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Chicken Help

We found 85 results for category 'Chicken Facts'

Q: How do you tell if a baby chick is female or male?

A: If you have a "sex link" chick, it's easy! Males and females hatch out different colors. read more

Q: Can hens REALLY crow?

A: Yes! It's not even that rare, either! In all-female flocks, or flocks in which the ratio of females to males is greater than 10:1, in many cases one... read more

Q: Chicken age: how can I tell?

A: If you bought or acquired adult chickens somewhere else and I want to know how old they are, we have some bad news about chicken age. It is very... read more

Q: When do chickens start laying eggs?

A: On average, chickens start laying eggs at 6 months old, depending on the breed. Breeds like Australorps, Leghorns, Golden Comets and Sex Links will... read more

Q: At what age does a rooster grow spurs?

A: This varies widely from breed to breed, and in fact the hens of many breeds even grow small spurs! Some can appear as soon as three months, while... read more

Q: Is there any nutritional difference between white, brown, green and blue eggs?

A: We like them all, Sam-I-Am! No, there is no difference in terms of edibility, health, or nutrition in different-colored egg shells.

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Q: How do brown eggs become brown (instead of white)?

A: The brown color in an egg is laid on in the chicken's reproductive tract by the shell gland pouch. Some breeds lay a tinted egg with a very light... read more

Q: How do blue eggs become blue (instead of white or brown)?

A: Whereas the brown color of an egg is laid on the outside of the shell, the blue color actually goes all the way through the shell, even to the inside... read more

Q: How can I tell if my juvenile bird is a rooster?

A: Comb size and redness can be one indicator, but is not usually reliable. In fact, it's one of the worst indicators you can use, as comb size varies... read more

Q: Are fertilized eggs okay to eat?

A: Fertilized eggs are fine to eat, in fact some people claim they healthier than unfertilized eggs, although we've never seen any data supporting that.... read more

Q: Can you tell the sex of chicks when they're still in the egg?

A: There is no reliable way for the average home hatcher to tell the difference between an egg that will hatch a female chick and an egg that will hatch... read more

Q: My chickens are 7 months old and I still haven't seen an egg. Why?

A: First, you should make sure they are on a good chicken feed. Once they have begun laying, switch to layer pellet or crumble; until then, feed them... read more

Q: What is the best way to wash and store my eggs?

A: It's counter-intuitive but true: Your eggs will stay fresher if you don't wash them at all. When your hens lay eggs, there is a natural coating that... read more

Q: Can I use chicken manure in my garden?

A: Chicken manure makes great compost for fertilizing your garden. However, we recommend you compost it first: don't add it directly inquantity.... read more

Q: Is there a way to tell if my chicken is happy or sad?

A: Chickens that are happy will be active and scratching around in the grass, laying in the sun--yes, they do that, too!--or taking a bath in the dirt.... read more

Q: How long do hens lay eggs ?

A: Chickens usually don't simply "stop" laying eggs when they get to a certain age, but they will lay fewer as they get older. That said, most laying... read more

Q: At what age does a rooster begin crowing?

A: The age a rooster will first crow varies, but generally speaking, he will begin crowing at about four or five months of age, at about the time he... read more

Q: If I order straight run birds, how many of each sex am I guaranteed to get?

A: Straight run birds are an "as hatched" mix of males and females. Therefore, if you were to order eight straight run birds, for example, you will get... read more

Q: What are the signs that a hen will start laying?

A: A hen who is ready to lay exhibits the following signs:

Her comb will get larger and redder right before she begins... read more

Q: Do chickens have a language?

A: In many ways they do. Chickens can make a very wide range of sounds, and they communicate amongst each other well.

Roosters can sing loudly... read more

Q: How many roosters do I need in order that my hens will lay eggs?

A: None. Hens will lay eggs whether there are roosters around or not, just as female humans will ovulate regardless of the sexes of their companions.... read more

Q: How do I get my flock to go into their coop at night so I can shut the door and make sure they're safe?

A: Once they have imprinted on their coop as "home," they will retire on their own at dusk. (Thus the saying: "Chickens always return home to... read more

Q: How can I incubate eggs that will hatch female chicks only?

A: The question of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) in chickens has been an important subject for scientific study over the last several... read more

Q: How is sex determined in chickens and what does it mean?

A: If you want to know how to tell the difference between males and females in chickens, please see our related questions, below. This question... read more

Q: Can I hold my rooster upside down by the feet to calm him down?

A: No. That's a terrible idea.

Birds' respiratory systems are completely different ours, so holding your rooster upside down can cause him real... read more

Q: How will I know which chick is which breed when I receive my baby chicks?

A: Most chicks do not come marked or tagged in any way. However, females of certain rare breeds now come with colored leg bands applied so they can be... read more

Q: How long do chickens live?

A: Pet chickens that are properly cared for can live a relatively long time. It's common for a chicken in a backyard setting to live 8-10 years, but... read more

Q: Can chickens fly? Will my chickens be able to fly over my fence?

A: Most heavy, docile backyard breeds don't fly very well and aren't particularly inclined to leave a secure, fenced area. A regular picket fence (if... read more

Q: At what age can my chickens begin eating treats?

A: We don't really recommend feeding your new baby chicks treats right away, because they should first learn what their feed is so they will be able to... read more

Q: How do I get started breeding my chickens?

A: When a female animal is "in heat," she is ovulating and/or ready to be mated. In some animals mating induces ovulation, but this isn't the case with... read more

Q: What breed do you cross Ameraucanas with to get Easter Eggers?

A: We don't breed our Easter Eggers with anything else, only Easter Eggers. Since you know Easter Eggers are not purebred birds, it's sort of a... read more

Q: Should I be concerned about lead in the environment when I keep chickens?

A: It's not a common problem, but it is an area of concern. Common sense will tell you not to keep your chickens around peeling or flaking paint, lead... read more

Q: How large are chickens?

A: Chickens can vary in size greatly by breed and variety!

read more

Q: I got a terrible hatch. Does that mean most of my eggs were infertile?

A: No, a terrible hatch doesn't mean that most or even any of your eggs were infertile!They may all have been fertile. Remember, just because an egg... read more

Q: Why are my hens molting so late, when it's cold, and how can I help them stay warm?

A: Chickens molt annually, and some chickens do molt later than others. Often this varies by breed as well as the conditions under which they... read more

Q: I want to get a chick for Easter for my son's basket, and then find a farmer to adopt it when it has grown. How do I do that?

A: No, no, no... you don't want to do that. It's is a bad idea for many reasons.

First, one chicken raised alone will often die of... read more

Q: Why do my baby chicks poo so much?

A: Your baby chicks poo so much because they have to eat a lot to grow as fast as they do!

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Q: How much light do I need to add in my coop during the winter?

A: You don't have to use light at all. But if you do want to add a light to stimulate egg production, the good news that you don't need to use a... read more

Q: Can I keep ducks, turkeys or other types of fowl with my chickens?

A: There are challenges associated with mixing fowl varieties, such as making sure each one eats the right food for their needs. Often different fowl... read more

Q: Will our dog get sick from eating chicken poo?

A: Yes, dogs can be pretty gross sometimes, can't they? They are not the most discriminating of eaters. For instance, my friend's dog likes to raid the... read more

Q: If I have both bantam and large size hens, what size rooster should I get?

A: The answer to that question will depend on exactly how large the hens and roosters in question may be as well as what your personal preference is. No... read more

Q: Why does my hen hop off of the nest, then toss hay, grass, and leaves over her shoulder and back?

A: We LOVE it when they do that... it's so darn cute! This is a nesting behavior. Hens that are broody will often do this when settling into the nest,... read more

Q: Which chicken breed has the quietest, tamest roosters?

A: Unfortunately, there is no pat answer on this one. First, ALL roosters crow. We happen to love the sound (to us it's far preferable to yapping dogs... read more

Q: What breed of chicken lays double yolked eggs?

A: There is no one special breed that lays double yolkers. Occasionally a hen may lay a double yolker when her ovaries release two yolks at once, rather... read more

Q: At what age do baby chicks began to roost?

A: It really depends on the individual personality of the bird as well as how quickly they develop. Birds that feather out quickly may begin to roost... read more

Q: Why are grocery store eggs so flat compared to eggs from my hens?

A: Eggs from your own hens normally have very "tall" yolks because they can be so very fresh!

It's not because they are pasture raised,... read more

Q: Will the chicks I buy from you be related to each other? I want to breed my rooster with my hens, so I don't want them to be related.

A: Our breeding flocks are very large. We can't know which chicks hatch from which eggs. Even if we could, we don't keep track of which hen laid which... read more

Q: How do you get such beautiful photos of your chickens?

A: Yes, chickens can be difficult to photograph, can't they? Much like little kids, they're not really interested in cooperating with you to get you a... read more

Q: Do chickens like music in the coop?

A: Some evidence in Australia and New Zealand has indicated that music may help to keep chickens calm and happy, thus helping them to grow larger,... read more

Q: What size egg is best for hatching?

A: There is no special size that is best across all breeds. Think about it: some breeds lay very large eggs because the chicks are comparatively large;... read more

Q: Should I order extra chickens so enough survive into adulthood?

A: Normally you want to order the number of chickens you want to end up with---don't order extras with the expectation that some will die. But there are... read more

Q: Which chicken breed has the quietest, tamest hens??

A: Hens of most breeds are rather quiet except for right before and right after they have laid an egg. Then they may make a loud "announcement" about it... read more

Q: I want all my eggs to hatch, so is there any type of chicken breed that has a higher hatching rate for their eggs?

A: This is one of those questions where it's hard to tell what exactly you're asking, a question that tells us you're probably a beginner at incubation.... read more

Q: Are there any plants that are poisonous to chickens that I should eliminate from my yard?

Naturally, some plants are poisonous to chickens, just as there are plants that are poisonous to other pets like cats and dogs. It's problematic... read more

Q: Are the color of a hen's eggs determined by the color of her earlobes?

A: Not exactly, although ear lobe color seems to be related to egg color most of the time. Breeds with white earlobes usually lay white eggs... except... read more

Q: How do I start my own small hatchery business from my home?

A: That's a complex question. If you would like to turn your home or farm into a hatchery and begin selling baby chicks to other people, we'd first... read more

Q: Can a hen can turn into a rooster?

A: No, but we can give you some background information and share the crazy way that rumor may have gotten started!

It IS true that, if your... read more

Q: Which breed of chicken is most predator resistant?

A: What are we talking about here--force fields? Body armor? No--unfortunately, no breed of chicken is "predator resistant." The only way to prevent... read more

Q: When will my chickens begin laying again in the spring?

A: Some chicken breeds lay year round (save when they go broody). One of our employees who's at a mid-latitude in the US reports that any girls who stop... read more

Q: Is it true that modern, purebred chickens can't hatch their own eggs?

A: No, that's not true.

First, broodiness is not tied to whether a chicken is purebred or not. Broodiness depends more on a chicken's breed,... read more

Q: Why do my hens stop or almost stop laying in the late fall and winter months?

A: A chicken's reproductive cycle begins with her eyes, or possibly in her skull or even her skin, as one NC State extension article stated:

... read more

Q: What is the nutritional difference between the eggs I can get at a grocery store and eggs my hens lay at home?

A: Wouldn’t it be nice if you could get such good eggs in the grocery store? Until things change, though, most people really can’t.

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Q: Will chickens help eat ticks and mosquitoes in my yard?

A: Chickens love to eat mosquitoes and ticks--that's great news! But if you keep chickens, will that mean you can dump your other bug protection... read more

Q: How can I tell if my hens' eggs are fertile?

A: Crack a fresh, unincubated egg into a bowl in good light. If you have sharp eyes, you will see that a fertile egg has a faint bullseye, the... read more

Q: What treats taste best to chickens?

A: Chickens LOVE treats, and they have their own individual tastes and preferences, of course. But we hate to break it to you: they have almost no taste... read more

Q: Will all of my blue chicks actually be blue?

A: It's possible... but in general, no. The color blue just doesn't hatch true in chickens. The genes for "blue" are actually more like diluting genes.... read more

Q: Can I feed my chickens black oil or striped sunflower seeds?

A: Sunflower seeds are a good treat for your chickens. They're widely available, chickens typically love them, and for a treat, they're quite read more

Q: There are so many different terms for chickens--juvenile, cockerel, pullet, chick, hen, rooster, peep, biddy, started pullet, point-of-lay pullet, broody, brood, flock---what do they all mean?

There ARE a lot of different terms for chicken, aren't there? It can be a little confusing, especially when you're just starting out. So let's... read more

Q: What's the difference between Breeds, Designer Chicken Breeds, and Varieties of chicken?

Let's talk about Designer Chicken Breeds, Breeds, and Varieties, so you'll understand the differences in... read more

Q: What is a dual-purpose chicken?

A: In the modern day, factory farm chickens are kept for laying or meat production. Laying breeds, or "layers," tend to produce impressive... read more

Q: What is the difference between different types of chicken feeds like starter, grower, finisher, layer, and developer?

A: Starter, grower, finisher, layer, and developer are all considered "complete feeds" to offer your chickens, but they come in different... read more

Q: What is pecking order?

A: "Pecking order" is the social hierarchy of the chicken flock. Those at the top of the pecking order get the best nesting spots and roosting spots,... read more

Q: What is a poultry show?

A: A Poultry Show or exhibition is very much like a dog show. Breeders and fanciers, and sometimes 4-Hers, bring their best chickens to show them at the... read more

Q: What is sexing, autosexing, and sex-linked?

A: The word sexing simply refers to the process by which chicks are sorted into males and females. Chicks are not easy to tell apart because they... read more

Q: What is a Showgirl Chicken?

A: A Showgirl is a type of chicken that combines the features of two of the weirdest-looking chicken breeds, Silkies and... read more

Q: How do I raise show quality chickens?

A: Well, it helps to start with good stock. Have a look at our special read more

Q: What does BBS stand for with chickens?

A: BBS stands for "Blue-Black-Splash." But that doesn't tell you a whole lot, either, if you don't know how the genetics of blue plumage colors works!... read more

Q: How can I cope with the loss of my chicken?

A: First, we're so sorry to hear about the loss of your chicken. Losing any pet is hard, but there's something about having a bird who begs for pets and... read more

Q: Why is my chick growing her feathers in so slowly?

A: Sometimes you'll get a brood of chicks and notice that while many have grown in most of their feathers by eight weeks or so, one or two are slow... read more

Q: How much protein should be in my chicken feed?

A: The right protein content in your feed is super important for... read more

Q: How long are roosters fertile?

A: Like with any animal, this can depend on the particular bird. That said, roosters are sort of like human males: they will probably be fertile most of... read more

Q: What chickens lay blue eggs? Green? Pink? Olive? Chocolate? Speckled?

Chickens that lay blue eggs.

There are several breeds of chickens---and some mixed breed crosses---that lay blue eggs, including read more

Q: How many eggs do chickens lay per year?

A: Exactly 157. (Just kidding!) Actually, how many eggs a chicken lays a year depends on a lot of things, but especially on the breed of your chicken... read more

Q: Which chicken breeds may need extra heat in winter?

A: Chickens are incredibly adaptable! They are kept all over the world in all kinds of extreme climates. But it's no secret that some breeds are hardier... read more

Q: What is a "heritage" chicken breed?

A: The definition of "heritage" in relation to chicken breeds is a bit flexible, but when we use the word, we're referring to breeds that have been... read more