Backyard Fowl Keepers

Pygmy rattlers are venomous but not aggressive. They typically only bite when provoked. Your biggest concern is securing the coop and yard. Since you have dogs, avoid glue traps or chemical repellents. Instead, try hardware cloth with ¼-inch mesh around the base of the coop and run. Elevating the ...

Chickens need some fat in their diet, but the type matters. Deep fryer oil is often broken down and unhealthy. Instead, mix in small amounts of fresh, unsalted animal fat or coconut oil if you want to provide extra calories.

My flock went through something similar, and it turned out to be mild chronic stress from a nearby predator (a raccoon hanging around at night). Any chance something is disturbing them at night and causing stress-related feather loss?

Hi everyone,

This is my first time incubating eggs from my 9-month-old hens, and Im a little confused about what Im seeing during candling. I set 30 eggs in the incubator after collecting them over the course of a week. I stored them pointy-end down before incubation and placed them the same way ...

I raise chicks every year and always use pine shavings. No dust issues, no smell, and I know it's safe! Fir might work, but why take the chance?

I've had a quail hen like this before! She mellowed out after a few months, but she was always the “boss” of the flock.

First of all, great job helping her so far! I know it can be tough, but it sounds like she's getting a lot of love. You can try giving her soft scrambled eggs, oatmeal, or mashed-up vegetables mixed with water. Try not to give her anything too thick or chunky. If she's still struggling with food ...

Some people use feathers for stuffing homemade cat toys. My cats love swatting around feather-stuffed fabric balls.

If they're getting soaked and matted, you can carefully wipe them down with a damp cloth, but make sure they're fully dry before putting them back under the heater.

I gave up on sand for the same reasons! Switched to pine shavings, and it's much easier to manage. Maybe worth considering?