Poultry

Free-range poultry are birds such as chickens and turkeys that are allowed to roam freely on a farm without being caged. Raising poultry free-range allows them to eat natural food and get more…

Whether you're a farmer with a flock of 100 chickens or a pet owner with just a couple of them, you'll need to devise a feeding system. You can simply fill a trough with chicken feed whenever it's…

The best things about raising poultry, particularly chickens, bantams or quail, are that you don't need a lot of space, the start-up costs aren't prohibitive, and you'll get a constant supply of eggs.…

The obvious advantage of raising a small flock of chickens, ducks, geese, quail or other poultry at home is, of course, a plentiful supply of fresh eggs. Other advantages include pest control,…

Poultry litter is a commercially manufactured farm product used to create bedding for chicken coops, allowing chickens to have better traction on the coop floor. Using poultry litter also makes the…

No doubt, society is making a move toward a healthier lifestyle. One major change is to move away from red meat and toward poultry. Unfortunately, poultry is not known for its intense flavor and,…

In 1999, Americans ate 95 pounds of poultry and 258 eggs on average. Up to the 1950s, chickens were raised outdoors, but today's poultry farms involve 20,000 to 100,000 birds raised together in…

The Brangus is a breed of cattle produced from two other breeds: the Angus and the Brahman. The breeds from which it descends are both well-prized for various desirable traits that have been…

Grinding your own oats and legumes to create feed for your pigs will save you money. While it is not as convenient as picking up preground feed, it will allow you to know exactly what you are feeding…

You probably want the insides of your poultry to be free of any tubular, three-lipped parasites feeding on blood, defecating and reproducing with copulatory spicules -- until the fowls' intestines are…

Swine diets high in protein and low in fiber help these farm animals retain the proper, healthy weight. Concentrated grains are the most common feed used to keep pigs healthy. While many different…

Poultry, such as chickens and turkeys, that are kept as pets or on a farm need to be kept cool during the hot days of the summer just like humans do. Chickens and turkeys who are kept comfortable will…

Brangus cattle are a result of a U.S. Department of Agriculture experimental breeding between a Brahman and Angus in 1912. The purpose of cross was to produce a hardy heat and parasite resistant…

Water is the number one requirement for healthy, growing pigs. Getting pigs the proper amount of water can be a problem as they tend to turn over and destroy buckets and troughs. This perplexing…

Poultry barns must be weather tight, like other shelters and structures, yet allow for light and air ventilation since poultry have specific cleaning, feeding and space requirements for their safety…

Grub worms are used for fishing, feeding birds or pet lizards and for food in survival situations. People breed them in order to sell them in bait shops to make extra money. Although they are useful,…

The term "by-products" refers to a source of animal protein that can include parts that you wouldn't necessarily think of eating. In poultry by-products, this includes beaks, bones, feet and other…

Poultry need a safe source of dry food. Poultry feeders function on the principle of gravity and have a few components in common. Feed must be kept dry, particles of feed must flow freely and the feed…

Raising chickens gives people access to fresh, clean chicken eggs on a daily basis. People in rural or suburban areas raise chickens, but a person must check with local zoning boards before housing…

Fattening steers requires a combination of factors, primarily proper feed choices, feed amounts, air temperature and roaming means. Fattening steers is a billion dollar science and following industry…

The reward of raising chickens comes not just from the continuous supply of eggs for you and your family, but also from raising happy, healthy animals. This includes maintaining a comfortable…

For backyard flocks, filling the chicken waterer can be a chore. Forgetting to water may endanger your chickens by dehydrating them. Accessing how full your waterer is isn't always simple to do and…

Chickens are messy eaters. They often scratch their expensive food onto the floor of the coop where it gets walked on -- an expensive waste and a health hazard. Access to clean food is essential to…

Providing a means for free-range poultry to graze on insects and fresh greens is important to raising healthy birds. Poultry fencing allows the birds to roam and graze while barring their access to a…

Cattle need water like any other animal. It is inconvenient to use buckets and troughs, as these need to be checked and filled on a regular basis. Plastic buckets will be knocked over, and metal…

Providing chickens with fresh water at all times is one of the most important aspects of keeping chickens healthy. Adequate hydration is vital for digestion and metabolism. Without adequate hydration,…

Different types of poultry enjoy different types of bathing. Chickens don't generally prefer to bathe in water but they do like a good dusting. Dust baths dislodge parasites like mites and absorb the…

GMI creates sturdy products for the safety of pets and children. Expansion gates attach permanently on one end and stretch to the other end of an opening to restrict pets and children from leaving the…

While dogs can generally endure cooler temperatures than humans, they still need help keeping warm in the winter, especially if they stay in a dog house outdoors. Dog house warmers are widely…

Hatching your own poultry requires an incubator that keeps the eggs at a constant temperature of 95 to 100 degrees. Most small farmers build their own incubators for hatching poultry and use the same…

Chickens don't mind cold weather, as long as their coop provides plenty of ventilation and room to exercise either inside or out. However, while they can stand some cold weather, they can't stand…

A manufacturing process for the manufacture of activated charcoal from chicken litter was developed by the Agriculture Research Service (ARS), which is part of the United States Department of…

Small scale poultry raisers often look for ways to save a few dollars. Many devices, including the poultry feeder, can be built from common, inexpensive items. According to Backwoods Home magazine,…

With health concerns often in the news media, many people are getting back to nature and buying or growing their food organically. If you have your own chickens, you can produce free range eggs with…

You can't wait to grill your fattened chickens and share them with your neighbors. You do the quick job of killing the chickens and then remember you have to pluck every single feather on their…

Chickens, like other animals, can suffer from frostbite when the weather gets cold. Most chickens are tolerant of or even prefer the cold over heat, but when the temperature drops, they're prone to…

All types of poultry need a place to roost. Even free-range birds needs a place where they feel safe. Poultry cages can provide that safe roost. Sometimes called a comfort cage, poultry cages come in…

Chickens are straightforward creatures as both pets and producers. Although many people keep them for pets or in a home farming situation for eggs, others breed and sell them as meat birds. To start a…

Terramycin, also known as oxytetracycline, is a drug with antibacterial and antibiotic properties. This medication is prescribed for a number of purposes, but primarily to prevent infections that are…

Poultry typically remains healthy if you feed it a balanced diet, provide a continuing supply of clean, fresh water for drinking and bathing, and furnish adequate facilities for comfort and…

Dubbing is a procedure used by poultry farmers to remove the comb from the head of the bird in an attempt to limit later damage by injury, freezing or cannibalism. Dubbing is also performed on birds…

Raising poultry is a good way to produce meat and eggs, or simply have an unusual pet at home. Poultry needs available water at all times. Buying poultry dispensers can be expensive compared to…

Whether it is chicken eggs or turkey meat, many people around the globe can appreciate what we can get from poultry. However, to ensure that poultry sources remain an unlimited natural resource, their…

Small-scale poultry raisers often have a need to transport their animals to shows or for market. Traditionally, poultry crates are constructed of wood, although chicken wire or small gap woven wire is…

Poultry litter is defined as a mixture of poultry manure and bedding material. The litter should be routinely removed in order to prevent the possible spread of disease within the flock, according to…

More people are growing their own food these days, and many are raising their own chickens, both for eggs and for meat. Plucking has always been a major deterrent to raising meat chickens, but you can…

Your poultry flock needs the best of feed and care to grow and produce well. By paying careful attention to the selection of ingredients in their feed, you can significantly impact the health and…

Whether you raise chickens, ducks, guinea fowl or turkeys, they will need a fresh, accessible water source during the winter. Poultry waterers can be connected to a household or garage power source…

A well-built chicken coop will provide chickens with shelter from inclement weather, give them a place to lay their eggs and protect them from predators and injury. A chicken coop is accompanied by a…

Diarrhea in poultry is primarily caused by parasites, bacteria or viruses. Many of these infectious organisms affect all poultry species, but turkeys are especially vulnerable to certain diseases.

If you're a backyard chicken or turkey farmer whose hens are not producing chicks, artificial insemination with a proven rooster or tom can save your operation. According to the Food and Agricultural…

Poultry need water on a continuous basis--at least every two hours during their waking hours--to survive. If you raise poultry in areas with sustained freezing temperatures, keep their water supply…

Probiotics are given to cattle and poultry to replace the healthy bacteria that antibiotics also given to the animals before slaughter have killed. The probiotics help the animals digest feed…

Using paraffin wax and cold water is the cheapest and quickest way to de-feather a fowl. Large factories use a similar version of this procedure but using large industrial equipment.

Many people use poultry transport cages or crates to move birds from one place to another. If you are a hobbyist or small producer who uses crates to move poultry from one pen to another or during…

Though chickens are relatively simple to care for, acquiring the items that they require for care can become expensive over time. Poultry feeders can be pricey when purchased at a feed store. However,…

Even if your chickens spend most of their time roaming out of doors, it is absolutely imperative that you keep their living quarters clean and free of parasites. Cleaning a poultry house is not…

Roundworms are one of the most common parasites affecting chickens and turkeys. Severe roundworm infections can kill birds. If a bird in a flock is infected with roundworms, most likely the whole…

Poultry need to have constant access to water. Most water dispensers sold to hobbyists are sized from 3 to 5 gallons---large enough for a small flock for a day or two but inadequate for larger flocks.…

All poultry fences need a gate for access to the inside of the poultry run and to prevent carnivorous animals from entering the run. Gate designs are simple and easy to make with some 2-by-4s, chicken…

Aspiring to be a poultry judge is a sign of a true chicken, duck, goose and turkey devotee. The judges at poultry shows have spent years studying the breed standards and as an apprentice to earn their…

Mealworms are an excellent food source for wild birds and can keep birds, especially bluebirds coming back to your feeder. Mealworms of varying sizes can be purchased in bulk from any number of online…

Poultry lice are parasites that live on the skin and feathers of the bird, feeding on blood, dry skin scales and feather parts. Infestations arise in malnourished poultry; poultry living in…

Used as a therapeutic agent to prevent infection in dogs, cats, pigs, cattle, and birds, Baytril is an antibiotic manufactured by Bayer Animal Sciences. The liquid form of Baytril, which has been on…

Poultry feeders can be made from recycled materials that are already in use or being stored somewhere around your house. Pie pans, buckets, scrap pieces of wood, tin or plastic can all be made into…

Articular gout is a rare but serious condition in which uric acid crystals build up in an animal's joints. In poultry, articular gout is most often caused by dehydration and too much protein in a…

Terramycin is often the first drug poultry growers use when it comes to treating bacterial infections. It is readily available at farm supply stores and veterinarian's offices. Terramycin has been…

If your dog is sick and you suspect he has a bacterial infection you're probably looking for the best antibiotic you can get in the shortest amount of time. Terramycin powder might seem to fit the…

Making your own poultry incubator is an easy way to hatch chicks. Most of the things you need to construct an incubator can be found around your house. Kids enjoy helping with the construction and…

Starting a new project in 4H, especially a small animal project such as poultry, is both easy and fun!

Chickens can actually get frostbite on their combs and wattles on cold winter days. If fact, a hard frost could cause a painful case of frostbite to unlucky fowl. Unfortunately, poultry are unable to…