Health & Wellness

Growing up in rural Texas, I was surrounded by animals of all kinds. One of my fondest memories was watching the chicks hatch. I waited for the hatchling, eager to begin training the baby chicks—and p... READ MORE

Deciding Whether and How to Supplement Deciding when it’s appropriate to supplement a flocks’ diet with additional vitamins requires basic knowledge of vitamins and their interactions. The decision sh... READ MORE

An increasing number of people around the country are choosing to keep poultry—like chickens and ducks—as part of the local foods movement. Many people consider them pets, going as far as naming their... READ MORE

 The term “ear canker” is a bit misleading because it has nothing to do with the protozoan parasite Trichomonas gallinae, the organism that causes canker. Since I started doctoring chickens some fifty... READ MORE

Keeping your flock healthy this season  By Nancy Buchannan Jefferson, PhD and Anthony Quant, PhD  Poultry Nutritionists with Kalmbach Feeds  Birds have a known zone of relative thermal comfort called ... READ MORE

A Look at Oxyspirura Mansoni   The disease known as Manson’s eye worm, or Oxyspirura mansoni, is caused by a nematode that is a type of roundworm. These worms are quite small and are often referred to... READ MORE

For backyard flocks By Nancy Buchanan Jefferson, PhD Welcome winter: Cold air has arrived, day length has shortened, and you and your chickens are preparing for the months ahead. With the few helpful ... READ MORE

Backyard (companion) poultry veterinarians use drugs to treat chickens to combat disease, overcome or prevent parasitic infections, or alleviate pain and suffering in the case of an injured bird. Ther... READ MORE

What they do and how to keep them healthy By Peter Brown, aka The Chicken Doctor Many people consider the chicken’s comb ornamental and mostly for show. This may be because combs come in all shapes an... READ MORE

The other side of science By Peter Brown, AKA The Chicken Doctor Incubation is equal parts science and art. While the science part has been figured out for us, it’s the art of the incubation process t... READ MORE

Four steps to success  By Brigid McCrea, PhD  Have you ever eaten home-raised chicken? If not, then get ready for a rewarding experience. If you have sustainability on your mind, then you may wish to ... READ MORE

By Brigid McCrea, PhD You are a diligent small flock owner. You do your homework and scrutinize information related to keeping chickens. You use the internet for inspiration, but you analyze suggestio... READ MORE

Well, despite the winter we experienced, summer is just around the corner, only a few weeks away. It’s hard to imagine warm weather as the Smokey Mountain National Park just a few miles away from me h... READ MORE

We all know the basics for raising healthy chickens: feed, water, shelter, and warmth. However, there’s one essential aspect of good poultry management that is often overlooked, and it’s right under y... READ MORE

Biosecurity is a word we hear a lot these days when it comes to keeping our birds healthy and safe. It is more than just a word, though. Merriam-Webster defines biosecurity as security from exposure t... READ MORE

Growing Your Own Layer Feed Using corn and soybeans and so much more  

Proper and effective use of supplements

If you’ve invested time, money, and effort into raising a flock, then protecting your chickens is probably one of your biggest concerns. Knowing what to expect and how to respond is the best way to en... READ MORE

Springtime is traditionally the most common time that people purchase or hatch out baby chickens. Among all the excitement of getting new chicks it’s easy to forget questions related to vaccination. T... READ MORE

Summer will be here before we know it, and that means that hot temperatures and humidity—neither of which are good for backyard chickens. As a chicken owner, you will need to do a little extra to keep... READ MORE

Healthy chickens are happy chickens. The best way to keep your flock healthy and thriving is to maintain biosecurity. While biosecurity may sound like a term from a science fiction novel, it is critic... READ MORE

The virulent strain of Newcastle Disease (vND) that has been circulating in backyard birds, fighting birds, and some commercial flocks for over a year is a highly infectious viral disease. It affects ... READ MORE

When you think of the word “biosecurity,” you may imagine people wearing hazmat suits. But biosecurity is much less intimidating than that and is critical to preventing disease in your flock and other... READ MORE