Farm Guides

Foods Chickens Should Not Eat—A Safe Scraps Guide

Chickens can enjoy small quantities of suitable kitchen scraps, but some foods are hazardous. Even safe treats can unbalance the diet when they replace too much complete feed. Risk depends...

Incubating Chicken Eggs—Temperature, Humidity, ...

Successful incubation depends on controlling temperature, egg moisture loss, turning, ventilation and sanitation. Incubation settings are starting points. Always consider the incubator manufacturer’s instructions and your own hatch records. Preparing...

Three simple chicken enrichment projects to test

Start with projects you can inspect and remove easily. Supervise the first use and check every item daily. The goal is safe behaviour opportunities, not a complicated obstacle course.

Boredom prevention when chickens cannot free range

Confined chickens still need opportunities to forage, perch, explore and rest without conflict. Enrichment works best alongside adequate space, balanced feed and clean water. A toy cannot compensate for crowding...

Herbs for chickens, part four: garlic, oregano ...

Garlic and oregano attract strong claims online. Research on a particular preparation may be interesting, but it does not establish that an unmeasured scoop of kitchen herbs treats a sick...

Herbs for chickens, part three: nesting-box spr...

Nesting herbs are often sold for fragrance or enrichment. They should not be presented as a substitute for dry nesting material, parasite control or veterinary treatment. A pleasant smell can...