Chapter 2: Flock Behavior When a chicken preens you’ll see it twist its head and neck to reach the preen gland. It will take oil from the gland and spread it through its feathers to clean them and help with waterproofing. Dust bathing keeps a chicken clean and is a great time to observe social order in the flock. This rooster dust bathes after his hens have already had a turn. Quite the gentleman! Sunbathing, even on the hottest days, can be relaxing—but it also serves a larger purpose. The heat from the sun encourages parasites to move to spots where they are more easily reached by the chicken. Q&A: Al l About Eggs How should my eggs be stored in the carton? It’s important to store your eggs with the large end up, pointy end down. By doing this, your egg will stay fresher longer because less moisture will be lost since the air sac is located on the large end. If you’re storing hatching eggs, they must be stored with the large end up so the air sac stays in place. How long do eggs stay good in the refrigerator? Properly stored and refrigerated eggs rarely spoil. Over time, they will actually dry up. But with that said, a rule of thumb is that eggs can stay good up to 100 days in the refrigerator. If I add a rooster to my flock, how long will it take for me to get fertilized eggs? Technically it takes only two days before a hen will start laying fertilized eggs after being introduced to a rooster. Realistically, it may take your rooster some time to mate with each hen so a good rule of thumb is about a week after adding a rooster, you’ll have fertilized eggs. Tip(s) With some exceptions, you can generally tell what color egg a chicken will lay by looking at its earlobes. White lobes equal white eggs. For really dirty eggs, I don’t like to store them, and I don’t like to wash them. So, I feed them to my dog and even to my chickens. I usually cook them immediately and feed them scrambled. They are a great source of nutrition for my animals, and they leave my dog’s coat shiny and healthy. Chapter 6: Predators - What's Out There? The first step in dealing with predators is to know what you might face. Predators can be broken down into three groups: flying predators, ground-dwelling predators, and domestic predators. While there are predators that are pretty much universal throughout the United States, there are also regional predators. If you’re not familiar with your wildlife, it’s a good idea to talk with local chicken keepers or your extension agency to determine the biggest threats near your home. Then get to know more about those animals and their habits. Once you’re armed with this information, you can work smarter, not harder, to be effective in your protection efforts.
✔ Author(s): Pam Freeman
✔ Title: Backyard Chickens Beyond the Basics: Lessons for Expanding Your Flock, Understanding Chicken Behavior, Keeping a Rooster, Adjusting for the Seasons, Staying Healthy, and More!
✔ Rating : 4.7 out of 5 base on (188 reviews)
✔ ISBN-10: 0760352003
✔ Language: English
✔ Format ebook: PDF, EPUB, Kindle, Audio, HTML and MOBI
✔ Device compatibles: Android, iOS, PC and Amazon Kindle
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