Frequently Asked Questions

Spirochetosis is a tick-born bacterial disease that is rare in the United States (thankfully!). Spirochetosis can be caused by the Brachyspira or the Borrelia bacterium. Both are treatable using antibiotics--under a veterinarian's care. This article examines the type caused by Borrelia bacteria: Fowl Spirochetosis (Borrelia) Also called AIS, Avian Intestinal Spirochetosis, Avian Spirochetosis Prevalence Uncommon in North America, but more so in the south because the primary tick that spreads the disease prefers a warm climate. Climate change is likely to make this infection more common in the future. Signs General signs - Sometimes no symptoms. Other times, symptoms may...

A chicken run is the fenced or enclosed outdoor space you provide for your chickens. The coop is the indoor space---where they go to sleep on their roost and lay eggs in their nests---and the run is the outdoor space, where they may sun bathe or dust bathe, forage in garss and scratch in the dirt. In general, you want to provide your chickens a MINIMUM of about 10 square feet per bird of space overall, split between the coop and the run. The more space the better! Since chickens prefer to spend most of their time outdoors foraging in...

The "run" is a fenced or enclosed yard space you give your flock outdoors, where they can forage, sunbathe and generally engage in all the chicken-y behaviors that make them happy. The more space your flock has, the better! With lots of space, your flock will be less stressed. A large outdoor run area can also help balance a small coop. When your flock is concentrated into a very small area, they have more of a tendency to pick on one another and squabble. A larger RUN helps this situation far more than a larger COOP, because it's the run...

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 their lives! And if you have a great rooster, it makes sense to allow him to fertilize eggs for as long as possible to pass on those good genes. Black Frizzle Bantam Rooster If you're worried about whether your rooster is fertilizing eggs, just check your eggs to see if they're fertile. If they are mostly fertile, your rooster is doing his job!

Airsacculitis--or inflammation of the air sac--can be caused by many different bacteria and will present symptoms in chickens that look something look bronchitis or pneumonia in humans. There are many other respiratory illnesses that present similar symptoms, however, so it's always a good idea to get a veterinarian's assessment to make sure you have the proper diagnosis and treatment plan for your bird. Read on to find out more: Airsacculitis Also called Air sac disease, air sac infection, air sac syndrome, sac disease Prevalence Common Signs General signs - Coughing, loss of appetite, nasal discharge, weight loss or stunted growth,...

The right protein content in your feed is super important for raising a healthy flock--and commercial rations are probably the easiest way to get the right amount, as well as the right nutrition for your birds. But if that's true, why do different brands have different levels of protein, and what amount in best? There's variation because there's an ideal range of protein content, AND because the range varies based on your birds' ages. Ideal protein for laying breeds based on age Chicks up to 6 weeks old: 20% - 22% protein 7 weeks to point of lay: 14% -...

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 feathering and seem delayed. It can be concerning, especially for first-time chicken moms and dads! It's usually nothing to be concerned about. Genetically, some breeds feather out more slowly than others. Breeds/crosses used for meat in particular tend to have slow-growing feathers, along with Brahmas, Cochins, Cornish, Rocks, and Orpingtons. In addition, breeds or crosses designed to be feather-sexed often have slow-feathering, so you may see it in sex-links like black...

Many chicken keepers prefer nipple drinkers over conventional style drinkers for reasons of convenience and cleanliness. Nipple waterers involve so much less cleaning and are so much easier to refill, that they're quickly becoming the watering method of choice for backyarders. Nipple watering systems mean no more (daily? weekly?) cleaning a gunky mess of dirt, poo, and soiled wood shavings out of your watering trays! Whether you're starting baby chicks on nipples from day one, or whether you want to get your grown flock on nipples, there are a few important training considerations. Step one: Make sure you've got enough...