The United State Postal Service, or USPS, ships live birds if all packaging requirements are met. The regulations for shipping birds are somewhat confusing, and may be interpreted differently by…
Using a heat lamp to keep rabbits warm can be tricky. A rabbit must have a degree of warmth, but they are much more susceptible to heat stroke than freezing to death. Even young rabbits can survive in…
Barred Plymouth Rock chickens are greatly favored by chicken keepers due to the fact that their sex is largely apparent at hatching. In other chicken breeds, males cannot be distinguished from females…
Large commercial poultry hatcheries employ chick sexers to distinguish male and female baby chicks prior to shipping large chick batches to local feed stores and pet stores. Chicks also must be sexed…
The ability to tell the sex a baby chicken is not an easy process to learn and takes training and experience. The importance of knowing the sex of the baby chicken saves the manufacturer of these…
Keeping newly hatched chicks warm during the early period of growth is essential to their survival. A supplemental heat source is necessary to assure that optimal temperatures are maintained for the…
The average life span of a chicken can range from 10 years to 15 years, depending on the specific breed of chicken and other factors, such as the environment. A chicken reaches maturity by…
Avian influenza is spread through direct bird to bird contact as well as through contact with feces and other bodily fluids of an infected bird. The disease can also be spread through the wind if…
Fowl typhoid is a disease of poultry that is caused by the salmonella gallinarum bacteria. Fowl typhoid is highly contagious. In older birds, symptoms of the disease include lethargy, wing droop, poor…
Whether you are raising baby chicks for your own use or for commercial purposes, there are some general guidelines for providing a safe shelter during the brooding stage. The good news is that chicks…
Newcastle Disease, also known as Paramyxovirus 1, is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily infects chickens, turkeys, pigeons and ducks. Other species can also be infected, including…
Determining the sex of a chicken before they develop secondary sex characteristics, which more easily identify them as roosters (male) or hens (female) is most useful in egg hatching farms where…
Though a sturdy fence can keep many predators away from your chickens, protecting baby chicks requires extra precautions. Not only do chicks face the same dangers that their older flock mates face,…
When purchasing chicks, decide whether they'll be for meat, eggs, or both. If you're interested in hatching your own, see the related eHow "How to Hatch Chicks."