My Pet Chicken Blog

Yes, I know chickens can be hazardous to a garden.  They scratch near the roots, they dust bathe, and they might even eat the fresh veggies or fruits you were planning to pick and serve for dinner.   Even though I am aware that chickens and gardens do not typically mix unless chickens are controlled within […]

Crossed Beak / Scissor Beak, can be severe, but many times, this beak malformation is not hazardous to your chicken’s health.   This condition can afflict any breed, but seems to be more prevalent in Easter Eggers or Ameraucanas. My only experience with cross beak / scissor beak occurred with one of my Blue Wheaten Ameraucana pullets that I had so […]

It was my fault, I admit it. I forgot. It was the first time, and hopefully the last! I forgot to shut the coop that night. Now, there are myriad reasons to make sure to shut your coop up at night—especially if you free range like we do—and most of them have names like weasel […]

Whoa. This is so unreal, I just had to tell you right away. We’ve been testing out Chunky Chicken Caviar as a feed supplement for one of our rare breed flocks that was struggling with poor egg laying and fertility rates. I got the results in today, and I’m absolutely floored: within a month, this flock’s […]

There was quite a response to Traci’s post on White Leghorns. This is a related story, which I meant to post weeks ago… (Yikes! Time flies.) To say that this past New England fall and winter were atypical would be an understatement. Hurricane Irene blew through in late August and one month later we were […]

Have you heard of Diatomaceous Earth? Listen closely, for it is the best thing since peanut butter and for chicken keepers it is your best friend. Take heart if you’re interested in keeping medications to a minimum, because it is non-toxic and totally natural. Plus, it’s accepted in organic feed regimens. What is it? Is […]

I’m so eggscited, I just can’t keep it to myself. We’re in the midst of developing some exclusive, new breeds for sale next year. Yes, exclusive! Yes, new! A few of the chicken fanatics (chickenatics?) that work here at My Pet Chicken have dreamed up some lovely new birds that will be hardy, gentle, and […]

My chickens are gifts that keep on giving. Nothing they create goes to waste. In my previous article about composting chicken poo, I mentioned how even chicken waste isn’t wasted, but put to use in my garden. Egg shells can go into the compost pile, too, and they make an excellent, enriching addition–mine sometimes do–but […]