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

Fun Stuff for the Coop Omlet Edition

I don't know about you, but I take my responsibilities as a Claw and Crazy Chicken Lady VERY seriously. This means I am going out of my way to spoil my chickens. I have tons of chicken décor, I am decorating the coop for the seasons...and I am spending some serious time looking at toys (enrichment is the fancy term for this) and items that improve the girls way of life. I don't like wasting money or buying something that my girls will hate or not play with. 

Please don't feel that this is a sales pitch in any way. I hate when people only pitch products if they can get a kick back. Full disclosure I am an Omlet affiliate and I joined that program AFTER purchasing several items from this company (You can click my link here, but you don't have to). HOWEVER, I can only speak to the products I have personally purchased. If you want to click on the links it will support me as an affiliate, but if you don't want to here is the link to the website without my info attached Omlet

Things I like about Omlet. 

• The cost. Everything is very affordable. 
• The shipping is fast.
• The products are quality and created with the animals and owners in mind.
• The products are fun and enriching for your chickens and you!
• These products are available all over the world. 

The First Purchase: Auto Door

We went out one night and had to rush home to rock Artemis to sleep and to make sure that Rex made it into the coop. Chicken keeping does have its perks, but it also has its drawbacks as well.

One of those is waking up early to let the birds out and having to leave things at night to put them in the coop. Now in the age of Covid, this hasn't been too much of an issue. However, my family lives quite a distance from my home. We went to visit them and rushed home to put the girls to bed and make sure that the door was shut so no predators entered the coop. It was very stressful.

I told the Bearded Claw that I wanted an automatic door. He rolled his eyes and said yes it would be a good idea. He told me to research and see what I came up with. I showed him several, but they were very expensive and not what HE wanted in an automatic door. Enter the Omlet Auto Door. He wanted it because it looked cool (men...) and was universal.

The Auto Door features:

It's battery operated. You have the choice of a timer, using the light sensor, or manual mode to operate the door. You can delay the closing of the door too. I have girls that straggle and don't go in immediately at night because they need their Claw snuggles. The door also locks and is very secure. The predator proofing on it is amazing. It will also stop and not hurt any chickens if they stand in the doorway as it closes. 

Yes, it does look cool. We did take the front panel off to paint it to match our coop. As much as I love Omlet, the Lime Green was not going with the Forest Green that the Bearded Claw spent so much time accenting the coop with. 

It was super easy to install and the manual comes in many languages! I believe it only took about an hour tops to install and we had plenty of chicken help.

The Toys...I mean enrichment items

Make sure when purchasing chicken toys that you call them enrichment. One it makes it sound so much better and less crazy to purchase enrichment items for your animals, verses toys. Two if you say enrichment to your Bearded Claw, he's more likely to ignore that you purchased toys for your chickens.

Poppy Peck Toys

My girls love to peck. All chickens love to peck. I've found that giving the Cluckers enrichment activities has helped with some management issues. They have to be supervised when they leave their run. I can't let them just free range due to the nesting hawks nearby. 

The Peck toys are a nice size and are easy to fill. The holes in the plastic allow for pellets, worms, scratch, and grubs to pass through freely. I have the hanging peck toy and the ones that look like flowers. They're super cute. The girls prefer the flower ones, so I purchased several more. I like how it keeps the girls busy and not bullying each other. With several toys to choose from, there is an opportunity for all of them to use them. They are also very easy to clean.  I honestly thought at first my girls wouldn't be interested, but I was wrong. These are worth it. As you can see from the video below, they love their toys. Please consider Omlet when you are looking for great things for your chickens!

What your Chickens NEED for winter

Winter...over here in the Land of Pleasant Living, winter is a mixed bag of bipolar weather. It can be a beautiful 60-70F/15-21C  or it can be a Polar Vortex of weather in single digits with 6 feet of snow on the ground. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy aspects of winter, but mostly it's depressing and gray.

This will be my first winter with chickens. I have done a lot research on HOW to winterize my coop and prepare. I'll share what I know and what I will do. I will update as things seem easier or if I think I need to change to deal with an issue.

Coop

Oh the coop. In summer, we want all the ventilation. In winter we still need ventilation, but drafts are an issue. Ventilation allows for ammonia and moisture to escape. Usually this is located in the upper parts of your coop. Drafts are usually found lower on the floor and can move the belly feathers of our chickens. This can make them very sick and prone to respiratory infections. 

Here is a video that's helpful for looking for drafts. I'm lucky my coop doesn't have many and that I can use sand to block them up.

An acrylic sheet covers our windows

Our windows will be covered with plastic acrylic sheets ( but we have holes in it at the top for ventilation). This will allow for the moisture and ammonia from the poop to exit the coop without taking away too much heat. The acrylic is clear so it will allow light to come into the coop and give a gentle warming effect. If you see moisture on your windows, then you don't have enough ventilation in your coop. Moisture and drafts are the enemy. Moisture causes frostbite! (Check out this resource for more information about frostbite)You don't want your roosts too close to the windows. That temperature shift can hurt them while sleeping. 

Really quick while it's on your mind...roosts. Chickens like FLAT roosts, not round. A 2x4 that is flat with the 4" side up is a great roost for them. The flat roosts allow them to fully cover their feet while sleeping. It can help protect the feet from frostbite. 

Radiant Heater

Heater. It's very strange in my state. Some winters it's in the single digits or below. Some winters are very mild and pleasant. However, I think this year we might be in for snow, because 2020. Sometimes it's a dusting...sometimes it's Snowmagedon with 6-8 feet of snow. We never know what we're in for. The heater is for if the girls get wet. Wet birds are more likely to get sick and die. Remember moister is the enemy. A wet bird will bring that into your coop. You want that to evaporate as quickly as possible. The heater I bought was from Tractor Supply. It's a radiant heater/brooder combo. You don't want the coop to be too warm. Your birds will need to acclimate to the cooler weather. A heater and keeping the coop a cozy 60F/15C when it's in the 20F/-6C outside is not a good idea. You'll have birds staying in the coop and pooping in the coop. Not only do you have to worry about the ammonia fumes, but they aren't eating and calories are needed in winter. 

Nest Box

We are putting up nest box curtains. This will keep drafts out of the nest box while the girls are laying. It will allow to keep the heat a bit more regular as well. The nest box on our coop sticks out away from it and has about a foot of clearance from the ground. Pretty soon I will go in and fill in any cracks with some caulk. There are a few since I can see the light coming through. 

The Run

The run should be covered with a roof. This prevents snow and freezing rain to get onto the birds. Freezing rain can kill a chicken, so beware of this. The food should be in your run (NOT YOUR COOP unless you want rodents, because that's how you get rodents). The waterer should be in your run. You don't want moisture in your coop. Now...I don't know how many of you have hauled frozen buckets before. I used to break horses and caring for them in winter was a bear. Frozen water buckets weigh a ton and are just awful to deal with. Get a heated waterer. Some waterers are better than others. I know the little cups freeze. Nipple drinkers are great, but can freeze unless heated. We have a Premier 1 Poultry Nipple Drinker. It's heated. That was my first requirement for the girls. It's not cheap, but I HATE frozen buckets. It's nice in the summer too because the insulation helps keep the water cool.  We will be wrapping part of the run with a tarp if it gets cold and windy. Painters plastic works as well. Breaking the wind is a good idea because it will mess with how the chickens fluff themselves to trap warm air in their feathers. 

As winter approaches I will update what I do. We had a day that was 80F/26C. It was so hot and uncomfortable that we had to remove a lot of our winterization items. I will also update you as we find other things that work!

Broody Chickens

I had someone ask me questions on Instagram about topics to write about. One of the topics was broodiness in a flock without a rooster. I thought to myself oh my, we don't have breeds that typically go broody...except Luna. Luna is a Copper Marans x Cream Legbar. Marans are known for being broody and Legbars are not. Little did I know that Artemis, my sweet and cheerful Cream Legbar, would be the first hen to go broody in my flock.

I found Artemis to be broody when collecting eggs. She got all spikey and GROWLED at me. For those of you who have followed us for awhile, you have seen me rock Artemis to sleep. Growling is the last thing she would normally do. I had to go to my second job, but when the Bearded Claw came home he checked on her. She did the same thing to him. Hours later, I came home from work and set up the breaker.

Update: We were able to break Artemis in 3 days. It was easy to see that she wasn't ready because of the noises she was making. She was also not behaving like her sweet self. Having Artemis growl at me wasn't normal for her. I did floof her breast feathers a bit just to put cooler air under her. She did come round quick. Since we broke her, she hasn't laid eggs, but this is normal. She should return to laying once her hormones regulate themselves.

Artemis, the Cream Legbar is broody

Ever since I knew getting chickens was a reality, I researched everything I could. I would pour over books and forums trying to absorb as much as possible. There is SO MUCH GARBAGE OUT THERE! I found the blog of the Chicken Chick. I liked her no nonsense approach. To me, she is very practical. I will tell you about her method in a minute. She was part of why I was inspired to create this blog. I wanted to give advice based on what we have at the moment and could be used by people around the world, not just America. 

So onto the Broody Hen...

What NOT to do

Artemis is an angry, puffy pancake

Broodiness is created by hormones. It's baby fever so to speak. All that is on a broody hen's mind is to hatch eggs. A broody hen will sit...and sit...and sit. This means that she is not eating or drinking like she should. She will only get up to grab a quick drink, a small bite to eat, and to poop. This is like once a day. A broody hen can lose up to 20% of their body weight. It's not healthy and it's super hard on their bodies. They are susceptible to parasites, infections, and illness in their weakened state. THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IS LET A BROODY HEN SIT WITH NO CHANCE OF HATCHING EGGS!

Don't chase her out of the nest box. She will go back. Baby fever causes one track minds! It will stress your bird even more.

Don't dunk her in cold water. Don't stick frozen things under her. Chickens' bodies are 105-107F (40.6-41.7 C). How cruel is that?

What you can do

If you do decide to let your broody hatch eggs, label the eggs so you know how long they've been under her. 21 days is the period it takes to hatch an egg, don't let her sit too much longer than that. REMEMBER HOW STRESSFUL THIS IS ON THEIR BODIES.

You can graft day old chicks to the broody. What this means is that you will slip baby chicks under her while she's sleeping so she thinks she hatched her eggs. This doesn't always work. We know many that want to be mothers, and aren't cut out for it. Be prepared to raise the chicks yourself if the broody attacks or abandons the chicks. You will have to use day old chicks, broody hens won't always accept slightly older ones.

The Broody Breaker Method and what we are trying

The Chicken Chick recommends immediately breaking up a broody hen if hatching eggs isn't going to happen. She recommends placing the broody hen in a dog kennel or rabbit hutch with a wire bottom floor to allow the hen to cool her brood patch. This is called the Broody Breaker.

Artemis and Luna in Club Med: Broody Breaker

I don't have a rabbit hutch or dog crate with a wire bottom. I have my med tent. It's a foldable dog kennel that I have for emergencies. 

I brought Artemis in last night in the dark. I put her in the med tent with Luna. I was worried about reintegration later and stressing her more by being alone. There is a perch, food, and water. They are in my office and I am going in and out of the room on a regular basis and I have left the lights on in the room. I can tell Artemis is still broody this morning, she's doing that weird growl and puffing up still. It's cute to see her temper tantrum. I'm hoping to put her back in the flock in a day or so. We will see. I will update as this unfolds!

Update: We were able to break Artemis in 3 days. It was easy to see that she wasn't ready because of the noises she was making. She was also not behaving like her sweet self. Having Artemis growl at me wasn't normal for her. I did floof her breast feathers a bit just to put cooler air under her. She did come round quick. Since we broke her, she hasn't laid eggs, but this is normal. She should return to laying once her hormones regulate themselves.

To read about the Chicken Chick's Method: https://the-chicken-chick.com/broody-breaker-when-hens-mood-to-hatch/

Sources: Backyard Chickens Forum, The Chicken Health Handbook by Gail Damerow, The Chicken Chick's Guide to Backyard Chickens by Kathy Shea Mormino , Google....and I don't want to credit the websites who are giving that terrible advice...just know that there's a lot of nonsense to sift through.

Determined to stop being broody

What your Chickens NEED for Summer

When setting out to create this blog, I wanted to make sure that we weren't just talking about America. (We're very ego centric over here.)

Right now the Northern Hemisphere is making its change to winter and the Southern Hemisphere is making its change to spring. We all learned this in primary school. Here are some tips and suggestions for both seasons. I will start with summer since we just came from that.

Summer with Chickens

It's so exciting, the weather is always something to look forward to after months of winter. Your chickens may not be looking forward to the heat. A chicken's core body temperature runs between 105-107F /40.5-41.6 C. Add in the fact they are wearing a fluffy, down duvet cover and it's going to be an uncomfortable time for them. We haven't even factored in the humidity levels of places yet. 

Water

Princess Leia grabs a drink of cool water

The best way to combat the heat is to have water available everywhere. You have to be careful though, if the water gets close to a chicken's body temperature, they will refuse to drink. Keeping water in shady areas so they don't need to hunt for it is the way to go. I had several drinkers throughout where the girls would stay during the day. Many of them I would freeze overnight so there would be ice water in the morning. I took plastic bottles and jugs and froze them. Then I stuck the frozen bottles in the drinkers.

Let's talk electrolytes. Yes they are important. Should you be giving these to your birds though? If the day was in the 100's/40's I would give them one drinker with electrolytes and the rest fresh water. I only did this if they were panting and had their wings drawn away from their sides. Sometimes electrolytes change the taste of the water. Chickens don't have many taste buds, but the water stays on their taste buds longer than food. I've seen chickens refuse to drink water that has electrolytes. The other thing is people don't give their birds enough credit. They know what they need. Giving them the only choice of electrolytes to drink can lead to an imbalance and let's face it...your birds are already stressed!

Food

Summer is not the time to do strange things with a chicken's diet. Calories are a measurement of energy. In this case, the energy causes heat. You might start to notice your chickens are eating less and not moving around as much. Neither would you if you were in 100F/37C weather in a giant coat that you can't take off. Adding extras like watermelon or fruits, while helpful can cause big issues if over done. I personally have frozen blueberries and put those in water. It forces the girls to drink, they are able to drink cool water, and the berries soak up extra water. However, I don't really want them eating extras in the summer because of calories burning up. I have also put ice in the water. They enjoyed playing and drinking the ice water. But again, you don't want them doing too much. I see the frozen trays with corn and things like that. A chicken's beak is sensitive and banging it around on the ice doesn't seem like it would feel great. Plus it burns calories.

Eggs

I haven't had much experience with eggs being laid in the heat. My gals started laying in August and while it's hot here in the Land of Pleasant Living, it's not as hot as July. Egg production will suffer during the heat. You will see it all. Rubber eggs, thin shells, shell-less eggs, or no eggs at all. Hens will be focused on dealing with surviving the heat, not reproducing (again calories burning!). Consider adding a bit of baking soda to your water (1/4c to every gallon). It will help with the electrolyte loss and it will help with replacing the calcium that is being lost or not ingested due to the heat. Again, make sure there are fresh, clean, and cool water options also available. Keep their diet as close to normal as possible. 

Poop💩

Poop...it's everywhere. We know this as chicken tenders. However, there is normal poop, and there is the watery heat created poops. A chicken will poop out what almost looks like diarrhea when hot. This is a cooling method called excretory heat transfer/loss. This is a good thing. One it means they are drinking water. Two, it means they are trying to cool themselves. You should be looking at your chickens' poop and know the difference between a healthy poo and an unhealthy one. However, if you see them pooping even more frequently and it's watery...they're cooling themselves and are drinking lots of water. 

What to do in an emergency

Most of us do not have access to a vet. When a chicken is in heat distress you might not have time on your side. Please do not cool them down too quickly. They are just like people in that respect. I kept an emergency bucket under a tree in the shade for emergencies. The water wasn't hot and it wasn't cold, lukewarm/tepid. If I saw my girls panting, wings held away from their body, and a weird comb/wattle color, they would get a dip in the pool. I would hold them with their feet in the water. Their feet are a cooling area and cooling those help cool the bird. If it had been severe, I would've dunked them in the bucket up to their neck. Thank goodness I didn't have to do that. Having a place for chickens to walk through water is always a welcome respite from the heat. Many chickens HATE water (unless it's raining and then good luck keeping them dry🙄 ) and will not willingly go into a wading pool. You can use a mister, but if you're like us, it doesn't help in the humid summer we experience. 

Coop Prep

You want all the ventilation. ALL OF IT. Put windows on all sides of your coop and have them wide open. There were days where the heat index was around 105 F/40 C. We had several fans going, the coop was completely open, nest box was propped open, doors open, and I even took the back off the coop and put up hardware cloth. We would hose down the roof of the coop when it was 110 F/43 C inside. We put up tarps to shade the coop (and will use them in the winter to wrap parts of it). Use sand for your litter. It will keep the stink down, absorb the moisture from the wet poop, and it actually acts as a cooling agent in the summer. Keep your fans running at night by your chickens. In winter drafts are an issue. In summer, that's not a bad thing to have in your coop. The airflow will help them when they are sleeping and unable to drink water. 

Place a thermometer in the the coop so you know what the temperature is inside!

The back wall comes off our coop and now has a giant flap window and a fan attached to the wall

Hopefully you have found this to be practical and useful information! I have done my research by reading books by Gail Damerow, Kathy Shea Mormino, and from just my own experience. 

I will cover how to deal with winter in my next post and how to winterize your coop.