a man and his hoe

every day is a good day

Tag: Raising chickens

  • Learning How to Bathe

    A mother hen teaching her chicks how to take a dust bath.
    Learning to Bathe

    Chickens are born knowing how to take dirt baths, but when they get to learn this behavior from their mother, they sure enjoy it.

    [wpvideo 1HZ05oVF]

  • Hazel’s Egg

    Hazel on a nest
    Hazel on a nest

    Every hen lays a special egg. To lay wonderful eggs, chickens need good food, plenty of exercise, and a quiet place to sit.

    Hazel’s Egg
    Hazel’s Egg

  • Never a Dull Moment

    [wpvideo HyVNzfFM]

    With chickens, there is never a dull moment. It’s a sunny, January morning. The hens in the nesting boxes are sounding an alarm. Minutes later, all is calm. Outside, the chickens are enjoying the winter sun. Chickens are constantly on the move. In a matter of minutes they will travel long distances.

  • Dirt Bath in the Sun

    A mother and chick enjoying the sun.
    A mother and chick enjoying the sun.

    On a sunny day, chickens enjoy taking dust and dirt baths. They can really kick up a storm, turning upside down even to work dust and dirt deep into their feathers and onto their skin. They do this to clean themselves, and to get rid of parasites. How this works is that the dust clogs the breathing pores of the parasites, killing them. Smart birds.

    That’s why when chickens shake their bodies, sometimes they leave behind a cloud of dust.

    [wpvideo 1frzjnUL]

  • One Month Old Chicks

    [wpvideo rgQHYlCj]

    The chicks which hatched December 19, 2013, are four months old now, nearly a month old. They are getting quite independent and running ahead of their mother. She’s the one trying to keep up with them now.

    Some mothers stop their child rearing around now. Others continue for another month or two. We’ll see how long she keeps on the job.