If you don’t want to wait until chicks lay an egg or start to crow, use these clues to tell whether they are arooster vs hen. When they’re young, determining a chicken’s sex is never 100%, but their size, colors, feathers, and other traits can be good indications early on. On...
Answers to the top questions about raising backyard chickens for eggs, including how much they cost, what you need in your chicken coop, and the best breeds.
When my little sister was a toddler, my little brother and I foolishly antagonized a flock of hens with a very protectiverooster. My poor little sister got the brunt of that attack. She nearly lost one of her eyes due to the rooster. It’s imperative to keep a flock of friendly and s...
In the home flock, who cares? (Another advantage to old hens: they’re used to you and are less flighty and panicky.) When Chickens Stop Laying for the Winter You can extend the laying period for your hens by putting a light hooked to a timer in the hen house. This will give the ...
You do not need to do anything special in order to breed your chickens, just introduce the rooster to your flock and let nature take its course.[4] Make sure both your hens and your rooster are eating quality food. This will ensure that their reproductive systems are as strong as ...
You will need to have a rooster in your flock if you have dual purpose breeds, one rooster for every eight to twelve hens. Most dual purpose breeds take about three to four weeks to produce eggs and are “broody”. This means the hens of these breeds will sit on the eggs and hatch ...