UCP Blog 031: Avian Influenza & Mandatory Poultry Registrations in N.C.

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Jen Pitino

Bird Flu – photo by Adam Burt

The United States has been ablaze with avian influenza this year. The disease swept like a wildfire across state borders engulfing evermore territory and victims in its path. Nearly 50 million chickens (and other poultry) have burned as a result of avian flu – first with fever and later in incinerators after being part of mass cullings aimed to slow the disease’s spread.

How to stop this disease is a matter of significant debate. One state has taken an aggressive stance to avian flu and is ruffling the feathers of some backyard poultry keepers. Continue reading →

UCP Guest Blog 003: Why Some Eggs Fail to Hatch by Jordan Walker

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Jen Pitino

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Hatching.jpg

Hatching Chick

Jordan Walker has always been passionate for animals. He loves to share his knowledge and expertise about the animal kingdom through pet-related blogs. He leads the content team of Coops and Cages. In this article, he shares the reasons why some eggs fail to hatch.

Eggs that fail to hatch can be a really great disappointment. Aside from being a waste of time, sometimes, it can be a very costly experience. In order to avoid future losses, it will help to identify the problem from the very beginning. Here, we will discuss all the possible causes of hatch failures.

Continue reading →

UCP Blog 030: Celery – It’s the Enemy of Chickens

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Jen Pitino

Celery Stalks – photo by TheDeliciousLife

Celery. It seems like such an innocuous and unassuming vegetable. Don’t be fooled though by its innocent demeanor. This fibrous crudite is actually a sinister killer of backyard chickens everywhere.

Just two days ago – celery almost spirited away a hen owned by an acquaintance here in Boise. This is how I helped this chicken keeper triumph over a celery attack on her flock.

Continue reading →

UCP Blog 029: Paving the Road to Hell…

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Jen Pitino

The Road to Hell – photo by Paul Stevenson

It has been a rough week and a half here at the Urban Chicken Podcast headquarters. My Grandma Margaret always liked to remind people (and by “people” I mean anyone whenever the opportunity arose) that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” The saying always seemed to me to most aptly apply to those individuals who talk big, but take no actions towards their intentions. My predicament these past few days is better described as the best of intentions (with actions to back them) completely derailed. Continue reading →

UCP Blog 028: 4H Chicken Costume Contest & My Niece

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Jen Pitino

Lydia & Cockerel Nimbus

Contrary to a common misunderstanding, you don’t have to be “100% country” or live on a farm for your children to be active in 4H. Truly, 4H clubs are located everywhere – including very large cities across the country.

My niece Lydia, is a perfect example. She lives in a very urban area and yet she has been participating as a “Cloverbud” (youngest rank for a 4H member) for the past three years and loving it. Lydia is pictured above with one of her bantam Wyandotte cockerels, named Nimbus (yes, after a Harry Potter broomstick) in the 4H poultry costume contest at the Western Idaho Fair this past week. Nimbus is “driving” a little John Deere Tractor as his costume and he (and Lydia) won 3rd place.

Participating in 4H, even as urban or suburban backyard chicken keepers is beneficial to both your kids and the community. Continue reading →

UCP Blog 027: “Weed n’ Feed” & Your Flock – When Can the Birds be Back on the Lawn Safely?

Posted on August 23, 2015 by Jen Pitino

Warning Pesticides – by Chris Christian

I recently contacted the Scott’s Company to find out how long would it be after the last use of its “Weed n’ Feed” hericidal lawn product, before it would be safe to allow chickens onto such grass? This was a question, Urban Chicken Podcast Listener, Susan, posed to me and I couldn’t seem to find the answer in my own independent research. So I went straight to the source and asked Scott’s customer service representative Susan’s question using the information she provided me. Continue reading →

UCP Blog 026: Pasty Butt & Baby Chicks

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Jen Pitino

New Chick – photo by Nikol Lohr

Continuing on our springtime chicks’ ailment series, this week we discuss the common issue of “Pasty Butt.” The condition “Pasty Butt” occurs when feces get stuck and harden around the chick’s down surrounding the bird’s vent. The hardened feces can literally “paste” over the chick’s vent and block the excretion of feces. If not removed, this condition will kill the affected chick and rather quickly. Continue reading →

UCP Blog 025: Splay Leg in Baby Chicks & How to Treat It

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Jen Pitino

Chicks – photo by Alex Starr

Springtime brings spring chicks to many of our homes. Spring chicks occasionally can become injured and ill and require extra attention and care on the part of the owner. One common baby chick ailment is called “Splay Leg.”

Splay Leg (also commonly called “Spraddle Leg”) is a condition that causes young chicks to have one or both of their legs slip to the side of their bodies twisted out from the hip, making it impossible for the bird to walk or even stand. Splay Leg is often caused by the use of slick surfaced materials (e.g. newspaper) for brooder bedding. The condition may also be caused by vitamin deficiency or incubator temperatures being too high or fluctuating. Continue reading →

UCP Blog 024: What Killed My Chicken?

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Jen Pitino

Crime Scene – photo by Alan Cleaver

I recently was contacted by a Chris W., an Urban Chicken Podcast listener who sadly had just had one of her chickens killed and left some ways away from the scene of the crime. Chris wanted help detecting who had destroyed her lovely hen and I did my best to try to deduce the culprit from the evidence provided.

I have shared my conversation with Chris and my attempt to get to the bottom of this backyard chicken murder case. See if you agree with my detective skills and whether I am the next Sherlock Holmes of chicken mysteries. Continue reading →

UCP Blog 023: “The Art of Happy Hens” Chicken Infograph

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Jen Pitino

Chicken Infograph – by Janel Crisp Goodwin & Terry Golson

The Urban Chicken Podcast was recently contacted by graphic designer Janel Crisp Goodwin, who teamed up with chicken expert, Terry Golson (of Hencam.com and Golson was the guest in the UCP in Episode 052 LISTEN HERE) to create a very cool chicken infograph called “The Art of Happy Hens.” For those of you new to the ‘infograph’ world, it is the use of graphic art to convey information in very palatable and aesthetically pleasing manner. “The Art of Happy Hens” infograph is a delightful melding of art and chicken information. Goodwin invited me to share this chicken infograph with the Urban Chicken Podcast audience, which I have done at the end of this post. Continue reading →