This article on waterfowl frequently asked questions is being republished from Acorn Hollow Bantams website with permission from Lou Horton. Q. What is the best method of getting started in waterfowl? That depends upon your means and upon your purposes for the birds. The least expensive (and most risky) way to get started is to […]
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Refurbishing an old trailer into a chicken coop provides mobility on a budget. When I returned to poultry keeping, I couldn’t decide where to locate the chicken coop. Previously, I had converted a granary, loafing shed, and barn stall into avian accommodations. At my new place, there were no outbuildings to modify. Forced to build
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This article on chick raising 101 is being republished from Acorn Hollow Bantams website with permission from Lou Horton. Buy Chicks or Hatching Eggs? It is almost always less expensive to buy hatching eggs but there are drawbacks to getting started that way, especially for a novice. First, there is the problem of getting hatching
Several scientific studies completed in the early 1900s, including those by Bateson (1902), Hurst (1905), and Hadley (1913), found that the white Leghorn carries an autosomal gene capable of inhibiting the development of black pigment in plumage. Hadley (1913) designated this gene as “I” (inhibitor of black pigment), otherwise known as the Dominant White gene.
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Everyone in the exhibition poultry world has heard of the cochin bantam; a small, yet lovely bird who resides in the feather legged class. In show halls all across the USA, bantam cochins appear as class and show champions. Among this feather legged breed there are two varieties that are most popular throughout the show
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The primary goal of incubating eggs is to have an optimal hatch. One of the most influential factors in the incubation process, aside from management and breeder nutrition, is storing eggs prior to setting them in the incubator. Storage of eggs is completely within our control as flock owners and if we intend to be
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Small and mighty, poultry bring integral services to the farm as well as simply the pure joy of having poultry. They lay eggs, provide meat, consume food waste, aid decomposition, and control insect infestations. As the youngest child on my family’s Iowan farm, I was the main chicken caretaker. I liked to work with the
The Joy of Poultry Read More »
Part 2 of 2 in a series of articles about identifying healthy chicks by Clayton Botkin. Rump, Vent and Cushion Ensure the birds are clean from buildup of droppings or dirt accumulations around the vent. This tells you a lot about the conditions the babies were kept and reared in. Any indication of blood could
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Part one of two in a series about identifying healthy chicks by Clayton Botkin. This article is meant to address a common problem I see more and more among people purchasing birds at sales and auctions. Sales and auctions, while providing a great service to the small–scale poultry producers, also facilitate the sale of perhaps
Identifying Healthy Chicks: Part 1 Read More »
The Black Minorca originated on the island of Minorca in the Mediterranean region where they were kept for production of large, chalk white eggs as well as for their meat. Weighing in at nine pounds for cocks and seven and a half for hens, Minorcas are the largest and heaviest of the Mediterranean breeds. Combine
