of fall molting, chickens should have a full set of new fluffy feathers for winter that will keep them perfectly comfortable in temperatures down to 40 degrees and just fine well below freezing, assuming they are in good health.
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The Pros & Cons of Coop Heating: Do Chickens Need Heat in Winter?
Recently, I’ve been writing about safely heating backyard chicken coops and addressing the question: Do chickens need heat in winter? In New England, we get buried under heaps of snow and experience temperatures in the negatives.
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What Does a Chicken Coop Need for Winter?
With winter setting in, you’re probably wondering what does a chicken coop need for winter. To keep your backyard chickens safe and comfortable this winter, make sure the coops are secure, parasite free and any structural damages repaired.
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How Long Do Chicks Need a Heat Lamp?
Do chickens need heat in winter? Only the babies, and only for a short time. But how long do chicks need a heat lamp?
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A Guide to Duck Shelters for Winter
With their double coat of waterproof feathers over thick, warm fluffy down and a layer of body fat, ducks (regardless of duck breeds) are exceedingly cold-hardy. They love being outdoors year-round in most climates, perfectly happy playing in the rain and even the snow.
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A Guide to Recognizing and Treating Chicken Foot Problems
Two common chicken foot problems and leg ailments are leg mites and bumblefoot, both of which are easy to treat. Less common, but sometimes mistaken for either leg mites or bumblefoot, is a type of arthritis known as gout, which is far easier to prevent than to treat.
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Chicken Clothes for Halloween and Christmas
Whether it be for a competition, holiday, or just for pleasure, many people enjoy putting clothing and accessories on their chickens in order to dress them up. If you are going to costume your chickens, advises Brigid McCrea, PhD, associate professor at Delaware State University and extension poultry specialist, for the health and safety of your birds keep the following clothing guidelines in mind:
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