My Chirpy Chicken Coop

   The Basics Of Natural Chicken Keeping March 28, 2021 (Fresh herbs in the nesting boxes!) For those just starting out on the natural path, or starting out with adult laying hens not baby chicks, here's a quick guide to the basics of natural chicken keeping. It's not hard to 'go natural', not expensive and it's never too late to start on the natural path to happy, healthy chickens! So let me share my quick guide to a more natural path to healthier chickens and healthier eggs for your family to eat! Garlic : Purpose: Garlic is a natural immune system booster and antibiotic. It also works as a natural intestinal wormer, repels parasites such as fleas, mites and lice and reduces the smell of manure.  Application: Add a smashed fresh garlic clove to your chickens' water when you refill it or feed minced fresh garlic free-choice several times a month, alternatively mix some garlic powder into their daily feed (2% ratio). Apple Cider Vinegar : Purpose: Helps keep wat...

  Are Fresh Eggs Really Better? March 21, 2021 (A basket of our hens' fresh eggs outside!) Lately I've been focusing a lot on store bought eggs and how old they potentially can be by the time you purchase them (45 days old or more, yes really!). And some people have argued that an egg will still be good to eat for months, well past the 'best by' or 'sell until' date on the egg carton. While it's true that an egg, correctly handled and stored, will last for up to 6 months, and still be perfectly safe to eat - will it actually be 'good'? I don't believe so. Here's why fresh really IS best. The White Test : The white of a fresh egg will be slightly cloudy, very thick and viscous, with a slightly yellow tint. The yellow color is caused by riboflavin (Vitamin B2) which plays many roles in the body and is important for optimal body growth, red cell production and turning the food we eat into energy for the body to burn. Riboflavin serves as an anti...

The Exodus March 14, 2021 (A pic of the the chicks freshly bathed (and on a ladder to dry) & ready to be picked up!) And so, after 2 & 1/2 months of caring for the chicks, they are off to northern California to be rehomed. Unfortunately, we do not have a new coop to keep them in, (since our present coop only fits the older chickens we have now), so they have been sold off. More details below! I can say with ease that the experiment went very well. (I also got a good grade on the project, for those who are wondering!) Over the course of two weeks, I played classical music to one brooder, and none to the other brooder. The results were amazing! Here are main 3 results I found: The classical chicks behaved WAY  more maturely than the regular chicks. The classical chicks were an inch bigger than the regular chicks. The classical chicks weighed 4 oz. more than the regular chicks. Basically, classical music does have a serious effect on a baby chick! Then came the issue of whethe...

Toxic Treats March 7, 2021 (Angelica curiously spying on a toxic avocado!) Chicken can, and will, eat almost anything. They are true omnivores and opportunists. But there are some foods that either aren't healthy for them or can actually be toxic for them. So to help clear up some of the confusion about what is toxic to chickens and what isn't, what not to feed chickens and what's okay, I've decided to sort through the various misconceptions running rampant. I like to use reputable sources such as the Merck Veterinary Manual and other scientific studies to figure out what "toxic" treats not to feed your chickens. The following foods are potentially toxic (not necessarily fatal in small amounts for a healthy adult chicken). Just as we all know that raisins and chocolate can be fatal to dogs depending on the size and health of the dog and the amount eaten, younger birds or those who are not as healthy could be harmed by these foods even in small amounts. We don...