The Chick Nursery

Now that you have figured out whether or not you are getting baby chicks and when, it’s time to start thinking about and preparing for where you are going to keep them. You want to make sure that your chick quarters are conducive to their health and well-being. When we got our first batch of baby chicks twenty-some years ago, we got a plastic kiddie pool, put some sawdust in the bottom, pulled a chair up next to it that we could hook a heat lamp to and called it good. Surprisingly, all but one chick survived. The next attempt involved a cardboard box, and then we tried a round plastic tub that sat on top of the washing machine in the laundry room with the heat lamp hooked on to the cupboard door. That set up worked fine, except on laundry days. The point here being that any kind of container and set up that works for you and keeps your chickens safe and warm will be just fine, you don’t have to buy or build an expensive set up.

Chicken Nursery
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Is There Egg on My Face?

A few years ago I began to notice a decrease in egg production without any real reason as to why. In trying to figure out what was going on, I started watching my chickens very closely. My first clue was a hen with egg on her face! Then one morning I actually caught another hen in the act of eating an egg. So the challenge, and major research, was on‼

Chicken eating eggs
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Herbs

Just as herbs have many health benefits for people, they also have health benefits for our animals. I don’t hesitate to give my animals herbs, especially my chickens. I have a couple of herb and flower gardens where I have plants that I know are good for all my critters and that they will enjoy. 

metal chick with hanging herbs.
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Help Me, I’m Molting!

I started my hobby farming with chickens. There is no better way to start your journey with hobby farming and healthy living than with chickens! Chickens are animated and fun to watch. They can be very pretty, when not molting, they are not difficult to keep, AND they give back. That incredible edible egg! Just look at the size of the egg I got this last summer! Yes, it was a double yolker! I was hoping for three yolks, but it was not to be.
  

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