To raise chickens, there are procedures and adaptations to attend to. One very good instance is introducing a group of ?new? birds to a flock of old birds. It’s like managing to merge two restaurants when one is Italian and the other is Chinese. Stress will come along. And that is not an assumption but a fact.

Many poultry owners who think that they’re ready to expand their chicken farm make certain measures of importing birds that came or was purchased from the outside, while others take their time and wait for hens to hatch their eggs. Adding new breeds into your peaceful and comfortable neighborhood of chickens can put a quite a rumble between the old and the new.

Admit it, nobody likes newcomers. And adding these newcomers into a flock of hens or roosters that already have certain territories inside their coop can be big mess. The newcomers will try to take their place too, and the oldies will try their best to protect their area.

Fret not, for this kind of attitude and feud lasts for only a couple of days. Adaptation can now take place. You can’t avoid this kind of predicament from rising but you can do certain adjustments that can make all of you happy and stress-free.

There are numerous peace-making strategies to help both parties adjust with each other. Isn’t it nice to see your new and old birds in one space without having to stop them from pecking one another?

One very good strategy is to let them see each other without having any physical contact. How? If you have a run (which is basically attached to the coop), you could put your old chickens there and then put a border (chicken wire) between the run and the coop. Put your new chickens inside the coop. This way, they are able to see each other minus the harm. Be sure that both parties have access to sufficient food and water. You can do this for about a week.

Most of this information comes straight from the Raising Chickens pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you’ll know what they know.

As transition day comes, that will be a week after the slight introduction, you can now ?join? them in one area. You can transfer the newcomers to the resident flock’s territory during the night when all the birds are sleeping. Upon waking up, the old chickens will notice the new ones and they will, at any point, try to start a fight but will not because they are too groggy to initiate it. Not a strategy that has been proven effective but it’s worth the trying.

Distraction techniques are always effective in some way. This can alleviate tactics of war coming from the resident chickens. If you don’t do this, the old hens will chase the newcomers till all their feathers come off. That would be devastating.

Some of the distracting techniques are:

a. Cabbage heads can do the trick. By hanging a piece of whole cabbage just above their head, chickens will reach it until everything is finished. That is, if they don’t get exhausted by jumping to it and reaching it.

b. Make the pursuit an obstacle for the pursuing party. Add large branches inside the run and coop.

c. Let them run around at a wider and freer range. The oldies will be so thrilled to dig for grubs and insects they wouldn’t even notice that there are newcomers roaming around.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Poultry farm owners sometimes underestimate cleanliness. But sometimes, the more people tend to underestimate things, the more it becomes a serious matter. Sometimes, when its severity had come to its boiling point, it’s too late to cool it down.

There are two causes of bird flu (also known as Avian Influenza) – cold weather and dirty places. Why should you know the cause? To prevent the spread of the disease even before it develops at your very own backyard. Once you know the cause, it will be easier on your part to identify the different measure you have to make to prevent the disease from spreading. Get rid of the cause then none of this will happen. That will be more convenient and less expensive than waiting for the outburst of the virus to act and terminate it because once it starts, the harder it is to kill.

You can’t change the weather. That is a fact. Between the two causes, the weather, including the whole atmospheric environment is one thing that you can’t point a finger at. All you have to do is adjust with the present environment. Flu, in general, is acquired mostly in cold areas. The colder, the more amiable it is for the virus to stay. Thus, it stays and it reproduces and it reprimands and it affects and the tally goes on. But you can do something about it. You can’t definitely change the weather but you can adapt to it. Let your chickens adapt to the environment. How? By giving nutritious food and immunization. Vitamins are also big advantages for your chicken’s welfare. If your chickens have all these intact, their immune system will be strong enough to fight invading microorganisms.

Cleaning is common sense. You have to see to it that the environment inside and outside their pen is immaculate. Pads must be replaced with new ones. Haystacks filled with chicken poop should also be replaced. Be sure to use protective wears like boots made of rubber, gloves, and facemasks that fit properly. In this way, if the poultry have already caught the virus, you would have your first defense against it.

If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

If all else fails and the disease is already spreading, you have to protect yourself from it. With or without the disease, you should follow these safety precautions. Just in case.

Hand washing is the universal precautionary measure to partake. After being in contact with your poultry always wash your hands with soap and clean water. Go through the routine of eating a healthy diet, vaccinations, and have a flu shot. Exercise shouldn’t be compromised.

Once you have noticed that your chickens are manifesting some of the symptoms, an antiviral must be treated to lessen the severity and symptoms of the disease. But these drugs were not that successful in avoiding death instances.

Practice food safety tips like eating a well-cooked chicken. After using, disinfect your chopping board with chlorine bleach, at least four to five teaspoons for every one-gallon of water.

These are some of the measures to prevent the spread of the disease. Otherwise your chicken raising days are over.

Now you can understand why there’s a growing interest in Raising Chickens. When people start looking for more information about Raising Chickens, you’ll be in a position to meet their needs.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Growing chicks to chickens is hard work but is quite fulfilling, especially when you’re about to benefit from it. Chickens do change so quickly. Within just a month, you could notice development. On the beginning of life they are just little slimy egg contents and the next thing you know they can now chirp their way to the coop starting a whole new life – a life that’s self-sufficient and nevertheless, independent.

Jumping off from three to six weeks old, a chicken sheds off its fluffiness and replaces it with feathers that will become more mature. Combs and wattles will grow and turn to a deep red hue. If you are raising cockerels, what you call a young rooster, they will attempt to crow. At the age of 21-25 weeks, pullets will lay their very first eggs. Pullets are the young hens. One characteristic of a pullet’s egg is that its shell is weak and small. As they lay frequently, their eggs become harder and larger.

The fun part of pecking one another is then established by six months. Their wattles and combs will be completely formed by then. No sleeping on the job for these fine-feathered friends.

Although, after six months, their world will start to be put on a due, it will all slow down. Production of eggs will decline at a time but their eggs are definitely large. Molting will continue once a year and refuse to lay eggs at that period.

Aside from that, there are still several issues to be very assertive of like their physical attributes and behavioral patterns.

Molting is the process of shedding feather and then re-growing it. Like that of a snake’s skin shedding but totally on a different angle. Molting usually occurs during summertime. They will not lay eggs during this time and they may look ?diseased?. But that shouldn’t worry you because it’s all-natural. You don’t have to drag all your chickens to an animal doctor for them to be checked. Wait till the feathers grow back because they will look better and healthier as compared before.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Raising Chickens now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

Be on the lookout though, because if it takes quite some time for the feathers to grow, there could be a problem. Illness or parasites could be the main cause for this feature. This is noticeable because they will behave in an awkward manner.

One very irritating behavior that poultry owners have to be on the lookout for is the hens going ?broody?. Broodiness is a chicken’s attitude, most specifically the hens, to be stubborn and insist on sitting down on her eggs all the time. This is a good thing if you want those eggs to hatch fast. What you don’t know is that when a hen turns broody, she will sit on anything that’s similar with real eggs, like golf balls!

You wouldn’t want to experience being caught up with your desire to communicate with a hen’s broodiness because of three reasons:

a. They get grumpy and will, at any circumstance, try to peck you if you go nearer. It will be very difficult for you to get those eggs because of this kind of attitude.

b.Decomposing of the eggs will hasten because of the heat that regulates from the hen to the unfertilized egg.

c. When a hen gets broody, she doesn’t want to get out of her nest and forcing her to do so will get you into one peck fight with your hen. If this stubbornness happens, they therefore refuse to drink or eat thus depriving her of the needed nutrients.

There’s no doubt that the topic of Raising Chickens can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about Raising Chickens, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Location is the first thing to consider. Do you live in a rural or in an urban area? Your answer will depend on the chickens you can keep. Usually in rural communities, the number of livestock you want can be unlimited but when in urban settings, raising chickens can have restrictions regarding its number. Or sometimes, they are totally banned.

Another thing is the kind of chicken that you are planning to raise. If they weigh heavier, this will be an advantage because this kind of status will make it more difficult for them to fly away. A simple wire and post design pen can be used. But in most instances chickens are more prone to flying away. Especially if they are not used to the place, a fence with a higher walls or wires is more appropriate.

The place where you construct your pen must be safe and sturdy enough to withstand any predator’s mark. It should be constructed in a way that your poultry are not easily snatched not only by scavengers but also by people who are pretty much interested in chicken stew. They must be protected and locked-in, especially at night.

What is a post and wire type of pen? It is by far the simplest kind of design wherein materials like posts, strong wires, fence staples are used. The tools needed to help you complete the job are the ordinary hammer, wire cutters, crowbar and sledgehammer. Gathering these materials are the very first thing you have to do upon planning.

The best time to learn about Raising Chickens is before you’re in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable Raising Chickens experience while it’s still free.

Fence post can’t be bought one at a time but in bundles. If you became worried that the excess lumbers will go to waste once the fence is finished, worry no more. This is because fence posts can be used in incredible purposes like supporting beams for sheds. Chicken wire is usually used. But for safety purposes a stucco wire is stronger and is more recommended for holding building sides.

There are really no actual fence staples, that is why the local staples used for wiring can be used as an alternative. Skimping the staples should not be stressed. You need a lot while construction is ongoing and also additional supplies in cases of emergencies.

The sledgehammer is used to pound the post into the soil. Weight is the first thing that you have to take note of when choosing a sledgehammer. Make sure that it is not too heavy that you can’t lift it up and not too light that you will need to exert all your efforts just to pound your post.

The crowbar is used for digging a hole where the pole will be placed. Lastly, the regular hammer will be useful for those hardheaded staple wires to dig in the posts.

Now that all materials are properly intact, you can plan on the actual building of the pen.

Knowing enough about Raising Chickens to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about Raising Chickens, you should have nothing to worry about.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

There are varieties of chickens to raise. Choosing a breed will depend on the kind of chicken that you want to raise. There are chickens that seem healthy but their egg-laying capacity is frail while other chickens give out lots of eggs every day. Before finally choosing the right chicken to raise, you have to consider a lot of things.

Different angles must be taken into consideration like the place where your chickens will live. Do you have a big backyard? Is it wide enough to let your chosen number of chickens to roam? You have to think about this factor because chickens differ in breeds ? some are small and others are large.

Also, another factor is the environment you are living in. If you’re living along the equator, it is expected that the temperature within that place be, most of the time, scorching hot. But if you’re living somewhere up above or down below, it becomes colder. Now, which of the two are you?

There are cross breeds that can resist whatever the weather that may come. Production Reds is one of many typical examples. They can be tamed and are resistant to cold temperature. That is why, when you live in a place where it’s always cold, this breed is the right one for you.

Bantams can be a little bit hardheaded. They love to fly around, a very good reason why pens can be worthless. These breeds are tough but pretty for their fluffiness is incomparable. They are not good in laying eggs but if they do, their product is very small and is not advisable for selling.

The Pekins and Silkies are two of the best choices when it comes to laying eggs. They come in various colors and types. If you try to crossbreed a silkie with a cochin bantam, you will have a wonderful breed because the outcome is a kind which never bit, hurt or clawed anyone as proven by top breeders.

See how much you can learn about Raising Chickens when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

Be careful with purebred chicken meat because they are very fragile, they tend to choke their own food, and are prone to having heart attacks without any probable cause.

If you are looking for a cheap egg-laying chicken, you can settle with a leghorn. Although you have to eventually clip their wings because they are flighty. Also, they are a bit scrawny so watch out! Some breeders dare not choose a leghorn because they are ugly and are high strung.

Looking for a chicken that’s sweet? Try cross breeding Cochin bantams. Breeds that came from a Cochin bantam’s bloodline are amazing because of certain qualities like sweetness, manners, and you have a very good breed that can easily be noticed in exhibitions.

Barred Plymouth Rocks are also one of the top breeds. It’s like the best deal ever, all in one package. Why? Well, during summer time, they lay almost every day. They have a healthy and good weight, are astonishingly pretty, and are not vicious.

Americaunas have an impeccable beauty that is more radiant because of their feathers. They have a color resembling a falcon’s ? dark, golden feathers. Their beaks are almost similar with a falcon’s because some breeds have pretty curved beaks. They are indeed beautiful breeds and can withstand the coldness of the night or during wintertime but if you like squeezing eggs out of these breeds, what luck! Sadly, they don’t lay very well.

Breeds that are unusual need more attention from the breeders so their breeds can survive. Choose the right chicken that you will raise.

Now you can understand why there’s a growing interest in Raising Chickens. When people start looking for more information about Raising Chickens, you’ll be in a position to meet their needs.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

There have been thoughts on what to do with your flock daily. Raising chickens can be quite easy but also needs maintenance to keep their environment safe and clean for both your chickens and your own happiness. Some owners hesitate to do such a grueling task. But in reality it is one of the easiest works you can do to give your chickens the welcome they deserve.

In this section, you’ll learn about what to do and what not to do daily.

a. Keep their feed and water containers full at all times. Do not let them run out of these two essentials. They need these two things everyday to live. If you tend to leave your house for a couple of days, be sure to leave sufficient food and water so that your chickens don’t run out of their needs and will not reach the point of picking on each other.

b. Clean their water canister. If their water becomes cloudy or if they sensed that it’s already dirty, they will refuse to drink it and in the long run, they will become dehydrated and eventually conjure illness and die.

c. Every morning, observe for their health status. Look at their physical attitude. Do they look bright, active, and healthy? If they don’t look anything close to normal, then you should call or see the vet to ask for suggestions and answers.

d. If you are the type who loves collecting eggs for breakfast or for selling, the moment they are laid, you can already get them from the coop. Put the eggs inside the fridge to maintain its freshness.

Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Raising Chickens? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

e. From time to time, you will have the chance to visit their coop and look at your chickens. Before you leave, make sure that things are safe inside and outside the pen. If you see rat holes, block it. If everything seems fine, be sure to close the door. As dusk comes, that’ll be the time when all the chickens are in their nest. Not a single chicken in sight. Secure the area so that predators will not have the opportunity to get in.

Unlike other pets, you can leave the chickens for days. You have to keep in mind that they have to be provided with enough food and water supply. If you came back and found eggs, it’s still okay to collect. It still has its freshness.

Here’s a fact that you should know about an egg’s freshness: it will take you at least 12 days from the day that it was laid before it matures and an embryo develops inside.

Another thing that you should know about eggs is that upon collecting them, there will be chances that you’ll see slight smudges of dirt or feces on the egg’s surface. Do not attempt too scrub the dirt off no matter how the urge is killing you. Because one thing about eggs is that they are not ejected to this world without protective barriers.

Bloom is the term that is given to the membrane that is located at the surface of the egg itself. The use of the bloom is to protect the egg from bacteria and microorganisms that may insist on penetrating through the shell. If you scrub this, you take away the protective covering.

But if you are that type of person who wanted things to always be spiffy clean, like that of the obsessive-compulsive type, you can clean the dirty egg provided it will be under warm water and in a very gentle touch.

Knowing enough about Raising Chickens to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about Raising Chickens, you should have nothing to worry about.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Pros

1. Costs incredibly cheap.

When we say cheap, not only does the chicken itself count but also the maintenance of it all. Compared to keeping a dog or a cat for a pet, it is much cheaper to take care of a number of chickens most likely because they are not choosy when it comes to food. You can feed them scraps and table leftovers and they will happily gobble it up. With as little as $2 a day, you can spend on a bunch of layer mash.

2. You can get something from them.

Eggs. Meat. Ornament. Who wouldn’t want it? In terms of eggs, it is seldom that you encounter a chicken that can’t lay eggs. It is a good source of iron, which is good for the brain. You could either sell these eggs or keep them in your fridge. With meat, every part of a chicken can be eaten. Yes, every. In cases of those who don’t want to see their chickens go bye-bye, they raise them as pets and for exhibition purposes.

3. Low maintenance.

Unlike dogs who need everyday grooming and cats who need your undivided attention, chickens need none of those. You don’t have to bring them to your vet every once in a while to take shots and doses of vaccines. All you have to do is feed them and supply clean water every day. Their coops must be cleaned at least once a week or twice every month depending on the number of chickens that you own.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there’s more to Raising Chickens than you may have first thought.

4. Fertilizers for free and an instant pest control agent.

These are the two things that chicken raisers love about owning a chicken. When you allow your chickens to roam around your backyard, it is in their nature to peck on whatever it is that catches their interest and their hunger. Chickens love anything that came from the ground most especially the ones that are moving. They eat insects, bugs, worms and the like. For them, these are special treats. Furthermore, it is in their nature to eradicate their internal wastes anywhere they please. But their poops are considered as natural fertilizers that the ground needs to grow plants and root crops in a healthy state.

Cons

1. They are not the best guard pets to have.

While chickens can coo and make familiar sounds, it is not in their nature to bite or coo on anyone they see who looks suspicious. All they can do is grow, eat, and lay eggs. They are also not the ideal pets you would want to have especially if you need a response like waggling of the tail or a purring sound.

2. Chickens are messy.

Indeed. Plus, their poop smells terrible that it can reach certain areas in your house. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to go through enduring hours of cleaning, chickens aren’t really the pets for you.

3. One for all, all for one.

Well, in terms of getting sick this is a con. Because when one catches flu, everyone gets it too. And if one dies because of that flu, it is expected that every single chicken living with that infected chicken who also got that flu is also going to die after a few days.

That’s how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

There are two types of chicks to raise: the ones you practically took care of from the moment they were hatched and the ones that you bought from hatcheries which are already taken care of and just needs further nourishing. Basing from the two choices, there are also two ways of properly raising the chicks before becoming the perfect chickens.

Chicks hatched from your own poultry’s eggs basically need 4 things: comfort, warmth, food and water. Comfort can be based from your own personal touch and how you hold the chicks. Warmth is taken from the mother or if you plan to separate the chicks on an early stage, an incubator or what others call as a heat lamp is essential. Usually the incubator is composed of two or three light bulbs depending on the number of chicks that have hatched.

The very first thing to do is fix the place where you will put your hatchlings ? the brooder. It must have a temperature that is neither too cold nor too hot. Either of the two extremes will contribute severe negative conditions to the chicks. Your incubator must have a temperature that’s 90-95 degrees. If you have settled with the 95-degree heat, maintain it until the end of the first week. Your temperature must decrease every week by 5 degrees until you reach the 6th week.

The floor of your chick’s pad must be made of cardboard or piles of old newspapers. This can be used as an insulator for keeping the temperature in the room in proper condition.

Have the drinking station of your chicks always cleaned. Aside from that, the proper way of refreshing your chicks is to give them boiled water. Something as little as these creatures are too vulnerable to germs. Their baby immune systems aren’t that mature to fight away bacteria and harmful microorganisms that may invade their body. Better safe than sorry. Grain coffee is also an alternative but will cost you. You have to make sure that what you give them is not that hot to handle.

Truthfully, the only difference between you and Raising Chickens experts is time. If you’ll invest a little more time in reading, you’ll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to Raising Chickens.

To serve their drink, pour the contents in a jug, turn it upside down standing on a dish. The leak coming from the inverted jug is sufficient enough to accommodate their need for nourishment.

Chicks are a little particular with their food. They don’t eat anything ?old?. They want their food dripping with freshness. Initially, you could give them milled oats. You could include bits of boiled eggs into the milled oats. If you think giving them that is a bit too mushy, you are welcome to go to feed stores for poultry raising. Some who are fond of feeding anything to their chicks have this intuition to feed them bread. Which is totally wrong. Because feeding them bread is a sin. This can kill them.

You could also include lettuce cuts into the diet. Squeamish or not, you have to provide their favorite menu ? bugs and grubs. They eat these little wiggly things and gobble them up so fast.

Just don’t make any mistake of giving these to newly hatched chicks.

You have to be very particular of the space that you have provided for the young ones. Cramping must be avoided. This might result to trampling and worse, cannibalism. Chicks grow quickly. That’s why you have to ensure that their room is big enough for their proper accommodation.

Do replace the cardboard or the newspaper placed under their pad every time you notice it’s soiled. Even you wouldn’t like the idea of sleeping in your own feces.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Clipping a chicken’s wings is an owner’s way of saying ?You can’t go anywhere.? It is basically defined as the method of preventing backyard chickens to fly anywhere they want. Some, who think that wind clipping is inhumane, would rather see their chickens flying and wasting their time chasing them around the pen so as not to lose them. But others, who do it, believe that it is more of an advantage than a disadvantage.

One of the basic advantages of clipping is that if you keep your chickens in a free-range status, you lessen the thought of worrying that your chickens will go flying around and say ?Bon Voyage!? If you wanted to keep your chickens inside their pen and make them lay those eggs, you have to adapt to certain measures no matter how brutal it seems.

For those who agree in the idea of clipping and are fascinated on how to clip the wings of their chickens, don’t dare think that there is bloodshed involved because there is none. Well, maybe just a drop.

You don’t have to clip everything including the actual wings with muscles, bones, veins and all. The only part that is needed to clip is the ones with the feathers. Long primary feathers. For first timers, ask for assistance from someone who knows how because if you don’t, things might get messy between you and your chicken.

Clipping chicken wings may be inconvenient and needs caution but it is the best way to outsmart your chickens. If done correctly, you can take away the balance and flight coordination thus making them want to stay even if they are against it.

There are pointers to know on how to properly clip a chicken’s wings but first, you have to organize the things you’ll need.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there’s more to Raising Chickens than you may have first thought.

1.Sharp scissors with a rounded tip.
2.Pliers
3.Used towel
4.First Aid Kit
5.Your vet’s number

Procedure:

a. Look around you. Do you see a candidate? Yes? Time to catch her. The perfect candidate for wind clipping is the chicken that has her wings growing very prominently. Usually these are the chickens you see who fly proudly above other birds. Catch the bird by the feet. This is the most ideal way of getting her under your grasp.

b. Hold the chicken by the legs and support the body by holding her underneath using the palm of your hands to stop her wriggling. Use the towel to wrap it around your chicken’s body to avoid any unnecessary movements. Leave either the left or the right part of her wings free.

c. Spread the wing displaying the entire feather section that needs cutting. The feathers must be the primary ones. From the tip of the longest wing feather, estimate at least 5 inches then start cutting at that point. Use very sharp scissors so that the process will not be that agonizing for your chicken to take.

d. You know you’re done if you see that the clipped wings are already on ground and the remaining ones are aligned in proportion. In cases of mistakes, mistakes that made your chicken bleed profusely, either call the vet and ask for an advice or rush her to the nearest animal clinic for treatment.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Bantam ? chicken variety that is about half the size of the standard breed of chickens. These breeds are usually bred for ornamental reasons.

Bedding ? can either be shavings of wood, haystack pile, or newspaper that are added to the floor of the coop and inside a nest box. The purpose of this is for absorption of droppings and odor of chicken poop. It also provides as cushion for eggs to be safely ejected from its mother without the worry of breaking it.

Brood ? this could either mean the hens incubating their chicks or a flock of baby chickens.

Broodiness ? a chicken’s desire to incubate their babies ? unfertilized or fertilized. Broodiness can make an egg hatch or spoil it. There are a lot of factors that may arise in being broody. And the mother is a bit moody when she is manifesting broodiness.

Candling ? is a procedure wherein a candle or a light bulb is used. It is the process letting light shine through an egg to determine if it is fertilized or not. Candling can be useful especially if you are planning to separate the eggs with growing embryo and those that you wanted to sell.

Capon ? a rooster that has been castrated.

Clutch ? fertilized egg groups that hens tend to incubate.

Cockerel ? a juvenile or young rooster.

Comb ? this is the rubbery, red flat piece of flesh hanging on top of a chicken’s head. Roosters have a more prominent comb than hens. Some who are engaged in cock fighting preferred to cut the rooster’s comb so as not to interfere with the fight.

Coop ? house of chickens.

The information about Raising Chickens presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Raising Chickens or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

Crop ? Part of a chicken’s digestive system that can be found in the esophagus wherein food is first digested before entering the stomach.

Droppings Tray ? a tray that collects chicken droppings, which is located under poles for quick disposal.

Dust bath ? A pattern of chicken behavior wherein they dig a hole in the ground and immerse their bodies in earth that has been loosened. They will get down and dirty until they get satisfied. Bathing in dust is a kind of defense mechanism to protect chickens from lice and mites that may invade their feathers and feed on their blood. A dust bath can either be natural or artificial.

Feeder ? a container that delivers and holds feeds for chickens.

Fertilized egg ? an egg that came from mating of a rooster and a hen and is destined to become a baby.

Grit ? bits of rock or sand bits that chickens tend to eat and is stored in the crop that is important for good digestion.

Hackles ? chicken’s neck feathers.

Hen ? female chicken.

Incubation ? process of egg hatching in which application of heat is required. The eggs that are incubated are those that are already fertilized. Constant heat, usual turning, and an environment that is humid are the essential needs of an egg that also comes in with the period. Incubation takes about 21 days before the eggs are expected to hatch.

Layer feed ? a feed that is complete and is made for the sake of laying hens.

Molt or molting ? this is the process of feather shedding and re-growing which happens once a year. When molting season comes, laying season is suspended.

Those who only know one or two facts about Raising Chickens can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you’re learning here.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO