Category: Managing the Flock

How to Determine the Point of Lay

If you buy your birds as chicks, you can expect to feed and care for them for 22 to 24 weeks before they reach their point of lay. However, this depends on the breed, time of year, and the level of care they have received. It is not uncommon for some breeds to take even longer to mature and not produce until 25 to 30 weeks.
Some people would rather skip chick-rearing altogether and buy pullets already at their point of lay. Sounds like a good plan, but you’ll have to be patient with that choice. Even if they are laying eggs, they will most likely stop for as long as two months when they are moved to a new environment. It’s important to know the bird’s actual age too; point of lay doesn’t mean they are laying… it means they will lay in the near future.
Knowing the age of a pullet is important; you don’t want to feed a layer diet too early. Most people buy chickens to have a fresh supply of eggs. Rushing young birds may cause serious health issues, which won’t fill the egg basket!
So how can you tell if a pullet is actually close to laying? There is a simple way to check the age and the approximate point of lay.
Here’s How…
Pick up the pullet and tuck her head under your arm. Situate her so you can easily get to her rear end or vent area.
Locate the 2 pelvic bones.
If the pullet is not yet laying, the pelvic bones will be very close together.
If she just started laying the pelvic bones will be about 1 finger apart.
As a pullet matures and produces eggs, you will be able to put 2 to 3 fingers between the pelvic bones.
This test will give you an idea of a pullet’s age, it can’t tell you when you’ll get that first egg, but it will also help you determine the pullet’s feed requirements while you’re waiting.

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Stay Healthy, Practice Good Chicken Keeping

We all know the risks of salmonella and how important it is to keep chickens and chicken items in their own area. Seriously, do we really practice it?  There should be a designated clean area around our house where chickens, our boots, rakes, etc never end up. We shouldn’t drink our morning coffee when tending to the chickens. I’m guilty, and I’ll bet I’m not alone.  So let’s take another look at how to be responsible chicken keepers, got a couple minutes to keep your family safe?
An increasing number of people around the country are choosing to keep live poultry, such as chickens or ducks, as part of a greener, healthier lifestyle. While you enjoy the benefits of backyard chickens and other poultry, it is important to consider the risk of illness, especially for children, which can result from handling live poultry or anything in the area where they live and roam. Learn More

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Chickens: Intervention and Management of Problematic Pecking

Stressful Conditions Create Unhappy Chickens and Bad Behavior

Pecking problems can begin even when chicks are still in the brooder. At this age, they start pecking the toes of other chicks. When pecking occurs in older birds, they tend to peck the backs, heads, and vent areas.  Whether your birds are chicks, pullets, or mature chickens, pecking can turn into a serious matter without intervention.
Pinpointing the Problem
The normal behavior of chickens does include establishing a pecking order. So it’s important to watch your flock to learn the difference between normal and problematic pecking. It’s less likely to have a pecking problem if your flock is uniform in size, age, and breed. All your birds should be in good health as well; those that show signs of weakness are more apt to be a victim of aggressive behavior.
When persistent pecking is observed, check your flock’s environment. Poor living conditions or inadequate nutrition can be a factor in bad behavior. Make sure all members of the flock have access to food and water, even if it means putting it in more than one place. Hens do not take kindly to a shortage of nest boxes either; place them in various areas with easy access.
When there’s excessive pecking brewing in the brooder, it may be something as simple as lighting. Improper or undesirable lighting in the brooder can cause stress, If you’re using clear bulbs in the brooder, switch to red. Check the temperature in their environment, if it’s too hot, or cold, this can contribute to pecking. Adequate space is also vital, whether in the brooder or the coop.
Last, but not least, check for parasites. Examine your birds, their droppings, and the coop, and treat if necessary.
Pecking habits and cannibalism occur when birds are under stress and unhappy.
Take a good look at the environment that has been created for them. Is it what your chickens need to live in harmony?

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