“What can chickens eat?” is one of the first things to know about raising healthy backyard chickens. Raising chickens in your backyard can be a fulfilling experience, not only for the fresh eggs but also for the joy they bring as pets. Whether you are raising Rhode Island Reds, Lavender Orpingtons, or Leghorns, you need to know what to feed them. That's because one of the key aspects of keeping chickens happy and healthy is offering them a balanced diet. But what exactly can chickens eat? If you're a backyard chicken keeper, this guide is for you. The Basics of What Chickens Can Eat: Commercial Chicken Feed Start with a foundation of commercial chicken feed. This feed is designed to offer a complete and balanced diet, including all essential nutrients for layers or broilers. There are three basic types of chicken feed, based upon the age of the bird. Starter Feed for Chicks Baby chicks need a food with a higher protein content for growth. These starter feeds provide … [Read more...] about What Can Chickens Eat?
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Chicken Enrichment Ideas for Happy, Healthy Chickens
Keep your chicken flock healthy, happy and occupied with these chicken enrichment ideas, toys, treats and activities. Happy chickens are healthy chickens. At least that’s the idea behind the trend of chicken enrichment. Your favorite chicken breeds could be Lavender Orpington, Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Australorp, White Leghorn, Silkie, Easter Egger or something else. No matter your breed of choice, keeping your chickens productively busy will most likely keep them productively laying eggs. That is one of the main reasons you have chickens. Right? Then let’s learn about chicken enrichment. Benefits of Chicken Enrichment What exactly is chicken enrichment? Well, animal enrichment is a “principle that seeks to enhance the quality of captive animal care by identifying and providing the environmental stimuli necessary for optimal psychological and physiological well-being.” For backyard chickens, this means improving the quality of their lives beyond just the bare … [Read more...] about Chicken Enrichment Ideas for Happy, Healthy Chickens
A Beginner’s Guide to Raising Urban Chickens
Suddenly, there seems to be someone raising urban chickens in every neighborhood. The secret is out: chickens make wonderful backyard companions. Chickens are easy to care for and surprisingly fun to raise. Plus, urban chicken keeping brings the reward of fresh, nutritious eggs. No wonder raising urban chickens is such a major trending topic for homeowners. If you live in the city (or the suburbs) and are thinking of starting a little backyard chicken flock of your own, you are going to love our quick guide to raising urban chickens. In this story, we cover planning for chickens, the joys of urban chicken keeping, and common mistakes to avoid. Rural vs. Urban Chicken Keeping When it comes to raising chickens, there are a few notable differences between the city and the country. For starters, urban chicken keepers must take noise, location, appearance and smell into account. Yes, chickens can make noise. Roosters can be particularly noisy. Locating a chicken coop can be … [Read more...] about A Beginner’s Guide to Raising Urban Chickens
