Written by Lev Baker
Chickens are a huge part of our diet. We not only eat their meat but also eat and enjoy the eggs they lay. Although there are a great many chickens around the world, did you know some...
Source: Cackle Hatchery
Many things affect an egg’s shell color, texture, and strength. Among them are improper nutrition, environmental stress, age, and disease. Let’s look at some of the most common reasons why chickens lay eggs with abnormal shells.
Poor Nutrition
Improper...
he Breeder Flock
Healthy chicks come from good breeders. Breeder nutrition, uniformity and the vaccination program are critical.
Breeder Flock Health, Age And Nutrition
A healthy breeder flock, females with a good rate of lay mated to vigorous males, will usually produce...
Poultry production activities have significant effects on virtually all aspects of the environment, including air, water, land/soil, biodiversity, and climate change. The impact may be direct, putting stress on the bird’s ability to maintain homeostasis, or indirect, such as...
In the egg industry, the sex of day-old chicks is determined at the hatchery. Sexing chicks (determining whether they are a hen or a rooster) requires considerable skill and is done at this very early stage to determine their...
Why Are Heaters Used in Broiler Production?
The first stage of broiler production is called brooding and lasts approximately 8–14 days, depending on the integrator and weather conditions. During brooding, chicks are usually housed in only a portion of the...
Quick Facts…
Chick selection is the first step to developing your family flock. It is recommended to buy quality chicks from a reliable hatchery.
Chick breeds fall into three categories: egg production, meat production or dual breeds for both eggs...
What is the best turkey mating ratio for good fertility? That’s a question many first-time turkey keepers ask. Often as not, they get many different answers. Here’s why:
Turkey Type
The first thing to consider is the type of turkeys in...
Lameness is a growing problem in modern poultry production that decreases bird performance and operation profitability. One of the major contributors to the worldwide poultry lameness issue is Bacterial Chondronecrosis and Osteomyelitis (BCO). BCO typically affects at least 1.5...
Poultry growers at times suffer from wet floors, wet litter, water leaks, and other conditions that may warrant some drying agent to improve the in-house environment. The use of drying agents in agriculture is an age-old practice. Wet floors,...