Chickens | HomeDabbler.com

Category: Chickens
- Pecking Order is a Thing. Here’s How to Handle It.
  
  Posted at 8:00 am by HomeDabbler, on June 23, 2020
  
  Photo by Berend de Kort from Pexels
  
  Do some of your chickens push the others around? Do you have one or two that dominate the rest? Do you have trouble getting your big chickens to accept newer birds to the flock?
  
  It’s pecking order.
  
  That’s a Real Thing?!
  
  You’ve heard the phrase. It comes from the chicken yard, and it’s a thing.
  
  Chickens, like people, live in hierarchies. Fact is, some of your birds are going to rise to the top and some are going to be relegated to the bottom. This is typically just fine. However, sometimes those at the top will bully those at the bottom.
  
  Those at the top of the order should not cause physical harm to others or deprive them of food (which can happen). A little posturing is fine, but when it comes to truly hurting each other, you have to stop it.
  
  Here’s how.
  
  Reset the Order
  
  Did you know that your current pecking order doesn’t have to stay that way?
  
  Chicken behavior can be remarkably easy to change. Unlike mammals (dog and cats), chickens have primitive brains and are a bit like robots. They can be programmed. Change the program, change the behavior (I wrote a whole post on it).
  
  Step 1: Remove the Offending Chicken(s)
  
  As long as the bullies “rule the roost” (another popular term from chicken life), they will be bullies. But you can use the primitive chicken brain against itself.
  
  First, remove those at the top of the pecking order from the flock and put them in a separate location.
  
  I prefer a broody breaker. Don’t have a broody breaker? You need one. I wrote an article on that too. You can also use your nursery.
  
  Give them food, water, and nesting. Make them comfortable, but don’t let them near the other birds.
  
  Step 2: Wait
  
  This is the hard part. Most chicken raisers don’t like to see their birds locked up, even mean ones. But it is necessary if you want to reset the pecking order. Separate the bullies from the general flock for at least three days.
  
  While the dominant birds are away, something interesting will happen. The remaining birds will reset the pecking order. They will choose a new leader, often a bird that was near the bottom of the old order. Don’t know why, but it works.
  
  Step 3: Reintroduce the Bully Birds
  
  After a few days, simply take the birds out of lock down and put them back into general population. No special care required. They are now the “new birds” and should fall in under the new boss.
  
  Once the pecking order is reestablished, it usually doesn’t go back to the old way. Sometimes, but rarely. And usually, the new king or queen of the flock is nicer. Again, don’t know why, it just works.
  
  Rinse and Repeat as Necessary
  
  Things will usually stay peaceful for quite a while after the reset. However, if the birds at the top of the new pecking order get mean, repeat the process again until things calm down.
  
  We’ve never had to do it more than once at a time.
  
  Kevin
  
  P.S. – If you want more chicken articles, visit my Chicken page.
  
  Posted in Chickens | 0 Comments | Tagged chicken coop, chicken raising, Chickens
- 2″x 4″ Welded Wire: What It’s Good For and What It’s Not
  
  Posted at 8:00 am by HomeDabbler, on May 25, 2020
  
  One of the first things you realize when you start gardening or raising chickens is there are tons of wire fencing options.
  
  One of the most common and versatile is 2″x 4″ welded wire fencing (sometimes called hardware cloth).
  
  I love the stuff. But over the years, I’ve learned what it is good for and what it’s not. Here’s the rundown.
  
  What It’s Good For
  
  Low Security Fencing
  
  Want to keep rabbits, dogs, and chickens out of your garden? Use 2 x 4 welded wire.
  
  I say low security because this is for situations where an animal will encounter the fence and not try to actively dismantle, destroy, or jump over it. They’ll hit the barrier and walk away.
  
  That is not true of all animals (see below).
  
  Trellises
  
  I LOVE 2 x 4 for trellises of all kinds. I’ve used it for decorative vine-covered dividers and for cucumbers to climb on. Nothing like a roll of 2 x 4 for a trellis.
  
  Tip: If you’re making a trellis in an outdoor living space like a courtyard, I recommend the vinyl-coated type. It’s fancier.
  
  My courtyard trellis with 2×4 wire before I planted a jasmine vine on it.
  
  The same trellis after the jasmine took over. Nice divider screen, right?
  
  Build a cucumber trellis with 2×4 welded wire.
  
  Protecting Plants
  
  Welded wire also makes nifty protection to keep tender plants safe from vicious weed trimmers (there is actually a little blueberry bush growing in there).
  
  You can’t see it but there is a little blueberry bush growing in there.
  
  What Welded Wire is Not Good For
  
  High Security Fencing
  
  Welded wire fencing really has only one weakness. If you need to keep the really nasty animals out – raccoons primarily – do not use welded wire.
  
  This is especially true of chicken runs. The welded wire will work at first, but over time (usually a couple years) the welds will break and that will let the bad guys in. It takes only one broken weld for a raccoon to slither in and kill your chickens.
  
  So what fencing should you use for a secure chicken coop? Chain link and nothing else. It’s so important I did a whole video on it.
  
  Bottom Line
  
  2″x 4″ welded wire fencing is great stuff. You should have a roll of it around your house at all times. Just don’t use it to protect animals from wily night crawlers like raccoons.
  
  Kevin
  
  Posted in Chickens, Gardening, Yard & Garden | 0 Comments | Tagged chicken wire, fencing, welded wire fencing, wire fencing
- Large Breed Chickens vs. Bantams: Which is Right for You?
  
  Posted at 8:00 am by HomeDabbler, on May 20, 2020
  
  There are hundreds of chicken breeds, but only two large categories.
  
  “Large breed” chickens are what most people think of when they think “chicken.”
  
  “Bantam” chickens—aka banties—are essentially miniature chickens, much smaller than large breeds.
  
  They have some commonalities and many differences.
  
  So which type is better? That’s up to you, depending on what you want from your flock. To help you decide, here’s a run down of the pros and cons of each.
  
  Size
  
  Large breeds are, well, large. Most breeds top out at 4-7 lbs. Some popular breeds include Rhode Island Reds, Barred Plymouth Rocks, and my favorite, Buff Orpingtons. This means they eat more than banties, so the feed cost is a little higher.
  
  Banties are at least half as small as the normal large breed, some as small as a pigeon. They don’t eat as much so you’ll save on the feed bill.
  
  Because of their smaller size, you’ll probably need smaller openings in the wire of your run so your banties don’t slip out. The smaller the openings, the more the wire will cost.
  
  Size also matters if you plan to butcher your chickens for meat. Only large breeds will do for this. Don’t bother with banties when it comes to meat. By the way, I wrote an article about what I learned butchering my own chickens.
  
  Eggs
  
  Large breeds lay the eggs you are used to, like in the grocery. While large breed eggs vary in size, you can make a two-egg omelet out of them and not go hungry.
  
  Banty eggs are tiny. It takes about three of their eggs to equal one large breed. Tiny omelets.
  
  Temperament
  
  Like any animal, chicken temperaments are all over the board. However, in my experience, large breeds tend to be more docile and compliant (Except roosters. They’re all mean.)
  
  Bantams are less domesticated than large breeds, which means they are more wild. When I kept banties, they wanted to sleep in the trees, they jumped the fence, and I’ve never seen chickens fight more or more savagely.
  
  Appearance
  
  While there are some ornate large breeds, bantams steal the show when it comes to variety and beauty. If you want weird and wacky chickens to look at, try some banties.
  
  What kind do you prefer, HomeDabbler?
  
  You may have guessed, but I’m a large breed guy all the way. I want docile, well-behaved birds that lay big eggs. We definitely went through our banty phase, but grew out of it.
  
  I know chicken raisers who only have banties. Like I said, it depends on what you want out of your flock (here’s an article to help you decide).
  
  Either way, I recommend you try both at first to see what suits you. If you need more chicken help, read the articles on my Chicken page. If you have questions, either comment on this post or message me anytime through the HomeDabbler Facebook page.
  
  Mostly, have fun!
  
  Kevin
  
  Posted in Chickens | 1 Comment | Tagged backyard chickens, bantam chickens, Chickens
- 3 Things Chicks Need That Big Chickens Don’t
  
  Posted at 8:00 am by HomeDabbler, on May 10, 2020
  Baby chicks are not just miniature adult chickens. They have special needs.
  
  Chicks need water and a place to dust dust bathe just like grown chickens, but here are three things your chicks need that your biggies don’t.
  
  1. Starter Crumbles
  
  Babies of all species have different nutritional needs than adults, including chickens.
  
  There are feeds designed especially for chicks. They are called starter crumbles (or starter grower).
  
  Crumbles are just that, little giblets of dry food. But starter crumbles are not just crushed layer pellets (what you feed adults). Crumbles have the right mix of protein and other nutrients to help your babies grow.
  
  Keep your chicks on crumbles for at least three months, usually about four.
  
  We like the Nutrena brand.
  
  PS – Give your babies ONLY their starter crumbles. No kitchen scraps until they are adults.
  
  See the little crumbly food? That’s chick starter.
  
  2. Heat Lamp
  
  Especially when the nights are cool. Baby chicks, if left with their mother, stay cuddled in her down feathers most of the time.
  
  They want to stifle. Ideally, they want to be about 95 degrees all the time.
  
  Your babies need heat, so put a heat lamp in their nursery. A cheap 250 red bulb will do.
  
  Heat lamp tip – If your chicks constantly huddle under the heat lamp, they are too cold. Get the temperature up. If they spread out, scratching and pecking naturally, they are just right.
  
  If they huddle in a corner away from the heat lamp, they are too hot. Raise the lamp some to cool it down.
  
  Give them the lamp until about three weeks old or the nights warm up.
  
  A cheap 250 watt red bulb makes a great heat lamp.
  
  3. Isolation
  
  You cannot throw your chicks into general population too soon. The older chickens will pick on the babies and can injure them.
  
  Your chicks need their own space for the first few months, until they are big enough to fend for themselves. However, I recommend that you put your nursery close to where the older birds are so they can all hear each other and acclimate.
  
  We usually transition ours into the larger flock between three and four months old.
  
  See the babies in their special nursery? Close to the adults but safely isolated.
  
  Give ’em a Good Start
  
  Chickens are super easy to raise. Babies have just a few more considerations. They are not hard to do but they are important.
  
  If you have trouble, comment on this post of message me through my Facebook page.
  
  Kevin
  
  Here are a few more articles I wrote about raising chicks:
  Posted in Chickens | 0 Comments | Tagged baby chicks, chicken coop, chicken feed, Chickens
- Got Spring Chickens? Here’s How to Care for Them
  
  Posted at 8:03 pm by HomeDabbler, on April 23, 2020
  
  Yay! You got babies. Now what?
  
  Baby chicks are not just miniature big chickens. They have some of the same needs, but require some stuff that older chickens don’t. Here’s what to give them and what to avoid.
  
  Give Them
  
  Heat Lamp
  
  Chicks, if with their mother, spend a good part of their day underneath her, nestled in her blanket of soft feathers, stifling hot. They like it that way. In fact, for the first couple weeks, they want to stay at about 90 degrees and no draft.
  
  So, especially if you live in a colder climate, you must provide them a heat source, especially at night. We prefer a red heat lamp bulb. You can get them just about anywhere.
  
  Rule of thumb: If your chicks are piled on each other for anything other than sleeping (they sleep in piles when they are young), they are cold. If they are scratching and roaming around, not too cold.
  
  Chicks like it hot. A cheap heat bulb does the trick.
  
  Layer Crumbles
  
  Chicks have small everything – mouths, throats, and crops. They need small food. It’s called starter crumbles or starter grower, and they eat it about the first 8-12 weeks of life. After that, you can usually move them big kid food, layer pellets.
  
  Starter crumbles also have the right mix of protein, fat, and nutrients that the chicks need to get a strong start.
  
  Btw, there are feeders just for babies too.
  
  Fresh Water
  
  Should be obvious, but wanted to make sure it was on the list.
  
  Bedding
  
  Our favorite is pine shavings, like your gerbil cage.
  
  Dirt
  
  Chickens must dust bathe, even little ones. It keeps them clean and itch free. We use an old paint pan filled with sand from the yard. Watch the video below to see ours.
  
  Security
  
  Chicks are completely defenseless. You must provide a safe, isolated place for them to spend their first six weeks or so. You even have to protect them from the older chickens.
  
  You can use a box for the first couple weeks, but they will quickly outgrow it. We built a dedicated nursery addition onto our coop to keep babies.
  
  Everything wants to eat your chicks – snakes, hawks, dogs, raccoons, foxes, everything. Keep them completely locked down or you will lose them, I promise.
  
  Pro tip: If there is a hole anywhere in your nursery that you can stick your index finger through, a rat snake can and will get in and eat your chicks. Lock down every nook and cranny.
  
  Here’s my coop. See the separate nursery? It’s close to the big chickens so they can all get used to each other but protects the babies from the big bullies.
  
  What’s that? You don’t know what a “broody breaker” is? No worries, I wrote a whole post about it.
  
  A protected nursery separate from the big chickens is best.
  
  A Perch
  
  All chickens, even little ones, like to perch on things off the ground, even if it is a few inches. I make my baby perches out of old shovel handles.
  
  Chicks love a perch. I make mine out of scrap wood and shovel handles.
  
  Here’s my nursery set up:
  
  Do Not Give Them
  
  A Draft
  
  No chicken likes a windy draft, but it can be fatal to babies. Remember, they want to stifle under Mamma. You may think they want a fresh breeze, but they don’t.
  
  Adult Chicken Food
  
  Just because a chick can get something in her mouth doesn’t mean she should eat it. Keep them on starter crumbles for at least 6 weeks, 8 is better. Then SLOWLY transition them to layer pellets.
  
  Also no kitchen scraps yet. Just starter crumbles and water.
  
  Freedom
  
  They’re defenseless, remember? And don’t think your older chickens will just take to the newcomers and protect them. Many times the opposite is true. The older chickens peck and bully the babies. Lock your chicks down until they can fend for themselves, usually 6-8 weeks.
  
  Don’t Worry, it Won’t Last Long
  
  Chicks grow super fast, so they only need coddling a little while. Within two months you can put them in general population with the rest of your flock.
  
  Way quicker than raising a human. 🙂
  
  Kevin
  
  Posted in Chickens | 1 Comment
- 3 Home Projects to Use for Homeschooling
  
  Posted at 7:52 pm by HomeDabbler, on March 25, 2020
  
  School is only boring if you make it that way. There are practical life lessons all around your home that won’t feel like “school” at all. Here are a few projects to do with your kids that are fun and teach important subjects.
  
  1. Science – Start a Garden
  
  Doesn’t have to be big, and it doesn’t even have to be outside. Gardening is full of science lessons, including chemistry, biology, measurements, and more. And you can eat the results!
  
  I suggest you start small, maybe with a container garden on your porch (watch this video I did on the subject). You can also teach the chemistry of gardening with my video on pH (positive hydrogen) and its importance for plants.
  
  There are lots of gardening lesson plans out there. I found some cool ones at kidsgardening.org.
  
  Gardening kids are happy kids.
  
  2. Biology – The Chicken Life Cycle
  
  If you didn’t know, I’m obsessed with chickens and have raised them for 20 years. I have an entire page dedicated to them on this blog.
  
  Walking through the chicken life cycle, including how an egg gestates and hatches, is one of the most fascinating and educational experiences in life. Ideally, I would recommend you buy an incubator and hatch some eggs yourself.
  
  Don’t be scared! You can get everything online and you don’t have to keep the chicks once they hatch. Trust me, you have someone like me near you who loves chickens and will take them off your hands. Just put out a Facebook post and watch the chicken people emerge.
  
  Scholastic has some cool chicken-hatching lesson plans to get you started.
  
  I recommend Tractor Supply and Murray McMurray Hatchery for supplies.
  
  There’s a chicken growing in there!
  
  3. Math – Build a Bird House
  
  This is an oldy-but-goodie. Building even the simplest bird house requires measuring, calculating material, volume, estimation, even calculating the size of the hole in the front. Math, math, math that is fun, fun, fun.
  
  And there is nothing more fulfilling for anyone than building something with your own hands. It’s what HomeDabbler is dedicated to.
  
  Lowe’s has plans for beginners. The Spruce has tons more.
  
  Even simple bird houses teach big lessons.
  
  You Can Do It!
  
  It’s okay to drop the books for a while and get your (and your kid’s) hands busy. You’ll all be happier and – let’s face – you’ll both learn more.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  Kevin
  
  Posted in Chickens, Yard & Garden | 0 Comments | Tagged Chickens, diy home improvement, garden, home improvement, home schooling, lesson plans
- Why Have My Chickens Stopped Laying Eggs?! Probably One of These Reasons
  
  Posted at 3:46 pm by HomeDabbler, on December 29, 2019
  
  Chickens are sensitive creatures.
  
  While it’s amazing to have a small egg-producing flock in your backyard, there are several very natural reasons why chickens (hens) stop laying eggs, at least for a while.
  
  The good news is that most times, they start laying again soon. Here are the most common causes.
  
  1. Weather Extremes
  
  I live in North Florida where the summers are brutal. Every August my hens stop laying eggs. The heat is just too much and most of their energy goes to surviving it. Same with cold. If your flock slows or stops laying, check the recent weather.
  
  Don’t worry, this usually works itself out when the weather moderates.
  
  2. Shorter Daylight Hours
  
  This is related to weather. On short winter days, chickens will slow or stop laying. Adding a light to their coop and keeping it lit a couple hours in the evening can help with egg production.
  
  3. Molting
  
  Most chickens molt once a year. It’s creepy to watch but perfectly natural. However, hens will not lay during a molt. Their body needs all the nutrients it can get to generate new feathers.
  
  Btw, here’s an article about molting in case you need it.
  
  4. Poor (Or Improper) Nutrition
  
  Not all chicken feed is the same. There are different mixes of protein, minerals, fats, and nutrients depending on what you want for your flock. Bottom line: wrong mix = no eggs.
  
  Make sure your layers are eating a quality 16% protein layer pellet. Other varieties include chick starter and feed for meat birds. We like the Nutrena brand (no, they don’t pay me, but I wish they would. Pass the word).
  
  5. Trauma or Shock
  
  If your birds have had a recent scare or attack—a hawk is menacing them or a raccoon killed one of them—they will typically stop laying for a while. Again, they usually pick back up a few days after the incident.
  
  6. Disease
  
  Sick hens won’t lay. Most disease in a small backyard flock can be prevented by purchasing vaccinated chicks from a reputable supplier (Murray McMurray is our favorite), giving them quality food and clean water, and providing plenty of open space.
  
  Treat the disease and she may start laying again. I say “may” because chickens are pretty fragile when it comes to sickness. Many times they simply don’t recover. Doesn’t mean they won’t though. Fingers crossed.
  
  7. Age
  
  This is the only one you can’t fix. A hen’s prime time for laying are her second and third years. After that, her eggs will get progressively smaller until she stops laying altogether.
  
  Some folks butcher their hens after they stop laying, but we don’t. Our girls are free to convalesce into their twilight years.
  
  In Conclusion
  
  If you are serious about having a reliably-laying flock, buy sturdy egg-laying breeds from good dealers and you should be fine for the most part.
  
  We prefer Buff Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds.
  
  Questions? Feel free to message me through the HomeDabbler Facebook Page.
  
  Kevin
  
  Posted in Chickens | 0 Comments | Tagged backyard chickens, backyard poultry, Chickens, raising chickens
- My Chickens Are Losing Feathers! Relax, They’re Probably Molting
  
  Posted at 2:00 pm by HomeDabbler, on November 24, 2019
  
  We’re all familiar with a snake shedding its skin. Chickens do something similar about once a year. It’s called molting.
  
  What does molting look like?
  
  Molt is when a chicken renews its feathers. The old ones fall out and are replaced with shiny new ones. It can be disconcerting the first time you see it. You will probably think the bird is sick. They certainly look pitiful during the process. But fear not, it is totally natural and will result in a beautiful new coat for your chicken.
  
  Hens and roosters molt. Hens will also stop laying eggs during their molting period.
  
  When do chickens molt?
  
  Molting generally happens in fall or winter, when the days shorten. You’ll notice tufts of feathers missing and others barely hanging on. The chicken may also seem lethargic and irritable during the molt. Or it may act normally. Each one is different.
  
  How long does it last?
  
  About two weeks, give or take.
  
  What do I do?
  
  It takes a lot of energy for your chickens to molt. Feathers are mostly protein, so they will need to eat a lot. Make sure they have all the quality food they want. And mostly just give them space. No handling or stress. Leave them be and let the process take its course.
  
  You’ll be surprised at how wonderful they look when they are done.
  
  Kevin
  
  Posted in Chickens | 1 Comment | Tagged backyard chickens, Chickens, molting
- Preening: How Chickens Groom
  
  Posted at 1:29 pm by HomeDabbler, on November 23, 2019
  
  Each afternoon as your chickens get ready for bed, they will congregate and start picking through their feathers with their beaks. They are preening.
  
  Preening is a way chickens clean themselves. They pick out old feathers and release new ones, clean bugs off their skin, and oil their feathers.
  
  You didn’t know chickens oil their feathers? Yep, they have a small oil gland at the tip of their tail.
  
  Watch as your chickens preen – when their heads disappear into their feathers and poke around by their tail, they are getting a drop of oil on their beak to spread through their feathers!
  
  The oil helps keep their feathers healthy and also acts as a water repellent. This lets them scratch around in the rain without getting wet and cold.
  
  Here’s what preening looks like:
  
  Preening, along with dust bathing, is a natural way for your birds to stay clean and healthy. So make sure they have space to gather, roll around in the dirt, and pick themselves clean.
  
  You’ll have a lower maintenance and happier flock. And it’s fun to watch. 🙂
  
  Kevin
  
  Posted in Chickens | 0 Comments | Tagged backyard chickens, backyard poultry, Chickens, preening
- Let’s Talk About Roosters
  
  Posted at 8:00 am by HomeDabbler, on September 20, 2019
  
  Roosters are gorgeous and majestic, the iconic poultry specimen. That said, I do not have them in my flock and haven’t had for many years.
  
  Most roosters are extremely aggressive once they reach sexual maturity (about six months old). After that, they are prone to attack you or your children.
  
  See that spur? It has one job – to stab.
  
  Don’t roosters protect the flock?
  
  Contrary to the idea of the noble rooster protecting his flock, more often than not our roosters spent more time harassing the hens.
  
  If you get a serious predator like a raccoon or fox, even the burliest rooster will be no match, especially at night when these varmints attack.
  
  Ready for a 24-hour serenade?
  
  And the crowing. Roosters do not just scream at day break. They crow around the clock, disturbing you and your neighbors.
  
  But what about eggs?
  
  The idea is that, without a rooster, your hens will not make eggs. Not true. The female of almost every species makes eggs no matter what. If you have no roosters, you will have no fertilized eggs, so no baby chicks.
  
  That said, hatching your own chicks is overrated, in my opinion. There are good reasons for just buying them.
  
  You’ve been warned.
  
  I know it’s romantic to have a towering rooster commanding your flock. But unless you want to hatch your own chicks, I recommend against it.
  
  Kevin
  
  P.S. – Want more chicken articles? Visit our Chickens page.
  
  Posted in Chickens | 1 Comment | Tagged backyard chickens, backyard poultry, chicken coop, Chickens, raising chickens, roosters
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