Frequently Asked Questions

Minimum Hatch Rate Guarantee!   We want every chicken keeper to experience the joys of hatching eggs but realize that the uncertainty can be a challenge. Nature can be tricky and no hatching egg supplier can promise any particular egg will hatch, especially since the shipment handling and incubating is completely outside of our control. While a 50% hatch rate is generally considered a success, even for commercial hatcheries, we realize low hatch rates can be very frustrating.  In response, My Pet Chicken is excited to offer an innovative and industry-leading Minimum Hatch Rate Guarantee, giving you the confidence to hatch...

If your selected breeds don't hatch as expected, we will take the following steps on your expected hatch date:   1. If there is an issue with your order on hatch day, we review the notes you left us at checkout.  At checkout, be sure to choose if you are willing to accept a substitute breed or not. If you want to substitute a similar breed, please list which ones you are willing to accept.  2. If we can't meet your initial request you may receive a notification on your hatch date with additional information and options. Be on the look out for this...

The decision to include a heat pack in poultry orders is made by our expert shipping department on the day of your shipment. We consider various factors such as the quantity of chicks, destination, and weather conditions.If your order includes a heat pack, you can usually locate it beneath the bedding in a brown paper bag marked for identification. Please note that the heat pack is non-reusable and is not meant to be given to the chicks as food. Can I request or pay for an extra heat pack in my package?  No, we cannot accept this request. Our expert...

Keeping and raising baby quail can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. These small, fascinating birds are not only adorable but also relatively easy to care for. However, they do require specific attention and care during their early stages of life. Here is the information you need learn how to care for baby quail, ensuring their health, well-being, and successful growth. Setting up the brooder: Before bringing home baby quail, it's essential to set up a suitable brooder. A brooder is a controlled environment that mimics the natural warmth and protection provided by a mother quail. Therefore to mimic a...

There's a certain magic in the act of collecting a freshly laid egg from your backyard coop—a tangible connection to the rhythms of nature and the reward of your nurturing efforts. But have you ever paused to consider the intricate journey that transforms a simple yolk into a fully formed egg? How Long Does it take to Lay an Egg? This whole process of egg laying from yolk to coop takes around 26 hours. As you savor the flavors of a meal made with your own homegrown eggs, take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey behind each bite. The...

A female chicken can lay up to one egg per day. It is important to note that a hen will not always lay one per day, since we all need some time off! Proper care, including a nutritious diet, and a comfortable living environment, can help ensure that your chickens reach their laying potential. How Long Does it take for a Hen to Produce and Egg?  The process of egg formation in a chicken typically takes approximately 24 to 26 hours from the time a hen lays one egg until she lays the next one. Here's a basic breakdown of...

Are your chicken's legs looking rough and they can't seem to stop scratching? They could be suffering from a scaly leg mite infestation. These minuscule parasites, known scientifically as Knemidocoptes mutans, burrow under a chicken's leg scales and can cause some serious discomfort and potential health risks if not treated.   Scaly leg mites, quite literally, take up residence under the scales on a chicken's legs and feet. Once settled, they feast upon the keratin present in these scales, causing them to lift and detach from the skin. This infestation triggers various symptoms in your chicken, including constant itching, swelling, and...

Chicken molting is a natural process that occurs in the late summer or early fall. As backyard chicken keepers, it's important to understand the molting phase in a chickens life in order to offer the best support.  The Timing of Chicken Molting Molting, often referred to as a "chicken's bad hair day," is the process of shedding and regrowing feathers. This cyclical event is triggered by a combination of factors, mainly the change in daylight hours and the chicken's age.  Typically chickens undergo their first molt at around 18 months of age, depending on the time of year that they...

A chicken saddle is also known as a chicken apron, feather gaurd or hen saver. It's a protective covering placed on a chicken's back, typically made of durable and lightweight materials, such as fabric or vinyl. The chicken saddle protects a hen's back and tail feathers from damage or injury. In some chicken flocks, hens can experience feather loss or injuries on their backs due to excessive rooster mating.  During mating, roosters' sharp claws may grip onto hens' backs, causing feather damage or bare spots on their skin. Additionally, other hens might peck at her back out of curiosity or...

Recognizing Heat Stress and Acidosis in Chickens Summer is in full swing with extreme heat waves sweeping the country. While chickens and other poultry manage heat well these scorching temperatures can lead to heat stress. It's critical for those caring for poultry, such as chickens, to identify the telltale signs of heat stress. Heat stress in chickens can be quite serious, leading to a condition known as heat acidosis. This is a stress-induced condition where chickens can’t regulate their body temperature due to the high temperatures. If heat stress isn't prevented, it can lead to significant impacts on your chickens...

Raising quail can be a rewarding and fascinating experience. These low-maintenance, compact birds are popular among backyard enthusiasts for their high egg production and unique characteristics. This guide provides essential information on successfully raising quail, whether for eggs or as charming pets. Research Quail Breeds and Local Regulations Before embarking on your quail-raising journey, it's important to research different quail breeds and choose the ones that best suit your purpose. Some common quail breeds include Coturnix (Japanese) quail, Bobwhite quail, and California quail. Additionally, check local regulations or consult with your local agricultural extension office to ensure you comply with...

A feeder is the item you use to dispense feed for your flock. Of course, you could always just dispense feed on the ground or in a dish, but there would be a lot of feed wasted that way. Chickens tend to scratch and scatter the feed around, so chicken feeders are designed to minimize that. There are many different types of chicken feeders to choose from. For example, there are the common and inexpensive basic plastic feeders. They're tried and true, but they aren't fancy! Then there are the feeders with special features. For example, some feeders can be...

Fertile eggs are those that contain both ova and sperm, and will develop into a baby chick if incubated. If you have nothing but hens in your flock, you will not have fertilized eggs---you would need a male rooster for that.  Fertilized eggs are fine to eat; there is just a slight difference between a fertile and infertile egg. There is no difference in taste, and you can only tell the difference between infertile and fertile (unincubated) contents if you're very sharp-eyed. Illustration by Ray Yang for My Pet Chicken

We do sell chicks most of the year round, but there are a variety of reasons baby chicks aren't available for purchase at all times. Chickens naturally lay fewer eggs in the colder, darker months of winter. Some breeds stop entirely. Fertility is usually lower in the winter, too, so fewer chicks will hatch. In addition, in the fall and winter, our hens will be molting and regrowing new feathers for the coming year, so even those breeds that are good winter layers may lay reduced numbers of eggs, or may briefly stop laying until molting is over. That means...

|A chicken's shank is the bottom part of her leg, above the foot, but below the hock. The spur is the chicken's chief weapon, and grows out of the shank. It's something every chicken has... but generally only the spurs of males grow very large. Older hens may grow larger spurs as their hormones change, and there are some breeds where it's fairly common for younger hens to have spurs, too. But for the most part, hens will simply have small spur numbs.

The word "Salmonella" evokes fear in the hearts of chicken-keepers. A healthy respect for this bacterium is certainly justified, but should not be blown out of proportion. The main concern is that Salmonella can be transferred to humans and can make us very sick, or in some cases even cause death. Thankfully, practicing good biosecurity and following the CDC's guidelines can keep humans safe. Unfortunately, though, the prognosis isn't so good for chickens that become infected with Salmonella. Read on to find out more. Salmonella (general) Various types of Salmonella infection include Pullorum, Typhoid, Paratyphoid, Arizonosis, Paracolon, various other names...

Perosis is a nutritional deficiency that can cause swollen, twisted, broken, or bowed legs, or loss of color in feathers, the comb, or the roof of the mouth. Thankfully, nutritional deficiencies can be avoided by making sure your flock has free-choice access to complete, nutritionally-balanced feed. Don't just feed them scratch or kitchen scraps; that can cause problems for them later on! Read on to find out more: Perosis Also called Slipped tendon, chondrodystrophy Prevalence Uncommon in layers, common in heavy, fast growing chicken breeds used for meat production. Signs General signs Swollen hocks, one or both legs twisted to...

If one of your bird's neck muscles seems to have "frozen" in a position that leaves them staring at the sky, it's possible they have polyneuritis, or "star gazing" disease. This is caused by a thiamine deficiency that can usually be avoided by giving your flock free-choice access to complete, nutritionally-balanced feed. Don't just feed your flock scratch or kitchen scraps, as that can leave gaps in their nutrition. Read on to find out more. Polyneuritis Also called Star gazing, Thiamine deficiency Prevalence Uncommon, particularly so in backyard flocks with access to pasture. Signs General signs - Lack of appetite,...

There are no hormones in any brand of commercial chicken feed in the United States, according to the US Cooperative Extension Service. We think that "hormones" rumor makes the rounds every so often because there are some poultry feeds that specifically label their feed as "hormone free" while others don't bother. The Extension Service explains that it's basically illegal to use hormones in poultry feed in the US. However, because some feeds specifically advertise themselves as "hormone free," that begs the question for the other brands that don't mention it: "Do you use hormones in your feed?" They do NOT....

If cared for properly, ducks can live to 7-10 years, and some exceptional birds may live longer than that. Geese normally live 10-15 years, but there are stories of some that have lived much, much longer--40 years or more! Around 3-5 years, duck fertility and egg production lessen, and many keepers choose not to keep older birds because of this. But there are many reasons to keep ducks into their older age. We discuss some of them here. Other reasons to keep older birds can be found in this creative My Pet Chicken blog article (it refers to chickens but...

Yes! Our hatching facilities and all other breeders with whom we contract are NPIP-certified. If you would like NPIP papers to be included with your baby chick order so that you can show your birds, just let us know -- we'll be happy to do it! They arrive by email a few days after your birds arrive. Remember that NPIP papers are only available for 6 months after you have received your birds, so be sure to ask for them in time! Most states in the US require baby chicks and juvenile birds that ship across state lines to originate...

Hawks and owls can most certainly be a danger to chickens (heck, even CROWS can be a danger to juveniles or bantams). However, only a few types usually bother chickens. The raptors most often associated with flock losses are red-tailed hawks, goshawks, and great horned owls. Having a rooster can help alert the girls to a predator in time for them to run for cover. Some people choose to keep a run covered with netting so flying predators are not a problem. Generally speaking, hawks are mostly a problem in the spring and in the fall when they are migrating...

If you bought or acquired adult chickens somewhere else and I want to know how old they are, we have some bad news about chicken age. It is very difficult to discern the age of an adult chicken. The best you can do is make an educated guess. There are a few clues you might look for with regard to chicken age. 1. The number of eggs they lay in relation to other birds of the same breed. For example, if you have a Rhode Island Red that only lays one egg a week, there's a pretty good chance she's...

Bantam A variety of chicken that is 1/4 to 1/2 the size of a Standard chicken breed, kept mainly for ornamental purposes. Some chickens come in both Standard and Bantam varieties; some come in just Bantam and some in just Standard. Bedding A material, usually wood shavings, added to the coop floor and nest box in order to absorb odor and droppings and provide a soft surface for chickens to walk on. Bloom The delicate, invisible membrane outside an egg's shell that protects the contents from bacteria and other foreign matter. Brood 1. The desire of hens incubate and be...

Yes! During the checkout process you will have the opportunity to give us two different phone numbers. If you give us two, we'll make sure both appear on your box. It's fine to have just one phone number appear on your box if you just have one number convenient to receive a call. Don't worry! Our number will appear there, too, so if the post office can't reach you, they can try us!

Good question! First of all, don't forget that our baby chicks can arrive any day from Tuesday through Thursday of the week they are shipped--it just depends on how quickly the post office delivers to your area. So have your brooder and everything prepared by Monday (so you don't have to scramble)...but don't worry if it's a Tuesday or Wednesday and your chicks haven't arrived yet. As to how you'll know they're at the post office, in our experience most POs ask customers to pick up their peeping packages right at the post office on the day of arrival. We...

Yes, we can ship baby chicks to Hawaii. Unfortunately, waterfowl and pullets cannot be shipped at this time There is additional paperwork involved with shipping chicks to Hawaii, so please allow give a lead time of 2-3 weeks. You won't be able to place a last-minute order because your state's Department of Agriculture wants to know exactly what chicks will be arriving and where they are going. After you place an order destined for Hawaii, we'll be in touch to confirm details and ensure that your shipping date provides us with sufficient time for your state's approval. Your state requires...

Your chicks will ship all at once! All of your chicks must ship together for their safety. Alternatively, you can choose to place two or more separate orders, with each one meeting the safe chick shipping minimum. Don't worry--our shopping cart enforces that minimum, so you can't accidentally order too few for shipping safety.  Minimum order requirements for baby chicks:  April - November: 3 baby chicks December - April: 8 baby chicks When you place your virtual chicks in your online basket, you will be given an estimate of the first shipping date they will all be available on the...

We can ship chicks anywhere within the continental U.S. and to locations in Hawaii, Alaska. We can also now ship baby chicks to Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Guam.  3-14 Baby Chicks:  $55.00 (Express Mail & Special Packaging) 15-24 Baby Chicks:  $20.00 (Priority Express Mail & Packaging) 25+ Baby Chicks:  $10.00 (Priority Express Mail & Packaging)  Alaska: (3-14 Baby Chicks): $85.00 up to 14 chicks, 15+ is calculated at checkout (Express Mail & Special Packaging) Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands & Guam: $85.00 up to 14 chicks, 15+ is calculated at checkout (Express Mail & Special Packaging) **Note: Orders to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam require a physical...

Most hatcheries require 15 or 25 baby chicks per order because the chicks need one another's body heat to survive their 2-day journey. This is a big pain for lots of people who just want a few chickens! Since our goal in life (yes, our goal in life!) is to make your life easy, we've partnered with a forward-thinking hatchery that has developed a brand new way of shipping baby chicks that includes a high-tech, long- last heating element. This keeps the chicks nice and warm for their journey! And when you order fewer than 15 chicks we automatically send...

  Q: Do you need roosters for hens to lay eggs?  A: No. This is one of the most common misconceptions about chickens. Hens will lay eggs just as well in the absence of roosters. If roosters are present, however, the eggs maybe fertilized! Q: How often do chickens lay eggs? A: That depends on three main factors: The breed of chicken. Some chickens are bred for meat production and lay few eggs; some are bred for egg production and can lay as often as once a day; some are bred as "dual purpose" andare good for both egg-laying and...

Unlike other hatcheries that may add "males for warmth" to fill out a small order, we will never do that because we understand how important it is for our customers to be able to receive small orders for their urban and suburban locations: that is why they purchase from us in the first place! Even with My Pet Chicken's revolutionary method of shipping tens of thousands of small orders of chicks safely across the country alive and well, the absolute fewest number of chicks that ship safely is three large fowl chicks (or five bantam chicks). Remember, this is the...

They'll be less than 72 hours old. They ship Mondays and Tuesdays as soon as they're hatched and the birds you've reserved have been packed into your shipping box with anything they may need (like custom amounts of nesting material and ventilation as well as heat packs for small orders). They can arrive any day of the week between Tuesday and Thursday, depending on your location and how the Post Office services your area.

Neither Fed Ex nor UPS will ship live baby birds, so we ship all orders of fewer than 15 chicks via the speediest service that the Post Office offers for baby chicks: USPS Express Mail. Orders of 15 chicks or more are shipped by USPS Priority Mail. Your chicks can arrive any day from Tuesday to Thursday of your scheduled shipping week, assuming that they ship on a Monday. (Our chicks almost always ship on Mondays, unless there is a national holiday that Monday, in which case they will ship on a Tuesday!) Exactly which day chicks arrive at your...

Unfortunately, no! Chicks are usually shipped on Monday unless there is a Federal Holiday. Then they are shipped on Tuesdays. Smaller orders of 3-14 chicks automatically ship USPS Express Mail, and larger orders of 15 chicks or more are shipped via Priority Mail service. Why can't I get my chicks shipped on a different day of the week? The short answer is that chicks wouldn't survive.The long answer: Right before the babies hatch, they absorb their yolk sac, which sustains them with hydration and energy for their journey to you. But the yolk sac only provides about 2-3 days' worth...

Right before chicks hatch, they have just absorbed the last of the yolk. This sustains them during their journey, for up to three days, so that's why they need to ship at that time, when the yolk will sustain them. The reason nature works this way is that if they were hatching beneath a mother hen, this would enable the early hatchers to survive without eating and drinking until mother finished hatching the rest of the eggs. She can't get up from the nest until the entire hatching is over, or else the last babies would die in their shells,...

Our chicks are hatched in the wee hours on Monday* of each week during the hatching season, and they're sorted, sexed, vaccinated, packaged, and shipped either Monday or Tuesday. (*Except when a holiday falls on a Monday, in which case they're hatched on a Tuesday.)

Especially with our fertile hatching eggs, we have some great lines that produce amazing show prospects. Ours is an NPIP hatchery and our birds are purebred. (The exceptions are designer hybrids, Easter Eggers, and the Red Stars which are a hybrid "mixed breeds" by nature.) Other breeds are pure, but don't have APA standards yet: take, for instance, breeders working to develop APA standards for Svarthonna and some other breeds that are rare to this country. But regardless, in all cases where APA standards exist, our birds are selected to conform to them, and they're selected as well for health...

Not usually, but let us explain why. Humans do not catch Salmonella from chicks or chickens the way you would catch a cold from your neighbor. Salmonellosis is food poisoning; you get it from eating infected meat or eggs. Even then, in order to get a case of Salmonella, the meat and eggs you have eaten must be improperly prepared, that is, not completely cooked through. Or, you can also get Salmonella by getting your hands or something else contaminated with feces and then putting that thing in your mouth. People more at risk for contracting Salmonella are very young,...

Coccidiosis is an infection caused by a protozoan, and it is found in most environments. However, the coccidiosis vaccine administered in the U.S. is unattenuated, meaning it is not weakened in any way, and can actually cause illness and retarded growth. We think it's a bad idea to cause the baby chicks to endure the extra stress of cocci vaccinations, since shipping is already stressful on the babies. It's for that reason we don't offer a vaccination against coccidia. To offer extra protection against cocci, you can offer a medicated chick starter feed--this usually contains amprol, and helps chicks resist...

"Certified organic" regulations vary from state to state and region to region, and (thus far) do not have to do with the way chicks are hatched. Instead, whether eggs you produce on your farm or in your backyard can be certified "organic" or not has to do with the way YOU raise the chickens you acquire. Generally you will have to feed an organic feed, but it is much more than that and can include whether you medicate them, with what, and sometimes even whether the land you raise them on has been certified free of pesticide use for a...

It's always disappointing when a bird isn't sexed correctly, especially if your "girl" ended up being a "boy" and was the family's favorite chick! Since chicken sexing is an art, not a science, sometimes errors do occur (though our professional chick vent sexers are correct more than 90% of the time). 1. We will refund you for any bird which has been incorrectly sexed, provided you notify us within the correct sexing error reporting time frame. Early or late reports can't be taken. Sexing errors must be reported when the birds are 14 to 22 weeks old. Sexing errors for...

Yes, we're happy to cancel an order provided you let us know by 6:00 PM on the Thursday before your scheduled ship week. As you remember from checkout, baby chick orders cannot be cancelled (or changed) later than that date. Be sure to have your order number at hand so we can find your order to cancel it. The reason we require this notice is that, in many cases, the shipping schedule must be shuffled so the baby chicks we were hatching for you can find new adopters in time to receive them when they hatch. In addition we need...

Yes, in most cases, you can change your baby chick order. Contact us to have your order changed. But before you do, read on because there are some important things you should keep in mind before placing your request!     Let us know by 6:00 p.m. the Thursday before your scheduled ship date We require this notice because we need time to make sure the shipment can been changed or stopped. Obviously, we don't want to send baby chicks out to Post Offices where they will never be picked up, or to send you your original order if you are...

There is no minimum number of chicks per breed or size. Although your total order must meet the minimum number for the time of year that your order is shipped. So you can mix and match to your heart's content: really cherry pick your flock! Minimum Baby Chick Order April - November: 3 Baby Chicks December - March: 8 Baby Chicks The neat thing about having a mixed flock is that it's easy to tell them all apart. It can take longer to schedule a delivery when you have lots of different breeds, however, because they must ALL be available...

How can I stop them? Diets low in protein can encourage egg eating simply because the hens are trying to get the nutrition they need. Make sure your are feeding your flock a good, quality feed, and that you aren't supplementing with too much scratch or corn, or other low protein treats, either. You just don't want to see something like this when you go to gather eggs:The trouble is, once egg eating has begun, it can be very difficult to break the habit. Here are a few tips to try: Collect eggs regularlyTo stop egg eating, collect your eggs regularly. The...

Yes! We usually have up to six batches of juvenile 6-week-old chickens available each year at various times. They do sell out very quickly, so keep your eyes peeled for availability. They sell so fast because, unlike other hatcheries, My Pet Chicken often has a selection of several rare and heirloom varieties like Black Copper Marans, Speckled Sussex, Welsummers, Easter Eggers, and so on. Most hatcheries offer started pullets in only a few limited high-production breeds like Red or Black Stars (or other sex-linked varieties), Rhode Island Reds, or Leghorns. We don't know of any other hatchery that offers started...

We don't recommend you offer supplemental heat to your coop unless your temps regularly drop well below freezing... Seriously! Chickens adapt to the cold weather over time. Their body metabolism actually changes along with the seasons. Along with that, they fluff up their feathers in the cold do help retain body heat, as pictured below. If you were to heat your whole coop to, say, fifty degrees, you would rob your birds of the chance to acclimate to the colder outside temperature - so if the heat were to suddenly cut out (due to loss of electricity, for instance, the...

Depending on the breeds you want, you may find that there's a wait of six months or more, so we recommend you place your order just as soon as you're sure which breeds you'd like and the approximate time of year you'd like them. Of course, if you're not too picky about breeds, we usually have some availability for the next week's hatch! As to what time of year is best to receive baby chicks, we can offer some advice.  Spring and early summer are historically the most popular times to receive baby chicks, for two basic reasons. First, female...

Yes! It's not even that rare, either! In all-female flocks, or flocks in which the ratio of females to males is greater than 10:1, in many cases one female will take on male characteristics and become the "protector" of the rest of the flock. In addition to coming out with a half-crow, she'll usually cease laying, and she may even develop spurs to rival a male's. Strange, but true!

If you have a "sex link" chick, it's easy! Males and females hatch out different colors. Red Stars are a very common sex link, and the females are a reddish-gold while the males are a buttery color. With "Black Stars", both males and females hatch out black, but males have a distinctive white spot on their head. Cream Legbars are also autosexing: females are dark, and males are paler with a head spot. If you DON'T have an autosexing breed, though, you probably won't be able to tell until the birds are three months old or so. Chicks don't have...

Please notify us Thursday if your package has not arrived by then--but do not notify us before Thursday. The US postal service is very good about handling baby chick deliveries, and they are rarely late! In fact, we only have losses about 1% of the time. A package is late only if it does not arrive by Thursday afternoon. If your package has not arrived by then, its tracking number will have been associated with the individual orders in the hatching facility's system, so on Thursday we will be able to track down individual packages should there be the rare...

The brown color in an egg is laid on in the chicken's reproductive tract by the shell gland pouch. Some breeds lay a tinted egg with a very light brown color, while others lay extremely dark chocolate brown eggs. From right to left: Marans egg, Welsummer egg, Rhode Island Red egg. Within a breed, too, hens can lay eggs darker or lighter than the average, depending on whether they produce more or less of the brown color that goes on the shell--and how long the egg stays in the "paint station" of the reproductive tract. Interestingly, individual hens--while they lay...

We like them all, Sam-I-Am! No, there is no difference in terms of edibility, health, or nutrition in different-colored egg shells.  That said, the colorful eggs from your backyard hens WILL have much more nutrition, because eggs produced by hens raised on pasture are much healthier, indeed (and they taste much better, too). Keep in mind that commercially produced "free range" eggs may have been laid by hens who have never seen a blade of grass, the sun or the sky. "Pasture-raised" is something different, and much healthier. Eggs laid by hens raised on pasture have less fat and cholesterol,...

This varies widely from breed to breed, and in fact the hens of many breeds even grow small spurs! Some can appear as soon as three months, while others take seven or eight months to develop.

On average, chickens start laying eggs at 6 months old, depending on the breed. Breeds like Australorps, Leghorns, Golden Comets and Sex Links will start laying as soon as 16-18 weeks. Larger, heavier breeds like Wyandottes, Plymouth Rocks and Orpingtons will lay anywhere from 6 to 8 months. However, if your birds come into maturity in the fall or winter will sometimes not begin laying until spring: six months is just the average! (We guarantee you that every day past five months that they haven't begun to lay will seem like an eternity!) If your bird is older than eight...

Not yet! The best way to peruse our offerings for right now is to browse the category listings on the left hand side of any page on our website.

You may have heard that hatcheries sometimes include extra "males for warmth" in their baby chick packages, but you can be sure we'll never purposely include extra males in your order. When necessary, we include one or more heating packs to keep your chicks warm, and to prevent jostling we add extra nesting material. We pack them very carefully. Our goal in life --- yes, our goal in life! --- is to make it easy for you to keep chickens, and having a bunch of extra roosters that you don't know what to do with wouldn't be easy, now would...

If your hens have a good, "complete" layer feed, they may not ever need oyster shells or any supplemental calcium. However, it never hurts--and it can really help avoid potential pitfalls in a number of ways. Oyster shell is inexpensive and lasts a long time, so it's worth adding to your flock's diet. The reason they may need it is that some flocks that spend most of the day foraging, or are given too many treats, can develop a calcium deficiency, particularly if they are high production layers. If they're eating too many treats, they won't get all the calcium...

Here at My Pet Chicken, we offer a Marek's disease vaccination for all baby chicks. Marek's disease is the #1 disease-related killer of chickens. It can cause paralysis, blindness and death in up to 80% of an infected flock. There is no cure for a flock once it has been infected; the only way to prevent the disease is to vaccinate for it within 24 hours of the chick hatching. Learn more about Marek's disease.  Yes, you should get your chicks vaccinated To be blunt about it, yes. Make the small investment in a Marek's vaccine for your chickens. While...

There is no reliable way for the average home hatcher to tell the difference between an egg that will hatch a female chick and an egg that will hatch a male chick. In-ovo DNA testing and spectroscopy are being developed for certain applications, but most of us don't have this technology readily available at home! Instead, there are lots of old wives' tales out there, most of which have to do with the shape of the egg or which way a string swings when you hold it above an egg. In most cases, you will find that in one area...

It's your chick's umbilical cord, and if you notice, that black, scabby spot or string will be below your check's vent or "pooper." Be SURE not to confuse this with pasting, which occurs on the vent, not below it. Usually the umbilical cord falls off immediately during hatching, but sometimes it can hang around for a few days (or it falls off but the belly button takes a while to heal, leaving a scabby spot). This can happen whether you hatch at home, or if you order from My Pet Chicken or another hatchery. Please don't try to remove it,...

Fertilized eggs are fine to eat, in fact some people claim they healthier than unfertilized eggs, although we've never seen any data supporting that. (Let's be honest; if the fertile egg is fresh and unincubated, you're going to have the addition of just half a cell.) Illustration by Ray Yang for My Pet Chicken It is impossible to taste the difference between a fertile and an infertile egg, and barely possible to SEE the difference between a fertilized and non-fertilized egg with the naked eye. If you look closely--and if you have good vision--you will see that a fertile egg...

Comb size and redness can be one indicator, but is not usually reliable. In fact, it's one of the worst indicators you can use, as comb size varies by breed and even individual. For instance, one of my hens has a larger comb than any of her sisters of the same breed, and a larger comb than any of my roosters, too. When sexing most juveniles, the best, most fail-safe method is to look at the saddle feathers in front of the tail when the bird is about 3 months old. By that age, cockerels will have long and pointy...

Unfortunately, as you've learned, sexing is more of an art than an exact science, so when you buy day-old chicks, there's always a small risk of receiving a mis-sexed bird. We're sorry if this has happened to you, whether you purchased your chicks from us or from another hatchery or feed store. It can be stressful to try to find a home for your unwanted rooster, and sometimes the most stressful part is having to part with him at all. Juvenile roosters are usually very friendly, and almost invariably are the favorite "hen" of the flock, so the disappointment can...

Whereas the brown color of an egg is laid on the outside of the shell, the blue color actually goes all the way through the shell, even to the inside of the shell. Originally, it was thought that color pigments were synthesized in the blood by the breakdown of hemoglobin, but research shows it is more likely that they are actually synthesized in the shell gland pouch. The blue color is produced by biliverdin; the brown color is produced by protoporphyrin, and they are incorporated into the shell in different ways based on their different compositions. Again, to make it...

We recommend feeding "free choice"; that is, letting them eat as much layer feed as they want and leaving their feeder out at all times (although you may take it up at night if you like). Even if your chickens have access to pasture, free ranging simply supplements their diet. Chickens will eat as much food as they need to keep themselves healthy. Some breeds may be able to barely subsist in good weather by free ranging (although this is unlikely, as chickens are domesticated animals, not wild animals), but most will simply starve if you don't provide them enough...

Yes, in most cases you can mix breeds of chickens in your flock. They generally get on very well. You can even include both bantam and large fowl breeds in your flock, if that is what you prefer. In fact, bantams don't always or even usually end up on the lower end of the pecking order just because they're smaller. Pro Tip: When mixing different bird sizes, you will simply need to make certain that you have your feeders and waterers set at a height so that all your chickens can easily reach them. Problems can occur "mixing" breeds in...

In general, chickens can be tamable and friendly by the same sorts of general methods you would use with a dog or a cat. Presuming they are healthy and receiving proper shelter, food and water--as well as nesting places--they will often be tempted by treats (given in moderation) of wild bird seed, meal worms, sunflower seed and so forth. If they learn to associate you with good treats, they will probably come running to you when they hear you, rather than in the other direction. Keep in mind that chickens do not usually like the same kind of handling a dog...

First, you should make sure they are on a good chicken feed. Once they have begun laying, switch to layer pellet or crumble; until then, feed them starter or grower. Some people make the mistake of feeding "scratch" only, when scratch is just meant to be a treat. Scratch in particular is mostly corn, which has very little nutritional value to it, and is low in protein. Feeding them scratch only would be like feeding your kids potato chips and corn chips only: it would simply not be very healthy! Second, some breeds do not come into lay until later...

There is no perfect age to transition your chicks to their outdoor coop, but generally by the time they are 4 to 6 weeks old, they're getting large for an indoor brooder and will want more space. Plus, they will be mostly feathered and able to maintain their body temperatures on their own. But just because you've adjusted the heat gradually down to the ambient temperature of your home doesn't mean they can go from 68 F inside to 15 F outside in the dead of winter! Sudden temperature changes are a real danger to your birds. You'll need to...

When a chicken gets a peck or a scrape on a comb or face, this will manifest as a black spot or scab, and isn't usually a cause for concern. If ALL of your chickens seem to have spots, if they are yellow or pussy, or if you are sure the spots you see are not from a scrape or peck, it might be a different problem. One possibility is that your chickens have Fowl Pox (dry) or Fowl Pox (wet). There are a few different things that can cause lesions, however, and if you have any concern, we recommend you take...

Bedding is an important part of keeping your chickens happy and healthy. On the coop floor the bedding will provide a soft surface for your chickens to walk on and will absorb droppings and odor. You want your coop sanitary and sweet-smelling, don't you? In the nest, bedding will give freshly-laid eggs a soft landing so they don't crack. (A cracked egg is a spoiled egg.) Recommended bedding: Pine shavings Aspen shavings Hardwood shavings Whatever you choose to use, the bedding in your coop should be at least 2" thick--more is better. There are many bedding materials to choose from,...

Chicken manure makes great compost for fertilizing your garden. However, we recommend you compost it first: don't add it directly in quantity. Uncomposted chicken manure is very "hot": too much nitrogen can burn your plants. Once your manure is composted, it is great for your garden, however. Chicken manure does not acidify soil: it tends to raise the pH. Actually, one study demonstrates that chicken manure is as effective as lime in raising soil pH (making it more basic rather than more acidic). That same study shows that plants can absorb more calcium from the manure than from lime due...

Yes, they can! There are no problems associated with hatching mixed breed chickens. If you have a rooster in your flock, he will try to breed ALL your hens, nevermind if he is a different breed or even if the hens are different sizes, bantam and large fowl. It can be fun to hatch "mixed" eggs, because you never know what you'll get! Actually, many of the breeds we offer at My Pet Chicken are designer cross-breeds, and the results are spectacular: wonderful plumage colors, fantastic new egg colors, prolific egg-laying, friendly personalities and ultra-hardiness. For instance, we loved our...

Nest box sizes and placement are different for chickens, ducks, and geese. Providing your birds with the correct number of nesting boxes that are sized and situated properly can help ensure that your flocks' eggs remain fresh and clean and are easy to collect in a timely manner. You can find tips for all three types of birds below.  Chicken Nest Box Size and Placement Location: Hens like to lay in a dark, safe area away from the traffic of the flock. Their nesting boxes should be placed off the ground at least a few inches. This provides the laying hens...

It's so stressful to have a hurt chicken! If you've got an emergency, or a wound situation you don't feel equipped to handle, try our friends at VetTriage. They are open 24/7/365 and are ready to provide tele-health services for your chicken or any other bird for a reasonable fee. (This hen was attacked but made a beautiful recovery) That said, you may be equipped to handle the wound by yourself. Here's how we recommend you go about doing it. Step-by-step instructions for treating a wounded chicken Separate your wounded chicken from the rest of the flock first, otherwise the...

It's counter-intuitive but true: Your eggs will stay fresher if you don't wash them at all. When your hens lay eggs, there is a natural coating that is laid on top called the "bloom" that helps keep out bacteria. When you wash eggs, you can drive some bacteria in through the pores of the shell, so it's a bad idea to do so unless needed just before cooking as a general practice. If your nests are clean, your eggs should be clean. In fact, fresh eggs don't really even need to be refrigerated if they're going to be used soon....

A basic estimate is that chickens will eat 1/4 pound per day per chicken. However, that estimate is based on the conditions commercial layers face in factory farm conditions and are not necessarily accurate estimates for backyard chicken keeping. They're estimates for high-production, economical producers of eggs in controlled conditions year-round, who may be highly stressed and who certainly have no access to pasture. Such estimates are probably not accurate for bantam or heritage breeds of chickens kept in backyard conditions. Chickens kept in hobby farm conditions have varying egg production based on breed and season, have varying sizes from...

Medicated feed is formulated for chicks to help them combat coccidiosis, a disease that is found just about everywhere in the environment. Most medicated starter feeds contain the medication amprollium. Amprollium does not *treat* coccidiosis, but it helps the babies fight off cocci oocysts while they develop their own immunity. It is a preventative. If your birds have been vaccinated against coccidiosis, feeding them medicated feed will nullify the coccidiosis vaccination, although it will not hurt them. (We do not offer the coccidiosis vaccine, as it is too stressful on the birds--we offer the Marek's vaccine, which is not affected...

No, sorry! UPS and Fed Ex will not ship chicks - only the United States Postal Service will -- and they've been doing it since the 1800s! (We ship all orders of fewer than 15 chicks via Express Mail, so they arrive FAST.)

Chickens that are happy will be active and scratching around in the grass, laying in the sun--yes, they do that, too!--or taking a bath in the dirt. We don't recommend YOU try that chicken behavior--for humans, water baths tend to work a little better. Chickens, however, use dust baths to help keep themselves free to parasites. They also may be looking for a good, private place to deposit their eggs. Happy chickens who go broody will try to sit on their eggs all day to hatch them, and will protest if you try to encourage them to leave. If your...

We want to be sure your chicks arrive safely, so we have a special packaging method so your new pets are snug and secure while they travel. In fact, we customize bedding, ventilation, and even provide high-tech, long lasting heat packs so your small order of chicks will be happy and healthy when you pick them up at the post office. All that said, it's still necessary to set minimums to ensure their comfort. So while we don't have required minimums per breed, the total number of birds you order must meet the minimum order. Most of the year, April...

We don't generally think it is a good idea to offer anything but plain, clean water unless your chicks are exceedingly stressed. When chicks are put into their brooder for the first time after shipping, they are understandably thirsty and will sometimes drink more and recover faster if their water is fresh and tastes good. If you have much experience medicating animals, you probably know that medicating animals via drinking water is convenient, but can be problematic. If it is hot, and they drink too much and increase the dose they are getting, sometimes getting too much! On the other...

My Pet Chicken absolutely guarantees that the fertile hatching eggs you order from us will arrive intact and ready for incubation. Hatching egg orders may ship any day of your selected shipping week, Monday through Saturday via USPS Priority Mail. If any eggs for which you have paid arrive cracked or broken, contact us within two business days of receiving them with photos of the damage. - IMPORTANT: Receiving unbroken eggs is NOT a guarantee that they will all hatch. Why? Let us tell you BEFORE you make your purchase so you can be informed. Our eggs are gathered daily and stored...

Why did my rooster suddenly become aggressive?|Roosters can sometimes be a bit aggressive! One important thing to remember is that they see themselves as the protectors of "their" hens, so they may not take kindly to anything that scares the girls or causes them to squawk. Also, they are geared not only to be looking for danger from ground predators like dogs, but also to look for danger from above (like hawks!). That means that sometimes even carrying a feed bag on your shoulder or taking off a sunhat quickly can cause their protective instincts to kick in! For the...

If you allow your chickens to range freely, you WILL lose some to predators-- make no mistake. It can be devastating, especially to those of us with small, well-loved flocks. For some people, the thought of a loss is too overwhelming to consider the alternative. However, if you keep your chickens confined, even if the run area is roomy (defined as 20+ square feet per bird), their lives will absolutely be more... boring. They'll be more likely to peck one another, a headache for you (and worse for them!), and less healthy overall. They'll also require more of the feed...

Chickens usually don't simply "stop" laying eggs when they get to a certain age, but they will lay fewer as they get older. That said, most laying breeds will lay more or less productively in backyard terms for five or seven years. (We know of one ancient Buff Orpington cross who still lays an egg occasionally at 17 years old!) There are a number of reasons your chickens might not be laying, so if you suspect there's something more to it than age, have a look at this list of other possible reasons your chickens aren't laying. Debunking the 2-year...

Guess what? Now we do! For over a decade we didn't because we felt the bantams were too tiny to withstand the vaccine, but the equipment has improved! We're happy to announce that starting in 2021, all chicks we sell are able to be vaccinated for Marek's disease. 

There are a few things you can do together to help ease the frustration of waiting! One thing you can do with a child when waiting something out is to make a construction paper chain with the number of links equalling the number of days you must wait. Take a link off each day. Alternatively, you could simply mark days off on a calendar. Weekly, you can devise some task to do together related to the coming chickens. For instance, one task could be picking out brooder equipment, or finding a good place for it in your home. Another task...

Mites and lice are a common problem for chickens and can be carried in by wild birds, so keep that in mind. That means that if you have an infestation, it doesn't necessarily mean your management practices are bad. Don't get overwhelmed by guilt! There are some things that you just can't control...and birds landing in your trees or walking in your yard is probably one of them.  Signs of parasite infestation in your flock's feathers Mites inhabit your birds' feathers and suck their blood: they're like fleas, lice, or mosquitoes that live in your hair---yuck! Infestations of feather mites...

You are probably seeing your chicken's crop. A chicken's crop is a part of her digestive system, and is located on her breast. You can see it in the illustration below, closest to the front. When it fills up with food, it may stick out a little bit. It will be smaller in the morning before she has eaten, and larger after she is full. The crop (or "craw") holds food before it goes further down their digestive tract. Chickens basically store food in their crops; it is like a chicken lunchbox. Then it moves into the stomach or proventriculus...

Cloudy whites in a farm egg are usually indicative of its freshness. The cloudiness is caused by dissolved carbon dioxide in the white, which eventually escapes through the shell in older eggs. If the white of the egg is greenish, that usually means there is too much riboflavin in the diet. Make sure they are getting balanced nutrition. Eating acorns, shepherds purse or some types of weeds can cause that greenish tinge, too. Pinkish whites are caused by some types of weeds a chicken may get into, or high quantities of cottonseed meal in the diet.

Usually the whites of very fresh eggs such as you may gather from your own flock will be very thick in comparison to what you may be used to seeing at the grocery store! However, watery whites can be caused by a number of things. Eggs that are old will have watery whites (this is usually why grocery store eggs are so thin and tasteless). High ammonia levels in the coop can cause watery whites, too, as can high temperatures. These are other reasons factory farmed eggs are usually not very good: the conditions chickens experience in places like that...

A shell-less egg is a strange sight! You might think a shell-less egg would look like a cracked egg: a mess of white and yolk soaking into nesting material. But actually, an egg without a shell is often intact. Even an egg without a shell has that soft membrane. You might even think it's a regular egg until you touch it! Chickens need a lot of calcium to create good, hard shells, so most incidences of shell-less eggs in an adult hens are related to not having enough calcium in the diet. Young hens may lay a shell-less egg or...

When a hen is broody, that means she wants to hatch her eggs and raise chicks. A breed known for frequent broodiness has hens that often, individually go broody. These hens may not even need eggs to set on to be broody--they may brood in a nest with no eggs. Or in a corner on rocks. Further, if there ARE eggs in the nest, if there is not a rooster in your flock, your hens will not know that their eggs won't be fertile. Your hen will seem to be in a sort of bad temper while she broods, she...

These spots aren't related to having a rooster--or not!--in your flock. Presuming they are fertile, eggs with blood or meat spots are actually less likely to hatch. They don't mean your hen is sick, either. Blood spots usually just mean there has been a small rupture of a tiny blood vessel during egg formation, and this can happen even in healthy hens. They can also be triggered by too little vitamin A in your hens' diet. Occasionally, you may see a meat spot, which happens when there is a rupture along the wall of the oviduct. Both types are harmless....

You may be describing what is called a "body checked egg." Body checks are ridges or grooves that occur around an egg, usually at the pointed end. They occur more often in older layers, and are not really a cause for concern to the backyard farmer. Commercially, they are considered a aesthetic flaw, but don't have any effect on edibility. Occasionally, the egg will even appear wrinkled all over or even misshapen due to a large number of checks. Body checks are usually result of the hen's body attempting to repair any eggshell damage caused by stress when the egg...

This is usually an occasional thing, although younger or older hens are more prone to it. If your chicken is young, sometimes rough shells can occur for a while until her egg-laying cycle has settled. Older chickens may lay eggs with rough or pimpled shells, too. This issue can appear at any age, however. For instance, in the winter, sometimes a chicken may be getting excess calcium as laying slows down and they are less able to graze; the excess is distributed over the shell, sometimes in "pimples" or rough patches. Other possible causes: sometimes, rough shells will be caused...

In many ways they do. Chickens can make a very wide range of sounds, and they communicate amongst each other well. Roosters can sing loudly when they crow--they also issue predator warnings. Interestingly, they have different "words" for a predator that is coming on the ground, compared with a predator that is coming from above, like a hawk. They can call their girls over whenever they find a tasty treat by using a specific vocalization that the hens recognize. Hens make a similar clucky calling sound when they are teaching their babies what is good to eat and what is...

A hen who is ready to lay exhibits the following signs: Her comb will get larger and redder right before she begins laying. She will "squat" submissively when you reach down to pet her. She may get a little louder right before she begins laying, since she is experiencing new instincts, and she may not be sure exactly what they are telling her to do, yet. She may go in and out of nest boxes looking for a safe place to lay. She may try to drive the other hens away from possible nests if she is feeling protective. After...

Straight run birds are an "as hatched" mix of males and females. Therefore, if you were to order eight straight run birds, for example, you will get between zero and eight roosters and between zero and eight hens--there is no way to tell. Straight run chicks are sent "as hatched"--they are not sexed first and then separated out into each order. The reason is that expert sexers of day old chicks get top dollar since it is such a specialized skill--this is why ordering all straight run birds is less expensive than ordering all females. The only way to get...

The age a rooster will first crow varies, but generally speaking, he will begin crowing at about four or five months of age, at about the time he begins to look like a mature rooster. It can certainly vary considerably, though. We've seen roosters hold off crowing until they're eight or nine months old, and we've seen them start as early as two months. (Talk about cute!) That said, if you have a crowing bird that is younger than three months old, don't be in a hurry to find a home for "him," however. Hens can crow, too, so you...

Well, yes, they could... if your chickens are unable to cool themselves, they could seize and die. How can you tell if your flock is in distress? Hot chickens will pant with beaks open. They'll also ruffle their feathers and hold their wings out to try to cool themselves. Just because a chicken is hot, though, doesn't mean she's going to die, so don't panic. But do take a few precautions during heat waves. First, make sure they have access to shade and fresh water at all times. Dust bathing can cool them, too, so give them plenty of room...

Pecking, also called picking, is almost always the result of high stress levels. When that happens, the birds will sometimes pluck each others' feathers out, and can really hurt one another. Those lowest in the pecking order may have bare spots on their backs or their heads. Address the root cause of pecking in your flock Since we know happy chickens don't pick one another to the point of terrible feather loss, to deal with this problem you'll have to figure out why they're not happy. You may not be a pet psychic, but consult this list of common factors...

Probably not. Chickens actually produce two types of poo: fecal poo and cecal poo. Cecal poo is thicker, stinkier and stickier. It usually looks sort of like melted chocolate, and it occurs once every eight or so poos. Perhaps this is what you are seeing. If so, it is nothing to worry about. Some foods may cause sticky poo, too. Lots of barley in the diet can cause sticky, tar-like poo. Barley lacks an enzyme chickens need to digest (1,3�1,4)-�-glucan efficiently, and the poo is described as "viscous." Sometimes various fruits will cause looser, darker poo from the sugar and...

No. That's a terrible idea. Birds' respiratory systems are completely different ours, so holding your rooster upside down can cause him real problems. For example, a bird's lungs are right next to the spine and upper ribcage, so it is hard for a bird that is upside down to breathe, since the weight of all his organs will be pressing on his lungs and some of his air sacs. Normally, he will breathe via changes in pressure in the air sacs. So... when the pressure changes "unnaturally," it can make it difficult for him to compensate. Chicken's lungs can't expand...

|If you want to know how to tell the difference between males and females in chickens, please see our related questions, below. This question addresses how sex is determined in chickens genetically. In birds, the sex of the embryo is determined by the egg, not the sperm (as it is in humans). Avian sex differentiation is not determined by XY chromosomes like it is in humans and most mammals (or even the XO system used by some insects). In those systems the sex is determined by the sperm, by what the male contributes to the offspring. By contrast, birds have...

The question of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) in chickens has been an important subject for scientific study over the last several decades. For most backyard chicken enthusiasts, females are preferred for egg laying and unwanted roosters often have to be rehomed. Wouldn't it be great if you could incubate and hatch all females, or at least hatch a much higher ratio of females than males? Sure! But as we shall see--don't get your hopes up just yet... An Australian study published in 1960 (Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 11(4) 664 - 672) found that eggs stored at 40 degrees Fahrenheit...

Once they have imprinted on their coop as "home," they will retire on their own at dusk. (Thus the saying: "Chickens always return home to roost.") You can get your birds to regard the coop as home by keeping them inside it for a few days after you have transferred them from the chick brooder. They will get used to sleeping there and will feel safe returning there at night. Naturally, you will want to make sure you don't keep them shut inside a hot coop in the dead heat of summer when they may get overheated--don't make the transfer...

None. Hens will lay eggs whether there are roosters around or not, just as female humans will ovulate regardless of the sexes of their companions. The eggs will not be fertile without a rooster, however.

If your chickens have worms, you will want to treat them. Some signs you can look for at home are pale combs, a drop in laying, and watery poo. However, it does no good to worm your flock--even on a seasonal schedule--unless you know precisely what type of infestation they are suffering from. Keep in mind that particular wormers are only useful for particular parasites, so it is best to get a diagnosis as to which you are addressing. That way you will know which wormer will help their condition. Otherwise, you simply may be stressing their systems out by...

Assortments are often more available than specific breeds are, and sometimes even bargain priced. However, no record is kept of which birds are used to fulfill assortments, I'm afraid. They are fulfilled with the breeds that hatched well that week. To determine what you received, you can compare your chicks to the list of possible breeds and the photos on our site to try to identify them. In some cases, you may know instantly what you have received, and in others you may not be absolutely sure until the birds get their mature plumage, so it can be an exciting...

Long nails occasionally happen, and it is a good idea to trim them if they get too overgrown so your birds can walk without difficulty. In most cases they wear down on their own, but that is not always the case--sometimes trimming will help. Chickens kept in cages often have foot and nail problems, but sometimes even if your birds have solid ground and the run of the yard, their nails may grow too long if they are often broody and don't walk around enough to wear them down. I have a silkie who gets long toenails, for instance. She...

Wing clipping--trimming the primary feathers on your chickens' wings--is not necessary unless your flock is flying into places they shouldn't be. Most breeds do not fly particularly well, so it is not usually necessary. (Juvenile chickens will typically fly better than adults, as they have reached nearly their full wingspan at that age--but not their full weight, yet.) If you decide to clip your chickens' wing feathers for some reason, you will normally want to do that about once a year, after the molt. Some people recommend trimming the feathers of one wing only because this puts the bird off...

Losses are rare (we see them happen about 1% of the time), but they do occur. For that reason, we recommend that if you have children, make sure they are not around when you open the package. If you do experience any losses, be sure to let us know within 48 hours of having received your order so your loss will be covered by our live arrival guarantee. If someone else is picking up or caring for your chicks for some reason, be sure to have them contact us within the 48-hour deadline to report any losses. When reporting losses,...

Molting occurs once a year in adult birds older than one year, normally in late summer or autumn. During this time, birds will lose their feathers and regrow new ones. It's a way of refreshing their plumage for the winter so they'll stay warm. There are three types of molts: A hard molt. A hard molt means all the feathers are lost almost at once, so molting is over relatively quickly. A soft molt. A soft molt means the feathers are lost and regrown gradually. Sometimes you may hardly notice a soft molt, except as a reduction in laying. A...

Pet chickens that are properly cared for can live a relatively long time. It's common for a chicken in a backyard setting to live 8-10 years. But we've also heard reports of chickens living as many as 20 years! The older they get, of course, the fewer eggs they lay. But they have other valuable functions besides being a loved member of the family! They are useful for tick, fly, and mosquito-eating, not to mention they're still garden fertilizer machines! You can read more information on our blog about why keeping older hens in the flock can be a great...

Congratulations! You've received your order of baby chicks or waterfowl from My Pet Chicken and now you want to know which breed is which. No problem! Some babies may have leg bands. You can compare the leg band color on your bird to the charts below to help identify the breeds in your order.  IMPORTANT: The leg bands MUST be removed within about a week (because your chicks, ducks, or geese will be growing while the leg bands won't!). Since these are rubber bands, they are extremely easy to remove. Just grab the band and roll it down over the...

Debeaking or "beak trimming" is what it's called when a baby chick's beak is burnt or seared off. It is painful and cruel. Here we explain more about the practice and why we're against it. Why do some breeders debeak their birds? Most rare breed hatcheries and breeders do not beak trim newly-hatched baby chicks, but often trim beaks of birds they're planning on selling when they're a bit older. The reason they do this is so they can pack the birds into a very small space. Keeping chickens in close confinement naturally causes severe stress, and in response to...

We do understand that other hatcheries may do things differently than we do--did you know that chickens are not protected by the Humane Slaughter Act the way other "food" animals are?--but we wouldn't be able to sleep at night if our hatchery engaged in those practices. The majority of the baby chicks that aren't adopted are offered up for auction near our hatching facility. A portion of the unsold chicks are humanely euthanized and we are continuously looking for better alternatives.

You can check the exact shipping cost to your location by placing the items you want in your shopping basket and clicking the "calculate" link (you'll have to enter your zip code so the cost can be calculated). Small orders of baby chicks, ducklings and goslings need extra attention to ship safely, so they include high tech long lasting heat packs to keep the babies warm, plus custom amounts of nesting material and ventilation to prevent jostling or stifling, based on the prevailing weather. Due to this special attention, very small orders of chicks and waterfowl cost a good deal...

Awww, isn't that cute! Tiny, yolkless eggs are sometimes known as witch eggs or fairy eggs. Cute, huh? Occasionally a hen will lay a fairy egg when something has disturbed her reproductive cycle. Sometimes a hen will lay a fairy egg or two just as she comes into laying, before her reproductive system has gotten into gear. They do come in all the colors that hens lay: white, brown, green, blue and so on, although they are sometimes lighter or darker than her regular eggs because they may spend more or less time in the "egg painting" area of her...

Most heavy, docile backyard breeds don't fly very well and aren't particularly inclined to leave a secure, fenced area. A regular picket fence (if the pickets are close) will do to keep many adult large fowl chickens enclosed. But that said, a picket fence is probably not going to help you very much for a few reasons. A low picket fence won't work for some breeds--some backyard breeds like Leghorns or Hamburgs are pretty good fliers and will jump fences like they're not even there---and range far! Small or juvenile birds will slip between pickets or wires. And a regular...

Having your chickens sleeping in their nests at night sounds like a natural thing, doesn't it? However, unless your hens are broody and hatching fertile eggs, having them sleep in the nests is a bad idea. As they sleep, they will defecate and soil the nests, and this means that when you do gather eggs, your eggs are likely to be dirty--yuck! Your flock should be sleeping on their roosts. Chickens should sleep on their roosts, NOT in nests For that reason, it can be helpful not to add nest boxes to your coop until a few weeks before your...

Bantam eggs in general are quite small by comparison to what you see in the grocery store. That makes sense! Smaller birds lay smaller eggs. Below you see two cochins, one a bantam and the other a regular-sized large fowl cochin. Of course the bantam cochins will lay smaller eggs. (They have smaller chicks, too!) Regardless, bantam chicken eggs taste the same as the eggs of larger chickens, and certainly if your birds have access to pasture, bantam or large fowl, the eggs will taste MUCH better than what you can get in a grocery store. However, some bantams lay...

The eggs of bantam chickens are smaller than the eggs we're used to seeing in the grocery store. Just how small? Of course, it really depends on the hen. For instance, the eggs of Sebright bantams and Belgian bantams, are SUPER tiny, but the eggs of Silkie bantams are simply small. So all bantam eggs are not equivalent, the same way some large fowl breeds lay jumbo eggs, while others lay medium eggs. Here are the size classifications for eggs: 1 jumbo egg - 2.50 ounces 1 extra-large egg - 2.25 ounces 1 large egg - 2 ounces 1 medium...

Storing your eggs large end up will keep them freshest. This is because the air cell in an egg is located at the large end, so less moisture will evaporate out of the egg if it is set with the air cell up in the carton. The pointy end, with egg white closer to the porous surface of the shell, is less exposed to air when it is pointing DOWN in the carton. Frankly, though, if you are storing eggs for eating, it probably won't make much difference unless you are storing them for very long periods of time (and...

Chickens don't sweat like humans do to cool down. Much like dogs, they pant to help stay cool. When they are very hot, you will also see them holding their wings out slightly from their bodies and ruffling their feathers to help the heat escape. Be sure they have plenty of shade and fresh, cool water when it is hot outside. Water is extremely important! A lack of water, even for a few hours, can throw them off laying, put them at risk for heat stroke, and make it difficult for them to manage their body temperatures. But you can...

In most cases, you needn't worry. When you first receive them, your little chicks are hungry, and their instincts can tell them to peck at anything to see if it is good to eat: food, funny looking pine shavings, spots on the brooder walls, toes, eyes, freckles on your arm, and anything else. Once they learn what food is, they will not likely peck at anyone else unless they get stressed (too crowded, too hot, etc.), or they are establishing the pecking order. Right now you can sort-of think of them as little toddlers, "testing" everything by trying to put...

You will want to take the same kinds of precautions you would take with any pets: wash your hands after handling them and so forth. Avian and human metabolisms are quite different, so there are few things that affect both humans and birds (even lice that are interested in your chickens are not interested in humans). However, just like cats, birds can get toxoplasmosis. This is the reason pregnant women are advised not to clean a cat box while pregnant. And for that reason, you may want to have your partner clean the brooder or coop while you're pregnant, just...

When a female animal is "in heat," she is ovulating and/or ready to be mated. In some animals mating induces ovulation, but this isn't the case with chickens. In fact, hens of most breeds ovulate more or less year round: they ovulate yolks, enclose them in albumen and shells, and lay the eggs. If your hens are laying eggs, they are ready to be mated. Presuming your rooster is old enough to be sexually mature (5 - 6 months or so), he is likely mating your hens when you are not around. Just because you don't see him mating, that...

Baby chicks need it very warm to be comfortable--most people would call it hot. For the first week of their lives, they need temperatures of about 95 degrees Fahrenheit (and the temperature should be reduced by five degrees each week thereafter until they are acclimated to the surrounding environment). That said, they can indeed overheat if the temperature gets much above that. If you see your baby chicks panting or gasping with their beaks open like the little chick in the photo below, it is too hot in your brooder. Reduce the heat immediately, and give them a place to...

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We don't really recommend feeding your new baby chicks treats right away, because they should first learn what their feed is so they will be able to get a balanced diet. Treats do not provide a balanced, nutritious diet, and it's important to give your chicks a good start in life. Keep in mind that if the baby chicks are raised by mother hen, she will get them to eat anything good that she eats, right from the beginning. There is never an age that they are too young for free ranging or eating some specific food. They are hardy...

No. But it's always a good idea to be informed, to practice good biosecurity, and to cook your eggs and meat all the way through. Bird flu, or Avian Influenza (AI), is a viral disease that can infect domestic poultry. There are two types of AI viruses: low pathogenicity (LPAI) and high pathogenicity (HPAI). Whether a virus is LPAI or HPAI depends on the severity of the illness it causes. HPAI is the extremely infectious and deadly-to-birds form of the disease that you've probably heard about. It can spread rapidly from flock to flock. In 2022, the USDA is finding...

The Marek's Disease vaccination is attenuated, which means, in most cases, it's not even developed using the Marek's virus. Instead, it's developed using a different illness common to turkeys, but which causes the chickens in question to develop immunity to Marek's. This is the same way the small pox vaccine was developed for humans: the vaccine is actually based on cowpox. However, cowpox provided immunity from deadly smallpox, even though you can't get smallpox from the vaccine. We know of no reports or studies showing that nonvaccinated birds can be infected with Marek's Disease by exposure to birds vaccinated for...

No, most of the time, we do not add extra chicks. Especially with small orders, we are careful not to add chicks (although it may happen occasionally, usually only if we've miscounted!). For larger orders of 25 or more chicks, it is more common to receive an extra. We understand that most of you are ordering very small quantities of birds, and may only be allowed to keep the exact number you have ordered. Since we ship our chicks with heat packs when the weather calls for it, we don't add "extra males for warmth" like other hatcheries do. If...

We don't breed our Easter Eggers with anything else, only Easter Eggers. Since you know Easter Eggers are not purebred birds, it's sort of a confusing thing to say, but keep in mind that the Easter Eggers were actually here first, before there were Araucana or Ameraucana breed standards at all. Easter Egger hen Let me explain: The standards for breeding Araucanas were set up first, in kind of a backwards way. Normally, to get a new breed officially recognized, breeders get together and propose standards to the APA (American Poultry Association), and then there are certain requirements that must...

Good question! Typically, you don't want your chicks to eat layer feed since it has too much calcium for them, and you don't want your laying hens to eat too much chick starter because it lacks the calcium they need to produce strong egg shells. However, if your birds are kept in the same area, it's virtually impossible to guarantee your birds will eat the right feed (and with typical perversity, they are usually drawn to the feed you don't want them to eat!) If you have birds of different ages that may have different dietary needs, there is a...

We get questions about this all the time! Let there be no doubt: adding new birds to your pre-existing crew can be stressful, both to you and the birds. Your flock, peaceful because every hen knows her place in the pecking order, will be thrown all out of whack by the addition of newcomers. Every hen and roo will once again have to vye for his or her spot on the pecking order. At times it can seem like all-out war! The good news: it only lasts about a week, and there are a few things you can do to...

Obviously, keeping your coop cleaned and your bedding fresh is the best tip we can offer. Make sure to use pine shavings, and not straw: straw is not absorbent and rots quickly. That means it is just not the best bedding material unless you want to frequently clean your coop. But even when you use pine shavings, in the summertime, especially if it is humid, bedding can quickly get wet and release ammonia, which is bad for your birds. It can happen even when there is not much manure there, just because high humidity means it takes extra time for...

You probably don't have to worry about well cared for backyard hens getting ill with salmonella if you provide a clean environment for them. Hens in factory farms usually get infected because they have eaten rat droppings from the conveyor belt that carries their feed. Apart from rat and rodent droppings, chicks can hatch ill with salmonella, having had it passed to them by their mothers. Chickens that are purchased at auctions, shows or other places may pass an illness into your own flock. Chickens that are ill with Salmonella can also pass it to other flock members if their...

Salmonella infection in chickens is a concern for poultry owners and a potential source of contamination for humans. Understanding Salmonella symptoms in chickens is crucial for your flock's welfare and your family's safety. Some infected chickens may remain asymptomatic, making early detection challenging. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the various symptoms associated with Salmonella infection in chickens, shedding light on what to watch for and when to seek veterinary assistance. Whether you're a seasoned poultry keeper or new to raising chickens, this article will provide valuable insights into recognizing and managing Salmonella symptoms in your feathered friends. What...

It's not a common problem, but it is an area of concern. Common sense will tell you not to keep your chickens around peeling or flaking paint, lead based or not. But while you can probably identify if you have paint chips falling into an area your chickens frequent, you may not be aware of any contamination that is not visual--- and that's the danger. For example, if you live in an area of old homes that may have used (once common) lead-based paint on siding, trim, barns or other outbuildings, the lead from old paint chips may have turned...

Biosecurity for Birds is a public awareness campaign started by the U.S. Department of Agriculture�s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in 2004. It was designed to educate the growing population of backyard poultry owners on how to keep their flocks healthy. The campaign is focused on public education and reducing the risk of contagious poultry diseases in backyard poultry. This is great for those who keep pet or show chickens, and who want to know how to best keep them safe. For more information about keeping your birds healthy, read the related questions below, or visit the APHIS Biosecurity...

We know you love your birds and want to make sure they're healthy. Just like our other animal friends, chickens can become ill. In this article we'll teach you what are the common signs and symptoms of illness, how to hone in on a diagnosis, and finally, help you decide when you'll need to call a veterinarian. How to know if your chicken is sick Chickens can be a bit sneaky, so knowing whether they need medical help can be tough. Here are a few important things to keep in mind. Chickens hide symptoms of illness. Since they are prey...

Good question! Most illnesses or even infestations (such as mites or worms) are contracted when your birds are exposed to other birds, either directly or indirectly. For that reason, there are simple steps you can take to reduce the chances of exposure and keep your flock healthy. Use common sense and restrict access to your birds and to their area. It's fun to have chicken keeping friends, but remember that allowing visitors to your flock that have been exposed to other birds is one of the main ways illnesses and infestations can get passed from one flock to another Before...

In most cases, that will be because you are ordering more chicks than are available for your preferred date. When you place virtual chicks in your shopping basket, My Pet Chicken's automated checkout system takes quantity into account, so it could be that you're trying to ordering FOUR chicks when we only have one or two left on your preferred date. When that is the case, obviously, we can't reserve chicks for you that we don't expect to have, so you are offered only the date choices in which your combination of breeds--and at the quantities you want!--will be available....

There is little more beautiful than a mother hen sheltering chicks beneath her wings. And there is little more efficient! If you have the luxury of having a broody hen to raise your chicks, you should totally take it. But there are some important things to be aware of! When you are having a broody hen raise new baby chicks that have been shipped to you, first remember that your hen has to be currently broody. If she is not broody when you try to introduce chicks to her, she may try to kill them, but she certainly won't adopt...

Of course, we can't know for sure what may be going on, but we can offer some information that may assist you in figuring it out! First of all, it's important to understand what it is that causes egg yolks to stay centered in the first place. The chalazae are the parts of the egg that are sort of like springs, and they act to hold the yolk in place. The chalazae are the think whitish parts you will have seen on either side of the yolk. Sometimes people will choose to remove this part of the egg when cooking,...

You pay for your order as soon as it is placed; that is what holds your reservation. We don't keep your payment information on file---this helps protect you from identity theft. But for that reason, we have no way of charging your card weeks or months later when your birds have hatched---or your juveniles are grown---and are ready to ship. In addition, when ordering baby chicks in particular, if we did keep your payment information and wait to charge you on hatch day, if there were some problem with the transaction, it would create a BIG problem for the baby...

No, a terrible hatch doesn't mean that most or even any of your eggs were infertile! They may all have been fertile. Remember, just because an egg doesn't hatch (or even if it doesn't develop), that doesn't mean it wasn't fertile. It is not possible to see the fertilized blastodisc, or blastoderm, on the yolk of the egg after 21 days of incubation, as it will have deteriorated by then. �If you have a rooster with your hens, you can presume good fertility up to about a ratio of ten or twelve hens to every rooster. To check your exact...

Chickens can vary in size greatly by breed and variety! Large fowl cochin beside bantam cochin Large fowl chickens can range from 4 pounds for small hens to nearly 15 pounds for the largest roosters! Bantams vary in size, too. They can weigh from a few ounces for the tiniest seramas to more than two pounds for larger bantams. Generally speaking, bantam versions of large fowl breeds tend to be 1/3 to 1/2 the size of the larger birds.

No, we're sorry. If you want specific breeds or colors, you'll need to purchase each breed you want and construct your order that way. The assortments are hatchery choice, and are not sorted by breed or color.

The easiest thing to do is simply to provide your birds with safe, roomy, clean conditions. Research has shown that a diet of whole grains and seeds is associated with decreased Salmonella colonies -- so start there! We offer these treats that fit the bill: Farmer's Helper Optimal ForageCake Supplement Sunflower Sensation Organic Chicken Crack Sounds easy. Too easy, right? Especially since, if you're even reading this, you're probably already a responsible chicken owner concerned with providing your flock the best care you can... so you've undoubtedly provided lots of space and clean conditions to begin with. But consider this:...

We normally recommend one rooster for every ten hens or so. In a large flock, there is often more than one rooster, with no problems. In smaller flocks, it's a greater risk. However, many breeders keep significantly greater numbers of roosters with their girls--one rooster for every two, or one for every five. We don't recommend it for the typical backyard chicken situation because there is always the risk that your girls will get overbred. However, if you do end up with more roosters than you bargained for, the good news is that it is still quite possible for your...

No, no, no... you don't want to do that. It's is a bad idea for many reasons. First, one chicken raised alone will often die of loneliness--they are flock animals and need companions. Second, baby chicks require a nice warm brooder--and by warm, we mean about 95 degrees! They will get ill and die at room temperature in an Easter basket. And third, even were you to buy several chicks and give them proper care in a brooder, generally speaking, it's still just not an ethical thing to do. It's cruel to raise a baby animal, or several, only to...

This can occasionally happen, although it is rare. A chicken's beak will continue to grow throughout her lifetime, so as long as it is just the tip, her beak should grow back with no problems. Normally, her beak will slowly wear down with use, but if her beak grows faster than it wears, the tip may break, or a break can be caused by an injury. Possibly your chicken caught her beak somewhere and broke it trying to escape. In any case, check your coop and feeders to make sure there is no place to catch a toe or a...

Chickens molt annually, usually in the fall. But some chickens do molt later than others. Often this varies by breed as well as the conditions under which they live. Reasons your chickens may be molting late in the year: Your chickens begin molting when their bodies tell them it is time, and that is usually based on daylight hours. Decreasing day length is the normal trigger. Birds start at the end of August or beginning of September, while other breeds may wait until November or December. Adding light to their coop: Some people add light to keep their birds laying consistently...

A chicken's comb can be indicative of her circulation and condition. For instance pale pink, shrunken combs may indicate anemia, a mite infestation or something else like a serious illness. When hens are not laying (for instance during a molt or during the winter), their combs will be smaller and paler, too. A red comb can indicate health. A BRIGHT red comb may mean your hen has a fever and is flushed. Blueness to the comb can indicate poor circulation or simply cold, the way your fingernails might get a bluish cast to them if you get very cold. Frostbite...

When a hen has just begin laying, there can occasionally be a little blood on the egg shell, but it is usually no cause for concern. Eventually her vent gets used to stretching when she lays, and becomes very elastic. However, at first it does occasionally happen that with a large egg she might bleed just a little. And it can happen, too, to an older hen if she lays an egg larger than she is used to. If there is a lot of blood, if there is blood every single day, or if you see blood on your hen's...

You will want to gather eggs every day, and refrigerate them as soon as they've been gathered. This keeps them freshest. However, in the "good old days," of course, eggs were not refrigerated right away. That's surprising to many people! After all, milk that is not refrigerated will go bad, and it will do so pretty immediately... but not eggs. In fact, when a hen is laying eggs to hatch, it can take her about two weeks to gather a clutch large enough to incubate. At the end of that time, the first egg is still fresh enough to develop...

Well, having your lawn sprayed with pesticides while you are keeping chickens isn't a good idea---it isn't something most of us would ever want to risk with our flocks and our families. However, if you want to weigh your options, you would need to know exactly what sort of poison your exterminators will be using and in what concentrations. Remember, there are lots of different toxic chemicals used to exterminate bugs, so there's no pat answer as to whether extermination on your yard will be safe for your chickens. However, if your exterminator cannot answer your questions about the chemicals...

It's difficult for us to say exactly what might be inspiring them to do that without being able to inspect your coop, but we can give you some pointers that may assist you in solving the mystery. First, make sure your roosts are higher than your nests. If your nests are higher, your chickens will instinctively go for the highest place they can reach--do make sure it isn't too high for your chickens to easily reach, though! Second, make sure your roosts are comfortable for your birds. Although we tend to picture birds roosting on branches in the trees, most...

You don't have to use light at all. But if you do want to add a light to stimulate egg production, the good news that you don't need to use a very bright light! Studies have shown 14 hours of light per day is ideal for egg production. So when days are extra short in the winter, you might need to add an extra 4+ hours of light to really see a difference in the number of eggs your hens are laying, depending on your latitude. Studies have also shown that winter laying increases with about as much light as...

Well, the truth is that it simply depends on how you want us to handle any problems with your order. Some customers will wait many months for just the right breed, because the breed they get is the most important consideration for them. Others may not care so much what breed they receive, so long as they get the shipping date they need. So, take a few moments to consider your needs before making this choice. When you choose "no substitutions," that has to do with what day you are originally scheduled to receive your birds. Our website is updated...

Your baby chicks poo so much because they have to eat a lot to grow as fast as they do! Remember, they are going from egg-sized (2 ounces or so) to chicken-sized (8 pounds or so) in just a few months, and that takes a lot of energy and food. Imagine how much baby humans would eat if they grew into teenagers in just a few months! Since lots of eating means lots of pooing, baby chicks do poo a lot. It's important to keep their area clean so they will grow up healthy and strong.

This issue can be confusing, can't it? Try thinking of it this way: Generally, you might think of drafts as air that will blow directly onto your chickens through the coop at floor level where they stand, or at roost level where they sleep. Ventilation, on the other hand, simply permits air to move through the coop (overhead) but does not blow directly on the chickens. In the winter, chickens need protection from cold weather, which their feathers provide by keeping an insulating layer of warm air between their feathers and their body, trapped in their down. If they are...

Generally speaking, no. Chickens don't need baths. However, if they do get something stuck in their feathers that they are not preening out, you can choose to bathe them. You may be especially interested in this if you want to show your chickens at a poultry exhibition. Keep in mind that bathing should be kept to a minimum, since shampoos can be drying to their feathers and make them brittle. If the dirt doesn't come out with simple water, you may want to try a pet bird shampoo like one you can find at your local pet store. These are...

Yes--A possum (a.k.a. "opossum") that gets into your coop or run can eat eggs and young chicks, but they have certainly been known to kill adult chickens as well. Small bantams are especially at risk. When they kill adult chickens, they will take one or more and leave remains quite similar to what a raccoon leaves: the body or bodies will usually be left where they were killed, rather than carried away. The birds will usually be killed by bites to the neck, and the opossums often just eat the contents of your birds' crops and occasionally some of the...

Unfortunately, there is no pat answer on this one. First, ALL roosters crow. We happen to love the sound (to us it's far preferable to yapping dogs or leaf blowers!). However, it is not possible to know which roosters will crow often and which will be quieter than others when they are baby chicks, just as it's not possible to know which dogs will be barkers when they are pups. With roosters, a lot will depend on their environment too, and how safe they feel "their" hens are. If your chickens are in an area where they are constantly molested...

We LOVE it when they do that... it's so darn cute! This is a nesting behavior. Hens that are broody will often do this when settling into the nest, and occasionally hens who are not broody will do it before or after laying. In nature, having little bits of the surrounding grass, leaves, and other detritus covering her would help to keep her camouflaged from predators by breaking up her silhouette.

The answer to that question will depend on exactly how large the hens and roosters in question may be as well as what your personal preference is. No matter the size of your rooster, he will try to mate all your hens, whether they are large fowl or bantams, so it's certainly a valid concern! Look at the difference in size between a large fowl cochin and a bantam cochin: If you have a very large rooster like a Jersey Giant paired with very small bantams like Sebrights, you might see some injuries during mating since he will be so...

Yes, dogs can be pretty gross sometimes, can't they? They are not the most discriminating of eaters. For instance, my friend's dog likes to raid the cat box, find rabbit droppings, and even eat his own doggie poo! So, dogs eating feces is not confined only to chicken poo. Your dog could conceivably get sick from any of these sources because feces of any kind can be contaminated with bacteria. If you want to train your dog not to eat that icky stuff, you might try a week or two of going out into the yard first before he does,...

You're right that some breeds like Polish and silkies can come bearded or nonbearded, but there is no way to choose which because they are not sorted that way. The same goes for ordering "blue" breeds. As you can see in the descriptions, blues usually come in a mix of blue, black and splash. When that's the case, you cannot choose which you receive. Similarly, you can't choose what color Easter Egger you get, or which birds come in a hatchery or breeder choice assortment. All your buying options are always right on the pages.

There are challenges associated with mixing fowl varieties, such as making sure each one eats the right food for their needs. Often different fowl have different nutritional requirements, so sometimes they won't be healthy if they all eat the same food. Will you offer them all layer feed for chickens, feed designed for your other fowl, or something else entirely that is a compromise between the two? It may be hard to find something they can all eat that will keep them all at their best when their care needs are so different. Ducks, geese, guineas, peafowl, quail, pheasants, turkeys...

Name: Wolf, Coyote Canis lupus, Canis latrans Description: Wolves and coyotes are both members of the dog family, and appear as large (scary!) dogs with silvery or brownish fur. Wolves can be up to 5 feet long (excluding tails), and nearly three feet tall at the shoulder. They can weigh up to 175 pounds, but average around 80. Coyotes can be up to about 3 feet long (excluding the tail), and about 2 feet tall at the shoulder. They can weigh up to 75 pounds, but average around 50. Distribution/Habitat: Coyotes are found in North America. Various species of wolves...

Domestic dogs--including those belonging to you as well as those belonging to other people--are the most common predators of chickens in both suburban and rural areas. Most dogs are not trying to kill your birds. They simply want to chase, but even chasing can be fatal, because chickens often break their necks trying to get away, or die of heart attacks if they have no where safe to escape. In cases where your chickens are neither hurt nor killed by a dog attack, they can still be thrown off laying for days or even several weeks due to the upset....

If you keep chickens, you need to know that raccoons will absolutely prey on your flock if given the opportunity. To keep your flock safe, you need to make sure you outsmart them using the tips you'll find below. With their black masks adding to their reputation as scoundrels, raccoons can be up to 30 inches long and weigh up to 20 pounds. As such, without your help, chickens are no match for them. Raccoons may very well be the number one land predator of chickens in the United States. The can be found almost everywhere in North America, as...

Name: Snakes Serpentes spp (nearly 3000 species) Description: *Legless reptiles of many colors *Snakes range in size from just a few inches/a few ounces to those that are more than 25 feet long and more than 200 pounds Distribution/Habitat: Various species are found throughout the world Hunting Behavior: Most snakes too small to be predators of adult chickens. Instead, they tend to be predators of eggs and young chicks. (The largest snakes are inhabitants of rain forests, and we suspect that very few backyard chicken keepers will live in the Indian or South American jungles.) Very small snakes won't even...

Name: Weasel, ermine, ferret, mink, badger, fisher, ermine, wolverine, skunk, etc. Mustelidae and Mephitidae spp Description: This group contains diverse predators including those listed above. Those species interested in preying on your chickens generally are small to medium, long-bodied, short-legged omnivorous mammals. Some are tiny; for instance, some weasels aren't much bigger than a mouse, but they can kill rabbits and chickens many times their size. Some members of this group are very large; for instance, wolverines have weighed up to 70 pounds. Distribution/Habitat: Various species are found throughout the world Hunting Behavior: Some in this group are not predators...

Name: Fox Vulpes spp. Description: *Many different species of reddish or greyish, dog-like mammals with long bushy tails *Up to 3 feet long (excluding tails, which may add another 2 feet), and weighing up to 22 lbs average (record is 26.5 pounds) Distribution/Habitat: Various species are found throughout the world Hunting Behavior: Foxes will not appear in suburban settings as often as raccoons or opossums, but they are still a danger. They will normally stake out your coop beforehand so they know when to strike, grab a bird, and how to get away fast. If they get inside an enclosed...

Domestic house cats very rarely attack adult chickens, but they can be a serious danger to baby chicks, and occasionally to juvenile birds or small bantams. That said, not all are, to be sure.  With chicks, it's better safe than sorry, but there are plenty of examples on the interwebs of cats cuddling and loving on baby chicks, like the above. Occasionally we do hear from people whose cats seem interested in their adult birds. Since many of the most common chickens are just as big as house cats, this is pretty rare. If a cat kills an adult chicken...

Name: Lynx (including bobcats), Cougar Lynx spp and Puma Concolor Description: *Lynx up to 66 pounds and over 4 feet long (in North America, the species are smaller, up to 30 pounds and 41 inches) *Cougars can be up to 220 pounds and up to 9 feet long (including the tail) Both lynx and cougars are large felines, and can have large paws for their relative size. Lynx have short tails, while the cougar's is long. Various lynx species may be generally golden or pale in color. Their fur may be plain or spotted, and they have lighter fur on...

Name: Crows and other corvids Corvus spp Description: *Corvids are large perching birds, usually with dark coloration, although some (especially tropical species) can be very brightly feathered. *Some in this group can be up to three pounds Distribution/Habitat: Found throughout the world Hunting Behavior: Crows are among the most intelligent animals, and can even make and use tools. They can also recognize individual people by their faces. If they attack your flock at all, it will probably be an attack of opportunity on chicks, very small bantams or very young birds. They may also be sneaky and try to steal...

Unfortunately, scoundrels are found everywhere. Most humans are not predators of chickens, of course, but the fact is that some people are dishonest slimeb alls--so if your flock suddenly disappears or is destroyed, don't rule out people as the culprit. We hear from people with neighbors who are so against the whole idea of chickens in a suburban area that the neighbors feel theft or violence is justified. They may do so because they feel it's inhumane, or they may just have a grudge against you. Another motivation is different: some people love chickens so much, that they will steal...

Chicken feed and droppings will attract rats, yes! That's why it's so important that you do two things: store your feed in metal bins, and carefully prepare your chicken run using a heavy gauge half-inch or less hardware cloth material. Why rats are a problem Some people don't much mind rats lurking around their coop. We get that. It's old school, and we're not here to judge. But there are some very good reasons why you should try to eliminate rats around your chicken coop area. First, rats carry disease and can make your flock--or you--sick. When rodents eat feed,...

There is no one special breed that lays double yolkers. Occasionally a hen may lay a double yolker when her ovaries release two yolks at once, rather than one at a time. This tends to happen more often when hens are young and have just begun laying. Any breed can lay a double yolked egg, but it may be more common from breeds that are good layers, like Rhode Island Reds, Sussex, and Leghorns. Double yolkers are a favorite for over easy eggs! Commercially, most double yolkers will be discarded as "irregular" when candling, so getting farm fresh eggs from...

First remember that it only needs to be 95° directly under the heat lamp, and only in their first week of life. (You'll be reducing the temperature of the warmest area of your brooder by about 5° every week until they're acclimated to room temperature.) They will go to the "warm" area of your brooder to hang out and get cozy when they're cold. But it's also important to have areas that they can get away from the heat lamp if they're hot! So the best way to adjust your brooder temperature is to get it to 95° under your...

You're not wrong to be upset at the loss of your pets, of course, but if you're upset at your hatchery for suggesting that deaths weren't related to Marek's disease or asking questions about your brooder set up, your anger is misplaced. Of course it's upsetting when your pets die! However, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual, Marek's Disease can develop in chickens as young as three weeks old, not younger. Since your chicks weren't even old enough to show the first symptoms, whatever they died from couldn't have been from Marek's, whether they were vaccinated, not vaccinated, badly vaccinated...

This is a difficult question to answer definitively, since what to do with a dead pet or animal can vary depending on your your state, city and even your neighborhood. It can vary depending on the cause of death, too. In some places, it's fine to bury a dead animal, while other places may have restrictions. Some veterinarians can dispose of your dead pet for you, while in other places your local vet will not offer that service, but your sanitation service might. The best way to discover your own local requirements would be to contact a local vet and...

Usually, chickens with crossed beaks or scissor beaks lead long, normal lives. In most cases, this defect is caused by the chick positioning herself incorrectly for hatching. Normally, one wing will shelter the head inside the shell. But if a chick doesn't have her wing positioned over her head, the skull can malform, and it will reveal itself within the first few weeks as a cross beak or scissor beak as she begins to grow. What causes this problem isn't fully understood. Think of it as sort of the chicken equivalent of a breech birth: the chick has just not...

No. If you want to purchase live birds or fertile eggs, you will need to find a local supplier to help you; we do not ship internationally. (We don't even ship non-live items internationally.) If there is no local supplier and you want to go to the effort of importing chickens or fertile eggs into your country, you should be aware that it's not an easy process. Plus, we still can't help you--we don't export or ship internationally. We get asked often enough that we can provide some advice, though. First, you will need to check to see what customs...

Name: Snapping turtles Chelydra serpentina or Macrochelys temminckii Description: Snapping turtles are large freshwater turtles . Common snapping turtles weight up to 75 pounds, but generally average around 35 pounds for an adult. Alligator snapping turtles have weighed up to 249 pounds in captivity, but in the wild *only* get to be as large as 175 pounds or so. Still giant! Distribution/Habitat: Found in eastern and southeastern North America Hunting Behavior: These are uncommon predators of chickens, although they may pose problems for you if you have snapping turtles in your area. Females especially are known to travel relatively far...

As a flock-keeper, it is important to know that birds of prey, including raptors who hunt in daylight like eagles and hawks, and owls who hunt at night, will definitely kill and eat chickens in your flock if given the opportunity. Birds of prey come in many different sizes and colors, and various species are found throughout the world. This article will help you understand their hunting behavior and give you tips to help protect your flock from their aerial assault. How birds of prey hunt Unlike the most ground-bound predators of chickens (which may kill many birds or an...

Our breeding flocks are very large. We can't know which chicks hatch from which eggs. Even if we could, we don't keep track of which hen laid which egg, and we can't know which rooster fertilized which eggs, either. However, if you purchase birds from My Pet Chicken or some other major hatchery, generally speaking you can probably presume that the flocks are large enough to breed your birds together at home. Hatcheries understand that's what people want to do, so they keep breeding flocks with plenty of genetic diversity for breeding future generations. If you purchase birds from a...

Eggs from your own hens normally have very "tall" yolks because they can be so very fresh! It's not because they are pasture raised, though. The nutritional content for your own eggs when your hens have access to pasture is much better than regular "grocery store eggs." You can visually observe the difference between eggs from hens raised on pasture and eggs from factory farmed birds, because pasture raised birds will have yolks that are dark and orange, as opposed to the sickly pale yellow of grocery store eggs. Notice that in the photo above? That's the natural color of...

It is not likely that the problem is overfeeding. We recommend feeding free choice and not limiting their feed: underfeeding usually causes more problems than offering extra. It is rare for a layer to overeat ("meat" birds like the sickly Cornish Rock crosses are different, and often overeat). If it really concerns you, you might cease fatty treats, or perhaps double check the protein level in your food. Around 16% protein or so is good for layers, so if your protein level is higher than that, you might switch to a slightly lower protein feed. For the most part, though,...

Breeds that are not available individually may still be used to fulfill assortments, since the assortments consist of breeds that have hatched better than we predicted on a given hatch day. In other words, assortments can certainly be (and often are) fulfilled with otherwise sold out breeds, because once we've provided for the orders reserved for that week, we can use the remaining birds for assortments. This is a function of having to literally count our chickens before they've hatched: when making our availability estimates, we are conservative so we can avoid disappointing anyone who has reserved a specific breed....

Well, that's a more complex question than you may think. If there should be a problem on hatch day, of course we will contact you just as soon as we are aware, so you'll know to expect an altered shipment, or not to expect birds that week (depending on what you've asked us to do in the case of a hatch day issue). However, keep in mind that it wouldn't be before the Monday of hatch week, since we wouldn't know that there was a shortage of females hatching (for example) until after the babies had hatched and had been...

No, I'm sorry. We're not a breeder registry. We don't keep lists of independent breeders for any location. To find a list of breeders, you'll normally want to contact a breed club for the breed you are interested in, not a hatchery. To find a breed club, try a Google search: key in "breed club + [breed I'm interested in]." So, for example, you might key in "breed club Japanese Bantam." Breed clubs normally keep a registry of breeders, so contact the breed clubs you find in the Google search for a list of breeders. Hopefully you can find a...

|It really depends on the individual personality of the bird as well as how quickly they develop. Birds that feather out quickly may begin to roost early (if they have a roost to use), since the grown-in wing feathers allow them to fly up to the roost easily. Some may try roosting almost immediately, while others may take two or three weeks. Most people don't put roosts in their brooders, in which case it may take a few weeks for older birds to figure out "roosting" when they are moved to the big girl coop. However, you can give your...

My Pet Chicken is geared toward backyard flocks People who keep small numbers of chickens as a hobby often prefer to buy from My Pet Chicken because we are geared to small backyard keepers of just a few birds at a time. Our minimum order is just three (rather than 25 most other hatcheries). Even other "small order" hatcheries may allow you to order just a few birds, but then add "extra males for warmth," meaning you are saddled with 15 extra roosters to rehome. This is something most keepers of pet chickens are just not interested in. My Pet...

Don't worry, it's common for hens to not lay in the nest box!  "Floor eggs" are nothing to be too concerned about. Having your hens laying eggs on the floor rather than in the nest can be a pain in the neck. You want to be able to easily find all the eggs laid so you can gather them freshly--and you don't want to accidentally step on a floor egg! Some hens even lay eggs under the roosting area, which is just gross, because then the eggs get pooped on in the night. Having your eggs in a dark nest...

Not necessarily. Sometimes hens will regrow feathers immediately, and sometimes they won't regrow missing feathers until the molt (usually in the late summer or fall). The best layers are usually using all their resources to produce eggs, rather than to regrow feathers. That means high-production layers are generally the types that may not refeather immediately. To help your birds regrow missing feathers, you may consider getting a higher protein feed for a while; they need lots of protein to grow healthy feathers!

Our breeding flocks are raised indoor birds for reasons of biosecurity. Large hatcheries and serious breeders are more or less required to raise their birds indoors, since one of the main vectors for a lot of avian diseases is contact with wild birds. Hatcheries and breeders must be able to show by testing that their birds are free of these diseases (so sick or diseased chicks aren't sent all across the country!).   However, these aren't factory farm conditions like you see in the meat or egg industry with each bird being allocated a tiny cage that they can't even...

Probably not. Chickens actually eat deer ticks, wood ticks, and dog ticks (as well as other types), and these are the most common ticks that bother humans and canines. Perhaps these ticks are what you are seeing? If so, there is probably no special cause for concern. Even when you live in Tick Central, where a half hour hike means you may have to brush off many, many ticks from your clothing, you'll have few ticks in the immediate area of the chicken coop because the chickens will eat all they can find. This is especially true if you keep...

Not that we know of. Algae grows in conditions of water with excess phosphorus or fertilizers in it, and growth is encouraged when the water is also in the sun. It isn't related to the type of waterer you use, although it's possible you might get a bit less algae with an opaque waterer, if the sunlight is blocked from hitting the water. To avoid excess algae, put your waterer out of the sunlight and evaluate the condition of your water. Adding a little vinegar to the water to acidify it can discourage algae growth, but won't help much if...

If she's not molting, isn't getting picked on and isn't suffering from external parasites like mites or lice, it's possible that the bare spot on her front is caused by broodiness. Broody hens often lose the feathers on their lower breasts so that their bodies can be closer to the eggs they are trying to warm and incubate. It is called a "brood patch." Silkies often go broody Since this is a hormonal condition, it is possible she will lose or pluck feathers during broodiness whether or not she actually has any eggs. If she's been broody lately and you've...

If your chicken received the Marek's vaccination, she will most likely be protected from the symptoms of Marek's disease, but a small percentage of birds will still get sick with Marek�s, even when vaccinated. Also, there are many other illnesses chickens can get. For instance, if you got a whooping cough vaccination as a kid, you can still get the flu, or liver disease, or bronchitis, or an ear infection, or lyme disease and so on. The same goes for your chicken. Vaccinating for Marek�s disease will not protect your chicken from all sicknesses, only Marek's. As always, if you...

There is no special size that is best across all breeds. Think about it: some breeds lay very large eggs because the chicks are comparatively large; some bantam breeds may have tiny eggs, and the chicks that hatch from those eggs are tiny. Hens of vastly different sizes lay different sizes of eggs. In fact, there are some large fowl breeds that lay small eggs, too... so the size of the egg you want to use for hatching depends on the breed. If that's the case, how do you know which fertile eggs are best to hatch? Choose eggs that...

We know you're dying to start keeping chickens--but you don't want to get a flock of beauties only to find out later that they're illegal and have to give them up! That said, determining if it's legal to keep chickens in your area can sometimes be a little complex. Here's our best advice to determine if you are permitted to keep chickens in your neighborhood: First, we recommend you contact both your local health and zoning boards to see if there are any regulations relating to keeping chickens in your area. In addition to local regulations, if there is a...

If you're losing a lot of egg white when you try to peel hard-boiled eggs, the problem is not related to the breed you have, so choose your favorite! What causes the difficulty peeling is the freshness of your eggs, believe it or not. Fresh eggs are difficult to peel, and the eggs you are getting at home now are very fresh indeed. The problem--if having fresh eggs can be regarded as a problem!--is that what peels easily are old eggs. The eggs you were getting at the grocery store were very old, sometimes a month or more old. As...

Of course we can't know for sure what may be causing the problem in your case, but we can try to mention a few things that might typically cause problems maintaining a steady temperature in the styrofoam incubators. First, if you are reliant on manual turning, opening the incubator to turn your eggs does drop the temperature... but that is pretty temporary and shouldn't cause problems if you are quick. It can help to mark one side of the egg so you can see which have been turned and which haven't. (Use something like soft pencil, that won't soak into...

We can't accept email orders for various reasons, the most important being that email is not a safe way for you to share your payment information. Email is not secure the way online ordering is. In addition, availability changes so quickly that by the time we receive payment to confirm your reservation, availability dates will have changed as other customers place their orders directly online. When that happens, it means we can't make the reservation for you that you wanted. Regular mail takes even longer. We can't accept orders by mail, either. The online ordering system is easy to use....

Some evidence in Australia and New Zealand has indicated that music may help to keep chickens calm and happy, thus helping them to grow larger, faster. The relationship to egg laying rate has not been seen on a large scale (that we are aware of). You might be interested to read this article about music as related to growth in chickens in Taiwan. Belgian Bearded D'Uccle hen This is also an oft-used science project for kids, too. If you decide to try a science project, please let us know your results!

I'm afraid it's not possible to stop incubation, ship the eggs, and then restart incubation afterwards. The chicks would die. It would be akin to a human woman deciding she wanted to take a break from pregnancy for a while to get a nice night's sleep, and asking to have the baby removed for a day or two. Although I think most women would like having the option, especially during the last trimester--I sure would have!--it's just not possible to stop gestation for the fetus--or incubation for the embryo--for a few days without killing it. Make sense? A hen's incubation...

Yes, chickens can be difficult to photograph, can't they? Much like little kids, they're not really interested in cooperating with you to get you a good shot, and they certainly don't want to hold still! There are some techniques our My Pet Chicken photographers use that you won't really be able to reproduce at home. For instance, many of our photos are studio shots, where the chickens are inside under carefully arranged lighting conditions and with high-end equipment to make for especially good professional photos. And we photograph many of our birds at competitive Poultry Shows, where the birds are...

Due to the number of predators in some rural areas, some pet chicken owners don't allow free ranging. Other times, an enclosed run in a small suburban yard is the only way to keep chickens safe and contained so they don't run into traffic or make themselves the target of neighborhood dogs. The problem can be that the chickens quickly forage all the green out of their run, and then droppings accumulate on the hard dirt. Cleaning can be difficult, because moist droppings do not rake up too well. In these situations you may want to try adding some bedding....

Hens of most breeds are rather quiet except for right before and right after they have laid an egg. Then they may make a loud "announcement" about it for a few minutes, usually called a cackle. They seem to be very proud of their accomplishment! Some breeds like Brahmas, Australorps, Faverolles and Mille Fleur D'Uccles are often specifically described as being quiet, but frankly I've never seen too awful much difference between a "quiet" breed and a "normal" breed in my flock. Hens of most breeds are fairly unobtrusive. Antwerp Belgian Bantam hen Young pullets who have just begun to...

First, we're sorry that your flock is having problems with bumblefoot! The more technical name for this problem is ulcerative pododermatitis, but most people, amateurs and professionals alike, refer to the problem by the common name of bumblefoot. Bumblefoot is a serious problem, but it's not contagious in the way a cold is contagious. Still, read on because it's also true that you may sometimes have chronic issues with bumblefoot in a flock---and there are still some causative factors you may be able to address if you are having frequent problems with bumblefoot in your flock! First, call your vet...

Your chickens will probably not be interested in the nesting boxes until it is time to lay. Even then, it may take them a while before they understand what nest boxes are.Some breeds are good about finding nesting boxes very quickly. For instance, Rhode Island Reds and Speckled Sussex are always very good about laying in their nest boxes from the start. By contrast, we find Easter Eggers took longer. And Silkies often refused nest boxes, instead laying eggs in the bedding in a dark corner of the coop. Keep in mind that your Orpingtons may not begin laying eggs...

That's a good question! Chickens need to have access to their food and water at all times when they're awake. However, once they return to roost at night, they sleep soundly and won't get up to eat or drink. (The exception to this is if you have a broody hen; sometimes a broody will want to get up at night to eat and drink, rather than during the day.) But because your chickens won't, for the most part, be eating and drinking after dark, you can choose to have your food and water outdoors or in. It is done both...

I'm afraid not. The minimums are based on how many chicks are safe to ship, not how many we would like to sell. You can't give us extra money to send fewer chicks than would be safe to send you. Also, My Pet Chicken never send extra males for warmth. If you don't want to rehome extra roosters, please be careful when ordering from other hatcheries--be sure to check, first, and find out if you will be receiving extra roosters with you small order!

Normally you want to order the number of chickens you want to end up with---don't order extras with the expectation that some will die. But there are a few considerations you may want to take into account. Whether you lose any over the course of bringing them to laying age will also depend in part on the conditions you provide for them at your home. For instance, if your brooder isn't hot enough---or if it's too hot!---you may lose some chicks. Baby chicks can drown in waterers that are too deep, and if waterers or feeders are not securely seated,...

If you have a hen with wry neck, it is probably not a genetic problem... but read on, because the problem with answering that question definitively is that "wry neck" is not in itself an illness. It's just a symptom. Torticollis is the medical/technical term for wry neck; it is an abnormal head position where the bird may not be able to hold her head in a normal position. "Wry neck," "crook neck," "twisted neck," "limber neck" and "stargazing" are all common, nontechnical terms that are used more or less interchangeably to describe the symptom of torticollis. "My neck is...

"Red Stars" are hybrid birds; the rooster is one breed while the hen is another. Because of the genetics of the two breeds, the Red Star chicks are "sex linked," meaning that the color of their down when they hatch is linked to whether the bird is male or female. This means that males hatch out a different color from the females, so they are easy to tell apart. Generally you buy Red Star chicks when you want to be assured of getting all females---they aren't vent sexed like other chicks, so vent sexing errors won't occur. Ordering sex linked...

It's definitely best to calibrate any new thermometer you are using for your incubator. You need to make sure your incubator thermometer is reading correctly, since even one degree of difference may cause serious problems with your hatch! It's fairly easy to calibrate with crushed ice: your thermometer should read 32 degrees in a mixture of crushed ice and a little water. If it reads, say, 30 degrees, then you can either adjust the thermometer until it is correct (if the style of the thermometer permits adjustment), or else you will at least know your thermometer reads 2 degrees too...

My Pet Chicken's breeders and hatcheries handle all the state-level permits required to get the chicks safe and sound to you. So when you order from My Pet Chicken, there is usually nothing you will need to do with regard to state permits. Most states in the US require baby chicks and juvenile birds that ship across state lines to originate from clean hatcheries like ours, hatcheries that participate in NPIP (the National Poultry Improvement Plan). This is so that the birds will have been imported from flocks whose health is monitored. That's why My Pet Chicken's hatchery handles this...

Naturally, some plants are poisonous to chickens, just as there are plants that are poisonous to other pets like cats and dogs. It's problematic to come up with an absolute list of what not to have in your yard, though. In many, if not most, cases, just having a plant in your yard that is poisonous won't necessarily cause problems. For instance, daffodils are poisonous to most animals, including chickens. But many people have dogs or cats as well as pretty spring gardens in their yards, because dogs and cats generally won't eat these poisonous plants. Similarly, my chickens just...

If this is the only symptom you're seeing, she's probably not sick. (If she does show other signs of illness you will want to take her to a licensed avian veterinarian for a firm diagnosis and treatment options.) Interestingly, in some hens that lay brown eggs, eating too much canola or rapeseed meal can cause a fishy smell in the eggs . Not all hens are affected by the process that causes the smell. The smell is caused by the accumulation of trimethylamine (TMA) in the yolk. Most hens metabolize the TMA into another (odorless) compound, but brown egg layers...

And if there is a risk that some chicks die on the way, then how can you justify staying in business?|Of course we hate it when chicks die along the way; every bird is an individual, and every loss is a tragedy. However, when it comes to shipping baby chicks, the risk of loss is small; in fact, it tends to be less than the risk of losing baby chicks you hatched at home in your home incubator. Even broody hens lose chicks. The truth is that we see more chicks die due to a lack of adequate care at...

This is one of those questions where it's hard to tell what exactly you're asking, a question that tells us you're probably a beginner at incubation. Remember, fertility rates are different than hatching rates. Even when the eggs you place in your incubator are 100% fertile, you may get zero of them to hatch. This is because if the conditions aren't just right---if your incubator is too hot or too cold (or too humid or not humid enough, etc.)---the eggs may not hatch in those sub-optimal conditions. So, hatching rates are dependent on YOU, and how well you or your...

Is your chicken having trouble keeping its balance? A problem like this could be caused by many things. It may end up being nothing of concern...One of our staff had a mixed-breed rooster whose legs were simply quite long--maybe too long for his own good! He went though a period of awkward adolescence in which his legs were growing so fast, he was not terribly graceful. In fact he was outright clumsy, and he often lost his balance when he tried to crow. (Can you imagine how cute that was?) Once he grew into his legs, he no longer lost...

Yes, we do vaccinate our chicken parent stock. They are vaccinated to prevent several different diseases, including Marek's Disease, Newcastle Disease, Infectious Bronchitis, Infectious Bursal Disease, Fowl Pox, Pigeon Pox, Laryngotracheitis and others.

What are we talking about here--force fields? Body armor? No--unfortunately, no breed of chicken is "predator resistant." The only way to prevent predator attacks is to keep your flock in a secure run and coop at all times. Remember, too, that if you have a run that is NOT secure and a predator gets into it, your birds will have no means of escape. If they were ranging, they could run or fly away! Not so in a coop or run where they may be trapped with any hungry predator who gets in. It can help to keep a fierce...

No, but we can give you some background information and share the crazy way that rumor may have gotten started! It IS true that, if your hen has had some damage to her reproductive system (such as an infection in her ovaries), she might begin to look like a rooster on the outside---and act like one---due to a hormone imbalance! Such a hen wouldn't lay eggs, and may even begin to crow. At her molt, she may grow in the same plumage roosters have in her breed. If her infection or condition then cleared up, she might begin laying anew,...

That's a complex question. If you would like to turn your home or farm into a hatchery and begin selling baby chicks to other people, we'd first recommend getting NPIP certification so you can be sure that your chicks are free of the worst diseases passed from hen to chick through the egg. We also recommend learning about biosecurity, so you can be sure your breeding flocks will remain clean. You want to be assured you're selling healthy birds to your customers. The next thing you might consider is to join one or more breed clubs for the breeds you'd...

Not exactly, although ear lobe color seems to be related to egg color most of the time. Breeds with white earlobes usually lay white eggs... except for Penedesencas and Empordanesas, which have white earlobes and lay dark chocolate colored eggs. Chickens with red earlobes usually lay eggs in shades of brown... except for breeds and varieties like Easter Eggers, Ameraucanas, and Araucanas, which lay blue or green eggs. Then there is the Silkie. The hens lay light brown or nearly white eggs, while their earlobes are blue. Check out my lobes! So ear lobe color is often related to---but not...

In almost every case, starting a laying flock with baby chicks will be easier and less expensive than starting one by hatching fertile eggs at home. Don't get us wrong, home hatching is great! But remember that fertile eggs (supplied from any source) are not guaranteed to hatch, because shipping can be so rough on the eggs. With shipped eggs, the average hatch rate is about 50%. That's just the average, though! That means sometimes you will have higher, and sometimes lower. In fact, with eggs, it is possible to do everything right and still not have any hatch. Plus,...

We're sorry the breed you want is currently sold out, but yes---there is hope if you're diligent! It's the MUST HAVE white Silkie! Our website always has up to date availability information, because as orders are placed, our inventory of chicks is updated automatically every five minutes. Sometimes more availability dates can be added throughout the year due to updates to our flocks' expected egg production, or due to cancellations by other customers. This additional availability is usually added on Mondays and Tuesdays, so those are the best days to check for new dates. So, if out of stock status...

Well, first remember that if you hatched these babies at home, chicks don't actually need to eat or drink for the first two or three days... so the fact that your home-hatched chicks aren't eating or drinking immediately isn't always a cause for concern. Strange but true. Hatching is hard work, and with the yolk that they have just absorbed to sustain them, sometimes they just take time to rest and recover. That said, if you've had chicks shipped rather than hatching them at home---or if your home-hatched chicks are a couple days old or seem weak---they will definitely need...

Unfortunately, no. USPS does NOT guarantee overnight Express delivery for live animals, as much as we would like them to. We agree: it seems a little crazy that the MOST important packages aren't subject to the same guarantees that much less sensitive packages have... but that is their policy. Even though the Post Office won't refund your postage, as a part of My Pet Chicken's 100% Live Arrival Guarantee, in addition to refunding the cost of lost chicks, we do cover shipping costs in some circumstances (out of our own pockets). Read details of our 100% Live Arrival Guarantee here...

Well, we can tell you HOW the different colors are made, but as to WHY the different colors are produced, there are just theories. There are guesses, but no one really knows for sure. It's intuitive to think that the colors and patterns of bird eggs should help provide camouflage for the eggs while they're in the nest. However, it's been problematic to show a relationship. For instance, one scientist, Gotmark, painted eggs different colors (brown, white, blue, spotted) and placed them in nests with varying degrees of cover, then kept track of which eggs suffered predation. The color didn't...

We do not use sexed birds as straight run. (No hatchery we know of does that--how dishonest would THAT be?!.) It does not pay us to sex all our baby chicks--the services of a chicken sexer are expensive because it is such a specialized skill and takes so many years to learn. We sex enough baby chicks to fulfill orders for the sexed birds that week, and only those that are NOT sexed are used as straight run birds. Any extra sexed chicks will be used to substitute for the same sex of another breed that had a bad hatch...

Some chicken breeds lay year round (save when they go broody). One of our employees who's at a mid-latitude in the US reports that any girls who stop laying during the winter begin again regularly--and surprisingly precisely--on February 1 or 2, about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. If you live in an area where day length doesn't change much, your chickens may begin laying sooner (or never stop). If you live in an area where winter days are very short and cold, they may begin laying again later in the year. While it's the increasing light...

Power loss can happen at any time due to storms, fallen trees, traffic accidents, construction, lightning, and more. A prolonged power outage can be a real problem if you have baby chicks or waterfowl in the brooder and are depending on an electric heater to keep them warm. You don't want anything to happen to your babies, so it's important to be prepared in case the power goes out on you. Here are some ideas to help keep your chicks safe in the event of a power outage: Hot Water Bottles - One of our customers from Vermont told us...

Unless your rooster is causing the hens injury, pecking hens on their backs and heads is actually no cause for concern. It is courting behavior. He pecks them on their backs or heads as a signal that he would like to mate. With enough hens for each rooster present--we normally recommend 10 - 12 hens to one rooster--you shouldn't have any trouble with his over-breeding the hens, although it's still possible he might develop a favorite or two. When a hen gets pecked like that, if she is ready to mate, she will squat down so she can be mounted....

Coccidiosis is very common in chicks, especially ones that may be stressed from shipping or from being introduced to a new location. You can help by keeping your chicks as stress-free as possible, and by keeping their brooder dry. Some people choose to use medicated feed to combat susceptibility to this disease while the chicks develop a resistance, while others use regular feed and have no trouble with cocci. We discuss medicated feed and more, below: Coccidiosis Also called Cocci Prevalence Very common Signs General signs - Loss of appetite, weight loss or stunted growth, ruffled feathers, lethargy, and (for...

In order to prevent the symptoms of Marek�s disease from affecting your flock, we highly recommend getting your baby chicks vaccinated at hatch. Chicks should be vaccinated as soon as possible after hatching because the vaccine is not effective when given to chicks already exposed to Marek�s disease. In order to increase the effectiveness of the vaccine, keep your chicks indoors and away from all other birds until the chicks are 14 days old, at which point the vaccine will have started to take effect.The symptoms of Marek�s occur more frequently in chickens that are stressed. Some types of stress...

Lameness is a very common symptom of Mareks� disease, but there are many other conditions that can also cause paralysis or lameness in your chicken. Nutritional Deficiencies, such as rickets, vitamin E deficiency, and vitamin B1 or B2 deficiencies can cause problems that may mimic some of the symptoms of Marek�s disease. Botulism and certain poultry diseases such as Encephalomyelitis, Aspergillosis, or Lymphoid Leukosis can cause paralysis in chickens. If you have a bird showing symptoms of any illness, quarantine her right away, and have an avian vet diagnose her.

Marek's disease is very common and will eventually end up in most backyard flocks, whether or not the flocks have been vaccinated. It's strange but true! The Marek's vaccination helps prevent some of the most severe symptoms of Marek's disease, but does not prevent the actual transmission of the virus. The vaccine is very effective, but not 100% foolproof, which means a small percentage of vaccinated chickens might still succumb to the symptoms and die. Since the Marek's vaccination prevents tumors in over 90% of vaccinated chickens who are exposed to Marek's, we highly recommend getting your chicks vaccinated at...

A chicken's reproductive cycle begins with her eyes, or possibly in her skull or even her skin, as one NC State extension article stated: The major environmental cue for control of reproduction is day length. Reception of light for reproductive purposes by the pullet is not primarily through the eyes but rather by the light energy penetrating the skull, skin and feathers and then perceived by an organ within the brain. My brain, you say? Light cues tell your chicken's body whether to release a yolk from her ovaries that will be turned into an egg. Even if the winter...

Generally speaking you will NOT want to intervene in the hatching process when incubating fertile eggs. If conditions in the incubator are right, it can take 24 hours for a chick to escape the egg after it has pipped, and that's perfectly natural and not a cause for concern. Often it takes much less time, but 24 hours or so is fairly common, too. If it's been more than 24 hours since the chick first pipped and you have had problems maintaining a high enough humidity during incubation, the problem may be simply that the chick is stuck to the...

No, that's not true. First, broodiness is not tied to whether a chicken is purebred or not. Broodiness depends more on a chicken's breed, her genetic background. For instance, Rhode Island Reds very seldom go broody. Leghorns and other Mediterranean breeds are very unlikely to go broody, too, because not going broody very often is just a characteristic of those breeds. Other breeds may go broody very frequently--too frequently, some people find! For instance, orpingtons and silkies often seem to be broody most of the time. Second, as for "modern" breeds being less likely to brood, that's not true, either....

Avian encephalomyelitis (AE) is a neurological disease that causes symptoms that are similar to many other diseases. Some improper flock management practices (including incorrect use of supplements or nutritional deficiencies) can also lead to comparable symptoms, so you may need a veterinarian to provide a firm diagnosis. There is no treatment for the virus that causes AE, and while birds that recover do not continue to be lifelong carriers of the virus, their egg laying frequency will likely be diminished. There are steps you can take to reduce your flock's risk of spreading the disease among itself. Read on to...

Mycoplasma may exhibit mild symptoms in chickens, but once they have it, they can be carriers for life. While mycoplasma is deadly in turkeys, in chickens, it can reduce laying frequency in your flock and be passed from the mother hen to the chick in the egg. This is a reportable disease that really demands a veterinarian's expert diagnosis and treatment plan. Read on to find out more: Mycoplasmas Also called There are several mycoplasmas, which are variously known as Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, MG, Chronic Respiratory Disease, Infectious sinusitis (in turkeys) Prevalence Common in large commercial laying or meat...

Coryza is the chicken equivalent of the "common cold" - but interestingly enough, colds in humans are caused by viruses, while coryza is caused by a bacteria in chickens. Thankfully, this disease is rarely fatal, and chickens recover from it within a matter of weeks. But it can look like many other respiratory diseases, so you will want your vet to diagnose any ailing members of your flock to be sure you're treating them correctly. Read on for more information about this common chicken ailment: Coryza Also called Cold, Infectious Coryza, IC, Roup Prevalence Common Signs General signs - Loss...

When you see a chicken with cross beak, you know it! Cross beak is exactly what it sounds like: a chicken's beak is "crossed," or the top and the bottom don't match up exactly when the bird's mouth is closed. While this may cause great concern for the chicken-keeper, thankfully, in most cases, the bird can go on to live a relatively normal life. Keep reading to find out more: Crossed beak Also called Cross beak, scissor beak, scissors beak, crooked beak, lateral beak deviation Prevalence Common Signs General signs - Easy to identify: when a chicken�s beak is or...

Spraddle leg, also called "splay leg," can be caused or exacerbated by brooding on a slick surface such as newspaper. (We recommend these types of bedding, instead.) It's as if the chick is trying to stand upright wearing roller skates: her feet keep sliding out from beneath her. Alternately, some cases are caused by the bird being poorly positioned in the egg, or by various vitamin deficiencies. Signs of Splay Leg In serious cases, the chick is (or gosling or duckling) is unable to stand up; legs point to either side of the body rather than beneath the body to...

A pasty vent, or "pasting up," "pasty butt," or "vent gleet," is a stress-induced condition in which droppings dry and cake up around the vent of young baby chicks. It is most dangerous when it completely blocks their vent opening, because the chick will be unable pass any more droppings. A baby chick will typically die within 2 days of onset of a blocked vent, so it's important that you remedy this problem quickly. Diagnosis A pasty vent is easy to diagnose. The dried poo will be stuck to the outside of their rear, totally or partially covering their vent:...

Watch out for Pullorum Disease! Not only can it infect your flock, it can also make humans sick, too. If your flock becomes infected, you will likely need to euthanize them all to keep this highly communicable disease from spreading. Read on to find out more: Pullorum Disease Also called PD, Bacillary White Diarrhea, BWD, White Diarrhea Prevalence Rare Signs General signs - In chicks: lack of appetite, lethargy, huddling near heat source and fluffed up down. Pain and shrill peeping during defecation. In hens, excessive thirst, shrivelled comb, drop in laying. Cardinal or diagnostic signs - White or green...

Imagine a belly-button infection--that's basically Omphalitis. Developing or newly-hatched baby chicks are susceptible to infection of their navels if incubator or brooder conditions are not ideal, or the infection is spread by a well-meaning human. Read on to find out more about this disease and how to prevent it: Omphalitis Also called Navel infection, mushy chick, yolk sac infection Prevalence Common Signs General signs - Lack of appetite, lethargy, huddling near heat source and fluffed up down. Chicks may also die in shell late during incubation. Loose stools may also be a symptom. Cardinal or diagnostic signs - Unhealed, swollen...

Heart attack in chickens is quick and deadly, and occurs most often in birds in commercial meat breed operations. Fortunately, heart attack is not often found in backyard flocks because pet birds stay generally healthy through regular exercise (foraging), and are fed a quality diet. But if you find one of your birds upside-down or on their side, deceased, with no prior symptoms, the likely cause of death was heart attack. Read on to find out more: Heart attack Also called Sudden Death Syndrome, SDS, acute death syndrome, flip-over disease, acute heart failure Prevalence Uncommon in layers, relatively common in...

Wouldn't it be nice if you could get such good eggs in the grocery store? Until things change, though, most people really can't. Studies show that eggs laid by hens raised on pasture--in other words, hens who have access to a yard or run where they can forage--have less fat and cholesterol, and more healthy vitamin A, vitamin E, beta carotene and omega-3s. A follow-up study confirms the findings, and shows additionally that pastured hens also lay eggs with increased vitamin D--three to six times more! By contrast, eggs you get in the grocery store are typically laid by hens...

Egg Yolk Peritonitis Also called Yolk peritonitis, yolk stroke, abdominal sepsis, abdominal septicemia Prevalence- Common, more common in broiler breeders Signs General signs - The same signs associated with pain: lack of appetite, lethargy, huddling with fluffed up feathers. Occasional partial paralysis. Sudden death. Nesting behavior with no eggs produced. Cardinal or diagnostic signs - Distended abdomen, frequent multiple yolked eggs. (The occasional double yolker should seldom cause worry, especially in young hens.) Cessation in laying. Yellow-orange (yolk colored) droppings. Cause/s - This condition occurs when the hen matures too many egg folicles (yolks) at once, and is sometimes the...

Also called "blowout", vent prolapse is a condition in which the vent becomes inverted and a portion of it protrudes outside the bird's body. Thankfully, in most cases, it is treatable if detected early and the bird can recover completely. Vent prolapse is common in some breeds and crosses, especially those prone to fatness (such as meat breeds). Vent prolapse itself is not contagious, but the underlying issues causing the prolapse (obesity, photostimulation, etc.) can be. In addition, birds prone to cannibalization of a flock member's prolapsed vent may develop other types of cannibalization, like feather picking. Vent prolapse is...

Egg binding is exactly what it sounds like: a poor hen has a egg "bound" inside of her and won't come out. That must make her feel miserable! So she'll sit down and fluff out her feathers, hesitant to move (who can blame her?). Egg binding is very common and though potentially fatal, thankfully, in many cases, it can be treated. Read on to find out more: Egg binding Also called Eggbound hen, stuck egg, bound egg, obstructed vent Prevalence Common in some breeds and crosses, especially those prone to fatness (such as meat breeds) Signs General signs - Lack...

Myiasis Also called Flystrike, fly blown Prevalence Infrequent. It is more common in other animals such as sheep or horses. Signs General signs - Fatigue, weakness, ruffled feathers, depression, unpleasant odor, loss of appetite, wound area picked at by other birds,death Cardinal or diagnostic signs - Maggots found on the skin or in a wound Cause(s) Flies normally lay eggs in rotting or fecal matter. Some types of flies can infest wounds or skin lesions on chickens (and other animals), or can be drawn to lay eggs in fecal matter embedded in the bird's feathers, such as near the vent....

VVD disease produces twisted leg bones due to nutritional deficiencies or overly-fast weight gain in "broiler" breeds. Thankfully this is rare in backyard flocks that are fed a balanced, nutritionally complete diet, but it is more common in commercial broiler flocks. Read on to find out more: VVD Also called Varus/Valgus Deformity, Twisted leg, Crooked leg Prevalence Rare in home flocks; common in commercial "broilers" Signs General signs - Leg bone is bent or twisted (not broken). Cardinal or diagnostic signs - Be sure to differentiate this from a leg that is twisted at the joint; in VVD, the bone...

Chickens seem to be able to ingest just about anything, don't they? But if they contract the Clostridium botulinum bacteria while foraging or by eating contaminated feed, they can get botulism, which is also known as food poisoning. Butulism is more or less dangerous, depending on how much of the contaminated food they ingested. Thankfully, this issue is rare, and there are steps you can take to protect your flock. Read on to find out more: Botulism Also called Food poisoning Prevalence Infrequent Signs General signs - Fatigue, weakness, ruffled feathers, diarrhea, sudden death Cardinal or diagnostic signs - Neurological...

Keeping your brooder and coop area clean and dry is essential if you want to protect your precious baby chicks and older birds from aspergillosis. Also known as "brooder pneumonia," baby chicks are especially vulnerable to the symptoms produced by the spores of the Aspergillus fungi that may grow in your brooder if it fluctuates between wet and dry conditions. Keep reading to find out more: Aspergillosis Also called Pneumonia, coop or brooder pneumonia, mycotic pneumonia, pneumomycosis Prevalence Infrequent Signs General signs - Respiratory symptoms, including discharge from nares (nostrils) and/or eyes, loss of appetite, coughing, panting, gasping for air,...

No, your chickens should not eat anything with mold on it. Just as moldy or rotten food can make you sick, it can make them sick. Sharing some leftovers you don't want with your chickens is a good idea (in moderation). We often give our chickens leftovers there aren't enough of to bother keeping... but they must not be moldy or rotting . Stale bread can be okay, although it probably won't have it's full nutritional value... but mold? No. Certain types of mold can be quite dangerous. The same goes for their regular chicken feed: if you see mold,...

Should I give my hens vegetarian feed? |You have probably seen labels on grocery store eggs claiming they have been laid by "vegetarian-fed hens," so is this something you should be looking for with regard to your own hens' feed? Well... yes. And no. Sort of. But not really. Got it? No? Well, let me explain. NO, you don't want to restrict your chickens to vegetarian food in that chickens are omnivores. They eat mice, frogs, snakes, lizards, grasshoppers... basically any creature small enough to swallow, and occasionally some creatures just small enough to kill and eat in pieces, like...

Chickens LOVE treats, and they have their own individual tastes and preferences, of course. But we hate to break it to you: they have almost no taste buds, so their preferences are probably not based primarily on fine taste nuances. Humans have around 10,000 taste buds, while chickens have a maximum of only around 350 taste buds. They don't have any receptors for capsaicin (spiciness), and have a good tolerance for sour, although they're attracted to neither bitter nor sweet nor salty. And in fact, the taste buds of a chicken are located so far back on the tongue that...

Crack a fresh, unincubated egg into a bowl in good light. If you have sharp eyes, you will see that a fertile egg has a faint bullseye, the fertilized blastoDERM, on the yolk, while for an infertile egg, it will just be an irregular spot, a blastoDISC. If you don't have sharp eyes you might make use of a magnifying glass--or ask someone to help. Remember to check the bottom of the yolk; sometimes the way your egg lands in your dish will make the bullseye difficult to see. Illustration by Ray Yang for My Pet Chicken There's a problem,...

Secrets? No. Tricks? A few, maybe. First of all, take a few moments to review the 8 things you SHOULDN'T do for your chickens in cold weather. You can read some more in the "related questions" below, too. (Here is a hen happily foraging in below-freezing temps!) You'd be surprised at how well chickens do in the cold when allowed to acclimate over time, with the changing seasons. That said, if you live in the mountains of Vermont or Colorado, or in bitter Minnesota or North Dakota where temps are regularly in the single digits, some folks like to help...

Chickens love to eat mosquitoes and ticks--that's great news! But if you keep chickens, will that mean you can dump your other bug protection methods? Probably not, but your chickens will certainly help! Ask yourself: if you spent all day swatting mosquitoes one or even a few at a time--and even if you were GREAT at hunting them down--would your yard suddenly be free of mosquitoes? That's doubtful. Mosquitoes will just fly in from your neighbor's yard. They don't know a whole lot about property lines. If your neighbor has a wet spot where they breed--even just puddle beneath a...

All about Lymphoid Leukosis (Avian Leukosis) disease|caLymphoid Leukosis is a tragic disease that affects a chicken's liver and can cause a painful death. Because of that, humane euthanasia is usually recommended to ease the suffering of poor birds that contract this illness and to help prevent the spread of the disease to other members of the flock. You'll definitely want to consult with a veterinarian if you suspect a member of your flock has this disease. Read on to find out more: Lymphoid Leucosis Also called Liver cancer, Liver disease, LL Prevalence Common Signs General signs - Fatigue, weakness, ruffled...

Depending on which chicken breed and color you order at My Pet Chicken, some will be guaranteed to be all Blue, Black, or Splash. At the same time, others will be hatched and sold as mixed flock colors including blue, black, and splash. How do Chickens get Blue Feathers? When a blue rooster and a blue hen reproduce, even though they're both blue, they only pass the blue gene to about half of their offspring. About 25% of their offspring will be black... and the last 25% or so will be splash. Blue: The genes for "blue" are actually more...

Hatching fertile eggs can be such a fun adventure! To increase your chance of a successful hatch, you may want to plan ahead and calibrate your hygrometer/thermometer. One of the most common problems during hatching is incorrect humidity and temperature in the incubator. Even a new hygrometer may not be properly calibrated, so it is better to check your equipment before starting a batch of eggs. To calibrate your hygrometer: Mix 1/2 cup of salt and 1/4 cup of water in a coffee cup or other small container. It will be a thick mixture. Put your thermometer/hygrometer into a large...

An apron fence is a fence that helps to keep out digging predators. But it isn't normally a special type of fence that you buy; it's more of a special way to install your fence. You can install a dug apron fence or a bent apron fence. For a dug apron fence, you might bury a foot or so of your fence in the ground... so if you buy a six foot fence, one foot of it would be buried, and the fence would be five feet high. When a predator like a rodent, dog, or fox tries to dig...

Depending on where you are in the country and how your coop is sited, you may occasionally have problems with mud in the run. There are worse things than a little mud from time to time, but if your chickens have no place to escape a mucky run, that means they are pooping in the mud, walking in the muddy poop, foraging in muddy, poopy soup... so ick. That is a formula for illness, and that fertile muck is a perfect place for bad things to grow: coccidia, worms---and worse. They definitely prefer a green pasture to a mud pit....

It's unlikely she'll starve, but even so, it's not unheard of for a hen to die on the nest. Remember, even when they're broody, they do get off the nest to eat and drink (often this happens at night, when you may not see it). After all, it wouldn't do momma hen or her chicks-to-be any good if she starves herself to death. But her instincts are designed so that she gets broody for about 21 days, the amount of time it takes for her eggs to hatch. However, in a backyard setting, her eggs may not even be fertile---or...

Scarce as hens' teeth." Have you ever heard that expression before? Of course, chickens don't have teeth... and that's a problem, since their diet consists of grains, seeds, grasses, insects and other things that need to be chewed. Nature solved this problem by giving chickens a gizzard where their food is ground up. But they sort of digest it backwards, at least from our perpective. We chew food and then it goes to the stomach. They get it to their stomachs and then chew it. Weird, right? Here's how it works: When chickens swallow food, it first goes into their...

The traditional way to manage bedding in the coop is to put a light layer of bedding down--for bedding recommendations, see the related questions below--and then change out the bedding once a day or once every few days. (How often you'll have to clean depends on how many chickens you're keeping in how much space.) It's pretty straightforward; you more or less clean it like a cat litter box. By contrast, in the deep litter method, you start with five or six inches of organic, compostable bedding such as pine shavings, and then simply add new bedding on top to...

A chicken coop is any structure in which your chickens shelter. In most areas of the country, a chicken coop is an enclosed space, but in warmer areas many people use a three sided coop to make sure it doesn't get too hot inside (the last side of the coop is usually secured with something like welded wire hardware cloth). A coop can be made of plastic, wood, metal or fiberglass. It can be made of recycled pallets, or it can be a re-purposed playhouse. It can be built by hand or purchased. Chicken coops usually contain nests for laying...

If you're longing to keep pet chickens, sometimes it's hard to even know where to begin your exciting chicken adventure. We're happy to help you get started with some helpful resources! First you might be interested in our glossary, just in case you're not familiar with common chicken terms. That glossary will help you as you read through the other resources we have for you. For instance, we have two free ebooks online, one on Chicken and Chick Care that is essential, and one on hatching eggs at home, that you'll want to read through if you plan to hatch...

If your bird has a large, reddish, swollen belly and but otherwise looks bluish, along with having respiratory issues like a cough, it's possible she has Ascites. Finding out the exact cause of the issue and the correct treatment will require the assistance of a qualified veterinarian. In many cases, providing a healthy environment for your flock can help protect them from ascites, so make sure you're doing that! Read on to find out more: Ascites Also called Pulmonary hypertension syndrome, waterbelly, fluid retained in abdomen Prevalence Uncommon, more common in meat-type breeds and varieties Signs General signs - Lethargy,...

We want to make sure your chicks arrive safe and sound. Most of the year, your smallest minimum order could be as low as only three chicks (based on your location and on how quickly the post office tells us your package will arrive), but during the winter months, your minimum order will be significantly higher in order to make sure the chicks stay warm and safe. The minimums in winter is just 8 chicks.

Sunflower seeds are a good treat for your chickens. They're widely available, chickens typically love them, and for a treat, they're quite nutritious. They contain methionine, for example, an important amino acid for birds. There is lots of vitamin E, too! And their high magnesium content is also a benefit for your flock's calcium metabolism and smooth muscle tone, both important in laying. But there are a couple different kinds of sunflower seed. Does it matter what kind of sunflower seed you offer your chickens? There are a few differences between striped and black oil sunflower seeds. Most particularly, black...

Birdseed mixes are usually too high in fat and too low in vitamins (especially when the mixes are high in millet and cracked corn) to meet the long-term nutritional needs of a laying flock. They're also way too low in calcium. Remember, modern domestic chickens lay lots of eggs year-round, while wild birds may lay only a few eggs a year, seasonally. So seed mixes designed for wild birds just won't make a good, well-balanced diet for your flock. Still, as an occasional treat, your chickens will love it! And many seeds are high in SOME vitamins and amino acids...

A comb is the fleshy (usually) red erectile tissue on top of a chicken's head. Different breeds have different combs. There are a few main comb types. A single comb is probably what you think of when you think of a chicken's comb. It has a single row of spiky fingers sticking up from a "blade." But all single combs are not alike. Some can be large and others quite small. Not only does it vary by breed, but it also varies by individual.This is why the size of a comb is not a good way to tell roosters from...

Are you going to need to refill your chicken waterer once a day... or once a week? You might be wanting to plan ahead for what size waterer you'll need for your new backyard flock. If you're thinking about this already, good for you! You'll be much happier if you've thought everything through and planned everything out, first. To choose the right waterer for you, it can be helpful to have a rough idea about how much your birds will drink. That said, many things will affect how much your flock will drink: larger birds will drink more. Birds not...

There ARE a lot of different terms for chicken, aren't there? It can be a little confusing, especially when you're just starting out. So let's define these terms. Male and female chicken terms Hen, rooster, roo, capon, chicks, peeps: You probably know the terms "hen" and "rooster," which refer to female chickens and male chickens respectively. "Roo" is just short for "rooster," and "capon" refers to a neutered rooster. What you may not know is that we don't normally refer to young chickens or chicks by those terms. A baby chick is not a hen or a rooster. "Hen" and...

Introducing new hens to an established flock can be tricky (see how to do that in the related questions below)---but luckily it's much easier to introduce chicks to chicks than it is adult chickens to adult chickens! This is because the drive to establish a pecking order doesn't start for a few weeks in baby chicks--usually not until they're 6 or more weeks old. Make sure you're getting chicks from an NPIP source like My Pet Chicken. If you're concerned about communicable illness due to either the source of the chicks or environmental factors (such as exposure en route), consider...

If the hen you need to handle runs from you every time you get near, what do you do--chase her around the yard and see who gets tired first? Well, you can try. But we don't recommend it. Your chickens can fly out of reach, after all. Then what are you going to do? Plus, there's just a much easier way. The easiest way to pick up a chicken who doesn't normally allow herself to be picked up is to simply wait until she settles down at night, and pick her up off the roost while she's sleeping. You'll want...

Sometimes people get the idea to keep an indoor pet chicken, or a "house chicken." It's not a good idea to keep them permanently indoors, though. Chickens are happiest when they have access to the outside. While we do sell chicken diapers, those are really meant to give you a way to keep your chicken temporarily inside. You may need to keep your chicken inside temporarily if you have someone who is injured and needs time to recover. But you don't want to keep chickens inside the house permanently; indoor pet chickens are just a bad idea. Firstly, it will...

Sometimes a chick will develop or hatch with a condition called curled toes or curly toes in one or both feet. Illustration for My Pet Chicken by Ray Yang It's possible that she has injured a foot--sometimes this can occur while she's in the egg as she's trying to position herself correctly for hatching. Sometimes the injury might occur after she's hatched. It can also be that she's suffering from a riboflavin deficiency, either from a deficient diet in the hen that laid her egg, or because she is not consuming enough herself. Another possibility, especially with at-home artificial incubation,...

Let's talk about Designer Chicken Breeds, Breeds, and Varieties, so you'll understand the differences in terminology.       Designer Chicken Breed There are two main differences between Designer Breeds and real Breeds: Designer chicken breeds will not breed true, and they are not American Poultry Association (APA) recognized. Not recognized A Designer chickens such as Favaucanas are not an APA-recognized chicken breed, the same way a Goldendoodle---crossing a Golden Retriever and a Poodle---is not an American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized dog breed. That is to say: they are recognized in the sense that you've probably heard of them, but Favaucanas and Goldendoodles...

Frizzles and sizzles are not breeds of chickens so much as they are words describing three very showy feather types that chickens can exhibit. Most pet chicken aficionados, for example, know what Silkies are. They are a breed of chicken with a feather type that is lacking in the barbicels that help the feather keep its tidy shape. So, silkie feathers end up looking very much like fur--and their feathers feel a lot like fur, too! The Silkie chicken breed is named after its feather type. This White Silkie is showing off her unique feather type. There are other unusual...

There is not a single answer to that question--it will depend on what your bird has been treated for. For instance, once you've treated for mites and your bird is no longer infested, it's safe to end the quarantine immediately. However, other illnesses like Coryza, even when the bird has recovered s/he may remain symptom-less carrier... a Typhoid Mary for your flock. Other illnesses may fall somewhere in between, with birds remaining infectious for some period of time but not forever. So when you consult with a veterinarian, make sure to ask this key question about your bird's particular diagnosis....

Yes, you CAN mix your feed at home. But that said, it's not very easy or inexpensive, as people who ask this question often seem to assume. For most people with small backyard flocks, purchasing a balanced base feed is much, much easier than buying 5 or 10 separate ingredients in bulk quantities of hundreds of pounds and blending them yourself. Do you have space to store all that safely? Will you use it up before it spoils? Do you want to spend a bunch of time mixing feeds? For most people, the answer is no. It's also a big...

Name: Bear Ursidae Description: Large mammals, most species are omnivorous. (Polar bears are mostly carnivorous, while pandas are mostly herbivores.) *Most bears weigh between 200-300 lbs, but some species can weigh as much as as much as 1,700 pounds. Distribution/Habitat: Found widely throughout the world. They tend to frequent more secluded places. While you may see occasional reports of bear incursions into towns, these are usually short-term visits where the bears are getting into garbage cans for scraps, for instance. Make sure to keep any food waste or garbage as secure as possible to avoid attracting any wild animals--not just...

Straight run chicks are an "as hatched" mix of male and female chicks. Over large numbers (hundreds or thousands), the hatching ratio of straight run orders averages out to be a 50-50 mix, but with small orders the ratio can vary considerably. For instance, if you were to order eight straight run chicks, you will get between zero and eight roosters and between zero and eight hens--there is no way to tell. Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst! So keep in mind that it's possible to order 8 straight run chicks and end up with 8...

A chicken's hackle feathers are the feathers around the neck. These feathers can sometimes be showy in roosters. People that "fly tie" (for trout fishing) usually use long, slender hackle feathers from a rooster. Hackles are actually differently shaped in hens and roosters. Rooster hackles are longer and pointier. But don't be fooled. Hen hackles can look a little pointy, too. However they're not as thin or as long as rooster feathers. Take a closeup look at hen hackles: Now here's a closeup of rooster hackles to compare: Notice that you can really tell more of a difference in the...

A chicken's crop is a part of her digestive system, and is located on her breast. You see it in the illustration below, closest to the front. When it fills up with food, it may stick out a little bit. It will be smaller in the morning before she has eaten, and larger after she is full. The crop or craw holds food before it goes further down their digestive tract. Chickens basically store food in their crops; it is like a chicken lunchbox. Then it moves into the stomach or proventriculus and gets soaked with digestive juices, before finally...

No, grass clippings would be bad for your flock. Most people will find this advice counter-intuitive, because chickens love to eat grasses, right? However, when chickens eat grass, they nip off of the tip of the blade; they eat tiny pieces, a little at a time. Putting a big pile of lawn clippings will give them longer pieces that they'll eat too much of, all at once. What can happen is that the long, fibrous strands from the mower get bound up in the digestive system and cause a blockage. They can get tied in knots that won't pass, and...

It really depends on what you grow. The leaves of nightshade-family veggies such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and the like are not good for your chickens any more than they're good for you. On the other hand, your chickens may quite enjoy bits and bobs like chopped up beet tops, pea leaves, or carrot greens. They'll probably also enjoy your pumpkin seeds---that is, if you don't toast them up for yourself. And they always seem to enjoy the leftover watermelon rinds. If your tomato has been chewed on by a caterpillar, your chickens won't care! However, you won't want...

Yes, but you probably won't want to add too much, too often. There may be some entertainment value in adding a few fallen leaves sparingly to your run, because your flock will enjoy scratching through them to look for bugs. If you scatter some treats through them as well, their excitement may also entertain you! However, chickens won't eat fallen leaves, so they aren't something to forage on directly. And in too much quantity, fallen leaves in your run can cause problems. Why? Well, for one thing, they don't make good bedding, since they're not absorbent. In many cases, they...

A chicken whose tail always twists to one side has "wry tail." This is a condition that is exactly what it sounds like: your chicken's tail is held at a wry angle when in a relaxed position. It's a little crooked, like someone might have a crooked finger or a crooked nose. Wry tail is almost always genetic and not a cause for concern in terms of life quality. It causes no pain to your bird, and will not negatively affect your bird's life. Even though wry tail will not negatively affect your bird, it is still considered a fault...

A droppings tray is a great coop feature, if yo're lucky enough to have it! It's like a shallow drawer in your coop that can be pulled out and dumped or scraped to make for quick and easy cleaning. This prevents you fram having to scoop or shovel out dirty bedding. Droppings tray The droppings tray usually located under roosting poles, because that's where most of the mess occurs (your flock remains on the roosts for long periods at night). In smaller coops, it may make up the entire floor! Again, just pull out your droppings tray, then turn out...

"Fancy feathering" refers to unusual feathering that some varieties of chickens have. There are different types of fancy feathering. Crestedness, for example, is when a chicken has a crest or puff of feathers on the head. Rumplessness refers to a chicken that naturally (not from plucking or molting) has no tail. Araucanas are rumpless. Tuftedness refers to feathers up near the ears. They grow out of a fleshy nub called the peduncle. Note that tuftedness is a fatal gene; that means that chickens that get two copies of the gene typically die in the egg before they hatch. Since tuftedness...

Chickens have a much higher body temperature than humans do. Normal chicken body temperature ranges from about 105 to 107 degrees Fahrenheit. Just as with humans, it can vary a little depending on time of day, wither the chicken is stressed, or whether she's eaten recently. Only take the temperature of adult chickens, not baby chicks. If your chicken seems ill and you want to check her temperature, you can do it by yourself, but it's really much easier with assistance: one person can hold your hen still, while the other can use the thermometer. Please get assistance if possible....

Candling is the process of shining a bright light into an egg to have a look at the contents. It used to be done with a candle in a dark room, but now high intensity light can be used in a darkened box. For instance, here is Brinsea's egg candler: Commercially, eggs are candled to make sure they are free of blood or meat spots. This is why, incidentally, white eggs used to be the most popular type of commercial egg. It's not just a matter of finding a high production, breed, but also of easy examination to make sure...

The bloom, cuticle, or cuticula is a natural protective covering of an that helps keep bacteria from invading the porous shell. It also helps to regulate the loss of moisture from the egg. It is a thin coating and will be removed if you wash the egg.

Bedding or litter is the material added to the coop floor and nest box in order to absorb odor and droppings and provide a soft surface for your chickens to walk on. The most common material that works well is wood shavings. There are other materials that can be used, though. Please read about good choices in the related questions below.

A spur is a horny growth on a chicken's legs, right above the toes. In most breeds, roosters are the only ones who grow spurs. Roosters use their spurs as weapons. Rooster spur Older hens can sometimes grow spurs, too. In baby chicks, you can usually see small spur buds in both males and females.

A bantam chicken is a smaller version of a regular chicken. Bantam chickens are typically one-fourth to one-fifth the size of standard chicken breeds.

The Latin name for chicken is Gallus gallus domesticus. In fact, all breeds of chicken, no matter how schmancy, are the same species!

A dust bath is essentially a "bath" your birds will take in dry dirt. They'll flop around looking as if they're dying. But don't be alarmed! They're okay. They might even be blissfully happy. They're tossing dust into their feathers, which helps to repel external parasites like mites or lice. If you're wondering how they get a dust bath, well... they'll create their own in most cases! If they have access to an outdoor space, they'll find a corner or go under a bush and wallow out their own dust bath. You can also provide your chicken with a dust...

Starter, grower, finisher, layer, and developer are all considered "complete feeds" to offer your chickens, but they come in different varieties,depending on your chicken's current needs. In other words, it's a lot like purchasing dog food for your dog or cat food for your cat. You may start your new pup on puppy feed, then move to an adult feed, and years later give him a feed designed for senior dogs. With a cat, you may start with kitten feed, and from there go to adult feed, or even hairball formulas. You might get grain free--or you might find they...

In the modern day, factory farm chickens are kept for laying or meat production. Laying breeds, or "layers," tend to produce impressive quantities of large eggs and use most of their resources for egg production. Layers may also be called "production breeds," because they are kept specifically for the purpose of egg production. By contrast, "meat birds," often called "broilers," are large-bodied and grow extraordinarily fast. Many are just 6 weeks old when they are processed. "Processed" is a nice way of saying, "killed and butchered for market." So, a dual-purpose breed is generally regarded as a chicken breed that...

Incubation is similar to "gestation" in animals that give live birth. It's the process in which the embryo in a fertilized egg develops into a baby and hatches out. Successful incubation of chicken eggs requires heat, humidity---and time. Incubating chicken eggs takes 21 days. A hen will incubate or set on her eggs when she is "broody." Her body temperature and the conditions in the nest provide the appropriate conditions to hatch baby chicks. If you don't have a broody hen to incubate your eggs, you might use an automatic incubator to provide the appropriate environment. Those can range from...

A roost is a perch for a chicken---what s/he sleeps on, usually a branch, pole, or board that is elevated. It also refers to the act of resting on it: roosting. Here you can see a roost through the chicken pophole door of this coop. Chickens don't have grasping feet the way songbirds do, for instance, so chickens prefer a flat surface. Even an elevated 2 x 4, with planed, sanded, or slightly rounded edges work nicely. Round poles or branches are okay, too, but they should be on the larger side. Whatever you do, be sure not to use...

The word sexing simply refers to the process by which chicks are sorted into males and females. Chicks are not easy to tell apart because they don't have external sex organs like puppies are kittens... or cows, goats, sheep, horses, etc. So only experts with years of special training can "vent sex." They do that by looking at minute details of the birds' cloaca, and even then there's a chance that a baby chick can be sexed incorrectly. Read the related questions for details. Autosexing refers to breeds or varieties of chickens where the males and females hatch out with...

The word "coop" simply refers to the structure that your chickens live in. A run refers to the enclosed part of the chickens' area that is outside, ideally with access to pasture. In hot dry areas, sometimes coops are three-sided, with the fourth wall made of welded wire for security against predators. The "missing" wall provides extra ventilation and makes sure the coop doesn't get too hot inside. In cold areas, they can be quite small. A coop can be a purpose-built structure or a converted shed or building, made of wood, plastic, adobe, etc. They can be large or...

Wattles are the red flaps of tissue that hang down beneath a chicken's throat. Wattles can be large or small, or mostly nonexistent. Bearded birds, for example, have very small wattles hidden in the fluff of their faces. Wattles are thought to be there as one of the ways that chickens can help cool themselves down and regulate their body temperatures. Note: "Wattles" - what she flutters when she Talks, and "waddles" - what she Does when she walks! A chicken's earlobes are generally smaller and further back along the sides of his or her head.

A Poultry Show or exhibition is very much like a dog show. Breeders and fanciers, and sometimes 4-Hers, bring their best chickens to show them at the exhibition and have them judged according to "breed standards," in other words by what the American Poultry Association (APA) says the ideal bird of that breed is like. (Did you know that a lot of the photos you see on our website come from special breeding lines at poultry shows?)  APA breed standards outline what color feathers, legs, skin, earlobes and so on the ideal bird should have. It also points out if...

"Pecking order" is the social hierarchy of the chicken flock. Those at the top of the pecking order get the best nesting spots and roosting spots, for instance... and those at the bottom get what's left. Small flock with plenty of space This arrangement works out well so long as there is plenty of space on roosts, in nests, and plenty of food and water for everyone. If there is not enough, then the girls at the low end get picked on, and may not be getting enough to eat and drink. Always make sure your chickens have more than...

A setter is a hen who will hatch her eggs. A non-setter is a hen who will not hatch eggs. The vast majority of chicken breeds will occasionally go "broody," meaning they will set their eggs and try to hatch them. However, a "setter" usually refers to a breed (or a specific hen) that frequently goes broody. Orpingtons and cochins are setters, for instance. Buff Orpington Hen Some high production breeds like Rhode Island Reds and Leghorns seldom if ever go broody and want to set eggs. Those are non-setters. Which is best just depends on your perspective. If you...

A nest box is an enclosed area meant to give chickens a place they feel comfortable laying their eggs.Chickens generally prefer darkened, cozy places where they feel safe. We say "generally," here, because new layers may not understand what their instincts are telling them to do. Many lay an egg or two on the floor. Some feel like they need to find a spot outside the coop to lay (such as under your porch!), and so on. It may take some time and effort to "teach" them to lay in the coop. And some may always prefer to lay in...

A Showgirl is a type of chicken that combines the features of two of the weirdest-looking chicken breeds, Silkies and Turkens! Silkies are small chickens whose feathers lack the barbicels that hold them into a feather shape, so they look (and feel) like they're covered with fur rather than feathers. Silkies also have black skin, a dark beak and eyes, a dark purple (mulberry) comb and turquoise earlobes. Turkens, or naked necks, are regular large fowl chickens that don't have any feathers on their necks, so they bear a passing resemblance to small turkeys. Showgirls look as if they combine...

A waterer is simply the vessel or system you use to provide water for your birds. Waterers may be basic and made from plastic or metal. Here is our best-selling chick waterer. They may be designed for use with nipples or cups. Waterers designed to accommodate bucket heaters are very handy if your temps regularly drop below zero. For that matter, a waterer could be a large bowl or dish---but we don't recommend that, really. In general, you want a chicken's waterer to be difficult to topple over, and designed to keep scratched up bedding out of the water so...

A "wormer" is a medication used to help rid your chickens of infestations of internal parasites like round worms or other worms, the same way you might use a wormer for your dogs or cats. However, if you are eating your chickens' eggs - and medications can be transmitted through the eggs - there are only certain types of wormers that should be used, and you may have an "egg discard" period, where you have to throw away any eggs laid (so you're not getting low doses of wormer, too!). Some wormers do not have a discard or "withdrawal" period...

Hackles, sickles, saddles: these are all terms referring to different types of chicken feathers. "Hackles" are the feathers around the neck. Here's a photo of a rooster with its hackles up: With roosters, the hackles are long and thin. For instance, here's a rooster. He has hackle feathers around his neck, but if you look closely, you'll see they are far more magnificent, iridescent even, although they're not a spectacular color. When roosters face off with an opponent, all their hackles will stand up in order to make themselves look larger and more intimidating. If you say something "got your...

Prepare yourself for this: a chicken's vent is the opening where she expels waste AND the opening from which she lays her eggs. It's all one thing--eww, gross! It's actually not quite as shocking as you might think. You can see here that the intestinal tract and the reproductive tract ARE separate things in your chicken. They just end up venting from the same opening, the vent, which is under your chicken's tail. You can't quite see the vent in this photograph; it's just below the tail and just above the "fluff" (the soft feathers around her rear end). "Cloaca"...

Yes, we're happy to cancel or change an order of fertile hatching eggs provided you let us know by the week before your scheduled ship week. Since we ship eggs any day from Monday to Saturday, if you want to cancel or change your order for fertile hatching eggs, that must be done by the previous Monday. As you remember from checkout, your order cannot be cancelled (or changed) later than that date. Be sure to have your order number at hand so we can find your order to cancel it. In addition, you should be aware that you may...

When you're looking at fencing or hardware cloth for your flock's enclosure, you may run into the term "wire gauge," and wonder that that is, and which is best! Wire gauge is essentially just a measurement of how thick the wire is. In terms of fencing here in the US, the LOWER the gauge, the thicker the wire. Thicker wire, of course, is sturdier and will provide more predator protection, because predators will be less likely to be able to tear through it. On the other hand, thicker wire will also be harder to manipulate, and will require a lot...

Well, it's true that if you leave chicken feed out where mice can get to it, it's possible that some may show up to eat the feed, just as they would if you left any sort of feed out (such as dog food or cat food or wild bird seed). And it's also true that you don't want a mouse or other rodents pooping in your chicken feed. But will they bother the chickens? Uh, not likely. Observe: Chickens are omnivores. If you think about it, you know they eat insects. But what you might not realize is that they'll...

That's a little like asking for the best brand of jeans. In other words, most major brands are going to be fine, and what's "best" will depend on you and your needs. It will be a matter of what is convenient to purchase, what the cost is, and maybe a matter of how well something "fits" your flock and your family. If you want organic, non-GMO feed, a regular feed just won't be a good fit for you (and our organic poultry feeds certainly fit the bill!). Some flocks prefer pellets; others prefer mash. Some breeds convert feed efficiently and...

BBS stands for "Blue-Black-Splash." But that doesn't tell you a whole lot, either, if you don't know how the genetics of blue plumage colors works! When you breed a blue bird to a blue bird, about 50% of the offspring will be blue (a grey color), 25% will be black, and 25% will be splash (a white or pale grey color with splashes of darker grey and black). So, when you order BBS Cochin chicks, for example, you'll receive a mix of blue, black, and splash colors. To get 100% blue birds, you would want to breed black to splash....

Well, it helps to start with good stock. Have a look at our special lines that are more likely to produce show quality prospects. You may also find good lines with specialized breeders. Just keep in mind that even with the very best lines, not every bird is going to be a winner of shows, not even for experienced exhibitors. Once you've got your stock, you'll want to provide high-quality food, and you may even want to weigh your birds frequently as they grow to make sure they're putting on weight fast enough---but not too fast! Make sure you're familiar...

Virulent Newcastle Disease (VND) is no joke. It is easily spread among birds (wild and domestic), and once it is contracted, even birds that survive continue to be carriers of the virus, endangering all the birds around them. Because of this, VND is a reportable disease for which euthanasia is recommended. Read on to find out more:  Virulent Newcastle Also called Pseudo-plague, Asiatic Newcastle, VVND, NVND, VND, Velogenic Newcastle, VN, Pneumoencephalitis, formerly called Exotic Newcastle Prevalence Rare Signs General signs Sudden death with no prior symptoms, or respiratory signs with a neurological component, including paralysis or partial paralysis of limbs,...

Domestic Newcastle Also called Newcastle Disease, Avian Distemper, Pseudofowl, ND, Parainfluenza, Fake Flu Prevalence Common Signs General signs - Coughing, sneezing, wheezing, lack of appetite, lethargy, huddling near heat source and fluffed-up down. Mucousy nares (nostrils). Occasionally layers exhibit a drop in laying and misshapen eggs. Some birds show signs of neurological disorders about two weeks after the respiratory illness. Mortality is low in backyard flocks with an owner who can isolate a bird until recovery. In large commercial flocks without close supervision, birds showing neurological symptoms can get picked to death. Cardinal or diagnostic signs - Lab ID, or...

Avian Infectious Bronchitis is a respiratory illness that results in death in about 5% of the birds that contract it, and may cause a permanent reduction in laying or reduce the quality of eggs in hens that survive it. As with all avian diseases, practicing good biosecurity will go a long way toward protecting your birds from this virus. Read on to find out more. Avian Infectious Bronchitis Also called IB, IBV, Infectious Bronchitis, Cold Prevalence Common Signs General signs Coughing, sneezing, lack of appetite, lethargy, huddling near heat source and fluffed up down. Mucousy eyes or nares (nostrils). Thirst...

NPIP stands for National Poultry Improvement Plan, and it's a voluntary certification system that poultry breeders and hatcheries can participate in. (Our hatchery and all breeders associated with My Pet Chicken are NPIP certified.) Essentially, NPIP certification means you submit the birds in your breeding flock to regularly scheduled testing to assure they are Pullorum-Typhoid-free. While NPIP participation is voluntary, typically states have certification or monitoring requirements if you want to ship birds into that state, so large hatcheries all participate. (At the time of this writing, we don't know of a major hatchery that isn't NPIP certified.) Pullorum and...

As you probably know by now, it's not a good idea -- at all -- to simply give chickens a bowl of water like you would a dog or a cat. They'll dirty it; they'll step in it and tip it over; they may even unintentionally poo in it. Here are 7 important questions to ask yourself when choosing a waterer for your flock: How many thirsty birds do you have? You need to make sure there is adequate access to water for all the birds in your flock. If you have a large flock but only one small waterer,...

Yes, we're happy to cancel or change an order of juvenile chickens provided you let us know by the week before your scheduled ship week. For juvenile chickens, if you want to cancel or change your order, that must be done by the Thursday before the shipping week. As you remember from checkout, your order cannot be cancelled (or changed) later than that date. Be sure to have your order number at hand so we can find your order to cancel it. In addition, you should be aware that you may be charged a $5 order cancellation fee. If you've...

A lash egg is less of an egg than it is a roughly egg- or sausage-shaped exudate, consisting of thickened pus and other materials. It is probably the grossest egg your hen will ever lay, and will often look like cheesy, bloody strata or other matter arranged in strappy, skin-like layers. You may think she's expelled an internal organ. Ew. Seriously.  If your hen lays a lash egg, it means she is sick with salpingitis, which is an infection of the oviduct. Please take her to a veterinarian immediately.

If your hen lays a lash egg (something you won't soon forget--they're pretty gross!), you can be pretty sure that she has Salpingitis, meaning her oviduct is infected. This is really bad news for your hen and may be fatal, and she could continue to be a carrier even if she recovers! Read more to find out more about this disease: Salpingitis Also called Inflammation of the oviduct, infection of the oviduct Prevalence Common Signs General signs: No or mild signs in adult birds, including lethargy, loss of appetite, drop in laying, yellow poo, wheezing, coughing, sneezing, discharge from nares...

Well, let's start with the idea that we literally count our chickens before they've hatched. :) The exhortation against doing that is pretty good advice... unless you're a hatchery or breeder! Then it's your business to predict how many eggs your chickens will lay and how many of those will hatch, AND how many of each sex you'll get. So because these are all estimates, we're pretty conservative in our predictions, because we don't want to disappoint our customers if possible. It's understandably disappointing if you've ordered some Silkies, for instance, and after the long wait when hatch day comes,...

Ew, yuck! But yes: just as bed bugs can feed on dogs and cats, they can feed on chickens, too. It's a particular problem with chickens in factory farms, moreso than small backyard flocks, because birds kept commercially are often crowded into spaces without enough room, and which aren't kept clean. But here's the thing: cleaning isn't the answer if you end up with bedbugs in your house. You can't clean them out of your house or coop. Bedbugs are extraordinarily difficult to get rid of---many pesticides are not effective on them---so an infestation really requires professional help. The good...

First, we're so sorry to hear about the loss of your chicken. Losing any pet is hard, but there's something about having a bird who begs for pets and wants to snuggle on your lap that's just a little magical---the loss can feel completely devastating. And there's no magic bullet, either. Nothing we can say can make the loss of a pet hurt any less. Pet chickens are as much members of the family as other pets are. We empathize. We all keep chickens, so we have all lost chickens before, too. Recently, one employee lost every chicken but one...

In your backyard flock, quarantine is the act of isolating a chicken or chickens who has been potentially or actually exposed to contagious illness from the rest of your flock. When you introduce new chickens into your established flock, for example, you must quarantine the new chickens for four weeks from the rest of your flock. You don't want them to share feeders, waterers, or even the same air. You also want to be careful not to carry anything between the flocks on your person (on your shoes, for example) during this time. Hens in the Hen Pen Chicken run...

Harmful bacteria are the cause of many chicken (and human) diseases. In the case of Infectious Synovitis, the most recognizable sign of the disease is lameness, swollen legs, or legs or feet that are hot to the touch. Infectious Synovitis is a serious disease that is rare--thankfully!--because of today's standards of monitoring of commercial flocks and hatcheries. You can read on to find out more: Infectious Synovitis Also called Mycoplasmosis (one form), MS, big hock disease, enlarged hocks Prevalence- Once common in commercial flocks of "broilers" (chickens raised for meat), now quite rare due to NPIP monitoring. Low mortality, however...

Chickens with advanced stages of dry fowl pox look completely miserable (scroll down and you'll see some potentially upsetting pictures!), but thankfully, this viral disease is rarely fatal. It can spread quickly from bird-to-bird in your flock, however, so you'll need to practice quarantine if you see signs of fowl pox in your flock. Read on to find out more. Fowl Pox (Dry) Also called Fowl pox, sore head, cutaneous pox, dry pox Prevalence Common Signs General signs - Scabby, discolored, swollen bumps on face, eyes. Cardinal or diagnostic signs - Pox spread from bird to bird, unlike simple injuries....

Imagine having chicken pox in your mouth and throat! Though the virus that causes wet fowl pox is different from the one that causes chicken pox in humans, the symptoms appear similar--just inside the bird's mouth and throat rather than on the skin. The poor birds that get this disease must feel miserable! Thankfully, you can take practical steps to help protect your flock from getting this virus. Read on to find out more. Fowl Pox (Wet) Also called Fowl Diphtheria, diphtheritic pox, ILT Prevalence Common, but less so than Dry Pox Signs General signs - Scabby bumps on face,...

"Laryngotracheitis" simply means inflammation of the larynx and trachea--in this case caused by a highly-contagious virus. The virus cannot be spread to humans, but can be spread from bird-to-bird very quickly. As with all diseases, you may need a vet's care to get a reliable diagnosis, but practicing good biosecurity, keeping your flock relatively stress-free, and sanitizing your coop and run area may help keep your flock from getting this virus and/or spreading it around. Read on to find out more... Infectious Larygotracheitis Also called Avian Diphtheria, Laryngo, ILT Prevalence Common Signs General signs - General signs of respiratory illness...

If your hen has gone broody, that means she wants to hatch eggs. She'll puff up and stay in the nest---even if the eggs in there aren't fertile (she has no way of knowing), and even if there are no eggs in there at all. Plus, she'll stop laying eggs, because her body is telling her it's time to hatch some! "Breaking" a hen of broodiness means you shake her out of the "obsession" with the nest box, shaking out of the idea of hatching. Many hens will end broodiness on their own, but some are particularly stubborn (their hormonal...

No, even if the lawn treatment may be safe for dogs and cats, it won't necessarily be safe for your pet chickens. Remember, dogs and cats are not foraging the lawn like your chickens are. Even if they nibble on a piece of grass, your lawn is just not going to be a large part of your dogs' or cats' diet! If you're doing a pelleted treatment, your chickens may be foraging those pellets out of there! And if it's a sprayed treatment, they could be eating whatever has been sprayed on. Sometimes lawn treatments include things like weed-specific herbicides,...

All about Blackhead disease|Blackhead disease isn't likely to actually turn your chickens' heads black (thankfully!). In fact, it is much more likely to affect turkeys (wild or domestic) than your chickens. Interestingly enough, in history there were apparently some cases of turkeys whose heads actually did turn black because of this disease. Caused by a protozoan, it's important to keep your flock on a regular worming schedule to protect them from this disease. Read on to find out more: Blackhead Also called Enterohepatitis, histomoniasis Prevalence Common in turkeys, rare in chickens Signs General signs - Sometimes no symptoms. Other times,...

It's always a good idea for chicks to have a lot of protein in their diet, right? Not necessarily! Infectious Bursal Disease is more prevalent in flocks that are fed high-protein (24%) feed. It can cause illness and death, especially in chicks that are are 3 - 6 weeks of age, so keep a close eye on your babies when they're that age! Keep reading to find out more: Infectious Bursal Disease Also called IBD, Gumboro Prevalence Common in large flocks Signs General signs - Fluffed feathers, general lethargy, loss of appetite, illness/deaths usually at 3 - 6 weeks of...

Marek's disease is a dreaded illness that can be contracted by chickens nearly anywhere in the world. It is almost always fatal, and even birds that survive will be continue to be carriers their entire life. Most healthy birds are capable of fighting off the virus so symptoms do not develop, but in times of stress the virus may overwhelm their defenses and they may become symptomatic. We offer a vaccination for Marek's disease, which can greatly reduce mortality in a flock if the disease is contracted. Read on to find out more. Marek's Disease Also called Neurolymphomatosis, MD, range...

Unlike most diseases, Encephalomalacia (try saying that three times quickly!), is not caused by a virus, bacterium, or fungus. Also known as "crazy chick disease," it is caused by a Vitamin E deficiency which results in neurological damage over time. You can keep this from ever happening to your flock by making sure they have free choice access to nutritionally-complete feeds appropriate to their age. Read on to find out more: Encephalomalacia Also called Crazy chick disease Prevalence Rare, particularly so in backyard flocks with access to pasture. Signs General signs - Sudden loss of balance, circling, head shaking or...

Nutritional Myopathy--which can cause chickens to have muscular degeneration or slowed growth--is caused by a lack of vitamin E, along with a deficiency of methionine and cysteine in a flock's diet. To prevent this from happening to your flock, make sure you feed them a complete, nutritionally-balanced feed, and not just scratch or kitchen scraps. Read on to find out more. Nutritional Myopathy Also called White muscle disease, Nutritional Muscular Dystrophy Prevalence Uncommon Signs General signs - Muscular degeneration, slow growth. Cardinal or diagnostic signs - Muscular degeneration occurs primarily in breast and legs. Necropsy shows white muscle striations. Cause/s...

When feed gets wet, it can grow mold or other fungi that can produce toxins that are dangerous or even deadly for chickens. When a bird ingests those toxins, the result can be Mycotoxicosis, which can produce varied symptoms among your flock. The simplest preventative? Keep your feed dry. Read on to find out more information: Mycotoxicosis Also called Aflatoxicosis, Aflatoxicosis, Ergotism, Fusariotoxicosis, Oosporein Mycotoxicosis, other mycotoxicoses (consumption of toxins produced by fungi) Prevalence Sporadic Signs General signs - Various, depending on the type of toxins ingested, but often watery droppings, egg quality issues, lesions, slowed growth or weight loss....

Giving your flock plenty of space and a clean, dry, coop and run area with little stress is more than just a luxury for your birds; it's also a great way to help protect them against many diseases, including Spirochetosis. Spirochetosis can be caused by the Brachyspira or the Borrelia bacterium. Both are treatable using antibiotics--under a veterinarian's care. This article examines the type caused by Brachysprira bacteria: Fowl Spirochetosis (Brachyspira) Also called AIS, Avian Intestinal Spirochetosis, Avian Spirochetosis Prevalence Common in some areas Signs General signs - Sometimes no symptoms. Other times, symptoms may include lack of appetite, lethargy,...

Spirochetosis is a tick-born bacterial disease that is rare in the United States (thankfully!). Spirochetosis can be caused by the Brachyspira or the Borrelia bacterium. Both are treatable using antibiotics--under a veterinarian's care. This article examines the type caused by Borrelia bacteria: Fowl Spirochetosis (Borrelia) Also called AIS, Avian Intestinal Spirochetosis, Avian Spirochetosis Prevalence Uncommon in North America, but more so in the south because the primary tick that spreads the disease prefers a warm climate. Climate change is likely to make this infection more common in the future. Signs General signs - Sometimes no symptoms. Other times, symptoms may...

A chicken run is the fenced or enclosed outdoor space you provide for your chickens. The coop is the indoor space---where they go to sleep on their roost and lay eggs in their nests---and the run is the outdoor space, where they may sun bathe or dust bathe, forage in garss and scratch in the dirt. In general, you want to provide your chickens a MINIMUM of about 10 square feet per bird of space overall, split between the coop and the run. The more space the better! Since chickens prefer to spend most of their time outdoors foraging in...

The "run" is a fenced or enclosed yard space you give your flock outdoors, where they can forage, sunbathe and generally engage in all the chicken-y behaviors that make them happy. The more space your flock has, the better! With lots of space, your flock will be less stressed. A large outdoor run area can also help balance a small coop. When your flock is concentrated into a very small area, they have more of a tendency to pick on one another and squabble. A larger RUN helps this situation far more than a larger COOP, because it's the run...

Like with any animal, this can depend on the particular bird. That said, roosters are sort of like human males: they will probably be fertile most of their lives! And if you have a great rooster, it makes sense to allow him to fertilize eggs for as long as possible to pass on those good genes. Black Frizzle Bantam Rooster If you're worried about whether your rooster is fertilizing eggs, just check your eggs to see if they're fertile. If they are mostly fertile, your rooster is doing his job!

Airsacculitis--or inflammation of the air sac--can be caused by many different bacteria and will present symptoms in chickens that look something look bronchitis or pneumonia in humans. There are many other respiratory illnesses that present similar symptoms, however, so it's always a good idea to get a veterinarian's assessment to make sure you have the proper diagnosis and treatment plan for your bird. Read on to find out more: Airsacculitis Also called Air sac disease, air sac infection, air sac syndrome, sac disease Prevalence Common Signs General signs - Coughing, loss of appetite, nasal discharge, weight loss or stunted growth,...

The right protein content in your feed is super important for raising a healthy flock--and commercial rations are probably the easiest way to get the right amount, as well as the right nutrition for your birds. But if that's true, why do different brands have different levels of protein, and what amount in best? There's variation because there's an ideal range of protein content, AND because the range varies based on your birds' ages. Ideal protein for laying breeds based on age Chicks up to 6 weeks old: 20% - 22% protein 7 weeks to point of lay: 14% -...

Sometimes you'll get a brood of chicks and notice that while many have grown in most of their feathers by eight weeks or so, one or two are slow feathering and seem delayed. It can be concerning, especially for first-time chicken moms and dads! It's usually nothing to be concerned about. Genetically, some breeds feather out more slowly than others. Breeds/crosses used for meat in particular tend to have slow-growing feathers, along with Brahmas, Cochins, Cornish, Rocks, and Orpingtons. In addition, breeds or crosses designed to be feather-sexed often have slow-feathering, so you may see it in sex-links like black...

Many chicken keepers prefer nipple drinkers over conventional style drinkers for reasons of convenience and cleanliness. Nipple waterers involve so much less cleaning and are so much easier to refill, that they're quickly becoming the watering method of choice for backyarders. Nipple watering systems mean no more (daily? weekly?) cleaning a gunky mess of dirt, poo, and soiled wood shavings out of your watering trays! Whether you're starting baby chicks on nipples from day one, or whether you want to get your grown flock on nipples, there are a few important training considerations. Step one: Make sure you've got enough...

When your chicken is showing neurological symptoms, there are a number of chicken illnesses that could be causing the problem. We know how worrisome it can be when a pet chicken is sick! Here's a quick overview of the most common chicken illnesses that cause neurological symptoms, including symptoms that may be mistaken for neurological. Please click on the links for more details about each illness. Chicken illnesses with neurological symptoms Avian Encephalomyelitis - Symptoms of this chicken illness loss of coordination, inability to stand, head shaking and other neurological issues Botulism - Symptoms of this chicken illness can include...

There are a number of possible reasons your chickens are not laying eggs. Let's look at a brief overview of reasons to give you some ideas, and you can click on each possibility for more details and a more in-depth discussion. Reasons your chickens are not laying Your hens may not be laying because they are too young. Your hens may not be laying because they are very old. Your hens may not be laying because it's wintertime. Your hens may not be laying because they're molting feathers. Your hens may not be laying because they're broody. Your hens may...

It's always a good idea to seek out an avian or farm veterinarian BEFORE you get chickens, so you'll know where to turn in case of any emergency or health crisis. Rather than calling every vet clinic around, we recommend you go straight to the source: the Association of Avian Veterinarians website. Here you can enter your location and you will be shown a list of avian vets in your area. If there are no avian or farm veterinarians near you, or they're not taking new clients, we're happy to recommend our friends at VetTriage. They're trained, licensed veterinarians who...

Exactly 157. (Just kidding!) Actually, how many eggs a chicken lays a year depends on a lot of things, but especially on the breed of your chicken and her age. For instance, young Leghorns may lay 300 eggs per year. Young Cochins may lay only 100 or so. Sumatras may lay 50 or fewer. By breed, you can see a general idea of how many eggs chickens may lay per week here on My Pet Chicken's chicken breed list. But keep in mind that as the birds get older, they will lay fewer eggs. And some breeds are not great...

It seems like a strange question... but the answer is YES. Baby chicks can actually drown in a waterer, particularly if it is larger and designed for adult chickens, and particularly if the chick is very young and hasn't developed good coordination, yet, or if the chick is ill or weak. What happens is that a chick can jump into the water trough to drink, and then find the sides too high or slippery to get out. And even if the chick has not jumped into the waterer, baby chicks---like other babies---can sometimes just fall asleep where they stand. If...

Good flooring. You might hear that term a lot when you're getting set up for baby chicks or chickens: get good chicken coop flooring! And "Of course!" you think. "I want to use good flooring for my flock of chickens." But what exactly does that entail? Essentially, chickens need solid flooring with some traction, ideally with access to the ground so they can forage. What flooring NOT to use Wire coop flooring is bad for a few reasons. It can seem attractive, because it lets droppings pass right through. But adult birds are relatively heavy, and wire is hard on...

Chickens that lay blue eggs. There are several breeds of chickens---and some mixed breed crosses---that lay blue eggs, including Ameraucanas, Araucanas, and Cream Legbars. The eggs they lay may vary in color from a pale blue to a quite striking sky blue. Do keep in mind that many American hatcheries are pretty deceptive about what type of chicken you're getting. So you may be getting an Easter Egger (below), but they'll tell you you're buying a one of the blue-egg layers. Sometimes they'll purposefully misspell the name: Americauna, Americana, Aracana, etc. Not cool, you guys! Chickens that lay blue or...

Reportable diseases are chicken illnesses that are serious and communicable enough that in the U.S., you (and your vet) are required to report incidences to the National Animal Health Reporting System. Typically, these are illnesses that are very contagious, not only within your own flock, but may also travel from flock to flock in the air, or by wild birds and so on. They are difficult to control, often fatal, and may leave survivors as carriers. Below is an overview , a list of the reportable diseases in the US that affect chickens. You'll want a veterinarian's diagnosis to be...

When you're worried your new baby chicks are ill, there are a number of things that could be responsible! Here's a quick overview of the most common illnesses, conditions, and issues that may cause you concern with your new baby chicks. It is not an exhaustive list. Please click on the links for more details about each. Illnesses and conditions common to baby chicks Aspergillosis, or brooder pneumonia - Primary symptoms of this illness are respiratory. Brooder too hot or too cold - If chicks are too hot, they'll be as far from the heat source as possible and may...

When your chicken is showing respiratory symptoms, there are a number of chicken illnesses that could be causing the problem. We know how worrisome it can be when a pet chicken is sick! Respiratory symptoms in chickens can present as wheezing/whistling/rattling breath, watery or bubbly eyes, gasping, sneezing, blocked nares/nostrils, coughing, panting, head shaking (to try to clear the nares/nostrils), swollen face/eyes (indicating some swelling in the sinus passages), coughing blood, choking, and darkened comb/wattles (from not enough air). We've included here a quick overview of the most common chicken illnesses that cause respiratory symptoms, but understand that each illness...

There are many considerations to take into account when determining the best location for a chicken coop. Here are 10 tips that can help you find just the right spot:  1. Keep Your Coop Close to Your Home. If your coop is far away from your house, it's easy to lose interest in caring for your birds on a daily basis. There's no need to make chores more difficult! Therefore, position your coop close enough to the house for easy egg collection and daily care tasks. Yet far enough to keep any smells or flies away from the home. Also,...

The idea of "Bird Flu" (Avian Influenza), also known as AI, or Avian Flu, may strike fear in the minds of chicken keepers because of past outbreaks. When fear is involved, it is difficult to think rationally, so it's a good idea to get informed! Knowledge is power, right? The Centers for Disease Control remind us that "No animal or human infections with Asian H5N1 virus have occurred in the United States," and the USDA reminds us that in the United States, the 2022 strain of Eurasian H5 Avian Influenza has not infected any human. The major concern for backyard...

A "mule" duck is a sterile hybrid cross between a Muscovy and a Pekin. Because these two breeds have been genetically isolated for 50 million years, when you breed the two, you get some interesting results. Why cross these two breeds? We're glad you asked! In Europe and in Asia many mule ducks are produced because of their large size, quality liver, and reduced meat fat content. In fact, artificial insemination was developed in ducks because of the desire to produce mule ducks. If left to mate naturally, the fertility rate between Muscovies and Pekins is only 20-30%, but artificial...

Yes!--it is very important. As babies, ducklings and goslings need a surface they can grip until their leg muscles and hips are strong, just as with baby chicks. If the floor surface is too slippery, they can develop spraddle leg, a condition in which their hip muscles have not developed properly and they are not able to stand. To reduce the risk of spraddle leg, you will want to avoid slick flooring in incubator trays, transport carriers, and brooders. Also, do not use newspaper or cardboard flooring for the first week of their lives. The best bedding is wood shavings,...

Assuming that they have had proper care, lighter-weight duck breeds mature sexually at 17-24 weeks of age and begin laying eggs at that time. Heavier duck breeds usually start laying between 20-30 weeks of age. However, if they reach maturity during winter--just like chickens--ducks may delay laying until the days begin to lengthen and it warms up in the spring. Just before and during production, ducks may exhibit swollen abdomens, large, moist vents, and widely-spread pubic bones. In some breeds, you may see a darkening in feather color, and in others, the bill color may lighten. Normally, geese start laying...

Ducks are particularly prone to injuries to their legs and wings, so whenever you attempt to pick one up, make sure that you move deliberately and slowly, preferably not over rocky terrain. Ideally, you can slowly back them into a corner in their run area. If you have to, you can gently stop them using their necks as a "catching handle"--without squeezing--and once you've slowed them down, use one of these techniques: Lightweight and Bantam Ducks - Hook the base of their wings together behind their back with your thumb holding one wing and fingers holding the other. Then place...

Hatching eggs at school can be a rewarding and enlightening school project! In fact, the founder of My Pet Chicken was first charmed by chickens during a hatching project in grade school. After that project, she was a changed person! In her eight-year-old heart, she knew for a fact that she would keep chickens herself and help others adopt chickens when she grew up. And now, years later, you can see from our website how that turned out! So, at My Pet Chicken, we have a definite soft spot for schools who want to organize hatching projects. That said, though,...

Yes, ducks and geese make good pets! But it's important to remember that they are not dogs or cats - or even chickens! And that's some of the fun of keeping them--learning and loving their awesome quirkiness. Here are some reasons ducks and geese make great pets: Ducks and geese are entertaining! In addition to their natural charm, ducks and geese can be trained to play with toys, play games, do tricks, sit in your lap, and more. They may learn to enjoy a good stroke on the back or neck, and some will even pursue you, demanding to be...

Having a cute duck follow you around the house or a goose fly along beside your car as you run errands--it's a fun idea, right? After all, it's not every day that to see a duck in a truck or a pet goose on the loose. Wouldn't keeping just one waterfowl like this be fun? Well, yes...maybe. It's possible to keep just one duck or goose--especially if it has not grown up with other waterfowl--since on some level, it thinks it is human. Because ducks and geese are very social animals that can imprint on anyone that shows them attention...

Yes, it is genetically possible for any breed of duck to cross with any other breed of duck, and any goose breed can also cross with other breeds of geese. We are not aware of any verified, viable crosses between ducks and geese, however. Sometimes a goose will attempt to mate with a duck, or vice-versa, but even if they mate successfully, the resulting eggs would not be fertile. Each breed will likely prefer to mate with other breeds of similar size, but not always. It can be difficult for a larger bird to catch a smaller breed or for...

Yes! Ducks and geese can be outside during winter! They have a wonderful fluffy undercoating beneath their feathers called "down." Ever had a down jacket? It kept you toasty-warm, right? Ducks and geese get to wear that jacket all the time. Lucky birds, I know!In addition to their down feathers, ducks and geese have a layer of fat beneath the skin that provides even more insulation.    Tips for Managing your Ducks and Geese Outside During Winter Shelter: When conditions are the harshest, even the best winter coat may not be enough. If the temperature is going to be below...

With ducks, the process is usually simpler than when introducing chickens to each other. Normally, you can simply put ducks together and within a few days, they are fully integrated. That being said, make sure you watch them carefully at first. The alpha duck may be aggressive, especially during the spring and summer mating season. If possible, you may want to avoid adding new waterfowl during that time of year. "Welcome to the flock!" If the fighting is excessive, separate the newcomer, but keep the pens beside each other for a few days so they can see each other and...

While ducks and geese DO need fresh, clean drinking water, and ideally have ready access to a shallow area with "dipping" water (enough for them to dip their heads in to clean their beak, nostrils, and eyes)...they DO NOT require water deep enough for swimming. Ducks and geese love to swim, and they are EXTREMELY cute when they frolic and play in water (don't believe us?...then watch the "Ducklings enjoying bath time!" video in this article), but you are making some headaches for yourself if you provide them with continual access to swimming water. The biggest problem is what to...

Yes--potentially! But before you release a few ducks or geese onto your backyard pond, here are some things to consider:             A body of water can only sustain so many bodies! Having too many waterfowl on a pond can damage the pond's ecosystem, creating unhealthy living conditions. In particular, excessive numbers of ducks can speed bank erosion, as they use their bills to dig in the soft areas around the pond in search of food. Likewise, too many geese can defoliate and trample plants growing along the pond's banks. Generally speaking, no more than 8-15...

While geese generally get along well with one another, adding a new goose or gander to your gaggle can be a stressful time for them--and for you!--as they work out the new pecking order. Following the steps we outline here will help the transition go as smoothly as possible. After quarantining the new birds for four weeks, it will be time to integrate them into the flock. Thankfully, Reginald Appleyard (originator of the Appleyard duck breed), an experienced flock-keeper from the past, shared some great advice for handling goose introductions in his book, Geese: Breeding, Rearing, and Management, which was...

Frostbite occurs when the body becomes very cold and sends a signal to constrict blood vessels in the extremities in order to direct more blood to vital organs. Because the flow of blood and oxygen to the affected parts of the body--such as the comb, wattles, and feet--is disrupted, the tissue may eventually freeze. Frostbite may cause minor damage to just the tips of the comb, wattles, or toes, or it may be more extensive, causing loss of use to major body parts. There are three stages of frostbite: 1. First degree - minor, causes irritation of the skin 2....

Frostbite on chickens usually affects the comb, wattle, and feet. Read below to learn how to treat your chicken, and how to make sure your coop is set up properly with adequate ventilation. Frostbite occurs when the body becomes very cold and sends a signal to constrict blood vessels in the extremities in order to direct more blood to vital organs. Because the flow of blood and oxygen to the affected parts of the body--such as the comb, wattles, and feet--is disrupted, the tissue may eventually freeze. Frostbite may cause minor damage to just the tips of the comb, wattles,...

First--no worries about chlorinated water and your waterfowl flock; it will not harm them. So if your personal pet flock finds your pool, you don't have to be concerned about their safety, but you should probably worry about yours! Why? Animal poop can introduce harmful bacteria into a pool, including E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, or Cryptosporidium ("Crypto" for short). The good news is, most types of bacteria die very quickly when they come into contact with chlorine in a properly maintained pool. Crypto may last longer since it has a protective shell, but thankfully, according to the Centers for Disease...

It is extremely rare for a duck to attack a person. As prey animals, their main defense is to run or fly away. There is a much greater chance the child will hurt the duck than the duck will ever hurt the child. There are several videos online of ducks "attacking" people, including children, but in almost all cases, it is clear that these are wild ducks simply coming closer to get food that the humans are offering. This is normal behavior, as a duck must get closer to the food source in order to snag it before his flock-mate...

Well...melanin and xanthophyll, of course! In most cases, black spots on a duck's bill and legs are simply melanin skin pigment, which is not harmful in any way. The pigment is usually already present, but covered with xanthophyll--a yellow-colored pigment absorbed from feeds containing corn, alfalfa, and other feed ingredients. Xanthophyll is also found naturally in the leaves of green plants, egg yolks, fat, and skin. In mature breeder ducks, after they have been laying eggs for awhile, more xanthophyll is absorbed by the egg yolk than the duck can consume in her feed. When this happens, her bill and...

Baby ducks and geese are EXTREMELY cute, and they are generally easier to raise than chicks. Nevertheless, if you decide to add geese or ducks to your flock, it is important that you be well-prepared. Those cute little balls of fluff will be depending on you! Here are some tips to help you prepare for your new waterfowl flock: Before they arrive You are going to need a "brooder," which is just a designated place that provides the protection, feed, water, and warm environment they need their first few weeks of life. A brooder can be just a simple plastic...

Yes! Generally speaking, ducks, geese, and chickens (and most other types of fowl) get along really well with one another without too many issues, especially if they grow up together from the time they are very young and have plenty of space in their coop and exercise area. And what fun a mixed flock can be, with all the different feather patterns, personalities, quacks, honks, and cackles! But before you mix different species together in your flock, there are some things to consider. 1. Male waterfowl can be dangerous for female chickens. Unlike roosters, drakes and ganders (male ducks and...

Since shipping little ones can be so expensive, our minimum order for waterfowl is usually 10. However, if you are ok higher shipping costs, we can ship as few as two ducklings or goslings (or one of each--we can ship ducklings and goslings together!) any time of year. Depending on anticipated shipping conditions, we may add a heat pack or extra bedding, or modify ventilation. It is our goal that all our baby birds arrive happy and healthy! Please note that we are unable to ship waterfowl and baby chicks together. There is no minimum amount per waterfowl breed; you...

No worries! We do our best to make sure that you're "in the loop" throughout the process. Waterfowl are hatched and shipped on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. As soon as we have the tracking number for your order, we will email it to you so that you can follow your birds' progress. It's important to know that the USPS does not guarantee overnight shipping on live animals, no matter what your local post office agent may say. Bear in mind that sometimes the shipments are not scanned frequently during shipping, so it may seem like they aren't making progress to your...

We ship all of our waterfowl by USPS Priority Mail. Our desire is for every duckling and gosling to arrive safely, so we specialize our packaging practices based on your zip code and the time of year. As needed, we may modify ventilation, heat, or bedding to make sure those little fluffies are cozy during their journey! Every waterfowl shipment will include GroGel so the birds have hydration, vitamins and nutrients, along with beneficial bacteria (probiotics) along the way. Please note that we are not able to ship waterfowl and baby chicks together. Baby ducks arriving at their new home!...

Unfortunately, ducklings cannot be sent to Hawaii because the state government is afraid that domestic ducks will cross with Hawaii's native Koloa ducks. At this time, there is evidence that the Koloa has crossed with imported or migratory Mallard ducks, but there is no evidence that any domestic ducks have crossed with the Koloa. But as domestic ducks all originate from the Mallard duck, the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife has banned the importation of all ducks or duck eggs without a special research permit. Interestingly, however, ducks are important to Hawaii, as they are the best method of...

Thankfully, ducks and geese are less prone to most common poultry diseases and parasites, so they don't need to be vaccinated. Chickens and turkeys are much more susceptible to lice, mites, worms, coccidiosis, Mareks disease, and many other ailments, but these are not usually a concern at all for most waterfowl. It is one of the reasons that they can make great pets!

What exactly do you have--drakes or ducks? Geese or ganders? Great question! The answer may be relatively easy or hard to tell, depending on the age and breed of your birds. Here are some tips to help you determine the sex of ducks and geese, both as babies and when older: Sexing Goslings and Ducklings The only sure way to tell the sex of baby waterfowl is to examine their cloaca (that's a fancy word for "butt"--it may also be caused the "vent"), which is a complicated process not easily communicated in writing. Thankfully, it is easier to vent sex...

Duck male-to-female ratios In flocks, the general recommendation is one drake for every 4-6 ducks. During breeding season, that may be reduced (for the sake of getting a better fertility percentage) to a pair: 1 drake with 1 duck, or a trio: 1 drake with 2 ducks, or a pen: 1 drake for 3-5 ducks. As you can see, smaller ratios are fine for the breeding season only. If you plan to keep them together all the time, 1 drake for every 4-6 ducks is recommended. If you have too many males, they will become very aggressive sexually and may...

What is a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD)?|Livestock Guardians are animals that protect livestock on the farm. They can be llamas or donkeys, but in most cases, they are dogs that have been specially bred over many generations with a focus on natural protective instincts coupled with low prey-drive. These dogs are known as Livestock Guardian Dogs, or LGDs for short. There are many different breeds of Livestock Guardian Dogs, but they all share some common traits: Large (usually) and have strong bite power to handle threats Trustworthy personalities and reliable behavior Generally low energy but capable of powerful bursts of...

We cannot ship any of our products to Canada, Mexico, or any other country. We also cannot ship to American territories, including Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Marianas, or the Virgin Islands. That includes hatching eggs, day-old chicks, juveniles, waterfowl, and all non-live products as well. If you live in Canada, you might try Rochester Hatchery, which is located in Alberta.

You may be surprised to find that the answer to both questions is...yes! Geese can make great pets, and yes, they can sometimes be aggressive. Before that surprises you too much, think about "man's best friend": the dog. Sometimes dogs can be aggressive, right? In fact, one reason some people keep a dog is to provide protection to their family or belongings. In spite of the fact that they can be aggressive, dogs make excellent pets. The same is true with geese. Like dogs, they are very smart, can form tight bonds with humans, and can be aggressive in certain...

Geese can make great pets, and thankfully, most geese do not exhibit aggressive behavior. Among those that do, it is usually confined to the breeding and nesting season in spring and early summer. Geese are generally excellent parents, and like any good parent, want to protect their offspring from potential threats. Thankfully, whether during breeding season or not, with proper management strategies, you can help your geese be less aggressive and you can learn to handle more contentious individuals effectively. General strategies for handling geese First, never taunt or harass your geese, and do not allow children to do so,...

In a word--carefully! Geese are very strong animals, and you will want to learn to catch and hold them properly to avoid getting pummeled by their wings, bitten, or scratched. It's also important that you pick them up properly to keep the bird from being injured as well. You'll want to avoid chasing geese over uneven, rocky, or otherwise dangerous terrain. Geese feet and legs can be injured, and you can be injured as well if you're not careful! Ideally, you will gently herd the goose into the corner of their pen or fence. You can use broom handles or...

For tick control and flock protection, there's nothing like guinea fowl! If you choose to raise guineas, the basic instructions for caring for baby chicks also apply to guinea keets, but there are a few special points of consideration that we will discuss below. You can see our basic chick care instructions here: Chicken Care Guide Chapter 4: Caring for Baby Chicks Shipped guinea keets will be 1-4 days old when they arrive, and they will need to be put in a pre-warmed brooder immediately, especially if they are showing signs of stress from shipping (like looking tired and weak)....

Impacted crop occurs when there is a blockage in your chicken's digestive tract, preventing food from traversing her system. Occasionally you may actually have a blockage further down, like an impacted gizzard. Sour crop---a bacterial overgrowth in her crop, typically an overgrowth of yeast---can occur when the digestive system is stalled with an impaction, but can also happen on its own if there's a pH imbalance, or if your chicken is eating rotten or moldy food. There are a few good strategies you can use to prevent impacted crop and sour crop in your flock. Feeding Feed fresh, good quality...

  In baby chicks, pasty butt (a.k.a. pasted vent) occurs when poo dries in the chick's vent (her pooper) and the blockage prevents her from defecating. This is a critical situation for a baby chick and should be addressed immediately because it can be fatal. By the time your bird is an adult layer, her muscles are pretty well developed for expulsion, and the vent can expand significantly (large enough to pass an egg, right?). So, adult hens seldom (perhaps never!) suffer from pasty butt. That said, they can certainly get vent feathers messy with loose poo, and that can...

It's always disappointing when a bird isn't sexed correctly, especially if your "girl" ended up being a "boy" and was the family's favorite bird! Unfortunately, since waterfowl sexing is an art, not a science, sometimes errors do occur. To report an error, first be sure you are reporting during the correct reporting period! Early or late reports can't be processed. Sexing errors must be reported when the waterfowl are 10 to 22 weeks old. Second, to make your report, email, chat, or give us a call at 908-795-1007. Third, be sure to provide the name under which the order was...

We will send you an email with the tracking number for your order when your chicks "fly the coop," and you can use that to follow their progress. We mark our shipments "CALL ON ARRIVAL," and most post offices ask customers to pick up their peeping packages right at the post office. The phone number(s) you provide will be on the shipping label so they can contact you. (Some post offices deliver them right to your door instead of asking you to pick them up, however.) We recommend that you go to your local post office, let them know you...

The definition of "heritage" in relation to chicken breeds is a bit flexible, but when we use the word, we're referring to breeds that have been around a long time, are non-hybrid, genetically stable, naturally-mating, and outdoor-hardy breeds that have proven valuable for generations. Heritage breeds are ones that have been around long enough to prove their usefulness as either egg layers, meat breeds, or dual-purpose breeds, and to become genetically stable--able to reproduce offspring true to the breed. As such, heritage breeds cannot be hybrids ("mutts" - the offspring of two different breeds), because hybrids do not breed true...

You knew this already: that depends on many different factors. Most importantly, it depends on what type of eggs you're buying at the grocery store. If you're buying the pricey, organic and/or pasture-raised eggs, then yes, it's possible to save money with a flock of your own. If you're looking to save money by keeping chickens.

Our chicks and waterfowl are hatched in different facilities and therefore, cannot be shipped together. If you would like for your waterfowl and chicks to arrive the same week, be sure to choose the same shipping week for your waterfowl and baby chick orders when you checkout.

As keepers of pet chickens, we've all been there. You notice one of your birds exhibiting some unusual behaviors or symptoms, and you're faced with a dilemma: What do you do? What is causing the symptoms and how can you help? Is what you're seeing normal chicken behavior, a minor issue that may resolve itself, or serious problem that warrants a professional help? Let's be honest: You don't want to pay a big vet bill only to find out it's nothing serious, but you also don't want to assume it's nothing serious and have it turn out to be something...

Chickens are incredibly adaptable! They are kept all over the world in all kinds of extreme climates. But it's no secret that some breeds are hardier in cold weather than others. Some breeds were not developed for cold-hardiness or have characteristics that make them more susceptible to cold than others. In a well-ventilated but not drafty coop, most chickens can stay warm by fluffing up their feathers to trap a layer of warm air against their bodies--as long as they are not wet and or exposed to a draft. Drafts can remove that "jacket" of warmer air surrounding the bird....

Yes, in most cases you can call us at 908-795-1007 to have your order changed, but before you do, read on because there are three important things you should keep in mind before placing your request! You will also remember from checkout that you may be charged a $5 nonrefundable fee to make any changes to an order after it has been placed. Let us know by the Thursday before your scheduled ship date We require this notice because we need time to make sure the shipment can been changed or stopped. Obviously, we don't want to send baby ducks...

As baby chicks and waterfowl grow, their nutritional needs change. It can be confusing to know how much and what kind of feed to give them at each stage of development. Please don't lose sleep over this issue! We have all the help you need for your growing chickens, ducks, and geese right here. One note before we get started: All feed manufacturers have recommended stages for their feed. This guide is a commonly accepted standard; however, you should follow the directions on the feed you choose for optimum benefit from that brand. Regardless of their age, one principle always...

  Educate Yourself Huzzah! You're here to learn about raising baby chicks, which is more than some people do! (You'd be surprised...). This is a condensed form of our full baby chick care guide, which you can find here.   Make sure you'll have enough time. Raising baby chicks requires frequent care and monitoring, so make sure your schedule allows you or a family member to check on your chicks around five times a day.   Brooder setup The "house" you raise your chicks in is called a brooder. Your brooder setup is the one of the most important aspects...

We know you all are worried about feed stores shutting down, and not being able to feed your chickens. You shouldn't be, though. Even as various states shut down different types of businesses and ask people to shelter in place, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security designates the Food and Agriculture industries as critical infrastructure. Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21) classifies agriculture as one of sixteen critical infrastructure sectors, "considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof."...

Here's what the CDC says about COVID-19, as of November 2021: The risk of animals spreading the virus to people is low; the virus can spread from people to animals during close contact. More studies are needed to understand how different animals could be affected by the virus; people with the virus should avoid contact with pets, livestock and wildlife. The CDC also recommends that since all animals can carry germs that make people sick, that you should follow these healthy habits when you're around pets and other animals: Wash your hands after handling animals, their food, waste, or supplies....

Yes - you can keep just one chicken, but the question is, should you? Keeping one chicken may sound like a great idea to us humans, but is it a good idea for the bird? When considering bringing a member of another species into our care, it is important to think about not just what makes us happy, but what is best for the animal as well. In the case of chickens, living in a flock with members of their own species is what their instincts are honed to expect, and that situation seems to be best for their well-being....

Feed and food products cannot be returned due to biosecurity reasons.

We'd like to answer this question, "dozens and hundreds!" because keeping chickens is so wonderful--but for the health and safety of the birds (and the financial and psychological well-being of our customers!) it's best to actually plan and strategize before you start your flocks. In light of that, here are some factors to consider when deciding how many birds to get: The social needs of chickens Chickens are flock animals that interact with on each other in various ways including dust bathing, grooming, broodiness and sharing egg boxes, chick-raising, warmth, protection, and perhaps even chicken friendship. Because of this, it's...

As prey animals, ducks and geese are concerned about any potential threat, including you! Since we are large, threatening creatures with forward-facing eyes, waterfowl assume humans are predators (a valid assumption in many cases) and they are understandably wary about coming close to us. This natural fear has protected them for millions of years, and it's something you'll have to work to overcome if you want your ducks and geese to be tame enough to trust you, come to you, and potentially even eat out of your hand. As you work to tame your waterfowl, it is important to remember...

Because of our special packaging methods, we are able to ship smaller orders of chicks to meet the needs of our awesome small-flock backyard chicken enthusiasts. But for the safety of the chicks in shipping, we do have a minimum order which is based on time of year (our minimum orders go up in winter to protect the chicks from the cold).  We are not able to make exceptions to our minimum order amounts, as this is the fewest number of chicks we can safely ship to your zip code. We want to make sure your chicks arrive happy and...