UCP Blog 019: Setting Up a Chicken Sick Bay

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Jen Pitino

Injured Chicken – photo by Jen Pitino

It is an unavoidable part of keeping backyard chickens – at some point one of your flock members is going to get injured or become ill. In these situations you need to be able to create a workable “chicken sick bay” indoors where you can provide the necessary chicken nursing care. The need to be able to dispense home chicken health care is especially true with the general shortage of veterinaries with poultry expertise at a reason price in today’s world. Recently, I found myself scrambling to assemble a makeshift “chicken sick bay” to care for an injured pullet. Continue reading →

UCP Episode 055: Listeners Q and A Session #4 – Understanding Sex-Links, Bad Broodies & Plants Toxic to the Flock

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Jen Pitino

Backyard Garden with Chickens

Today on the Urban Chicken Podcast, I answer more chicken questions posed by listeners in Session #4 of Listeners’ Q & A series. The chicken issues being discussed and considered in this session are: 1) understanding “sex-link” chickens; 2) dealing with a bad broody hen; and 3) learning which common yard and house plants are toxic to feed to your flock.

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UCP Episode 051 – Herbs for the Hens: a Conversation with Tina Hickman of Luv Nest

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Jen Pitino

Across all continents and cultures, man has been using herbs for their medicinal and beneficial properties for thousands of years. Even today it is estimated that 80% of the world’s population relies on herbal medicines as part of their primary health care. Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda (Hindu medicine) continues to be based on the use of herbal therapies and remedies. The beneficial properties of herbs are not limited to humans.

Every backyard chicken owner can promote the health and happiness of their hens through the use of fresh and dried herbs. There are numerous herbs which can repel pests, promote vitality and improve the overall well-being with your birds. In a nutshell, you can use herbs as simple, aromatic and inexpensive tools for your flock. When given the opportunity, chickens will freely eat herbs to get the benefits from these plants and flowers.

Certified herbalist and backyard chicken keeper Tina Hickman joins me on the Urban Chicken Podcast this week to discuss the many ways herbs can be used to benefit your hens. Continue reading →

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UCP Episode 048 – Fermenting Chicken Feeds the Right Way!

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Jen Pitino

Swedish Flower Hens eating fermented feed – photo courtesy of Leigh Edwards

Fermenting certain foods is a very traditional method of food preservation and also enhancing nutrition. When it comes to feeding our backyard flock, fermentation is an excellent method to improve the diet and health of our flock through improving the gut chemistry of our birds.

Today’s guests on the Urban Chicken Podcast are Leigh Edwards and Sue Strantz – both experts in holistic, natural chicken keeping. Leigh and Sue join me on the show to discuss all of the ins and outs of how to properly ferment various types of chicken feed. Continue reading →

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UCP Episode 043 – Listeners Q & A Session #3 – Squawking Hens & Using Sand in Your Coop

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Jen Pitino

Today on the Urban Chicken Podcast I answer more chicken questions posed by listeners in Session III of Listeners’ Q & A series. The chicken issues being discussed and considered in this session are how to break your backyard hens of their early morning squawking habit and the pros and cons of using sand as a chicken coop and run litter. Continue reading →

photo by: Five Furlongs

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UCP Episode 037: Molting: Help, My Chicken is NAKED!

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Jen Pitino

Frida Starting a Hard Molt in Winter – photo by Jen Pitino

Frida Chicken turned up in the coop mostly naked and looking quite chilled a couple weeks ago – just before Christmas. Wintertime in Boise, Idaho is cold and snowy, with the days hanging at or below freezing. This is a particularly inopportune time for a chicken to decide to chuck her feathers in a massive molt. Today on the Urban Chicken Podcast, we take a close look at the molting process and consider such questions as what causes it and how to help your hens through it with as much ease as possible. Continue reading →

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UCP Episode 032: Biosecurity – How to Keep Your Hens Safe From Disease

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Jen Pitino

Keeping you backyard flock of chickens healthy and safe requires more than just providing them clean water and food and secure housing. One of the most important considerations for the conscientious chicken keeper, that is unfortunately often overlooked, is the issue of bio-security. On this week’s episode of the Urban Chicken Podcast, we take an in depth look at the issue of protecting your birds for inadvertent exposure to illness, pests and deadly diseases. Continue reading →

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UCP Episode 026: Ears & Eggs – What Color are Your Eggshells and Why?

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Jen Pitino

Colorful Chicken Eggs – photo by Todd Dwyer

Ears and Eggs. In chickens the two are oddly linked. There is a general rule that the color of a chicken’s ear (actually it’s earlobes, since the ears are covered in feathers and not readily visible) can help you determine what color of egg that chicken will lay. Chickens with white earlobes lay Continue reading →

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UCP Episode 025: Keeping Chickens Naturally – a discussion with Lisa Steele from Fresh Eggs Daily

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Jen Pitino

Lisa Steele – Fresh Eggs Daily

Lisa Steele is the author of the wildly popular chicken related blog and Facebook page – Fresh Eggs Daily. She shares practical techniques with her audience on how to raise and keep backyard chickens naturally with the aid of herbal remedies and preventatives from illness. Lisa gives simple suggestions for a healthier flock – such as placing fresh mint in your chicken coop. The mint, according to Lisa, helps lower your chicken’s body temperature as well as serves as a tasty treat for your hens and acts as a mouse repellent. This is just one example of the vast knowledge of traditional, natural treatments that Lisa employs to keep her own chickens healthy and happy. Continue reading →

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UCP Episode 020: The Heat is On for the Hens – Summer Proof Your Flock

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Jen Pitino

Chickens in the Desert – photo by cogdogblog

If you think summertime heat is uncomfortable for you, imagine being wrapped up in a down comforter and trying to stay cool out in the hot weather. Your backyard hens are essentially robed in their own down comforters and dealing with the sun blazing down outside on them all day. There are however, some thoughtful and creative ways to keeps your birds cool this time of year.

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