Hens going broody can present a problem when hatching chicks is not the plan. Broody’s can be that way for weeks to months; not laying eggs and taking up space in the nesting boxes. Broody hens can also start a chain reaction, with other birds seeing the behavior and following along. This can lead to […]
What is Biosecurity? According to Wikipedia, biosecurity is a set of measures aimed at preventing the introduction and/or spread of harmful organisms, in order to minimize the risk of transmission of infectious diseases to people, animals and plants caused by viruses, bacteria or other microorganisms. Biosecurity is extremely important in the case of backyard chickens […]
Our Coop The current coop is 8 x 12, and comfortably houses 40 birds. The Exterior Elevated 2 feet off the ground, the birds have a shady spot to hang out in during the hot days. Pests are somewhat deterred because climbing is the only way to gain entry into the coop. Each side of […]
Benefits of composting with black soldier flies: Soldier Flies are found almost everywhere, especially in warm climates You can feed them almost anything biodegradable; meat and fermented waste are big hits Black soldier flies don’t carry diseases like the common house fly, and will reduce their numbers because black soldier larvae out-compete house fly larvae […]
Quarantine is necessary for any flock in which new birds are added that come from outside sources. Hatching your own chicks to continue your flock does not require quarantine. How long to quarantine is hard to answer because bugs and disease don’t follow a predetermined timeline. 60 good ones. As a general rule I use […]
What fillers? We selected a variety of grains for a wholesome mix. Most commercial feeds have just one grain, along with soy. More often than not, the grains are low-quality fillers. We never use fillers. Our grains are food grade and organic. Lots of protein, No synthetics. Organic pumpkin seeds are packed with protein and […]
Avril’s Finest started with a trip to the local feed store. We were there for dog food and nothing whatsoever to do with chickens. My daughter who was home sick, asked to tag along. A quick trip by myself turned into a family trip with my wife and daughter in tow. What dog food? The […]
Many plant based foods have enzymes in them that block the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Fermenting, soaking or cooking break down these enzymes helping us obtain the nutrients we need from these foods. Grains contain many nutrient blocking enzymes. Our goal is to provide better nutrition for our flocks, so we should be soaking […]