UCP Blog 033: Chicken Run Completed…Almost

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Jen Pitino

Deluxe Chicken Run – photo by Jen Pitino

Happy 2016 Urban Chicken Podcast Family!

This new year is off to an auspicious start and I am looking forward to spending more time with you in 2016. I know that it has been a while since I last caught you up on what was new at Casa de Urban Chicken Podcast (i.e. my house) and with the naughty hens.

When I last posted I was racing the snow to finish the new chicken run. I succeeded at getting it completed, mostly. Let me catch you up where the project stopped. Continue reading →

UCP Blog 032: Building a Deluxe Chicken Run; Racing the Weather

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Jen Pitino

Chicken Run Building – Photo by Jen Pitino

Though it is technically still fall, much of the United States (especially at my home city Boise’s latitude) is already getting snow. Last night was our first freeze of the year and I am consequently feeling even more desperate to finish constructing a deluxe chicken run for my backyard flock. I am racing the weather.

My hens need a new extension on their home. For the past several years I have allowed them to have free range of my backyard. Despite all my efforts to train, fence, and even water hose spray them out of my flower beds, the roving flock destroyed many a beloved perennial and left the yard looking war torn. I am a “chicken expert” (sort of) and I simply could not figure out a way to have both a beautiful garden and free-range chickens. Continue reading →

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

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Jen Pitino

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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 Episode 061: Should you get Fall/Winter Chicks? A Discussion with Tyler Danke of Purely Poultry

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Jen Pitino

Springtime is the season most usually associated with getting started with baby chicks. However, autumn (and even winter) can be viable seasons for you to get a jump start on next year’s flock. There are a few marked advantages to getting fall chicks instead of waiting for springtime.

Tyler Danke, owner and operator of Purely Poultry joins me on the Urban Chicken Podcast this week to share his insight on fall/winter chicks.

Continue reading →

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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 Episode 060: Listener Q & A Session #6

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Jen Pitino

Portrait of a Broody Hen

On this episode of the Urban Chicken Podcast, I answer a new set of listener questions on a variety of topics. How long after your husband treats your lawn with a chemical weed and feed can you safely put a flock of birds on it? What do you do when you have multiple hens go broody at the same time? How do you protect your flock from predators?

There is tons to learn in this episode – including a brief look at a news story involving chickens which sounds more like an Austin Power’s movie plot. Continue reading →

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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 →