Posted on 2 Comments

Do Backyard Chickens Attract Flies?

House Fly

Chickens do not attract flies. Filth attracts flies. Backyard chickens are confined to an unnatural environment, and problems arise when that environment lacks proper management. An accumulation of moist droppings provides an ideal place for flies to lay eggs and for the eggs to develop into maggots, which in turn make more flies. Droppings can’t […]

Continue Reading
Posted on 2 Comments

China Uses Thousands of Chickens to Control Locust Populations

Locust on Leaf

If you’ve been keeping chickens for any length of time, you may have noticed that they love to gobble up insects in your lawn and garden. In fact, chickens have such an appetite for insects that some organic farmers use them as environmentally-friendly alternatives to pesticides. In China, government officials are taking this idea one […]

Continue Reading
Posted on 6 Comments

Is Permethrin a Safe Treatment for Poultry Lice and Mites?

Is Permethrin a Safe Treatment for Poultry Lice and Mites?

All insecticides are toxic to some extent, or they wouldn’t work. Permethrin is a synthetic version of pyrethrins — natural insecticides that are extracted from daisy-like flowers. Compared to natural pyrethrins, synthetic versions persist longer in the environment and therefore need to be applied less often.   Permethrin comes in the form of a dust […]

Continue Reading
Posted on 1 Comment

How Do Chickens Get Lice?

How Do Chickens Get Lice?

The most common ways chickens acquire lice are from wild birds and other chickens. Once a chicken is infested, lice spread by crawling from one bird to another. Contact with infested feathers, especially during a molt, also helps spread lice. Lousiness is usually worse in fall and winter. Suspect lice if your chickens are restless, […]

Continue Reading
Posted on 3 Comments

Do Your Chickens Need Deworming?

Chickens and mosquitoes

Some chicken keepers deworm their chickens too often. Others don’t deworm often enough. How often your chickens need deworming, or whether they need it at all, depends on numerous factors. These factors include your climate, how your flock is housed and managed, the kind of worms that are present in your chickens’ environment, and the […]

Continue Reading
Posted on 1 Comment

Practical Advantages of Raising Guinea Fowl

Practical Advantages of Raising Guinea Fowl

If you’re looking for a new addition to your homestead, there are a number of excellent practical advantages to raising guinea fowl. These boisterous, black-feathered fowl can provide tremendous benefits to your property. They can also be raised in conjunction with a flock of chickens!     Protection and Pest Control Two of the greatest […]

Continue Reading
Posted on Leave a comment

The Complex Relationship Between Chicken and Mosquito

The Complex Relationship Between Chicken and Mosquito

Scientists from Sweden and Ethiopia have discovered that malaria-causing mosquitoes don’t like the smell of chickens. Malarial mosquitoes avoid live chickens, as well as steering clear of compounds extracted from chicken feathers. Researchers are now investigating whether chicken-odor extract might be used as a malarial mosquito repellent, according to a recent BBC report.   Since […]

Continue Reading
Posted on 3 Comments

Protecting Your Flock From Mites and Lice

Protecting Your Flock From Mites and Lice

Protecting your flock from mites and lice can seem like an impossible problem. In fact, many poultry producers in years past didn’t even bother trying to get rid of mites, lice and similar pest infestations because it was such a common and invasive problem. Fortunately, there are now some easy things you can do to […]

Continue Reading
Posted on 4 Comments

6 Great Reasons to Raise Guinea Fowl

6 Great Reasons to Raise Guinea Fowl

Are you thinking about raising guinea fowl in your backyard? Here are six reasons why we think guinea fowl would make a great addition to your backyard family. Tick Control Guineas are like miniature tick hunters. They’ll scour your yard for those tiny, disease-carrying ticks and get rid of them before they land on your children […]

Continue Reading