Happy Easter To All Those Who Raise Chickens For Eggs!

It's only fitting on this day when the egg is front and center, to give
thanks to the fine creatures who supply us with healthy, organic eggs.
Where would we be without them? And to the fine folks who
raise chickens in their backyards or on their farms.

So when you are coloring and decorating your eggs, take a moment
to think about the heavenly hen. This is also the time of year when
thoughts turn to raising chickens if you've never done so before.

Maybe you're mulling the idea over and wondering what it would
take to begin this incredible adventure. Of building a chicken coop
of your very own. Of being able to have eggs which didn't come from
inhumane practices. Of being able to provide your family with the health
benefits of the egg.

This blog has many posts to help you decide. Take a look around
and see if this is something you can see yourself doing in the future...

And Happy Easter to you and your loved ones!

Building a Chicken Coop Review

Word of mouth is truly the best guideline when deciding what to buy. Here's a word from a happy and satisfied chicken farmer...

"My chickens are happy with their new home..." "Have you been planning to make a cozy, comfortable and tidy coop for your chickens? Well, follow the guidelines in this wonderful resource! 

My chickens are happy with their new home! Bill's book helped me make a well-planned, easy-to-clean-and-maintain coop for my chickens. I got practical tips on locating, positioning, protecting and maintaining the climate in the coop.

Like me, it will help you too to choose the appropriate size, building design and materials for construction. This book not only helps you save while you build, but also enjoy the freedom to customize the coop to your individual specifications and needs.

With valuable inputs on light and ventilation, I was able to ensure that the coop position was such that it allowed enough light in, but did not make the coop drafty. I particularly enjoyed the creative and innovative ideas thrown in about building low cost nesting boxes with material lying around the house.

It set me exploring my own creativity and resourcefulness! An informative and easy to follow read, this book will guide you in building your own coop at a fraction of the cost of purchasing one! " Rachana Misra - Go Green Farms™ Owner

The Goodness of the Egg

I love eggs! I've eaten them since I was a toddler. If you're old
enough, you might remember when doctors were on the
"don't eat eggs" bandwagon. They had bad information and
passed on that not-so-wise wisdom to their patients. Back
when we would do anything our doctors told us to do.

My favorite aunt was sure my whole family would be dead
within a year if we continued our wanton ways of eating
eggs. She allowed my poor uncle one egg yolk a week!

Because her doctor said so. Thankfully, we now know better.
We know the egg's healthful goodness. Loaded with protein,
vitamins and minerals, galore. For such a tiny thing, the egg
gives us a knock-out punch of health.

Whether you're keeping chickens in your backyard or
getting them from a chicken keeper, you know you are
blessed to be able to do so.

The last time I bought eggs from the grocery store, I
stood and read the crates until I thought I'd be banned
from the store. Free-range, free-run. Thought I'd lose
my mind. Had to settle on free-run because that was the
best they had. Don't even want to think about how far
those chickens managed to run before they butted into a
neighbor.

When you've tasted a "farm-fresh" egg, it's very hard to
go back to the eggs produced by those poor, caged
chickens who don't have a life. Or good food to live on.

So if you're ready to keep chickens for their eggs or have
been doing it for quite some time, you know there's
nothing like it!

And if it's not possible for you to build a chicken coop
where you live, for goodness sake, find a local chicken
keeper and buy your eggs from them...

Poisonous Plants To Chickens

Our good friends over at http://www.keeping-chickens.com/
have given us permission to include an article they have on
their informative site about the plants that will do harm to
our flock. Hope you enjoy!

Below is a list of plants poisonous to chickens. If you are free-ranging your flock, you probably won't have to worry. This is because hens aren't stupid. If they happen to come across any of these plants, they are likely to keep on going.

However, if you keep your chickens in a backyard coop, they may think it's okay to eat anything you give them. After all, they trust you! With that in mind...

Poisonous Plants To Poultry

Aconite
Bryony
Horseradish
Hemlock
Henbane
Laburnum
Privet
Rhubarb
Yew
Members of the nightshade family, including leaves of the tomato plant and the potato plant.

Since we're not born knowing what these plants may be, I'm going to give you the meanings as well.

Aconite is poisonous plant of the buttercup family, which bears hooded pink or purple flowers. It is native to temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. An extract of such a plant is used as a poison or in medicinal preparations. (there's a double-edged sword)

Bryony is a climbing plant that has greenish-white flowers, red berries, and springlike tendrils. Native to Eurasia, it is the only British member of the gourd family. A climbing plant with broad glossy leaves, poisonous red berries, and black tubers. Native to Europe, it is the only British member of the yam family.

Horseradish is a European plant of the cabbage family, with long docklike leaves, grown for its pungent root. This root, which is scraped or grated as a condiment and often made into a sauce.

Hemlock is a highly poisonous European plant of the parsley family, with a purple-spotted stem, fernlike leaves, small white flowers, and an unpleasant smell. A sedative or poisonous potion is obtained from this plant. Such a potion was said to have been used to poison Socrates.

Henbane is a coarse and poisonous Eurasian plant of the nightshade family, with sticky hairy leaves and an unpleasant smell. A psychoactive drink is prepared from this plant.

Laburnum is a small European tree that has hanging clusters of yellow flowers succeeded by slender pods containing poisonous seeds. The hard timber is sometimes used as an ebony substitute. Native to Central and Southern Europe, laburnums have been widely planted as ornamentals.

Privet is a shrub of the olive family, with small white, heavily scented flowers and poisonous black berries.

Rhubarb is the thick leaf stalks of a cultivated plant of the dock family, which are reddish or green and eaten as a fruit after cooking. Hey, most people love rhubarb. But don't feed it to your chickens!

Yew is a coniferous tree that has red berrylike fruits, and most parts of which are highly poisonous. Yews are linked with folklore and superstition and can live to a great age; the timber is used in cabinetmaking and (formerly) to make longbows.

Leaves of potato and tomato plants...I'll bet you know those by sight!

Raising Chickens: All The Way From Hatch To Scratch

Raising chickens is rewarding in many ways. So let's start at the beginning, shall we?

If you want healthy and friendly chickens, (who doesn't?), it's recommended you buy day-old chicks or if you prefer, hatch them out yourself. All babies are adorable and you'll fall in love with your chicks with their chirps and cute, tiny features.

When hatched, chicks can live for 3 days on their yolk. Then they need water and "chick start" which can be medicated or non-medicated. Place water in a shallow dish with shiny stones or marbles. This is so your chicks will peck at the stones and drink water. But if they fall into the dish, they won't drown.

You'll keep your chicks in brooder boxes. Either purchased or made yourself. Heat is so important for the baby chicks. If they are indoors, a light bulb will be enough. Most choose a 250-watt "red" heat lamp. This keeps the chicks from pecking at each other.

Make sure the brooder is tall enough so the little ones cannot fly out easily. Because in their third week, they'll have the means to fly a remarkable distance. This is why brooders should have wire lids. And you don't want any drafts to give the chicks a chill.

Set the heat at 90 degrees the first week. You can lower the temps by 5 degrees each week for four weeks. This helps them get used to the temperatures in the great outdoors.

Just like you and me, a chick who is comfortable and well-rested is one happy camper. So pay attention to chicken bedding. Caution: Do not use cedar or redwood shavings because these are toxic to them and will cause damage to their respiratory systems. Bad!

Instead, you can use shredded newsprint, straw, pine shavings, walnut shells or specially made chicken bedding materials. Your chicks can be moved to outside chicken coops once they are fully feathered. Keep a heat lamp in a corner of the coop so they can stay warm in cooler weather.

Until your chicks are 4 months old, you will continue feeding them chick feed. Then you can change to layer mash or pellets. Oyster shell and hen scratch can be added to their diet because this will improve the quality of your chickens' egg shell. And more importantly, will help them to have strong bones.

Giving your chicks hen scratch keeps your chickens occupied if they are in a confined run rather than out free ranging. If circumstances require your chickens to be in enclosed chicken runs, be sure to add some hen grit. This is necessary for their gizzard in their digestion process.

Again, just like us, chickens love treats. Garden and table scraps will be appreciated. They also love looking for bugs, ants and worms. Children get a kick out of tossing treats into the hen house and watch the chickens racing for the prize.

By 6 months of age, most breeds will begin laying eggs. Your backyard chicken coop should be enclosed with a door, and chicken nesting boxes should be large enough for a couple of hens. It seems no matter how many chicken nesting boxes are available, those choosy hens always seem to want the same one.

Ventilation is important; make sure the airflow is good through the coop. Again, the bedding in the backyard chicken coop will be your personal choice. Fresh water and food are necessary daily.

By the time you've reached this stage in your "raising chickens" adventure, you've probably named them and delighted in their unique personalities. Now you can look forward to their blessings of quality, fresh eggs!