How the U.S. Chicken Industry Gave Back in 2023

Who doesn’t want to eat protein that’s as delicious as it is nutritious, plus affordable and safe, all while being sustainable for the environment? All of these factors make chicken America’s No. 1 protein. These qualities also position chicken as an essential, high-quality protein that can help end hunger in our nation and world. In … Read more

Why do broiler chickens receive vaccinations?

Effective vaccination relies on proper administration and management. Vaccines can be administered via drinking water, spray, eye-drop, injection, or in-ovo (meaning that the vaccine is injected in the egg). Recombinant vaccines can be administered in-ovo which is accomplished by injecting the air cell of fertile eggs (targeting amniotic sac or intramuscular/subcutaneous administration) between 18 or … Read more

Winter Layers – Backyard Poultry

Reading Time: 5 minutes Keeping hens laying year-round is pretty easy with some minor adjustments for winter layers. Story by Kristi Cook Our homestead learned many lessons in sustainable living during the pandemic. While we learned we still have areas in need of improvement, we also discovered several of our preparedness efforts paid off very … Read more

Snowbound Chickens – Backyard Poultry

Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s never too late to reinforce coops in winter. by Gina Stack The sound of rumbling snowplows and the shining sun early in the morning signaled that the blizzard was over. Peering out the windows, I saw that the land was covered with sparkling white and thick waves of snow. Suddenly, … Read more

Chickens, Kids, and Grandparents – Backyard Poultry

Reading Time: 4 minutes Generational teaching at it’s best. Chickens and grandkids. Story and photos by Bruce Ingram. Our two grandsons Sam and Eli, aged 10 and 8 respectively, live across the hollow from Elaine and me, and they frequently visit us. When the boys were 5 and 3, they came over one day while … Read more

Speckled Pigeons at Cotswold Wildlife Park

Story and photos by Susie Kearley Visit the ‘Africa’ enclosure at Cotswold Wildlife Park in England, and you’ll find a group of speckled pigeons sitting pretty on their perches as they peruse the landscape below. The ‘Africa’ enclosure also includes vulturine guinea fowl, a couple of blue cranes, a hammerkop bird, and a group of … Read more

Purple Swamphens – Backyard Poultry

Reading Time: 5 minutes Story and photos by Susie Kearley The stunning blue plumage and quirky characteristics of purple swamphens caught the attention of keepers at Cotswold Wildlife Park in England, who decided to add purple swamphens to their collection of exotic birds in 1984. Native to countries of South Asia and the Middle East, … Read more

Guinea Fowl and Extreme Weather

Reading Time: 4 minutes How do your guinea fowl stand up to extreme weather in your area? By Chris Lesley. One of the main appeals of guinea fowl is their general hardiness and durability. But like any animal, the guinea fowl can struggle to regulate its body temperature in harsh weather and can suffer serious … Read more

INCUBATING QUAIL EGGS – Backyard Poultry

Reading Time: 5 minutes A school project to teach homesteading skills such as incubating quail eggs. STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANN ACCETTA-SCOTT I’ve been homesteading for about 10 years. Each spring, our incubator was loaded with fertilized eggs in hope that chicks, ducklings, goslings, keets, and even turkey poults would soon grace the property. However, … Read more