H5N1: Avian Flu

Well folks it's here. I know people are suffering from Covid Fatigue and since January we have been shouting from the rooftops about avian flu.

What is it? 

It's highly pathogenic, which means, it spreads quickly. It's highly contagious. This is H5N1 and is the Eurasian Strain. It's carried by wild birds as they migrate and travel from yard to yard, pond to pond.

What does it affect?

All birds. It can present as a a respiratory illness or sudden death. As we know, prey animals work hard to not show symptoms of weakness until they can't hide them anymore. Your birds will stop drinking and get very quiet. It can also make a jump to humans, but right now we're not worried about that. Let's focus on our birds.

What are the risks?

Your flock. Your neighbors flock. Your pets. The government will destroy your entire flock if your birds test positive. As someone who just lost her dog of 14 years, I personally cannot handle another loss of my pets.

What is it not?

I'm all for a great conspiracy theory. I enjoy reading about how the earth is hollow, there's a secret society controlling everyone on the planet, birds aren't real, etc. THIS IS NOT A CONSPIRACY THEORY. The government lost billions the last time this happened in 2016. 

Ok...so how do we handle this?

Say it with me now. BIOSECURITY

Biosecurity is the practice of keeping out germs and pathogens from your folk but also in your life. You have been practicing (hopefully) biosecurity for yourself your entire life. Wash your hands after using the bathroom, don't pick your nose, if you sneeze or cough cover your mouth, sanitize your house, clean up dust...you get the point. These are the beginnings of biosecurity that we teach to help humans keep from getting sick.

Guess what? These apply to your backyard flocks.

Well Rai, this is going to be expensive. Nope. It doesn't have to be. None of this needs to be Pinterest level flock down. No one has time for it and hopefully some of these extreme measures will be temporary. It's time for farming or redneck engineering. Every single one of us has a unique situation when it comes to our set ups. No one is the same. So you will have to get creative.

You want your run to be covered and free from wild birds. You can use tarps, umbrellas, whatever you have to cover your run. We don't want wild bird poop or dander in our runs. That's an easy way to start. Your birds will need to enter flock down. That means no free range. I have hardware cloth on the bottom of my run, but it's not really covered. I've limited where my girls can go in their run for now and they only have access to where it's covered. I have hawk netting that's attached to my hardware cloth. However, I purchased inexpensive bird netting to go on top of that. You can use chicken wire, you can use that. I did have to take my netting down because of the wind storms that rolled through here. But it's going back up.

Zip ties are your best friend. Seriously. My run area looks like something from M.A.S.H. for those of you old enough to remember that!

My feeders and waterers are wild bird proof. If you have a wild bird proof run, then this will be less of an issue. But I hate mice and don't want pests in my run at all, so mine are wild bird proof (nipple drinkers and treadle feeders). 

I also have Camp Clucker, which is the tent set up I have in my house for the girls. That's another article for another time.

Let's talk clothes and shoes

One of my students was playing on the floor one day not far from the bathrooms. I asked him if he really wanted to be on the floor there, especially since his face was on the tiles. He looked at me like I was crazy until I reminded him that people walk into the bathroom. They track all the germs and nastiness on their shoes to other parts of the building. Yup this applies to backyard poultry too. 

Let's face it. Caring for animals is not about fashion at all. But knowing how to use your clothes for biosecurity is helpful. For example I have shoes that are just for my coop area. I had to tighten up by scraping the shoes and dipping them in a solution of equal parts water and bleach. Dip only works if you have scraped off any poop or mud from your shoes. Some people use hospital booties if they are going from coop to coop. 

I have coop only clothing. These are my old barn clothes, and they are...loved to say the least. I only wear these clothes in my run. I don't want to track in wild bird poop, dander, or even a virus from a feed store. I hit up a feed store only on my way home from work. Why? I heard the best tip, wear your fancy clothes and shoes to the feed store. You won't be taking them out to your chicken run. 

What happens if I have a sick bird?

You can get your birds tested. 

If a bird dies, you should send it for a necropsy. Your state has laboratories dedicated to this. I'll include Maryland's info at the end of this article.

What else can I do to protect my flock?

Have a closed flock. Don't bring people over to chill with your birds.

Don't bring your birds to feed stores.

Don't go to poultry swaps. 

Don't bring in new birds without an extensive quarantine. 

Only purchase from NPIP. 

Document everything with photos, time stamps, etc. 

Follow everything they suggest on defend the flock 

Wash your hands.

Resources:

Defend the Flock: USDA Biosecurity Recommendations

USDA APHIS: H5N1 

Maryland Dept. of Agriculture: Report Sick Birds

USDA Biosecurity Recommendations

MD Biosecurity Recommendations

Common Myths About Chickens

 Baltimore County did it! They were able to get a law passed that allows people who are under an acre to have backyard chickens!

So let's talk myths!

Chickens are LOUD

Nope. Chickens are NOT silent. They do make a variety of noise. The egg song sings out a few times a day as hens announce they have given birth! Sometimes the flock will join in, sometimes no egg song is sung. Even still, chickens aren't any louder than a barking dog. My girls communicate with each other through kind of a bubble talk. Lots of buck buck sounds. I have found though that happy chickens, are quiet chickens. 

Roosters do crow and will crow all day. However, a rooster's crow is NOT any louder than a barking dog. You will see studies that the crow will be 130 decibels. Yes, if you are right in their face and in front of their beak with a microphone recording it. They aren't that loud. That's the volume of a jet engine. All a rooster is doing is his job. Making sounds and alerting the flock to danger is the number 1 concern of a rooster (followed by that sweet love). Please don't use a crowing collar. They are cruel and dangerous to chickens.

Fun Fact. Hens crow. If you don't have a rooster, a dominant hen will take the place of a rooster with crowing and sometimes mounting the other hens. (Source: my own crazy Nightsister Hens!)

You NEED a rooster for eggs

Independent hens don't need no roo. Women don't need a man to menstruate. Hens don't need roosters to produce eggs. 

Chickens are stinky and attract rats

Waste management is a human issue, not a chicken issue. One of the plans you need to have in place is what to do with all that poop! Chicken manure is fertilizer gold. You want a beautiful lawn and garden? Utilize those chooks! If you keep a clean coop and run, the smell won't be an issue.

Litter is a personal preference and philosophy in the chicken community. All coops and situations are different and everyone has the right to choose what they like to use without judgement.

I personally use sand as litter in my run and coop. I scoop the poop out of my coop once a day. I don't have to, but it's my preference to do so. If I miss a day, it's not a huge deal. I rake the run once a week. I use PDZ (zeolite) to help with any odor and ammonia from the manure. (Some people use lime, I feel it's too hard on the lungs, but if you use it, that's your personal choice.)

Some people use the deep litter method (it's a composting method using shavings and chicken poop). It's work in the respect of you have to turn the litter to get air into the bedding. But it doesn't require an every day clean out. Yes, there will be some more odor, but it will keep your coop warm in the winter. 

Stink doesn't attract rats and mice. FOOD attracts rodents. If you don't have feed all over your run and coop (don't keep food in your coop for this reason), rodents aren't an issue. I've had chickens for two years. I have Grandpa's Feeders. They are treadle feeders that are rat proof. I had my first rat this winter. I think it was more because we've had more predatory birds this year and it felt safer with my dinosaurs than the hawk. I used a live trap and got him after a week. I haven't seen any evidence of rodents since.

Chickens can live anywhere

They really can live just about anywhere. However, there are things to consider.

Coops: Chickens need predator proof, draft free, dry, ventilated coops with roosts and a nest box. Bigger is better. Buying a prefab coop from a feed store probably won't meet your needs and it will fall apart. You should have around 2-4 square feet per bird. This allows for chicken math errors. You want a window on each side of your coop, with chicken wire protecting the openings. Heat kills chickens. Chickens can deal with winter way better than summer since they are 105-107F. 

Prefab coops aren't always predator proof either. You want hardware cloth, not chicken wire. Hawk netting is helpful to keep away aerial predators. A fox or raccoon can get into smaller coops easily. Be aware of your predators.

Runs: A run is an enclosed area that keeps chickens safe from predation and weather. It should be covered with 10 square feet per bird. Bury hardware cloth at least a foot out from your coop and a foot under ground. This will discourage predators who dig. Hardware cloth makes it difficult for snakes, mice, mink/weasels, and raccoons to get in. A raccoon can bend chicken wire. Remember chicken wire is designed to keep chickens in, not to keep things out. Keep out any wild birds. They carry diseases and we are on the precipice of dealing with a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus. 

These are a few common chicken myths. Do you have any myths you want busted or confirmed? Feel free to ask.

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Raising Mealworms? Have I Become THAT Chicken Lady?

The Covid Cluckers have a problem. A between $40-80 a month problem. Our run is sand and is devoid of bugs and plants. During the day the girls are in their run, since unsupervised free ranging is not an option (thanks Mr. Coopers Hawk). Chickens need to keep their minds and beaks busy or else you have problems. Searching for things to peck and eat are their number one task during the day. Enter dried mealworms. 

My girls are actually slightly UNDERWEIGHT if you can believe that! Our vet said they needed to each gain a half pound (an eighth of their body weight! That's a lot for them!) Now part of that issue was worms. The other part is that its very hot and they don't want to eat. So right now, treats aren't an issue and we are starting to molt, so higher protein treats are welcome. Again...enter mealworms. 

They are so expensive, so I turned to my mother, Granny Claw. My mom has been raising mealworms for years. She gives them to her song birds, and yes when she comes to visit she brings them for the Cluckers. Recently, she brought me a batch of worms, pupa, and beetles. So as creepy as it is to me, I have started the process of raising mealworms for the Cluckers. The things I do for my chickens...

Here's what you will need:

Oatmeal or wheat chaff

Containers (at least 3) with lids that have holes poked in them (I used plastic shoe boxes from the dollar store)

A spaghetti strainer scoop

A dark place to store said containers

Leftover Veg (this is where they get their water and nutrition)

Toilet paper Tubes

Container 1:

This will contain worms. You will have to put your oatmeal bedding down. Add in veg a few times a week. They will eat this. Add a toilet paper tube for smaller worms to hide in. Sift to take out the pupa.

Container 2:

This is where the pupa should go. You will still have the bedding, toilet paper tube, and veg. You will have to sift regularly to take out the beetles. 

Container 3:

This is where the magic happens. Just kidding. Basically your beetles will breed and create eggs that will hatch into worms. You will have to sift the worms out or put the beetles into a new container and let this group grow out. They are very small. Again, bedding, tube, and veg. You then move the worms to Container One and the cycle begins again. 

Things to watch out for:

Too much water. This comes from adding too many veg and the bedding becoming wet. This will cause mold and kill your bugs.

Too little water, not enough veg. This will cause cannibalism and kill your bugs. 

Too much light...They don't like the light, a shady spot in the room works or your basement.

They stink. Not gonna lie, they have an odor. 

We just started today, so we will let you know how it goes. Your birds will love the live mealworms and knowing what they've been fed will give you a piece of mind. I've heard that coffee bedding is another option, and I will explore it. 

So You Want To Be A Chick Magnet...

             Arrival of the Cluckers             

Bringing home chicks is an incredible feeling. You see these cute, balls of floof. They have tiny little voices and you just want to cuddle them. However, they have different ideas.

Chickens are prey animals. They are not naturally cuddly or trusting. You have to build those relationships with your birds. When you get your chicks home from wherever you got them, give them some space. They will be tired and scared. 

I've found that working with prey animals is very different than working with predators. I've done a lot with horses and their mindset is so different than that of a dog or a cat. Dogs and cats are considered predators and while they aren't the apex predators, they have different views on how they would like to be approached. So onto chicks.

Snuggling Sweet Camilla

When you pick a chick up try to approach them from the front and at their level. Picking a chick up from above, makes them panic and it feels like a predator attack. It's scary to them. It's fast and unexpected. I've found with my girls that it was easier to slowly approach from the front where they could see me. I would cradle them with my hand and support their feet. Be very aware of their air sacs, those basically surround their chest area. You don't want to squeeze them, you can still have a firm, supportive hold without squeezing. Make sure if you have children, they know about this. Chicks are very fragile. The first few days, they were scared no matter how I approached them. I found it was better to sit down and let them approach me. Chicks are curious. Once they figured out I wasn't a threat they were more than happy to sit on my lap.

               Chick Pile!               
             

Now I am a crazy chicken lady. I have full blown conversations with my girls. I sing to them, they hear my voice all the time. This was important during their formative weeks. I made sure that they knew my laugh and that I wasn't "quiet" around them all the time. This helped them get to know me and they respond to different vocal calls that I do. I started all of this with talking to the girls. 

That was only the beginning. I would hold my hand out for them to approach. To make my hand seem more exciting, I used chick starter as my treat. As they became more comfortable, I try to approach petting them. When they would freak out, I would stop and go back to staying still and not approaching. The girls found quickly that I was warm and would snuggle. 

The look of Chicken Love!

As my girls got older, the pin feathers started to take over from the chick down. Poor things. Pin feathers are full of blood and are very sensitive. You have to be very gentle when handling chicks (and molting chickens) who have pin feathers. Always pet chickens in the direction of their feathers, you don't want to ruffle them, because it can be painful or unpleasant to the chook. The more they associate nice things with you, the more they will want to be around you.

Luna and Artemis approaching me,  
not the other way around.

I will say that there are so many benefits to handling your birds. The relationships you build will be like no other. My big worry was "OMG what if there is an issue and I can't catch my bird or me handling them will cause more stress or more injury". Handling an animal and building that trust is key when it comes to an emergency. I love hearing the gentle purrs of my girls and when they jump onto my lap it's magic. Each bird and each breed is very different. I've heard that
Golden Comets (hybrids) are down right cuddly, I've heard that they are aloof. My neighbor has Orpingtons and they have no interest in cuddling. Apparently, that's a breed that many find to be very cuddly. My Luna, who is Copper Marans x Cream Legbar, wants very little to do with me. She will tolerate a cuddle or a pet but I wouldn't go so far as to say she overly enjoys it. Artemis, my legbar, LOVES to be held and snuggled. Legbars are known to be less than friendly and skittish at times. Princess Leia hands out hugs and cuddles to anyone who will sit with her. So cuddly chickens are based on nurturing that and the temperament of the bird. 

The biggest take away from all of this is spend time with your birds. They will enjoy your company as much as you enjoy theirs. Handle your birds enough so they are comfortable with you handling them in an emergency. Enjoy this experience, it is unlike any other! It's addictive and wonderful. Take joy in the entire process.  

As always, if you have questions feel free to email us: covidcluckers@gmail.com

Treating a Prolapse Vent

 I'll include the story at the bottom. I know when facing an emergency with our chickens we need the information immediately.

Penguin Stance from PoultryDVM.com

Prolapse Symptoms:

• Penguin Stance
• Puffed Up
• Visible Prolapse from vent
• Bleeding from Vent
  
• Lethargic Behavior
• Poop stuck in prolapse

Supplies

• Tub
• Epsom Salts
• Preparation H
• Vetercyin
• Gloves
• Vaseline
• Tums

Fill your tub up with warm water. Add Epsom salts.

You want your hen to be able to float so that the prolapse can stay moist.

Soak about 30 minutes.

If poop stuck in prolapse, soak and get the poop out. This is painful to the hen, it's better to soak with the poop so it breaks up.

Once out of tub, cover hen's head with a towel. You want her to be quiet.

Clean prolapse with Vetercyin or an antibiotic ointment (do not use the pain relief types). Use the Vaseline to push the prolapse back in. 

Cover the vent with Preparation H to help with swelling.

Keep the vent moist with Preparation H/Vaseline.

Keep the hen in a dark and quiet place. 

Feed 1/4 Tums to help with contractions in case hen is egg bound. 

This might have to be done several times. If the prolapse isn't staying in, you may need a vet to put a stitch in the vent to hold it in. 

Prolapse after she pooped

Story:

I walked out to Camilla being very quiet in the run. She's normally cussing up a storm. It was a nice and warm day, around 70 F. Camilla was standing weird in a corner of the run. Lethargic and looking like a penguin, she refused any treats. I said a few swears and prayers in my head and instantly thought egg bound. When she turned slightly, that's when I saw the vent prolapse. 

I immediately called my husband who began to gather all of the supplies and run a bath. I was shaking and terrified. Camilla is my smallest hen. When she was a baby she was almost a failure to thrive. She's the size of a bantam hen and lays large eggs. 

We soaked her in a tub. Her vent had a large hard poop in it. Which is not uncommon. I had to soak her to get that soft enough for her to pass it. Touching her vent was painful to her and I avoided touching it as much as possible. Sometimes chickens poop out parts of a soft shelled egg or an egg that broke inside. 

Needless to say,  I was terrified and thank God for Mel (@wilmathewonderhen ) and Shalane (@chickennoodleandco). While my husband was working hard to keep me calm, he didn't have the experience. However, he trusted my research and my friends from the chicken community. 

Soaking in Epsom Salt Bath

Camilla passed her poop and we moved her to another tub that had warm water and Epsom salts in it. We covered the top of the tub with a towel and she floated for about 30 minutes. When we got her out, we kept her head covered and kept the lights off. I cleaned her vent with Vetercyin. After that I put the preparation H on her. Using gloves and being VERY gentle, I pushed her prolapse back in. Let me tell you...if you had asked me a year ago if I would be sticking a finger into my chicken's hole...I just never thought I'd be getting this personal with my birds. 

Camilla enjoyed getting her feathers blow dried. After she was dry, I reapplied the preparation h and had to push the prolapse back in again, as it had started to

Enjoying a blow dry on BC's lap

come back out. The swelling had gone down though. We took Camilla into our living room and watched Star Trek The Next Generation. Now, obviously you don't have to watch TNG with your chook to help with a prolapse. Camilla wanted to walk around and started not only eating and drinking, but pooped a huge healthy poop.

After all of these positive signs, she sat quietly on my lap and then started nesting. She really wanted to lay an egg. I crushed up a 1/4 of a tums and she pecked at it. I had my med tent up and put her in. She laid an egg that was covered in calcium after about an hour. She went back to eating and drinking. I brought in a friend who had broke her beak earlier in the day. (I swear these girls are out to give me a heart attack!) The next day I saw that she was still protruding a bit, so more preparation H on her vent. 

The big thing is to keep your hen quiet, away from the flock (they will peck and then have a cannibalistic moment when they see blood). Keep the vent moist and keep giving calcium to help with contractions. It may take a day, it may take a few days. I hope my story helps. 

Left: normal egg
Right: Egg after prolapse

Resources:

Gail Damerow's Chicken Health Handbook

PoultryDVM

Got Chicks? Simple Advice for the New Chicken Tender!

 When I first considered the idea of chickens, I put in so much research. Hours upon hours of searching google, reading books, reading blogs, reading Facebook groups. It was too much. 

There is so much to learn about chicks and chickens and everyone has an opinion. Here's a fact for you. Until you actually have the chicks in front of you, you honestly will know nothing. So here's a few things to keep in mind.

1.Laws and Regulations-

Know your laws and ordinances. Don't have contraband chickens. It wrecks it for the law abiding citizen. Check your HOA, your city, your county, and your state laws. Ignorance will be no excuse in the long run. If you aren't allowed roosters, this will help you pick your chicken breeds. If you aren't allowed roosters, you need a plan for them if you choose to get a breed that might risk having one.

2. The Brooder- 

I used a dog crate. Some people use boxes, some people use plastic tubs (be careful with these as they can bother a chick's respiratory functions with hot plastic). If I was to do it again I would definitely change some things. I'd get a bigger brooder. When the girls were 8 weeks...they were too big for the space they were in. I'm lucky, they got along great! But bigger is better. 

Heat Source-I used a heat lamp. I know shame shame. There's nothing wrong with using a heat lamp as long as you are aware of it and pay attention to it at all times. I was home due to covid. I was in the bathroom where the chicks were growing all the time, just staring at the chicks. I was well aware of the heat lamp. I would probably do a brooder plate next go around though. 

Bedding- I used pine shavings. I highly recommend this. They stay warm, the chicks can dig and play in them and have enough traction to avoid splay legs. I don't recommend sand for chicks. They will need to be cleaned constantly and sand is a real hassle to clean inside. Please don't use newspaper or paper towels. You can get leg issues this way due to lack of traction. Also newspaper is gross when pooped on and paper towels are so expensive (and hard to find still!)

2. Feed

Medicated feed verses Unmedicated feed- 

If your chicks were vaccinated for coccidiosis, you don't need to feed them medicated feed. Medicated feed can cause them to lose the immunity from their vaccine. If they weren't vaccinated, you can go for medicated feed. If you have a hen with your chicks, you will want to use a flock raiser or all flock feed with oyster shells on the side. Hens should not have medicated chick feed. 

Grit-chicks don't need grit if being fed chick starter. You don't really need grit until they are starting to peck at grass and eating things other than their feed. 

3. Vaccines and Biosecurity

    Please if you have the option, get your chicks vaccinated for Marek's. They have to be vaccinated for     this in the first 48 hours of life. 

    Everyone, and I mean everyone, will want to come by and see those tiny peeps. Be aware of                 biosecurity. Be paranoid. Don't allow people to wear the clothes and shoes they've had on in a farm        store around your chicks. Make sure there is plenty of handwashing. 

    

4. Resources

    Buy the following books (I've included links to our Amazon Storefront)

    Gail Damerow's Chicken Health Handbook

    The Chicken Chick's Guide to Backyard Chickens

    Wilma The Wonder Hen's Podcast 

    Join our Instagram Chicken Community. There are a lot of us out there willing to help and give solid advice. 

Hashtag List

 When we joined the Instagram chicken community, we found that playing the hashtag games were the best way to meet people. There are so many! Here's a list that is ever ongoing. If you have a hashtag that we forgot to add, we will have a word with our Press Secretary, The Claw and add it. 

Shopping Page

 Here are some links to products I recommend. I do get a small percentage if you purchase through these links

Chickmas Cookies!

 I love how you go to a blog and you're looking for a recipe. Instead you find some long winded nonsense about how that blogger loves this or that. Not here. I'm not desperate for content. Here's how to make Chickmas Cookies.

3 cups Layena Crumbles

1 cup scratch

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups of water

Combine in a a bowl. You might need more or less water depending on the size of the eggs. You want the "dough" to be the consistency of cookie dough.

Put into a cookie mold. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. They will still be soft, but my chickens like that. 

Ta da! Chickmas Cookies. Enjoy. 

Meet the Cluckers

 We have 8 Covid Cluckers. Here are their stories.

Princess Laya (Leia)

Sassy and unapologetic, Princess Leia is a favorite among the Covid Cluckers. She is a true adventurer and afraid of very little. This often gets her into trouble. She's always willing to wander off by herself for chicken adventures the rest of the Cluckers could only dream of. Leia and the Claw share a special bond. As a chick, Leia started to fade about 4 days in. The Claw immediately researched and found signs of coccidiosis. Leia spent a lot of time snuggled in the Claw's arms. Today, Leia is very protective of the Claw and demands snuggles whenever she wants them. 

Rex

Rex was the biggest of the Covid Clucker chicks. She was very kind and always looked for a cuddle. She could be found snuggling any of her chicken sisters. Rex is brave and a true leader. She leads with quiet confidence. The Claw refers to Rex as her pocket chicken or her shadow. Everywhere the Claw goes, Rex follows. At night, Rex waits outside the coop for the Claw to give her bedtime cuddles. Even though, Rex and Leia are best chicken friends, they have a silent competition. Anything Leia can do, Rex will try to do better. Rex will greet you at the coop door with a gentle "bawk bawk" and kind eyes. 

Blue

Blue is so chill, you often forget she's there. She's quiet and unassuming. Blue was named after the velociraptor in Jurassic World. Thank goodness she didn't take on any aggressive attitudes like the Blue in the movie. Blue enjoys digging in the mulch and staying out of trouble. Out of all the Covid Cluckers, she is most vocal about being surprised. While, quiet and unassuming, Blue will definitely peck you if you touch her treat ball. It's her favorite toy and she doesn't like to share it!

Nutmeg(aka: Nutterbutter)

Nutmeg is in the middle of the pecking order. She's very shy. She doesn't like having attention given to her, unless it's in mealworm form. You rarely hear a sound from her. We were lucky she grew into her name and is the color of nutmeg. As a chick, she wanted nothing to do with people. Now, she will hop up for a scratch and off she goes. Nutmeg is notorious for trashing the nest box as she lays her eggs. The Claw thinks because Nutmeg keeps so much inside, that she lets that rage go Motley Crue style in the nest box.

Camilla

Camilla is the smallest and most feisty of the Covid Cluckers. Golden Comets should be around 4 lbs/ ~2kgs. Camilla is 3 lbs/ 1.5kgs. She's so tiny. She's also very vocal. Camilla has zero issues letting the Claw know that she's late to let them out in the morning or late with the meal worms or just late in general. Camilla was named after Gonzo's chicken in the Muppets. The Claw has had to calm Camilla down many times. She probably takes after the Claw's Italian side more than any of the Cluckers. We're all hoping that Camilla doesn't start a Fight Club. 

Pom Pom

Pom Pom...is Pom Pom. She was a tiny friend who took a long time to grow. As a chick, she wanted NOTHING to do with the Claws. She would run away peeping angrily at them. She was the slowest of the Cluckers to develop. She doesn't have a bawk. She sings. Yes. She sings a B natural and it's unnerving. For a long time the Claws thought Pom Pom would lay square eggs because she was so strange. Pom Pom is a loner. She's always on the outside of the group and really doesn't interact with the other Cluckers. Slowly but surely, she has started to like the Claw and will jump on her lap for a quick pet and off she goes. 

Luna

Oh Luna...Luna, Luna, Luna. Where do we begin? Luna is an Olive Egger (Copper Marans X Cream Legbar). She is loud and overly dramatic. We are here for this. Luna wants to be loved, but doesn't know how. She's known for pecking the Claw in the butt. Luna refuses to be cuddled unless it's on her own terms and if it's dark (she's scared of the dark). While she looks angry and intimidating, Luna has the tiniest baby voice. When provoked she will crow...that has been so much fun to explain to the neighbors. Luna loves Artemis and doesn't really care about what everyone else is doing.

Artemis

Artemis is a fan favorite. She is quirky and silly. Her iconic "laugh and scream" sounds show her wacky personality. Artemis is a Cream Legbar. She is very proud of her mohawk and distinct feathers. One of Artemis' biggest fears is bedtime. She gets very frightened and needs to be comforted. The Claw is known to rock Artemis to sleep. Artemis is very cuddly and demands attention...loudly. When she lays eggs, she sings her egg song BEFORE and AFTER she lays her beautiful blue eggs. 

I am getting chickens...now what...Breeds

Shut down happened here in the US on March 16th. Naturally, I spoke with the Bearded Claw, stating I wanted chickens. I was told no and here we are. Chickens.

There's more to chickens than just going and picking them up and hoping for the best. I went to friends that had them and asked advice. I looked up the local laws stating what I could and couldn't have. I had to apply for a permit and have a building inspector inspect my coop before I could have my chicken license...yes you read that correctly. My poor husband. Every night it was a discussion about chickens. I would tell him all of the research I did. 

DE under a microscope

Here is some beginner advice before we even discuss breeds. Real talk here. Stay off of the blogs that mention diatomaceous earth for dust baths or pest control. If I see that, I instantly know the blog is full of crap and there is nothing worthwhile to learn there. It's dangerous for chickens and you. There's no reason why you should be using sharp, lung piercing particles around your birds or yourself. You want to disagree? Ok fight me, I have science on my side. Check out what DE looks like under a microscope. You want that in your lungs? No? Then why do that to you animals? I digress. 

So you want chickens. Here's what to consider:

1. What are your local laws about chickens?
• How much space do you need per bird?
• How many can you have?
• Can you have a rooster? If not do you have place to rehome one?
2. What purpose do you want the chickens for?
3. Climate-what's your weather like?
4. Do you have a vet that can see your chickens? Do you have the ability to do the medical care yourself?
5. Management issues

What are your local laws?

Google will be your friend. Why do you need to know the laws? Well if you pick a breed that isn't auto sex or sex linked, you might not know you have a rooster until its too late. Your local ordinances might say no roosters. You also need to know what space you should have per bird and what's the maximum amount of birds you can have. Are you allowed to free range or do you need to keep them confined to a run? You should also know your local laws so if you need to fight for your right to have your birds, you can fluently speak the lingo. If your HOA (this is an American thing) says no chickens, but your state says you can, what can you do to change the rules? 

Birds With A Purpose

Let's Talk About Sex

Ok. Now that you've answered those questions. Let's talk about sex. Yes. Sexing birds is an art. If you can't have roosters or if you know that you only want hens, what do you do? I personally cannot have a rooster. It's a hefty fine here and I can lose my poultry permit if I get one. So that eliminated a lot of breeds to begin with. 

My Blue is a Golden Comet, sex link

Sex Links

Sex links are hybrids. When they are hatched, females are one color and males are another. It's possible to get a rooster, but its like 1%. Sex links are usually high production hens. They are hardy and can handle many different climates. They are friendly for the most part if handled. These will not breed true because they are hybrids. If they hatch chicks, they will not be sex linked. 

Some breeds of sex links: Black Sex Links, Golden Comets, ISA Browns, Red Star, Black Star, Cinnamon Queen. Now if you live in another country, they might have another title. 

Auto Sex: 

Artemis is a cream legbar. Females look like
chipmunks and males are light colored

Auto Sex birds are like the sex links. However, they will breed true through the next generation. The male is one color or has one type of marking and the female has another color or different marking. 

Some Auto Sex Breeds: Legbars, Barred Plymouth Rock, Ancobar, Cambar, Cobar, Rhodebar, Welbar, California Gray 

Dual Purpose Breeds are breeds that can be used for both meat and eggs. Orpingtons are an example of a dual purpose breed. 

Broody Breeds

If your purpose for owning chickens is eggs, you need to consider if the breed is a broody breed. Silkies, while probably some of the CUTEST chickens, are not prolific egg layers due to being broody. A broody hen will not lay while broody. Now not all "broody breeds" will be broody. For example, my Cream Legbar, a breed known not to be broody, went broody randomly. It depends on the hormones of the bird. 

Common Broody Breeds: Silkies, Ameraucana, Araucana, Australorp, Brahama, Cochin, Delaware, Dominique, Marans, Old English Game, Orpington

Meat Birds 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be aware of the breed you are buying. This year I saw so many people who purchased Cornish Crosses (popular meat bird) and thought they would have a bird for a long period of time. Due to how fast these birds grow and the poor quality of life they will have due to that, they need to be slaughtered at around 8 weeks. How sad is it that your pet that you've been raising and dreaming of will need to be slaughtered to give it a humane ending? If you have children do you want to explain that to your kids if this wasn't in the plan? 

Popular Meat Birds: Cornish Cross (called Broilers) These are NOT dual purpose birds. Freedom Rangers are another popular meat bird. 

Climate and Chickens

Knowing how a chicken's comb is will help you determine what breed could be best for you. Small combs are good for cooler temperatures, while large combs are generally better for warmer temperatures. Combs are part of the chicken's cooling process. If you have a large combed bird in a cold climate, you are at risk for frost bite. If you are in a hot climate and have small combed bird, they will be at risk for heat stroke faster than your large comb birds. 

https://impact.extension.org/

Hopefully this article has helped you in some way in your choice of chicken breed. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to contact me!

Sources: 

DE Photo is from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

Comb Diagram is from https://impact.extension.org/

The Chicken Encyclopedia by Gail Damerow