Volume 3, Number 6 Backyard December, 2008/January, 2009

PoultryDedicated to more and better small-flock poultry

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145 Industrial Dr. Medford, WI 54451 www.backyardpoultrymag.com Poultry Volume 3, Number 6 Publisher: Dave Belanger December, 2008/January, 2009 Editor: Elaine Belanger Managing Editor: Anne-marie Ida From the Editor: Editorial Assistant: Samantha Ingersoll The Future of the Fancy: Circulation and Fulfillment: Laura Opportunities Abound for Youth Ching, Ellen Waichulis, Kate Tucker, Kelly Weiler, Christine Barkley, to Join Poultry Programs...... 6 Gwendolyn Jones Bookstore: Ann Tom Letters to the Editor...... 8

Advertising Representatives ...... 16 (Rates on request) SPPA News

Alicia Komanec Coming Events...... 18 1-800-551-5691 [email protected] The Homestead Flock: Pets or Partners?...... 20 Gary Christopherson 1-800-551-5691 This issue’s feature breed, the [email protected] Helpful Hints: Asil, is the oldest historically Preparing Poultry for Winter....26 Backyard Poultry documented breed of poultry in the world. Learn more about it (ISSN 1559-2251, USPS 023-374) Dubbing to Prevent Frostbite...26 is published bi-monthly at on page 50. 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451. Periodicals postage paid at Medford, WI Just for Fun: Holiday Fun: and additional mailing offices.©2008 The Eggcentric Artist...... 30 Have Your Chickens Been The views presented here do not Naughty or Nice? Gift Ideas for necessarily represent those of the editor Health: Your Chickens...... 45 or publisher. All contents of this issue The Cock’s Crow...... 32 of Backyard Poultry are copyrighted by Countryside Publications, Ltd., 2008. All Backyard Poultry rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or The Answer Man...... 38 Photo Contest...... 48 in part is prohibited except by permission of the publisher. Poultry Saddles: The story Breeds: behind the Hen Saver® Asils...... 50 Editorial and Advertising Office: hen apron...... 42 Backyard Poultry 145 Industrial Dr. Medford, WI 54451 [email protected] Subscriptions (U.S. funds): $21 per year; 2 years $35. Backyard Poultry Subscriptions 145 Industrial Dr. Medford, WI 54451 1-800-551-5691

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Backyard Poultry Subscriptions Constance Bothwell displays the ribbons she won showing her 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451 chickens. The future of our fancy begins with youth involvement. See our youth focus on pages 54-64. 4 Backyard Poultry On t h e c o v e r : The December, 2008/January, 2009 cover photo winner is by Rosemary Stockwell, Louisiana. She says, “My family is delighted with Backyard Poultry, especially my 93-year-old mom who still has chickens. I love my flock and en- joy taking their pictures and having them around. “Our rooster, Cisco, is from our White Crested Black Polish cock and an unknown hen. We have many purebred hens, but I do not know who the mother is. Cisco got very little of the cock’s traits, except the little tuft of hair behind his comb.” To learn how to enter your poultry-related photos in the photo contest, see page 48.

Youth: Gertrude McCluck: Chicken in Charge...... 54

Showmanship: A Fun Thing To Do...... 56

The Chicken Tractor: Reduce-Reuse-Recycle...... 58

Profile of a Lot: A Surprisingly Special Place...... 60

The Great Chicken Show...... 62

The County Fair: Beginner’s Luck Hooks Youth, and the Rest is History...... 64

Backyard Poultry Breeders Directory...... 65 December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 5 Fr o m Th e Ed i t o r : The Future of the Fancy Opportunities Abound for Youth to Join Poultry Programs

El a i n e Be l a n g e r fully and effectively in the poultry fancy as an adult.” had the pleasure of attending the Sea- Youth learn about a variety of breeds, side Feather Fanciers (SSFF) “Bash enabling them to decide the right breed at the Beach Poultry Show and APA for their situation, general care of poultry, NationalI Convention” in late October. including housing, feed and health. They Many parts of the event were unique will also learn to exhibit poultry, if that You never know what you might see at a and interesting, including the fabulous is their interest. The program challenges poultry show—or at least near one. This weather, the exhibition hall filled with youth to develop individual talents and man and his blue and gold McCaw parrot birds, the wine and pastry auctions, and skills, promotes showmanship, fellow- stroll the beachfront boardwalk I used to much more. But for me, at every poultry ship, community involvement and the travel from the hotel to the fairgrounds for the SSFF Poultry Show, Ventura, show, the youth program is the part that overall poultry fancy. California. entertains and inspires the most. I witness the efforts towards those While showing birds is a high priority goals at each show I attend. Visit their port youth programs with sponsorships for the kids, showmanship, educational website to learn more about joining and reduced subscription rates—contact posters and many other activities are also APA/ABA Youth Program: www.apa- us for more information at [email protected] important, and the kids shine; sporting abayouthprogramsite.org or 800-551-5691. 4-H outfits, dress shirts and big smiles. Another wonderful youth program is See pages 54-64 for several youth- It is such a pleasure to see that these kids the 4-H Youth Development. related articles and look for additional still study manuals and practice working Subscriber Cherrie Nolden summed coverage of the SSFF Show in the Feb/ with their animals. They prepare hard for up the value of 4-H programs when she March, 2009 issue. Encourage your these events and their enthusiasm shows shared her experiences with us in the child’s involvement in a youth program when presenting to the judges. April/May, 2006 issue of Backyard Poul- today—just for fun. Many of the poultry shows offer a try, “Life seems to follow an unpredict- variety of youth activities sponsored by able and often convoluted path, presenting A friend is someone who thinks the APA/ABA Youth Program. The pri- new challenges and opportunities. More you’re a good egg, even if you’re mary objective of the APA/ABA Youth often than not, I have chosen to embrace slightly cracked. Program is “to encourage and help our these challenges despite them requiring Statement of Ownership, Management young members to acquire the knowl- more work, and often, a leap outside of and Circulation edge, skills and experience to participate my comfort zone. The end results have Title of publication: Backyard Poultry. Publication no. been rewarding and eye-opening experi- 023374. Published bimonthly. Annual subscription price $21. Mailing address of publication, headquar- ences that have shaped who I am today. ters of general business offices, publisher, editor and The confidence required to take these managing editor: 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, Taylor, WI 54451. Publisher, Dave Belanger; Editor, Elaine leaps did not come naturally. Looking Belanger; Managing Editor: Anne-marie Ida. Owner: back, I owe most of my accomplishments Countryside Publications, Ltd., Dave Belanger, 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451. Anne-marie Ida, to the life skills I learned during the years 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451. Known bond- I spent as a 4-Her.” holders, mortgagees and other security holders owning The goals of the 4-H Youth Develop- or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities: none. Extent and nature ment program are to teach leadership, of circulation: Average no. of copies each issue during citizenship and life skills, while having the preceding 12 months (actual no. of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date): A: Total no. of fun, learning, exploring and discovering. copies printed: 74,667 (83,000). B(1): Paid/requested Programs are offered for youth from all outside county as stated on form 3541: 65,719 (71,947). B(2): Paid in-county subscriptions: 0 (0). B(3): Sales walks of life, whether they live in cities, through dealers, carriers, street vendors, counter sales, small towns or rural communities. and other non-USPS paid distribution: 6,419 (8,459). Youth of all ages Poultry is a national 4-H project. A B(4): Other classes mailed through the USPS: 0 (0). participated in the C: Total paid and/or requested circulation: 72,138 the SSFF Youth list of poultry-specific projects can be (80,406). D(1): Free distribution by mail: 28 (28). E: Free found at http://4h.uwex.edu/onlinpro/ distribution outside the mail: 111 (28). F: Total distribu- Program. Top: tion: 72,249 (80,434). G: Copies not distributed: 2,418 Showmanship poultry.cfm. For more information (2,566). H: Total: 74,667 (83,000). I: Percent paid and/ judging. Right: contact your county 4-H office or visit: or requested circulation: 100% (100%). I certify that the Waiting their turn statements made by me above are correct and complete http://4h.uwex.edu/index.cfm /s/ David M. Belanger, Publisher, 9/25/08 for showmanship. Backyard Poultry is pleased to sup- 6 Backyard Poultry Ideal Hatchery

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 7 Le t t e r s : Do you have something to crow about? We want to hear from you. Send questions, comments, opinions, advice, coming events, etc. to: Backyard Poultry Editor, 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451 e-mail: [email protected]

Tough Chickens and do as slowly as possible. A similar question was asked in the I have processed some of my flock The same goes for cooking which is Answer Man section of our magazine for meat. The problem is every chicken I synonymous with roasting for me and previously. Here is the question, and reply have processed is tough. I have processed Alice. Why settle for less than the best? from Ron Kean. —Ed. older birds and younger birds and they are Seal at a high temp, then slowly finish. all tough. Am I doing something wrong I cook in a wood stove and this is per- Tough Meat Birds in the process or are the birds just tough? fect for roasting a chicken. I start a hot I have started butchering my Jumbo The meat is like leather, and the only fire, put the seasoned bird in a 400° or Cornish. The problem I am having is every thing my wife can do is grind the meat up higher oven, shut the air down and in 60 time I butcher either a hen or a rooster, the into chicken salad. Help me if you can, I to 90 minutes the oven is down to 250° meat is always tough. The hens and roost- like fried chicken. or so and the bird is crispy-skinned and ers are only 12 weeks old. I don’t know —Roger via e-mail scrumptious. (I think rotisserie is won- what I am doing wrong; I feed them whole derful, too.) corn two days before I butcher them, then I There are several things all up It bears saying that pasture-fed ani- take away the food, and I take water away and down the production/processing/ mals have a different fat composition than one day before I butcher them. The way I preparing/cooking chain that can con- confined animals. Just the fact that there butcher them is by hanging them upside tribute negatively to the final product. may be less fat means that cooking must down and taking a sharp knife to cut across The short answer is probably that folks be performed conscientiously. We always the jugular vein. Then after they bleed, I are used to mushy chicken from factory tell our meat customers that a car low on continue to butcher them. I hope you can farm birds that never got to exercise. oil is more likely to overheat the engine. tell me what I am doing wrong. They need to re-program to expect a Overcooking is easy. more toned (read: firmer) meat. That Finally, many would say genetics At 12 weeks, they should truly be said, I don’t ever expect a chicken to be are the key. I used to pooh-pooh those “jumbo!” These birds are in the “roast- tough. It should fall off the bone, melt folks. Last year, though, I scored a er” category by that time, so they will be in the mouth. Freedom Ranger chicken I saw pro- slightly tougher than a fryer or broiler (at A second factor that could contribute cessed by Tom Delahanty of Pollo Real 6-8 weeks of age). They still shouldn’t be to toughness is a bumpy growth curve, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Tom knows too tough, however. One of the most com- that is, feed not always available to the as much about this as anybody in the mon mistakes is not giving the carcass broilers or stress from one source or country and he raises both the standard enough time to “age” after processing. another. Today’s broilers are so geneti- Cornish-White Rock cross and these so- The old stories of going out on Sunday cally souped up that they crash and burn called Freedom Rangers. The Rangers morning and processing chickens for without constant feed. A level growth are narrow-breasted, slower growing dinner are common, but probably weren’t curve is the goal. Weather aberrations and designed to model the elite “label the best method. After processing, the can throw the curve off too. Stress at rouge” program in France. I have to say, carcasses should be refrigerated for slaughter is something I suspect but know begrudgingly, that the Freedom Ranger 12-24 hours before cooking or freezing. of no research. It is just more respectful bird I roasted was among the best, if This allows the meat to go through some to be gentle at slaughter anyway. not the best, chicken I ever had. It was changes (pH, etc.), which will tenderize Third might be the chill. Some folks juicier and very tender. the meat. If they don’t have this aging advocate a very slow chill and I think Did I cook it differently, season it time, they will be tougher. there is a lot to this; though I’ve never differently? Did the plane ride effect From a food safety standpoint, your personally done it. The USDA says 40 it? Who knows, but I can assure you I feed and water withdrawal could change, degrees in 4 hours. However, for air- didn’t necessarily want it to match up to too. It is good to remove food and water chilled it is 40 degrees in 24 hours! That the birds I have raised for years! I still so the intestines will empty out before should make a big difference. Perhaps believe that the extra effort and inef- processing. This decreases the chances some of your readers have experience ficiency of growth rate are black marks of spreading intestinal material on the with air chill. against the heirloom breeds too serious to carcass so it decreases contamination Since I’ve had melt-in-the-mouth ex- ignore. But, if the customer is apprecia- risk. Past about 12-18 hours of with- periences without special chilling, I don’t tive enough, there is money to be made. drawal, however, the intestinal walls start feel the need, but it bears research. Tom sells his for $5/lb! to degrade, so the contamination risk Thawing from frozen is something —David Schafer, Featherman actually goes back up again. As long as everybody should already be aware of Equipment, www.featherman.net we cook the meat well, and follow good 8 Backyard Poultry December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 9 sanitary practices in the kitchen, illness the male and squat down in front of him. magazine might be interested in our from contamination can be avoided. He would fan his tail and watch her. This strange stories. We love Backyard Poul- ­—Ron Kean continued for days with little interest try and read it cover to cover as soon as from him. One day we heard a ruckus in we pluck it out of the mailbox. Keep up Mixed (Up) Breeds the barn yard and looked out to find our the good work! My husband and I are city slickers. We little girl entertaining three wild toms! —RuthEllen & Charles Pearsall lived in an upstairs apartment for 26 years. Within days she started a nest. How- Delirious Acres, New York When we lost our parents, we decided to ever this happened, I found that she had start a new life; we bought a small hobby turkey and chicken eggs in the nest. Of Our hen has hatched out eggs, and to farm. We, of course, had little to no expe- course, a chicken egg hatched first, and her surprise, they were ducks. The hen rience with the country life other than a she abandoned all the other eggs. The and rooster are both very protective of veggie garden we shared with my dad. funny thing was that she and the male the little ducklings, but all the walking The first thing we got were some became the best parents ever! We now the chickens do tire out the babies very chicks that came from a school lesson have a full grown chicken that thinks the quickly. They often stop and nap during allowing the students to watch the eggs turkeys are Mom and Dad. (And we don’t the excursions. They are very cute. hatch in an incubator. We had such fun! think he is really the dad.) —Jay and Bonnie Colvin, Ohio Then we saw an advertisement for Nara- During the summer months the gansett turkeys and bought a couple. chickens became broody so I left one nest This spring, our turkeys seemed to with eggs in it. They seem to be taking be at odds, the female would run around turns because we have eggs of all colors. (We have green and brown eggs.) One afternoon I went out to gather eggs and did my usual check under the girls and heard two eggs collide which sounded like one cracked. Sure enough, I picked the top green egg up and found a crack. I tossed it out in the yard to dispose of it and heard “peep, peep, peep.” Now, I never heard an egg Above: These chickens care for the hit the ground and peep. In the middle of ducklings in the hen house. the pile of broken egg shell was a very wet black chick! Well, I guess I saved it Below, both hen and rooster look on with the job of pecking its way out! surprise as the ducklings take their first So far the chick is doing well. We are venture into the pond. still laughing at the antics of our crazy animals and love living in the country. We have now added two guineas to the mix The Pearsall’s turkeys raised this chick and truly enjoy watching all the critters as their own. The little hen still favors the on our little piece of heaven. company of the turkeys. I thought the readers of your great

Fowl Fest A Big Success We had 1,380 birds entered by 163 ex- hibitors at Grandpa Tiny’s Frankenmuth Fowl Fest, Frankenmuth, Michigan. We have posted some photos on the the FowlFest.org website. This direct link should take you to the page: http:// fowlfest.org/about%20us.html. Plan now for the 2009 show, to be held on October 10, 2009. If you look closely, you will see the tiny Ameraucana chick in front of the turkey hen, ­—John W Blehm Wilma. Fred, the tom, is the proud stepfather. http://FowlFest.org 10 Backyard Poultry Visitors flock to Grandpa Tiny’s Fowl Fest in Frankenmuth, Michigan every October.

The Chickens Run I wrote this poem. It was hard but I made it work. I love my poultry. ­—Abigail I Bowden, Age 12 Indiana

A chicken farmer in Indiana wanted to raise some more hens so she went to a cattle auction there were just a few in the pens

Nothing to speak of she fancied (U(USA)SA) 866-435-3837 • ((Local)Local) 309-309-522-5024522-5024 for they had seen better days she thought she’d buy a rooster [email protected] • www.HelfterFeeds.com things would be better this way Organic Products for All Livestock FPD335 There was but one only for sale and a fine looking bird to breed but had a bit of a speech defect which wasn't the end that she'd need

She paid the cash and got him cheap and took him home in her car was pleased she’d done so well just couldn’t believe her luck

Showing him off to all the hens the rooster puffed up his chest and thought if she left them to it maybe would be for the best

Pleased at what she had got she had a bite to eat and a sleep but heard a noise that woke her and stepped outside to peek

There was a mighty clucking of hens and feathers all scattered askew the rooster could only shout out ‘cock’ for he had lost his ‘doodle do’…

The future of our fancy belongs to the next generation. We’re pleased to include a section on poultry-related youth activities in this issue, see pages 54 to 64.—Ed.

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 11 Around the World I received a book from Japan a couple days ago. It is a Natural Monu- • Chicks • Turkeys • Ducklings ments publication that was put out in 2002, and very difficult to find. It came • Goslings • Guineas with a promotional Onagadori figurine • Gamebirds • Bantams by Kaiyodo that was a limited edition • Equipment • Books and never offered for sale. The figure is Call 717-365-3694 100% correct. www.hoffmanhatchery.com FREE PO Box 129BP CATALOG!! Gratz, PA 17030

Husbands seldom believe in Life Insurance A page from David Roger’s book, Long Tailed Fowl, shows Onagadori roosters but Widows sure do! from the flock of the late Mr. Tajima. Mr. Tajima worked with his fowl for over AFFORDABLE 60 years, and his lines were considered Life Insurance outstanding. Kaiyodo is so well known for their Up to $350,000 coverage accuracy that the dinosaurs in the Jur- asic Park movies were patterned after No exam, No blood, No fluids Kaiyodo’s dinosaur figures. I scanned the entire book cover to cov- The Onagadori figurine by Kaiyodo er and saved it as a pdf so that I can look at 1.800.978.4880 included with a book purchase from it without handling the book itself. Japan. —David Rogers Megumi Aviary The tail feather length on these birds is truly amazing, but requires tremendous care. David Rogers shared an article on long-tailed fowl in the Dec., 07/Jan., 08 issue. You can also find information on his book, Long Tailed Fowl in that issue.—Ed.

Chickens Provide “Reason to Get Out of Bed Each Day” My gorgeous snowy-white bantam Cochins are my world, as are my tiny, six- and seven-ounce breeding Seramas, Little Elvis, a cockerel, and his hen Priscilla, who currently is sitting on a clutch of 14 eggs the size of a robin egg! Regretfully, I have no photos of them yet but I will have some soon. I was given the Chick-N-Barn and Chick-N-Yard as a gift from my family, friends and neighbors when I was diag- nosed with a brain tumor and was fighting cancer. My chickens helped me keep my mind busy. It may sound corny, but in my eyes, all of my chickens were a reason to get out of bed each day. I am grateful to have such beautiful birds and an awe- 12 Backyard Poultry Great Gift Idea! Discover 100s of Beautiful Membership in Guinea Fowl International! Pigeon Breeds in our Guinea Fowl International Assn. Full Color Glossy $20 membership - Benefits include: Magazine... • Welcome packet purebred • Care and feeding brochure • Annual educational seminars PIGEON • Be in touch with other guinea U.S. Subscription $35 per year for fowl owners and experts. 6 bimonthly issues • Sample Copy $9 www.guineafowlinternational.org Chad Hensley received this coop and PUREBRED PIGEON Cochin chickens from family and friends P.O. Box 2089, Goodlettsville, TN 37070 Guinea Fowl when he was diagnosed with a brain Call us at 615-851-9674 or e-mail International Assn. tumor. They were his inspiration to get up [email protected] 2812 FM 987 each day. www.purebredpigeon.com Kaufman, TX 75142 Organic Poultry Feeds All feeds are soy-free. Certifi ed organic feeds to keep your poultry healthy. See our feed online: www.countrysidenatural.com some coop to house them in. I hope to save up and buy one more Chick-N-Barn To order call: 1-888-699-7088 and yard for my Seramas. 1688 Jefferson Hwy. • Fishersville, VA 22939 —Chad A. Hensley, Kentucky Natural Products for Healthy Soil, Plants, & Animals The Chick-N-Barn and Chick-N-Yard are sold by Critter Cages, see page 43.—Ed.

Possession of Wild Bird Feathers is Illegal I love Backyard Poultry. In the Oct/ Nov, 2008 issue, page 18: “One Dozen Tips & Tricks,” Tip #12 photo shows a bouquet including wild and domestic feathers. It should be pointed out that posses- sion of any wild bird feather is a big time no no. It’s against federal law. We can feed wild birds, but cannot keep any feathers, including feathers lost naturally through molting or scavenged. I thought I would drop a note, so no one gets in trouble. —John, Florida

John is correct in his statements that it is against federal law to possess feath- ers of migratory birds and endangered species: From: www.birdiq.com/learn/laws.html What laws dictate possession of birds, feathers, and other bird prod- ucts? The Lacey Act (passed in 1900) and the Weeks-McLean Law (passed in December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 13 1913) were designed to reduce the ef- For more information about each of fects of market hunting and commercial the laws, acts, conventions, and treaties interstate shipping of birds for food trade listed above, refer to http://migratory- and feather trade. birds.fws.gov/intrnltr/treatlaw.html. The Endangered Species Act was The Neotropical Migratory Bird passed in 1973 to protect birds endan- Conservation Act of 2000 provides grants gered or threatened with extinction or to countries in Latin America and the extirpation. A list of birds listed as endan- Caribbean for migratory birds that nest gered or threatened under the Endangered in North America and winter south of Species Act can be reviewed at http:// the continental United States. For more ecos.fws.gov/servlet/TESSWebpageVip information, see http://laws.fws.gov/ Listed?code=V&listings=0#B. lawsdigest/neotrop.html and http://bird- CITIES is the Convention on Inter- habitat.fws.gov/NMBCA/eng_neo.htm. national Trade in Endangered Species of What laws do states implement? Wild Fauna and Flora, which is reviewed Although states must abide by national at: www.cites.org/eng/cop/index.shtml and international laws, each state also The Pan American Convention was has laws governing hunting, falconry, passed in 1940 as the Convention on Na- taxidermy, and possession of birds and ture Protection and Wildlife Preservation bird parts. States also have primary re- in the Western Hemisphere. sponsibility for resident birds, especially The Ramsar Convention was enacted resident game birds (primarily non-mi- in 1975 as the Convention on Wetlands gratory birds such as grouse, pheasants, of International Importance Especially partridge, quail, turkeys, etc.; and intro- as Waterfowl Habitats, which has been duced “pests” such as European starlings signed by 117 nations. and sparrows), including hunting, posses- The Antarctic Treaty was adopted in sion, protection, and law enforcement. 1959 to protect native birds, mammals, Contact information for the 50 states’ and plants of the Antarctic realm. wildlife departments can be accessed at http://offices.fws.gov/statelinks.html.

14 Backyard Poultry Can I keep the molted feather of a bird that I found? Unfortunately, no; that is, not legally. Although it may seem harm- less, today’s laws were made to protect birds from illegal poaching and traffick- ing. These laws were required to stop trade in egret and heron plumes and eagle feath- ers, along with the unlawful killing and trade of other birds, including endangered species in the United States and around the world. May I retrieve feathers of birds killed by cars or other accidental means? No. Birds and their parts can not be possessed by individuals.

You Be the Judge Beginning with the first issue we have held a photo contest, with winning photos displayed on the front cover of the magazine. This year’s winning entries have been placed in a gallery of finalists, and the to three prize winners will be announced in the February/March, 2009 issue. Winners will receive the following prizes: First place—$50, Second place—$30, Third place—$20. Now we want you to pick the best cover. See page 48 for the photo contest voting form and hints to get your photo on a future cover.—Ed.

Happy Holidays!! Last year my oldest daughter bought me a t-shirt for Christmas. We have a num- ber of chickens and have subscribed to your very informative and enjoyable magazine since the first issue. Our chicks really do dig Santa. (Maybe because I feed them.) John McGucken, Maryland

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 15 However, there are always those birds SPPA Ne w s : that might have slightly better type or color, but they are not in the best feather. Increase Or, maybe the exhibitor just didn’t have the time to properly prepare the bird. That Your Poultry is the bird I’d take home and put up in Knowledge the breed pen.” Whether you exhibit your birds or Dr. Ch a r l e s R. H. Ev e r e t t not you should attend your local poultry SPPA Se c r e t a r y /Tr e a s u r e r show and support its club with your time and monies. At the local show you will e are in the middle of the show get to see other birds and compare them Ben Everett (age 11), South Carolina, Wseason already. How do your birds to your own. With no visual comparison holds a heritage breed chocolate turkey. compare to others in the show hall? What it becomes difficult to see the faults in have you learned so far this season? your own stock. For steady improve- lots of practices that brought that about, When I began exhibiting my birds ment you need something to compare plenty of blame to go around and much several years ago an older judge took me them to. to be discussed as we work to find revi- aside and taught me some lessons that You can learn more about birds and sions that will serve us better. One aspect have proved invaluable to me. I hope they breeding at one poultry show than you that isn’t in dispute is that unbalanced help you as well. can in a mountain of books, but you must centralization made the system vulner- The judge shared with me that there be careful because not every exhibitor is able to collapse. were two types of birds that really caught a breeder. Learn to listen. It doesn’t take The American food system is under- his eye: those he placed on Championship long to figure out who the real breeders going similar centralization, and devel- Row and those he’d like to take home as are. Most are men and women who love oping similar vulnerabilities. Financial breeders. Sometimes these are the same to talk chicken with others who are will- experts didn’t foresee the financial birds, but more often they are not. He ex- ing to listen and learn. crisis. Neither do they or agricultural plained, “Championship Row is made up If you need to acquire good stock, experts foresee the potential collapse of of the birds that look their best that day. you’ll do better at a poultry show than a centralized food system. It’s always Every poultry show is a beauty contest. most anywhere else. something unexpected that tips the bal- I hope you will take the time to at- ance. It they had foreseen it, they would tend your local shows this season. Take have averted it. your time walking the aisles of the show A centralized food system is depen- hall. Find out who the real breeders are dent on transportation. It’s dependent on Kencove electric netting and spend some time with them. Enjoy centralized processing facilities. Mon- • Semi-rigid vertical stays reduce sagging your birds and the camaraderie of your oculture crops, grown to feed genetically • 3.5” spacing for optimum security local show. similar food animals, can be infected • Superior protection from predators You can increase your knowledge of and devastated by a passing fungus or • Built-in step-in posts for easy installation fowl and your circle of friends by joining bug. A glitch at any of these points­—or the SPPA. many others­—and suddenly the shelves are bare. A diversified food system is inher- ently more secure than a centralized one. Thankful for A web of producers, each growing crops and raising animals they know and enjoy, Local Food is stronger than a vertically integrated Ch r i s t i n e He i n r i c h s corporation focused on the economies of SPPA Pu b l i c i t y Di r e c t o r scale that save it a fraction of a cent on Ch r i s t i n e .h e i n r i c h s @g m a i l .c o m the bottom line. Enjoy that Thanksgiving turkey. Kencove oultry plays a role in holiday tradi- Roast a goose this year in honor of Dick- Portable chargers tions: turkey is the Thanksgiving ens. And support your local farmer. Join • Power adjustment knob centerpiece,P Scrooge buys the Cratchit the Society for Preservation of Poultry • Voltage indicator light family a Christmas goose. The farmers • Easy-to-carry handle Antiquities by sending $15 to Dr. Charles • Battery operated, optional who bring us the feast for which we Everett, 1057 Nick Watts Rd., Lugoff, SC solar panel give thanks are the mainstay of our food 29078 or online at http://poultrybook- system. Allowing them to be replaced by store.com. Our strength is in numbers. Free Fence guide / catalog corporations is a serious mistake. When the food system takes a body blow, 800-536-2683 We watched the financial system we will be ready to feed ourselves and www.kencove.com stagger and sway last month. There are our neighbors. 16 Backyard Poultry SPECIAL CHRISTMAS OFFER 13 ISSUES FOR THE PRICE OF 12

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December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 17 Co m i n g Ev e n t s : If you have a poultry-related event, send details 60 days in advance and we’ll include it in this listing. Send to: Coming Events, Backyard Poultry, 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451 or e-mail:byp@tds. net

Dec. 4-6, 2008 December 6, 2008 December 13-14, 2008 St. Louis, Missouri Orangeburg, South Carolina Shawnee, Oklahoma Acres USA Conference & Trade Show, Sandlappers Poultry Breeders Association Oklahoma State Poultry Federation Hyatt Regency St. Louis at Union Sta- Fall Show, Orangeburg County Fairgrounds 92nd Annual Show, Shawnee, Oklahoma. tion, St. Louis, Missouri. Pre-Conference Orangeburg, South Carolina. Judges are Contact Steve Jones, 9677 Butler Ln., Po- Intensive Study: Dec. 1-3, 2008. The Acres Rocky Hughey and Jim Wallace, with others etry, TX, 75160; [email protected] U.S.A. Conference is the premier event na- pending. Contact Brian Paul Witt, 2056 Old tionwide for commercial-scale sustainable Stagecoach Rd., Cassatt, SC, 29032; (803) January 10-11, 2009 and organic agriculture. Dozens of speakers 432-1067; [email protected] Hollister, California cover all facets of eco-agriculture — soils, Gold Coast Poultry Fanciers, San Benito crops, weed and insect control, livestock December 6-7, 2008 County Fairgrounds, Hollister, Califor- management — and make the connection Connersville, Indiana nia Contact Donald Barger: dbarger@Poul- between the soil and human and animal Indiana Poultry Breeders Association tryshow.com; www.poultryshow.com health as well. For program details visit 57th Annual Winter Show, Connersville, www.acresusa.com or call toll-free: (800) Indiana. Contact David Wulff, 943 North January 10-11, 2009 355-5313. My Lane, Connersville, IN, 47331; (765) Lake City, Florida 825-0621; [email protected] 2009 American Bantam Association National December 6, 2008 Meet, Columbia County Fairgrounds, Florida Sunland, California December 13, 2008 Poultry Fanciers Florida Sunshine Classic, Lake Pacific Coast Bantam Club, Victorville, Hartwell, Georgia City, Florida. Contact Show Secretary Danny & California. Contact Juanita Hall, 10170 Hart County Bantam Club 31st Annual Norma Padgett, Rt 4, Box 3850, Lake Butler, Sunland Blvd., Sunland, CA, 91040; (818) All Breed Bantam Show, National Guard FL, 32054; (386) 496-2561 353-6749; [email protected] Armory, Hartwell, Georgia. Contact: Keith Sokol, 795 Ridge Rd., Hartwell, GA, 30643; January 17-18, 2009 (706) 376-3211. West Springfield, Massachusetts 36th Annual Northeastern Poultry Congress Annual Poultry Show Mallory Complex, Eastern States Exposi- tion Fairgrounds, 1305 Memorial Ave, West Springfield, Massachusetts. New England’s Largest Show. For more information, visit www.poultrycongress.com or contact Cheryl Barnaba by e-mail at: [email protected]

January 24-25, 2009 Stockton, California Pacific Poultry Breeders Association 62nd Annual Winter Show, San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, Stockton, California. Contact Teresia Renwick, 13333 Quarterhorse Dr., Grass Valley, CA, 95949; (530) 268- 2488; [email protected].

January 28-30, 2009 Atlanta, Georgia The International Poultry Exposition Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia. Sponsored by US Poultry & Egg Association. The International Poultry Expo is the networking hub of the world for the poultry industry. Every segment of the poultry and egg industry is represented: feed milling, live production, hatchery, processing, further processing, packaging, commercial egg, marketing, and all support activities. Get more information at www. internationalpoultryexposition.com 18 Backyard Poultry December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 19 don’t want to hear—might even be shocked The Homestead Flock: to hear—that I routinely cull a bird in my flock who is ill. (The difference is partly one of scale, I’m sure: It’s not surprising there should be more interest in treating an ill bird in a smaller flock, in which the loss of a single individual is a relatively greater loss than in a larger flock.) In my own flock, if a bird is injured, I isolate and care for it individually as long as it takes—the recuperative powers of fowl following injury are remarkable. But when a bird exhibits symptoms of dis- ease, I am more likely to do two things: Cull the affected bird immediately, and review my environmental factors and management practices. Am I overlook- ing something that is undermining the birds’ natural good health? If I am doing all I can to make sure the flock has the conditions to thrive, a bird who fails to do Pets or Partners? so is not a case for heroic interventions Ha r v e y Us s e r y useful relationship with our flocks. In the to rescue it, but of demonstrated genetic w w w .t h e m o d e r n h o m e s t e a d .u s attempt to become more food independent weakness. Why should future members © 2008 Te x t & Ph o t o s in our back yards, poultry have far more to of the flock be saddled with such genet- offer as partners than as pets. ics? As an acquaintance of mine says, once gave seven four-week-old In my experience, folks who relate to “The best medicine kit is the hatchet.” chicks to a family with several chil- their birds essentially as pets tend to have This sounds cruel, but one could argue dren. When I next saw the father, he small flocks (in which each bird is known that a concern for the future well-being toldI me the chicks had become a major as a unique individual, often named), and of the flock as an ongoing entity is just as focus for his children, who pampered tend not to do any of their own breeding compassionate as a tender-hearted deter- them, gave them imaginative names, and of stock. Their perspective on the nature mination to save a sick individual. wrote stories about their escapades. And of the enterprise differs from my more Perhaps no issue is more likely to when one of the chicks died, they orga- utilitarian one in three ways: dealing with divide the owners of pet fowl from the nized an elaborate funeral, complete with illness, culling for the table, and using the poultry husbandman than the question candles, songs, and recitations. flock’s services for benefits beyond the of slaughtering birds for the table. I have I love that story. We modern humans production of eggs. known a number of owners of small have become increasingly lonely, increas- flocks who keep their hens long past their ingly isolated from the natural world in Culling the Flock productive period, delighting in their the tight cocoon of a man-made environ- I am always troubled by the requests I contented presence about the homestead ment. Those children found a powerful get from local acquaintances and visitors to until they die of old age, indifferent to antidote to that alienation, a reconnection my website to diagnose illness among their the scant return on investment of money with the living world, through a close birds and suggest a remedy. I know they and effort. Often they are puzzled or even and intimate relationship with another species. By taking responsibility for their care, they began to learn about the essen- tial interconnectedness of their ecological surroundings, and by extension, that they have a responsibility to it as well. But let’s reflect a little on the nature of that relationship. For the children, the relationship was essentially with cherished pets. For many of the adult keepers of poultry—and perhaps a substantial propor- tion of the readers of Backyard Poultry— that remains the nature of the relationship. While I have known—and respect—many keepers of “pet chickens,” I hope that we Grazing waterfowl such as these African geese and Saxony ducks make the lawn a can all find our way to a broader, more food-producing resource. 20 Backyard Poultry benefits (meat, milk, hides, feathers, by humans or, at first, much under their etc.) from animals they didn’t have to control. It is titled The Covenant of the hunt; and began caging or fencing them, Wild: Why Animals Chose Domestica- thus increasing their value as a resource. tion. The title implies the book’s thesis: Such a scenario fits comfortably with our that domestication was a co-evolutionary habitual human hubris—an assumption event, a compact with humans into which that of course we would have initiated certain animal species entered for com- the process and been in control of it from pelling reasons of their own. the beginning. Simplifying Budiansky’s argument A fascinating book by Stephen Bu- greatly here: When Homo sapiens started diansky, based on recent advances in practicing agriculture, certain opportun- scientific thinking about the origins of ist species moved into the new ecologi- domestication, gives another point of cal niches—cultivated grain and other view, arguing that domestication was crops. The more aggressive individuals A good broody hen makes us more independent of outside sources for new an evolutionary process not initiated among them would have been killed stock, saves the cost of artificial incubators and brooders, and finds natural foods for her brood. offended by my acceptance of culling the flock for food as an inherent part of the process. Perhaps some reflections on the history and nature of domestication itself can help clarify the issues.

The Nature of Domestication Probably most of us assume that do- mestication began when humans “way back when” adopted young animals from the wild; concluded there were obvious

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 21 outright by the humans, introducing an domestication of fowl species. It is easy humans—reproduce roughly half-and-half unplanned selection toward more docile to imagine, however, that their wild ances- male and female), and of old females no Call for animals willing to accept the benefits of tors were drawn to agricultural settlements longer in production—simply is not sus- The living in close association with people. to make the same sorts of “bargains” as tainable as an economic enterprise (in the a Free Among these were the obvious benefits other domesticated species: easier access broadest sense of managing resource use). of enhanced and easier access to food, to food, protection from predators, and Because we cannot expect or imagine that Egg-Cart'n Brochure and protection by the humans from their reproductive success far beyond that of those breeding our stock will not cull their Ultimate Chicken Tractor natural predators. But remember that the their wild relatives—grouse, quail, mal- flocks as an essential part of the enterprise, urge to reproduce is equally as powerful lards, Graylag geese, etc. we are in a moral sense entirely complicit Distributed Exclusively by: Randall BuRkey Company as the urge for nourishment and escape in the deaths of those animals. Such is the from predation. In their “bargain” with The Moral Issue essential dynamic of domestication. All of Order by Phone: 800-531-1097 Order Online: www.randallburkey.com humans, domesticated species achieved Slaughtering birds we have taken a which seems a bit gloomy. spectacular reproductive success, far personal obligation to nurture is often We bring a redeeming brightness to this beyond that of their wild cousins. debated as a moral issue. Certainly any “bargain” we’ve made with our feathered Gradually humans concluded that individual is free to purchase her birds friends by fulfilling our (moral) obligation fencing or caging the opportunists in was from a hatchery, care for them throughout to give them the best care, the most natural more efficient than fencing them out of a good life that ends in natural death from and contented life, that is in our power crop areas. The obvious next step would old age, and never slaughter a bird in her to provide. Recognizing our relationship have been the control of matings—based care. That’s fine as a personal preference, to our flocks as an alliance for mutual on the common sense observation that of course, but it does not change the moral benefit introduces a respect and gratitude superior individuals produce superior equations involved. Participation in do- that goes far beyond simple joy in them offspring—and the rapid development of mestication necessarily involves us in the as cherished pets. We become partners in domesticated species as we know them slaughter of animals. Maintenance of ex- a mutually supportive task of maximizing was underway. cess males not needed for breeding (fowl, the homestead as a resource—in which we We do not know in detail about the like other domesticated species—and are as dependent on the flock’s good work as they are on our care. American Bantam Association’s National Partners in the Homestead Economy If you have kept your flock basi- Meet to be held in Lake City, Florida cally as pets, I invite you to broaden the Original Egg-Cart'n $1499 Egg-Cart'n Mini $999 scope of your relationship with them. Free Shipping until 1/31/2009 Free $100 Gift Certificate until 1/31/2009 January 10-11, 2009 There is nothing to be lost, and much to be gained. Though my goals for my Lo w e l l Sh e r m a n , Di r e c t o r , Di s t r i c t 14 flock are utilitarian, that doesn’t mean Quality workmanship & superior materials, like a rust resistant angle iron frame & pneumatic tires, make this the best built mobile chicken Am e r i c a n Ba n t a m As s o c i a t i o n I cannot know all the joys—the sheer coop on the market. Our wind resistant coop weighs 400 lbs (mini weighs 200 lbs) but clever engineering allows you to easily pull it onto fresh ground. This two level predator resistant unit with retractable staircase allows chickens access downstairs for grazing while the he American Bantam Association (ABA) will be holding its National Meet fun—of keeping them as well. We get upstairs provides two cozy nesting boxes & an easy access door for egg retrieval. Removable climate control panels make it the perfect at the Columbia County Fairgrounds in Lake City, Florida. This show and enormous pleasure from watching the shelter during summer & winter. Original Egg-Cart’n houses 10-12 hens, Mini houses 4-6. meet,T hosted by the Florida Poultry Fanciers Association, will be held January antics of our birds as they forage and 10-11, 2009. Lake City is located in north central Florida, about 62 miles west get excited and squabble. Our fascina- of Jacksonville. tion with mother hens caring for their In addition to the show and competition of many breeds of chickens and chicks is endless. And when we encoun- waterfowl, there will be a sales area for those wishing to secure quality purebred ter one of our birds again at the table, poultry. we feel a sense of profound respect and The American Bantam Association is a national organization founded in 1914. gratitude—of personal indebtedness— Each year the National Meet rotates to various regions of the United States and is that those eating mass-produced foods hosted by local poultry clubs and organizations. Last year’s annual meet was held from supermarket or fast-food joint are in Harrington, Delaware. The governing board is composed of 16 directors rep- not privileged to know. resenting regions of the U.S. and Canada, and a president and vice president. As I write, the world has collec- The stated goals for the organization are to encourage the breeding, exhibi- tively held its breath, staggered by the tion and selling of purebred bantams. The ABA also assembles and distributes speed with which our national and now information on breeding husbandry of bantam chickens and waterfowl. Each global economy has entered profound year the ABA holds one National Meet and one semi-annual National Meet. In crisis, and deeply uneasy about the addition, the organization recognizes numerous district, state and special meets prospects for the future. Whatever ups to promote the raising of bantam poultry. and downs have intervened by the time For further information about the National Meet or the ABA, contact ABA you read these words, most analyses I Secretary: Karen Unrath, P O Box 127, Augusta NJ 07822. You can also fax read predict that it will be years before information or inquiries via 973-383-8633; or e-mail Karen at fancybantams@ we return to normal. Indeed, most embarqmail.com. Visit the ABA website at http://www.bantamclub.com. expect an entirely new and different “normal” to emerge. My own gut feel- 22 Backyard Poultry Call for The a Free Egg-Cart'n Brochure Ultimate Chicken Tractor

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Quality workmanship & superior materials, like a rust resistant angle iron frame & pneumatic tires, make this the best built mobile chicken coop on the market. Our wind resistant coop weighs 400 lbs (mini weighs 200 lbs) but clever engineering allows you to easily pull it onto fresh ground. This two level predator resistant unit with retractable staircase allows chickens access downstairs for grazing while the upstairs provides two cozy nesting boxes & an easy access door for egg retrieval. Removable climate control panels make it the perfect shelter during summer & winter. Original Egg-Cart’n houses 10-12 hens, Mini houses 4-6.

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 23 a more productive flock at the heart of the homestead enterprise. Our grand- mothers knew how wholesome and health-giving is good broth, which can become a foundation of our families’ health. (See “Chicken Broth: A Way of Life,” by Ellen Ussery, Feb/Mar 2008 issue.) And don’t forget the value of the nutritious, high-quality cooking fats to Guineas help control ticks and crop There are many ways waterfowl can be rendered from our chickens, geese, damaging insects. help close the circle in the homestead, for and ducks. Many of us may even come more independence of outside inputs and to value the feathers of our slaughtered greater food security. These geese and fowl, especially the waterfowl, for garden’s fertility. ducks are eating comfrey, a nutritious and valuable plant. home-made alternatives to purchased Why is it that our great-grandpar- quilts and winter clothing. ents managed to produce an abundance But the flock has so many other of garden vegetables and orchard fruits ing is that the new norm will mean a contributions to make as we try to ramp without the “weapons” of Monsanto change from the era of easy prosperity up home production. Fowl able to for- and other pesticide makers for a toxic most of us grew up assuming almost age convert resources—insects, earth- war on insects? A good deal of the as a natural right, into a time of greater worms, green plants, wild seeds—we answer has to do with their busy, free- economic constriction. I expect we will cannot directly utilize for food ourselves. ranging chickens and other fowl, who see a greatly accelerated movement Geese are primarily grazers, and can helped control crop-damaging insects. toward home production for our needs, utilize pasture—or even our lawns—as With planning and care, guineas can as opposed to consumption of goods effectively as ruminants. Don’t forget even be used in parts of the garden for and services generated by a centralized Muscovies as well—more efficient graz- control of tough insect competitors like mass market. ers than domesticated ducks descended squash bugs. Against this unsettling background, from the wild mallard. Waterfowl and A time of greater economic constric- we might well have a new appreciation chickens can clean up dropped fruit in the tion may mean that a power tiller is not of the home flock as partners in an effort orchard, helping to break disease cycles. within the budget of many families. toward a more productive backyard— Turkeys are great gleaners of free feed Isn’t it wonderful that by confining toward greater food self-sufficiency. resources such as acorns and beech nuts, chickens where we need them and al- Their contribution of eggs to our tables and dropped fruit such as mulberries and lowing them to do what they love most to is of course something poultry owners persimmons. do—scratching, all day, non-stop—these have always valued. But those who The flock’s droppings help fertilize hard-working partners can take over the have been reluctant to slaughter their the pasture or orchard over which they chore instead? cherished birds for the table may re- range; or, if captured in a deep litter, In all these and other ways, the think this potential gift as they plan for convert to quality compost to boost the home poultry flock can help diversify and balance the homestead ecology, making it more of a closed circle, and bringing greater food security in this time of rapid and unpredictable eco- nomic changes. Harvey Ussery and his wife Ellen live on 2-1/2 acres near the Blue Ridge in Northern Virginia. They produce much of their own food—including all their eggs and dressed poultry from a mixed pas- tured flock—and offer their homestead as model and inspiration to others aspiring to the homesteading life. Harvey has written for Mother Earth News and publications of American Pastured Poultry Producers Association. Countryside & Small Stock Journal is publishing his “The Integrated Home- stead,” based on his presentation at the 2007 conference of the Weston A. Price Like geese, Muscovy ducks are efficient grazers, needing little purchased feed and Foundation. Visit his website at www. thriving on good pasture. themodernhomestead.us. 24 Backyard Poultry Egg Incubators Brooder Lamps Waterers Egg Cartons & Trays

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December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 25 He l pf u l Hi n t s : Preparing Poultry for Winter “As long as you take a few easy precautions, your fowl will make it through the winter months very easily.”

Ra n d y St e v e n s Mi c h i g a n

f you are new to chickens, and live in a Northern climate, you may be asking yourself what you need to do to prepare for the upcoming winter months. What most people don’t realize is that most breeds of poultry are actually quite tolerant of the cold. Chickens have much more trouble dealing with severe heat than they do with severe cold. As long as you take a fewI easy precautions, your fowl will make it through the winter months very easily. All chickens need is a quality diet, fresh water daily, shelter to get out of the elements, and wide roosts. What they do not need is a heated environment, or to be cooped inside all winter. Water needs to be provided daily, and is just as important as in the summer months. If you have a coop with electricity, you can provide a heated water dish to help keep it from freezing. If you don’t, you can purchase some of the hard rubber horse dishes, as you can easily break the ice out of them with a hammer, or by flipping them over and stomping on them, without worrying about breaking the dish. Shelter can be anything from a coop, to a plastic barrel for them to get into. The main thing that shelter needs to provide is protection for the birds from the wind and rain. You will find that the weather has to be quite bad for the birds to not prefer to be outside. One thing you will have to do, no matter what you use, is keep the sheltered area clean. It will get dirty fast in the winter months, which can make ammonia fumes—detrimental to their respiratory health—get out of hand. Roosts are a critical part of keeping all your chickens’ toes from freezing. The roosts provided need to be made out of wood, or other natural material, that doesn’t conduct cold like plastic or metal. They also need to be wide so when the birds roost on them, their feathers cover their toes completely. This will keep them from getting frostbite on the toes, which can make them die and fall off. I recommend using nothing less than 1-1/2 inches wide, like a 2 x 4 turned on end. One other thing that can be a problem is large combs and wattles. These can be subject to frostbite as well. You can spread some Vaseline on them regularly to help combat this, but if you want to avoid this problem completely, dubbing will take care of it. Read the following article to learn how to dub chickens. Finally, if you get a lot of snow, go out and shovel out your pens so your birds can come out and be able to walk around if they want to. You can also provide litter in your pens for them to walk on so they don’t have to walk on the frozen ground all the time. You might be surprised how a layer of bark, wood chips, or straw will make your birds more comfortable. If you follow these simple guidelines, your fowl will get through the cold winter months just fine. Dubbing to Prevent Frostbite

ubbing is the practice of removing the comb and bird. I dub all my fowl, including the hens, to promote better wattles of your fowl, to help prevent frostbite and the health, and prevent them from getting frostbite, which can be complications that come with it. If you live in an area a real problem here in Michigan. thatD experiences below-freezing temperatures, you might want To get the best results, dubbing is primarily done when to consider dubbing as an option to prevent this. Frostbite can chickens reach breeding age, and their combs and wattles are lead to serious infections, fertility problems, permanent tissue pretty much full grown. The first thing I make sure of when I damage, and even death. It does not hurt the bird to dub the am going to dub birds is to do it at the right time of the month, comb, and your whole flock will be healthier in the long run. so the bleeding is kept to a minimum. It is best to dub a bird Like many things that concern chickens, everyone has their the last two or three days of the moon cycle, just before the own method of dubbing, along with different reasons for doing new moon. This puts the blood of the bird more in the feet, and it. Birds like the Old English bantams require dubbing to meet less in the head of the bird. I also prefer to do it in the evening, the standard for showing them, and some people like to dub when the birds are calm, and will not be running around after their birds at a specific age, to help control the size of the adult they are dubbed. It is best to avoid doing it during the hot sum- 26 Backyard Poultry mer months too, because the added stress of summer the bird at one end of the towel, with his head and feet hang- heat. It is also a good idea to take the water away ing over the edges. Make sure the bird’s wings are tucked in from the bird you plan on dubbing the day before, tight, and still holding the feet, roll the bird up in the towel. If so their blood will be thicker, and will clot better. done properly, you will have an immoblized bird with only its Some people also supplement Vitamin K to their head, and feet hanging out of the rolled up towel. If you have birds prior to dubbing by feeding alfalfa meal a helper, it makes this easier, because you can have them hold in with their normal feed, or using Red Cell in the bird to keep it calm and unable to wiggle loose. If not, I sit the drinking water. (Red Cell is a liquid vitamin- down, and put the bird between my legs, and hold it with my mineral supplement fortified with iron and zinc, knees. You now need to disinfect the area of dubbing, and your usually sold for dogs or horses. It should be scissors, with the rubbing alcohol. You don’t need much, just a used sparingly, but can give an injured animal damp cloth to clean the comb, and wattles, if you plan to dub a much-needed boost. Red Cell is available at them too. Take care not to get alcohol in the bird’s eyes. At this most feed stores that sells animal products.) Others swear point, you are ready to start cutting. Remember, you cannot by dunking the birds’ head in a cold bucket of water before, replace flesh that you cut off, so if you are not sure what you and after, dubbing. All of the things I mentioned are meant to help keep bleeding to a minimum, and any of them will help, but they aren’t required. I have seen many a bird get dubbed without following the above steps, and do just fine, but I am trying to provide you with tips to make the process easier on you, and your fowl.

Preparation for Dubbing After deciding on a day, the next thing to do is to prepare First cut to do it. You will need a very sharp, high quality pair of scis- sors that are capable of cutting through the flesh. I use a pair of leather trimming shears, but some people buy scissors spe- cifically made for this. You can purchase them from most high quality poultry supply companies. Don’t skimp on the quality and sharpness of the scissors, as it makes it much easier to dub a bird if you have a good pair of scissors. You will also need some rubbing alcohol, a towel, and some blood stop powder. (You can use flour for this too, if you don’t want to spend the big bucks for the blood stop powder.) Next, you will need to decide what you are going to dub. I dub my combs tight to the head most of the time, which is as close as I can, because I like the look it gives my birds. I remove the wattles and earlobes Appearance too, if they are excessively long. Most people dub the comb after first approximately a quarter inch off the head, and the wattles, cut. and earlobes tight. The birds that have the worst problems with frostbite are the tall, straight-combed birds. Pea-combed fowl need to be dubbed too, but most rose and walnut-combed birds are tight enough to the head that you shouldn’t have a problem with them.

Step-by-Step Once you decide how you are going to dub your bird, you need to take your bird to an area for doing this, preferably out- Cutting side, as you will get wattles some blood. Take your towel, and spread it out on your work area, grab your bird by the feet with one hand, and Prior to dubbing cradle the breast with your other hand. Lay December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 27 are doing, it is better to take less off, and trim down to where you want to go, than to take too much off by accident. I like to start at the back of the head. I take the comb between my fingers in one hand, pull it up away from the bird’s head, then place the scissors behind the comb, tight to the top of the birds’ head, and angling up towards the middle of the comb, for the first cut. Once you make the first cut, you will see blood, don’t worry about it, just finish your cutting. Some birds will bleed a lot, some won’t bleed at all. I will talk about what to do about that, after the dubbing process is finished. Next, you want to hold on to the tallest part of the comb left, and pull it tight. Place your scissors parallel to the head, at the distance you have decided on, and make your next cut. You should be done with the comb at this point, unless you need to do some trimming, for cosmetic reasons. If you decide to cut the wattles and earlobes off, now is the time to do it. If your birds have wattles that are over a quarter inch long, I recommend cutting them. These are much easier The dubbing is complete to cut, as they are thin, but it is very important to not pull on these when you cut them. If you pull them tight, and cut them prevent infections. Most dubbings will heal completely within off where it looks flush, you will end up having a large hole two to three weeks. in the side of their necks from cutting too much off. If you do If a bird has already gotten frostbite, I dub the bird imme- this, don’t worry, it will heal fine, it just looks scary at first, diately. Doing this will keep your bird from getting infection and leaves a larger wound, that will take longer to heal. Wten from dead tissue, and they will heal from the dubbing much cutting the wattles, it is best to cut off less, and trim your way faster than waiting for the dead tissue to fall off. If the wattles, flush to the neck. If properly done, there will just be a slit in or earlobes are swelled to the point that they can’t be dubbed, the skin where the wattle was. I like to cut a slit for the excess blood and liquids to drain. Some people like to trim the earlobes too, but it isn’t nec- Usually, after 24 hours of draining, the swelling will have gone essary to dub them, as it is not an area that will get frostbite down enough that you can dub them. typically, unless they are unusually large. If you decide to dub Along with worrying about the head of your fowl, you need the earlobes, do them the same way you did the wattles. to think of your bird’s feet too. Make sure that your roosts are After you have finished the cutting, you will want to stop wide enough so that when they are on them their breast feathers any severe bleeding. Most of the time, the bleeding is very cover their toes. I use 2x4 lumber for my roosts, thin side up minor, and you can just put the bird back in its pen, and it will for bantam-sized birds, and the wider side up for larger breeds. be fine. If you get a bird that is bleeding excessively, apply Doing this will virtually eliminate losing toes. Chickens can pressure to the area with a clean cloth until it slows down. If handle the cold surprisingly well. If you have a spot for them you get bleeding that doesn’t want to stop after a couple minutes to get out of the elements, keep them dubbed, and have nice of pressure, sprinkle some blood stop, or flour in the wound, wide roosts for them, they should be able to handle just about and it will help stop the bleeding. The next day, you will want any temperature. to check the bird and make sure that its nose isn’t plugged with I would like to thank Mr. David Mathews II, and Ms. Casey dried blood. If it is, take a moist cloth, and clean it out so the Joslyn for their help putting this information together. bird can breathe properly. It is also a good idea to treat the bird For more information, or to contact me with questions, visit with a broad spectrum antibiotic for a couple of days to help my website at www.ultimatefowl.com.

A Simple & Sensible Coop

I like to make all my pens at least six feet tall, allowing easy entry into the pen without fear of hitting my head. I have netting on the top of the pen for the summer months, and attach a tarp over the top of the pen during the winter months. You can see the plastic barrel with the hole cut in the end for the fowl to get out of the elements if they want, and it also works well as a nest. I put a spring on the screen door so when I enter, the door will self- close to prevent the birds from escaping. Like most poultry keepers, my hands are full both entering and leaving the coop, and the automatic door closing leaves me one less detail to mess with.—Randy

28 Backyard Poultry December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 29 Ju s t fo r Fu n : TheTheEggcentricEggcentric ArtistArtist can actually carve relief images similar them right then and there.” Alan said. to the images on a coin. Alan says it is “The rest is history!” this tool that makes his delicate artwork “I will try to carve any eggshell I possible. Using the dental cutting bits can get my hands on.” Alan says with Alan is able to carve straight through the a smile. So far, those eggshells have in- eggshell leaving “bridges” to his design cluded chicken, duck, goose, emu, rhea, that help keep the eggshell intact, similar pheasant, turkey, ostrich and just recently, to a stencil pattern. peacock eggs. All of Alan’s eggs are in Eight years ago Alan was working as their natural colors, in their natural state, a jeweler when he tried to carve seashells and are not coated or sealed. Alan says with his jewelry tools. After breaking that acrylic sealers make the eggs look many shells and drill bits he decided there like plastic and polyurethane sealers will had to be a better tool out there to work turn yellow with time. Master Eggshell Sculptor/Carver Alan with. He began to research on the Internet Alan buys his eggs from various farm- Rabon carves eggshells using a high- until he discovered the “Turbo Carver” powered dental drill and drill bits. ers who sell them on-line, like Beverly’s made by the SCM Company. He quickly Goose Hatchery, and from local farmers ordered the drill, which came with infor- near his home. When buying eggshells he De bo r a h McKi n n e y mation for the additional uses for the tool. looks for the shells that have a single hole Ge o r g i a He said, “When I saw the pamphlets that drilled into the bottom where the contents showed how an artist carved eggshells are sucked out. He also looks for interest- e have all seen painted egg- I was immediately intrigued. I found a ing colors in the shells that are naturally shells. We have even seen website that sold eggshells and ordered occurring. Alan says that the single hole W eggshells decorated with allows for greater design options. The crystals and gold leaf made to look like eggs are then cleaned and sanitized be- the famous Fabergé style eggs. What few fore they are packed and shipped. In the of us have ever seen are “hand carved” thicker eggshells like ostrich, rhea, goose eggshells. and emu, Alan is able to produce relief Alan Rabon is a Master Eggshell sculptures on the surface of the eggshell. Sculptor/Carver who lives in the foothills In all the thinner eggshells like chicken, of the Blue Ridge Mountains on a 10-acre duck and peacock Alan is able to carve farm in northwest Georgia. Alan sits in his through the eggshell to create intricate studio studying the surface of a peacock and detailed designs. egg shell. He is trying to decide whether Alan’s eggshell designs include the eggshell is thick enough to sculpt a sports logos, business logos and random relief image or to carve a design through designs that he creates. “I just use my the shell leaving it open. Once he has made imagination.” Alan says. “I love to push his decision he quickly sets to work draw- the limits of the eggshell. The greatest ing the image onto the egg shell. When the kick comes from removing as much of drawing is complete he begins to carve the the eggshell as I can yet keep the basic eggshell using a high-powered dental-type shape of the egg intact.” drill that runs at 450,000 rpms (rotations Alan was chosen as the official Eas- per minute) and uses dental drill bits. At ter Egg Artist for the state of Georgia in Mr. Rabon was chosen by the American that speed, Alan is able to carve straight Egg Board to carve a special egg for 2005 and 2007. Those eggshells are in the through thinner eggshells like duck, First Lady Laura Bush as the official permanent collection of the White House goose and chicken with ease. In thicker Presidential Commemorative Easter Egg in Washington, D.C. He was also chosen eggshells like ostrich, emu and rhea Alan for 2007. by the American Egg Board to carve a 30 Backyard Poultry THE FEATHERMAN PRO Hands-free chicken picker gets ‘em spankin’ clean in 20 seconds!

Features: • Tough, UV-stabilized, food-grade, plastic tub and housing • 1 HP motor, 10:1 speed reducer • Spray ring to wash feathers away • Feather chute for tidy work area • Easy access, water-proof switch Carving created on an emu egg. “Also available: Scalder, Table & Cones” special egg for First Lady Laura Bush as shell carver, he says there are other ways ONLY $975! to learn the art form. There are two groups the official Presidential Commemorative Featherman Pluckers Easter Egg for 2007. on Yahoo that offer instruction and advice Emu eggshells are naturally dark on egg carving called EggArtBazaar www.featherman.net green on the exterior. As Alan carves Yahoo Group (http://groups.yahoo.com/ 760 SW 55th Ave., Jamesport, MO 64648 into the emu eggshell the color changes group/EggArtBazaar) and Eggshellcarv- 660/684-6035 email to:[email protected] from dark green to light green to white. ers Yahoo Group (http://groups.yahoo. This enables Alan to create images that com/group/Eggshellcarvers). There are look like black and white photos. He also classes in egg carving and decorating RIDGWAY HATCHERY has carved “memorial eggs” for people at the annual Egg Art Conventions held around the country. whose pets and family members who Chicks, have passed away. Alan markets his unique eggshell art Alan’s unique eggshell sculptures and through his website www.greateggspec- Ducklings, carvings have been shipped as far away as tations.net, articles in trade magazines Turkeys, Australia without breaking. “The secret is and newspapers, as well as arts and craft Guineas, in how they are packed.” Alan says. fairs around the country. There are links Game birds, Although Alan is a self taught egg- on Alan’s website that offer additional details and more information on eggshell Goslings, and Quail eggs. art. Alan is always willing to offer guid- Books and egg cartons. ance and answer questions. E-mail him at [email protected] or Call or write for your call (706) 232-1208. FREE catalog! At the end of our conversation I asked Alan if there was anything else he would like our readers to know. He Ridgway Hatchery responded with two answers. “First, there P.O. Box 306 is an erroneous e-mail going around on La Rue 38, OH 43332 the Internet that shows pictures of hand 800-323-3825 carved eggshells and it states that they are www.ridgwayhatchery.com created using a laser. There is no laser in the world that can cut through eggshells. Order Today! The e-mail is completely false and is a disservice to the very talented eggshell 84 years of quality and service, artists who hand-carve these eggshells. breeding and hatching experience, And secondly, I don’t eat eggs!” Alan and professional integrity. Carving created on a chicken egg. says with a hearty laugh!

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 31 He a l t h : Anatomy of a Crow Unlike humans, whose voice box consists of vocal cords within the larynx at the top of the windpipe (trachea), the The Cock’s Crow chicken’s voice box has no vocal cords and consists of the syrinx at the bottom of the windpipe, where the trachea splits at an upside-down Y-shaped junction to cre- light. They might believe an intruder is ate the bronchi that go into the two lungs. approaching, but instead of hushing up Besides lungs, the chicken’s respiratory and laying low, they put on a loud show system consists of nine air sacs attached to warn off the intruder. to the lungs. They crow in the daytime as well, The vocal system is thus a coopera- presumably to put potential challengers tive effort among the tracheal muscles, on notice. During Europe’s Thirty Years’ syrinx, air sacs, and respiratory muscles. War (1618 to 1648), marauding soldiers Contraction of muscles in the abdomen carried cocks to help them find livestock and thorax (the part of the body between villagers had hidden in the forest. When the head and the abdomen) forces air the soldiers’ cock called out, the villag- from the air sacs into the bronchi and ers’ roosters responded, “This territory is syrinx, while tracheal muscles work to occupied,” thus giving away themselves alter the syrinx’s shape to create various and their comrades. sounds. Each individual cock produces a German physician Erich Baeumer, unique sound, and the astute flock owner Photo courtesy of 12-year-old Clay a colleague of the renowned animal can identify each rooster in the flock by Hubble, Virginia. He says, “This is my behavior scientist Konrad Lorenz, spent rooster, Fred. I caught him crowing while the the sound of its crow. many years studying and document- we were plowing the garden.” Nicholas E. Collias of the Depart- ing the habits of chickens to the point ment of Biology at the University of a i l a m e r o w that Lorenz considered him “the most G D California in Los Angeles studied the knowledgeable of all domestic-fowl crowing of the four species of jungle experts” of the time. Baeumer believed he chief characteristic of roosters is fowl—the red jungle fowl (Gallus gal- crowing establishes dominance and their crowing, and everyone seems lus) of the Siwalik foothills of the Hi- leadership by serving as both a mating Tto have an opinion about it. Some malayas in northcentral India, the gray and fighting call, as well as having such people love it, some hate it. Which side jungle fowl (G. sonnerati) at the Mt. Abu functions as keeping the flock together you fall on has a lot to do with whether Game Sanctuary in western India, and and announcing the return of courage or not you own the rooster doing the the Ceylon jungle fowl (G. lafayettei) in after a defeat. He concluded that crow- crowing. Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka. He ing is a general expression of masculine An elderly gentleman once asked me found that all crowing has considerable self esteem. if I had any roosters for sale. I took him to harmonic structure, but each species has a pen of cockerels and he stood watching unique characteristics, differing in num- for several minutes. When one crowed, he ber of notes, length of crowing, accent grinned and said, “I want that one.” on different notes, structure and pitch of I caught the cockerel and handed it to notes, and interval between notes. him and he asked, “Are you sure this is The green jungle fowl has a two- the right one?” note crow that is higher in pitch than the “Yes,” I said, “It’s the one you pointed crowing of the other species. The Ceylon out. What are you going to do with one jungle fowl has a three-note crow that rooster?” differs from the others in having a long His answer: “I want to hear him interval between the first and second crow.” notes. The red and gray jungle fowl both Why a rooster crows is a question issue four notes, but the gray puts more without a definitive answer, because no energy into the second note, while the red one can get into the bird’s mind to find out puts the most energy into the third note. what he’s thinking. Cocks certainly crow at Collias describes the crow of the red first light, perhaps to announce the dawn- jungle fowl—from which most of our ing of a new day, or perhaps to proclaim, domestic chicken breeds originate—as “I’m still here.” They may also crow during being loud and complex. He confirms that the dark of night, sometimes triggered by Photo courtesy of Gale Miko, New Jersey. a rooster crows to advertise his presence the sound of movement or a passing light, This is his Buff Orphington rooster, on his territory to other males, and also such as from a car or a switched-on porch Charlie. to attract females. Two red jungle fowl 32 Backyard Poultry cocks may engage in a crowing duel The complex sound of crowing Anatomy of a Crow at their territorial boundaries or when originates at the syrinx, manipulated by competing for a hen. A dominant cock tracheal muscles while air from the air will respond to the crowing of his chief sacs is forced through. rivals, even when they are out of sight on the edge of his territory, but will usually a-dudal-du. Half my present roosters ignore crowing by the young subordinate say that. The other half say a-cock- cockerels he tolerates in his flock. A cock doodle-doo. I’ve had past roosters beaten in a fight stops crowing near the get right to the point with cock- victor. doodle-doo. Cockerels learning While crowing, the cock moves his to crow often cut it even short- head in a specific sequence. During the er, sounding less like they’re Trachea (windpipe) first note he holds his head horizontal and making a pronouncement Syrinx stretches his neck up and forward. On the and more like they’re ask- Bronchi second and third notes (the latter, in red ing a question: cock-a-erk? jungle fowl, being the loudest of all), he These early attempts can get sways his head and neck back. On the pretty funny, but with practice Lungs fourth and final note he again swings his the young fellow eventually head and neck forward. gets it right. Air sacs Where one cock may utter the second The crow is designated dif- and third as two separate notes, another ferently in different languages, may combine them into one note, produc- and in all languages is onomato- ing three notes or energy peaks, rather poeic, meaning it mimics the crow- than four. Among individual cocks, crow- ing sound. In German it’s kikeriki; in ing differs not only in number and length French cocorico; in Spanish kikiriki; of notes, but also in pitch and the clarity in Dutch kukeleku; in Finnish kuk- of tones. These variations let chickens kokiekuu; in Norwegian kykkeliky; in recognize different individuals. © Bethany A. Caskey Swedish kuckeliku; in Greek kikiriku; http://caskeystudios.com in Russian kukareku; in Portuguese A Crow by Any Other Name cocorico; in Hebrew kookooreekoo; in few days old may be induced to crow A rooster supposedly says cock-a- Japanese kokekokkoo; in Wolof (spo- by injecting them with a hefty dose of doodle-doo, from the Irish Gaelic cuc- ken in Senegal) kookoriikook; in Hausa male hormone. (spoken in Nigeria) k’ik’irik’i; in Korean The manner in which cocks crow Orpington kokiyo. Chinese cocks say gu-gu-gu, and is determined by inheritance. Just as rooster photos in Mandarin Chinese ‘o’o’o. I find it in- some breeds have been selectively bred courtesy of teresting that Chinese and Korean roost- for good laying ability or rapid growth, 11-year-old ers crow in three syllables, but I don’t others have been selectively bred for the Leah Gohlke, know enough about Chinese languages sound and/or duration of their crow. At Wisconsin. or Chinese chickens to comment. the end of a crow is a faint sound you The interesting thing about most of don’t normally hear unless you’re up the words used to designate crowing is close and listening carefully. In a heavy that they start with a k sound, while some cock with a deep call, it may be loud emphasize i and e sounds and others em- enough to hear as part of the crow. It’s phasize o and u. A linguist will tell you also clearly audible in breeds known as the differences relates to cultural percep- longcrowers. You can make a similar tion. But that’s not the whole story. The sound by trying to push the last little bit pitch of the crow corresponds to the size of air out of your lungs. of the breed. Some countries tradition- Some cocks crow louder than others, ally favored heavy breeds that produce a but to my knowledge, no one has ever deeper sounding crow (o and u sounds), attempted to correlate amplitude with while other countries favor lighter breeds breed because of the difficulty of obtain- that have a more piercing crow (i and e ing recordings that are the exact same sounds). distance from the origin of the sound. The age at which cockerels start However, in 2006 a Scottish man was crowing depends on how rapidly they cited for anti-social behavior because his mature, which is somewhat breed rooster crowed too early and too often, dependent, since some breeds mature and the sound supposedly exceeded the significantly more slowly than others. 30-decibel limit set by the World Health Baeumer reported that chicks just a Organization.

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 33 Crowing and Dominance sexual access to hens, these A feisty little bantam studies conclude that roosters cock I once had attacked crow to assert dominance by peoples’ legs without provo- putting other males on notice, cation. As soon as he learned thereby preventing unneces- we anticipated his attacks sary fighting. and were ready to ward them off, he developed a unique Frequency of Crowing tactic. Whenever someone One morning I heard a went into the chicken yard, strange crow coming from a he scurried to the far side of pen of replacement pullets. the coop and crowed repeat- It didn’t sound like our cock edly. Recognizing the sound Brewster, and sure enough of his crow, we knew he was on investigation I spotted a too far away to launch an at- golden cockerel that had mis- tack and let down our guard. takenly been put in with the After a time he would stop pullets. Little Goldie didn’t crowing, scurry around the crow often, so I was surprised coop, and launch a surprise The little guys strut their stuff too. A Mille Fleur d’Uccle bantam some days later to hear him attack. cock crows just before sunset. Photo courtesy of Tony B. Baity, crowing non-stop. He had In an attempt to correlate North Carolina. wandered into the goat stall crowing to fighting ability, a and was making quite a spec- group of researchers at the University of levels and good health, and therefore tacle of himself for some of Brewster’s New Mexico, Albuquerque, compared correlates with a cock’s fighting ability. hens scratching in the bedding. Suddenly the crows of 20 adult male red jungle fowl They speculate that if an intruding male’s Brewster appeared in the doorway. Gold- to their comb length. They measured each crow is of roughly equivalent quality to ie immediately stopped bragging and crows’ acoustic qualities, including mean that of the territorial male, the intruding pretended he was just one of the girls. fundamental frequency and dominant cock’s next step in assessing the territo- How often a rooster crows depends, frequency at peak amplitude. The crows rial male would be a closer inspection of in part, on how secure he feels. Contests of all 20 roosters fell into either a low his comb size. to see whose rooster can crow the most (782 to 869 hertz) or high (1,740 to 2,170 They cite a previous study in which within a certain period of time rely a good hertz) dominant-frequency category. a significant correlation was found deal on making a cock feel secure enough They found that roosters producing low between status and fundamental fre- to boast. Since the 1950s rooster crow- dominant-frequency crows had longer quency—dominants had higher-pitched ing contests have been popular at rural combs than those with high dominant- crows than subordinates. Since the peck- county fairs and other festivals. The time frequency crows. ing order established by cocks reflects period ranges from 10 or 15 minutes to 30 These researchers contend that comb their individual fighting abilities, and minutes, and the cocks are encouraged to length is a reflection of both testosterone the dominant males have preferential crow by participants clapping their hands, flapping their arms, or jingling keys. After attending the 2006 contest at When a Hen Crows the Indiana State Fair, a journalist with Occasionally an aged or diseased hen will take on cock-like behavior. Hens Indianapolis’ Nuvo Newsweekly reported have two ovaries, but only the left one produces eggs, while the right one remains the winning rooster crowed 60 times in undeveloped. If the left ovary becomes inactive due to atrophy or disease, the 15 minutes, while the nearest challenger testicular tissue of the right ovary is stimulated into functional activity, resulting crowed 59 times. “After the contest,” he in the hen getting a dose of male hormone responsible for crowing. Erich Bauemer said, “in contrast to the sparse crowing reported that aging hens sometimes crow during their non-laying periods, when during the competition, they crowed up male hormones exert greater influence than female hormones. a storm.” Apparently each rooster, on Researchers in Lithuania investigated the role of female hormones in crowing realizing it wasn’t going to be attacked by by identifying the gender of incubated eggs on day 8 and injecting the male eggs the others, became intent on proclaiming with a form of estrogen, while injecting the female eggs with an estrogen inhibitor. his victory. All the chicks matured normally, except in the cocks the rate of crowing, duration Perhaps the longest running contest of crowing, and strength of crowing were significantly reduced, and four out of is held annually in Rogue River, Oregon. the seven treated hens regularly produced brief, weak crow-like sounds. The Rogue River Rooster Crowing Con- Among longcrowers, crowing hens are considered especially valuable as test has been held since 1953, started by breeders. Longcrower breeder Marc King says when he first heard his hens crow, a group of merchants called the Rogue “Initially I thought they were wheezing with some dangerous lung infection, but River Booster Club. One of the members they never showed any signs of illness and continued to lay eggs.” had heard that coal miners in Wales held crowing contests during holidays. The 34 Backyard Poultry group decided to offer a cash prize to the owner of the rooster that crowed the most within 30 minutes. Despite rainy weather, 75 cocks were entered into the first contest, which was won by Hollerin’ Harry, a rooster that crowed 71 times and won his owner $50. Hollerin’ Harry, “was a big black rooster, and I still have a scar where his talon impaled my hand,” the cock’s owner Don Martin told the Rogue River Press in 2003. “I was a sophomore in high school then, so $50 was a lot of money.” With his winnings, Don bought a 1941 Buick. To inspire roosters to crow, “You put ’em in a cage the night before and cover them till noon the next day, and they’d think the sun just came up,” Don says. “The idea was that when one set out the challenge, then they’d all get going. You were also supposed to get in front of your cage and strut your stuff and crow.” Following that first contest, an auc- tion was held for contestants who wished to rid themselves of their noisy fowl. First on the block was Silent Sam, having lived up to his name. Bill Reeder, the cock’s disgusted owner, bid 10 cents and then watched, astounded, as the bidding went to $50. Other rooster owners rushed to cash in, only to find the bottom drop out of the bidding. Rogue River held a second contest later that same year, with the prize money of $100 going to Beetle Baum. Having crowed 109 times in 30 minutes, Beetle Baum reigned supreme for 25 years. In 1978 White Lightning set a new record by crowing 112 times. Of White Lightning’s success, his owner Willie Beck said, “I just kept him away from any other roost- ers or chickens for six weeks before the contest, and brought him to the contest in a large sack.” Longcrowers Certain breeds are prized for the duration of the cocks’ crow. They are relatively unknown in the United States but are common in other countries. These breeds generally have an upright stance, long legs, and long necks. They likely evolved from Japanese longcrowers, which in turn have their origins in the Shamo breed. The call of a Japanese longcrower lasts 15 seconds or more. It starts out sounding like the kind of crow we’re December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 35 all familiar with, but the final note is cock crow visit www.longtail-fowl.com/ sustained (like a drawn-out train whistle) html/koeyoshi_movie.html. before petering out as the cock appears The Totenko (red crower) is noted for to run out of breath. The three distinct its long tail, as well as for the duration parts of the crow are called dashi (the of its high-pitched crow. You can hear an beginning), hari (the stretch), and hiki example at www.minohiki.com/images/ (the finish). Japan recognizes three major jpg%27s/TOTENKO/totenko.WAV. longcrower breeds. Germany has its Bergische Kraeher, The Tomaru (black crower) is noted supposedly the oldest German breed, for its rich two-tone call that deepens imported during the middle ages from the toward the end. In pitch it is intermediate Balkans, where its nearest relative is the between the calls of the other two breeds. Bosnian crower. In Kosovo, the Drenica You can hear a sample online at www. breed was fairly common in the Drenica eagle.tamut.edu/faculty/mmccallum/ province before the recent war and sub- tomaru.wav. sequent displacement of rural people Top: Longcrower Denizli rooster crowing. The Koeyoshi (good crower) suppos- into cities; people who remained in the Bottom: A flock of Tomaru longcrowers. edly developed by crossing the Tomaru country opted for breeds that lay better. Photos courtesy of Toni-Marie Astin: with the Plymouth Rock, has a deeper The best cocks of this breed reportedly http://countrywhatnotgardens.com/ voice. Koeyoshi cocks take 12 to 18 crow for up to 60 seconds. bantamlongtails. months to mature and generally don’t In Russia the Yurlov crower was start crowing until they are about eight developed during the second half of the months old. To see and hear a Koeyoshi 19th century. Although its crow stretches out like that of other longcrowers, the call typically lasts a mere 7 to 9 seconds. FAST�FENCE Similarly, the crow of Turkey’s Denizli Info�and�buy�now�at breed averages 10 to 15 seconds, although www.electricnets.com some individuals may crow as long as 35 seconds. To ensure the survival and purity 800-356-5458 of this breed, the Turkish government

maintains a breeding station where cocks are selected based on voice. The duration of crowing is preserved through generations by constant selection for the longest crowing males. Unfortu- nately, the better the crowing ability of the breeding stock, the lower the fertility of the eggs and the more readily the deli- cate chicks succumb to coccidiosis and other diseases. So, although longcrower breeds appear in many countries, they remain relatively rare. To Minimize Crowing People who keep chickens in a popu- lated area might be tempted to believe the sole function of crowing is to annoy the neighbors. So the question frequently comes up: How do you keep a rooster from crowing? Sorry, but no 100 percent foolproof way has been found to prevent roosters from crowing. Decrowing surgery is not a ready answer. Assuming you could find a vet to do it, the operation is expensive, risky, and not always successful. The surgery usually involves cutting muscles that control the syrinx, but they are not

36 Backyard Poultry – Since 1941– readily accessible and lie near major trademark blood vessels. “Dress” your ® A veterinarian in Arizona has devel- birds! BOYERTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA oped a technique involving cutting into • Ideal Personal/Business Gift! Whether they • Handcrafted in PA since1941 the trachea and bronchi. As a result, the are chickens, • Brush Axe - Sickle Hook cock makes a single short sound, but about ducks, geese • Clear Brush/Prune 10 percent of the cocks don’t survive and or turkeys. Landscape/Blaze Trails one-third of the survivors still crow. • Landowners Caponizing (severing or removing the Economical & plucks feathers • Sportsmen custom • Campers cock’s gonads) minimizes crowing, but a in just 30 seconds!! engraving capon is useless for breeding. At any rate, Visit us online at: most people, including veterinarians, find BC Free Information - Dealers Welcome www.schweisswelding.com the surgical procedures of decrowing 1-800-708-5191 M-F/9-5 PO Box 477 • Fairfax, MN 55332 and caponizing to be distasteful if not www.woodmanspal.com downright inhumane. 507-426-7828 • 507-828-0261 If you can’t eliminate crowing all together, you can minimize it during the night by either closing shutters on coop windows to keep out passing lights, or keeping a light on in the coop to reduce the disturbance caused by passing lights. Softly playing a radio helps keep roost- ers from crowing in response to sounds coming from outside the coop. Insulating the coop walls and surrounding the coop with shrubbery help muffle any crowing that does go on. Since a cock stretches his neck to crow, putting him into a ventilated box or cage small enough to prevent a good stretch will discourage crowing. Cover- ing the container to keep out light also helps. I knew a Cornish bantam breeder who brought his roosters into the house at night, putting them into cages stacked in the shower stall of an unused bathroom (a basement works well, too). The cocks still occasionally crowed, but his neigh- bors couldn’t hear it. Of course, you have to let the roost- ers out during the day, and they’re going to crow no matter what. If neighbors still complain, you have only two remaining, but drastic, options. You could get rid of the rooster—thereby losing his functions of maintaining social cohesion and fertil- izing eggs. Or you could move to a neigh- borhood where chickens are welcome.

Gail Damerow is a well-known poultry expert and the author of many books including these on poultry: Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens, The Chicken Health Handbook, Your Chickens: A Kid’s Guide to Raising and Showing, Barnyard in Your Backyard and Fences for Pasture & Garden. These books are available from our bookstore on page 52.

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 37 He a l t h : Th e An s w e r Ma n

Ro n Ke a n Ex t e n s i o n Po u l t r y Sp e c i a l i s t Un i v e r s i t y of Wi s c o n s i n -Ma d i s o n

Finally, storage in warm tempera- earthworms, they can become infected. tures can cause breakdown of the yolk So, if you can keep the turkeys off membrane, which can sometimes cause the ground, and therefore, away from a mottled appearance. earthworms, they are much less likely I would be most suspicious that they to become infected. Likewise, if you can are eating some weed seeds that might be keep them from having cecal worms, this If you have health related poultry causing this. Since the yolks take about a can help limit the chances. For this rea- questions you’d like answered, send week to form (from a small white ovum to son, some people will give their turkeys a your questions to us at Backyard a fully-formed yellow yolk), it may take dewormer about every six months, in an Poultry, Attn: Answer Man, a few days to notice a difference, even if effort to reduce the worm load. 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI you are able to successfully control the The reason you’re told to separate 54451 or e-mail to [email protected]. We problem. chickens and turkeys is that chickens will try to include your questions in There is one bit of good news— at can often carry the blackhead organism an upcoming issue. least in some cases, hens tend to pro- without showing any ill effects. duce fewer mottled egg yolks as they So, if your land (and your chickens) Marbled Egg Yolks get older. don’t have this, you will be okay. If you got new chickens this year. About only have a few turkeys, and they have four weeks after they started laying Housing Turkeys & Chickens enough range, you might not notice a theI yolks started being marbled and Together problem. If you can keep their area dry, grayish colored. Can you tell me why ould you please advise me on this can help, too. this is still happening? My chickens are turkeys? We currently have a If you’re ranging them together, free range. My neighbor’s eggs look the mixedW flock of about 30 laying hens that housing them together probably won’t same. we enjoy. We would like to establish a be much different. Shirley sustainable turkey flock also. But we I usually suggest that people try it would like to house them together in the if they want to, but realize the potential There are a few things that can cause winter. Is it possible? Will it be ok if the pitfalls. off-colored egg yolks. Green, olive, or birds range together if we have to house salmon coloring can be caused by some them apart? Determining the Layers seeds that the birds may be eating. Gos- Amy y family has a small farm and we sypol, which is in cotton seeds (or in cot- have lots of chickens. We bought ton seed meal, which can sometimes be in You may be able to raise them with BarredM Rocks two years ago, then bought poultry diets) can cause these colors, or chickens without a problem, or you other varieties the next year and were mottling of the yolks. Other weed seeds may not. It depends on the presence given some as well. With that said we which can also cause some color changes or absence of an organism that causes have lots of chickens. Then two months include Shepherd’s purse, pennycress, blackhead, or histomoniasis. The biggest ago, some of our hens started setting and and velvetleaf. issue with this disease is that there is no we now have lots of chicks! It has been Excessive piperazine (a dewormer) approved treatment for it, so if you find so much fun to see the varieties and we can cause greenish-brown yolks. In a out you have it, you don’t have a lot of love the eggs, but I know not all the few cases, a bacterial infection can cause options. chickens are laying eggs. The big ques- platinum-colored yolks. If the hens are This organism is often spread through tion is, how do I tell who is laying and eating red peppers, these can affect yolk worms. First, the organism (a protozoa who isn’t? With winter approaching, it color, too. called Histomonas meleagridis) produces would be really nice to know. We do free The antibiotic nicarbazin can cause ‘histomonads,’ which can be thought of range/grass feed and they only go into a mottling, and should not be fed to laying like fertilized eggs. These are engulfed movable houses at night. hens. Some grain sorghums can cause by cecal worms, and are often passed in When is a chicken too old to lay eggs? mottled yolks. One reference says a cal- the cecal worms’ eggs. These cecal worm Is the general rule for chickens two years cium deficiency can cause yolk mottling, eggs can be ingested by earthworms and of egg laying? We will butcher the hens though I think you’d quickly see poor can remain viable for a long time (several that aren’t laying eggs, but I don’t want to shell quality, too. years, possibly). When a turkey eats these if they still may be good layers. It seems 38 Backyard Poultry 888-290-1771 that the chickens that were given to us Property Alert Systems were the ones that set on the nests, not NEW! any of the ones that we bought. I would want to keep those chickens around for next year to hatch out eggs again. Solar Water Dishes, Thanks...we think your contribution Know the instant someone Chicken Coop Heaters, to the magazine is great—very enjoyable walks or drives onto your property. Organic Scratch and very informative! Driveway Alert beeps in your home & More Molly up to 3000’ away. Only $169.00 + TX tax and shipping. Order Online ! Visit us on the web at: There are ways to tell if a hen is lay- WWW.DRIVEWAYBEEPERS.COM ing. It is easiest if the hen has yellow skin Solar Products Company, Box 40, Weston, Texas 75097 (and feet). To order by phone Call: 972-567-2542 A hen that is laying will have a nice red, somewhat waxy-looking comb. Her feathers may be rough, since she is put- ting lots of nutrients into eggs, and not into new feathers. If you look at her vent, it should be moist and the skin should be pliable. You can feel her pubic bones, and they should be “smooth-feeling” and have some spread to them. A hen that is not laying will often have a more-shriveled comb and it may not be as bright red. Her vent will often look dry. Her pubic bones will feel very sharp and be tight around the vent area. A common problem is that a lot of the hens may be laying sporadically, so they will have the appearance of a layer, using these characteristics. The pigmentation then becomes a Smart Owners Free 2009 good clue. A non-laying hen (or one that Biosecurity is laying poorly) will have more pig- Protect Their Birds Calendar mentation in her legs, on her beak, and What You Need to Know around her eyes and vent. The more eggs USDA is working to keep “bird flu” (avian influenza – AI) and a hen lays, the more and more bleached exotic Newcastle disease (END) out of the country. They are these areas become. This is why it’s easier contagious viral diseases that can infect many types of birds. with a yellow-skinned hen. You can also get some idea from the LOOK FOR SIGNS OF ILLNESS molt. You can look at the primary wing Watch for signs of disease or unexpected feathers (the first 10 large feathers on the deaths among your birds. end of the wing). Hens usually lose these in pairs during the molt. In years past, it REPORT SICK BIRDS was common to cull the hens that came Call your local cooperative extension office, veterinarian, State Veterinarian or USDA Veterinary To order, go to: into molt earlier in the fall. You can get Services toll free at 1–866–536–7593. http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov. an idea of this by looking at these feathers and determining which hens are molting, and how quickly. The new feathers will PROTECT YOUR BIRDS Take a few simple steps: Disinfect shoes, clothes, be shorter at first, and will be cleaner and equipment. Wash your hands carefully. and nicer-looking, so you’ll know if they Keep other birds and people away from your birds. are molting. I wouldn’t say there is a hard and fast rule about two years being the limit for egg

laying. Generally, a hen will lay fewer and You can find out more about how United States Department of Agriculture to protect your birds by visiting: fewer eggs each successive year of age. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov You’ll have to make the decision about USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. when she has reached the point where

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 39 she costs too much to feed compared to the number of eggs you get. Since you have a lot of hens and need to thin them out, it may be your choice to get rid of anything that is more than two years old. This can be an effective rotation. Broodiness is at least partially a genetic trait, so you’re right in want- ing to keep some of those that set in the past. A lot of hens will set, however, if given the right conditions. Some breeds are much more apt to be broody than others, so if you can identify breeds you have, it should be pretty easy to suggest which ones would be most likely to go broody.

Help for Bad Betty An Aggressive Hen ast March I received my first three chickens. The girls arrived on Friday andL were laying on Sunday. They are sturdy girls and good layers. One of the girl’s beaks (Betty) ap- peared to have been cut too short and has never grown back. She is the most aggressive and had difficulty in the be- ginning feeding efficiently. I added vita- mins (Avia 2000) to their water and she became less aggressive. In December she took all the neck feathers off the shyest girl (Honey Bun). They have not grown back. How long should that take? Or, is Betty continuing to peck Honey Bun so it won’t grow back? Today I noticed that my third girl (Ruby) is showing the same missing neck feathers. I feed the girls high protein layer feed, some scratch, oyster shells, Avia 2000, and some occasional kitchen treats. My questions are: Will Betty’s beak ever grow back? What is the best strategy to deal with my aggressive hen? What do I do about the girls’ neck feather loss? I do hope you can guide me in the right direction to keep Betty from too many bad habits! Marilyn

Interesting. Hens typically have their beaks trimmed so they don’t peck at each other. It apparently isn’t working! First, I doubt that her beak will grow back very much. The beak trimming is usually done with a heated blade, so the tip is cauterized. It usually doesn’t grow much after this. If she’s laying and eating, she is probably doing just fine. 40 Backyard Poultry The feathers likely won’t return until Small Eggs the hens molt. If the feathers are com- have a small backyard flock of hens. pletely plucked out, then they will usually Suddenly, one of the hens is laying grow back in a month or so. If the base Ivery small (about quarter size) eggs. of the feather is still present, then they’ll This has happened twice, with the last need to molt before they get new feath- one having a very rough feel to the shell ers. It’s quite possible that young hens and a very long and irregular shape. The like this may not molt until some time shell is not soft, and there is no yolk. in the fall. Do you have any idea what could be Now, about the pecking. There are causing this? several things that can cause pecking. Audra Some, such as crowding, overheating, and excessively bright lights are not real The hen that is laying these eggs is common in hobby flocks. Excess energy probably either just starting to lay or is is often a problem, so backing off on the going out of production. This is the most scratch grains, and adding more fiber common time to see eggs such as this. (hay, root vegetables, etc.) can often help. Another possibility is that she has had Occasionally, boredom is probably a some damage to her ovary or oviduct. cause, too. Again, offering something else Normally, an oviduct will produce an to peck at (such as hay, root vegetables, egg around a yolk as it passes through. If etc.) can help. These would be the first something else passes through, however, things I’d try. an egg will also be formed. If she lost Is it possible that Betty is only eating a bit of tissue, for example, albumen, grains, since they may be easier for her membranes, and shell will be produced to eat? If so, you might want to look for a around this tissue. pelleted ration, or provide the layer feed If you continue to see these eggs, you in2006 a deeper BackYard dish, and Poultry make sure half she Page.qxd eats it might 4/28/2006 want to have 11:09 the AMhen checkedPage 1 by a before you provide scratch grains. I don’t vet, but I’d be surprised if you see more know, but it’s something to check. than a couple.

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December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 41 fit our small bantams or large standard hens, and they did not stand up to the battering imposed on them by weather, Poultry Saddles frequent dust bathing, and the general frolicking and feeding activities of our active pastured chickens. After limited use, these aprons invariably bleached out The story behind the and tore;the straps became unsecured, the ® seams came apart, or the fabric frayed. So Hen Saver hen apron we had to replace them…frequently. We were spending a small fortune buying hen aprons for many of our 100 chickens. backs and shoulders that can lead to in- Out of frustration with existing hen apron fection, picking, cannibalism and even designs (and to save a significant amount death. Hen aprons are devices worn by of money), we began to experiment with hens to protect their backs from roosters a variety of constructions, fabrics and during mating, and have been around, in styles in order to create a hen apron that one form or another, almost as long as the could endure the rough treatment by our chicken has been domesticated. A good chickens, their pastured environment and hen apron offers a level of protection for the brutal Texas weather. the hen against injury, while affording After we lost several of our chickens This Hen Saver® hen apron is single-strap prompt healing and feather re-growth to chicken hawks, including one of our with fixed shoulder protector. Hen Saver in chickens with existing wounds and “hawk smart” Ameraucanas, we studied is a patent-pending triple-layer hen apron feather loss. The level of protection af- the pattern and locations of the wounds designed to protect hens’ backs from forded by a particular apron depends on created by the hawk’s talons and further roosters. This model includes a strong the type of material, and a comfortable, designed our hen apron to cover those double-layer shoulder protector that is proper fit. areas with a triple-layer, highly puncture- sewn onto the apron. Like many chicken owners, we used resistant construction that tended to fold Tob i Ko s a n k e inexpensive aprons that we purchased laterally to inhibit the ability of a hawk Cr a z y K Fa r m from folks on the Internet, poultry- to gain secure purchase of the chicken. Te x a s supplies sites, or at poultry shows and (Of course, we do not guarantee that our meets. Although these aprons offered our apron will protect chickens 100% from s many chicken owners can at- hens some measure of protection against birds of prey—nothing can do that—but test to, when roosters mate with our roosters, none offered protection for based on what we’ve seen on our farm, hens, the hens often sustain our hens’ shoulders. It was very difficult our apron does appear to make it more featherA loss and cuts and gashes on their to find aprons designed specifically to difficult for the hawks to securely grab a chicken.) After intensive hands-on This was one of our first hen aprons, when we were research conducted by our girls in the testing a variety of fabrics. This one was made from field, we finally hit upon a high-quality denim—the type of fabric one would use to make a hen apron that was a huge improvement pair of jeans. We found that typical demin fabric could over existing designs: a far more resil- not stand up to the weather or the nails and beaks of ient and durable apron that provided a our amorous roosters. This is what all of our purchased more custom and comfortable fit for our aprons looked like after a few months of use. chickens, stood up to the most amorous of our roosters, offered potential protec- tion from chicken hawks to both our hens and our roosters, and that protected our hens’ shoulders as well as their backs. Our girls were saved! They went from This was an apron we made using a published apron looking ready for the pot to looking like design. The fabric we tested stood up very well to the they had never lost a feather. abuse my chickens inflicted on it. The design, however, Our triple-layer Hen Saver® hen did not. Although we used a superior thread, the apron contains unique features that pro- external stitching and seams frayed on both the back vide increased functionality and durabil- and edges of the apron. We also found that the double ity over other aprons, including: a notch line of central stitching tended to cause the apron to fold at the base to accommodate the chicken’s tightly against the hen’s sides after about a month of tail feathers; two different strap styles­—a use, making it easy for a hawk to grasp the chicken. single-strap style better suited for less- active, confined, cooped, pet, show and 42 Backyard Poultry www.Critter-Cages.com Cages and Equipment for all your Critters. Visit our secure online store or give us a call Monday to Friday 10 am to 6 pm Pacific time, Satur- days 10 - 4. 310 832-9981 Email [email protected] 53”x 24”x 21” High 51”x 43”x 47” High Premium Plus Backyard Hutch - 79.99* *plus shipping WA 01533

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breeding chickens, and a two-strap style intended for more active free-ranging or pastured backyard and commercial chick- ens; finished-seam stitching that secures a layer of natural, breathable batting be- tween two layers of highly rip-, tear- and puncture-resistant, tight-weave fabric for both extra protection against the rooster’s beak and nails and to provide potential protection against hawks; and optional fixed or removable shoulder protector that provides protection without inhibit- ing the chicken’s ability to dust bathe or fly. Based on use of our hen aprons by our chickens, one of our Hen Saver® hen aprons lasts as long as three or four of the other versions of hen aprons that we have tried. We make five different sizes of apron to accommodate most shapes and sizes of hens and roosters. After a few months of selling our aprons to friends and acquaintances, their positive reviews compelled us to open shop to the general public and make Hen

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 43 Our Vision: Center for Poultry is to provide Saver® available through our website at www.crazykfarm.com. education, resources and training to equip people around We recently expanded to include the world to raise standard bred poultry for sustainable custom orders. Although these custom farming, exhibition, and preservation. orders may require fabrics and colors that are not as resilient or protective as those of our standard fabrics, you can have a • Resources & books flock of chickens running around your • Educational seminars yard wearing the colors and numbers of • Poultry field days your favorite sports team in September • Equipment and all costumed out as little ghosts and • Youth leadership development pumpkins in October! Hen Saver® has been granted a provi- • Judging clinics sional patent by the United States Patent • Breed referrals Office. Although we’ve put a lot of time • Showmanship training and effort into developing the best product • 4-H/FFA leader training possible for our chickens, we are aware • Poultry tours that there is always room for improvement and we are constantly testing different materials and experimenting with a variety For more information or to schedule an event contact: of design tweaks. If you decide to try our Jim Adkins, Poultry Specialist apron and have any helpful comments or International Center for Poultry suggestions about how Hen Saver® can be PO Box 3067 • Sonora, California 95370 USA improved to make it the perfect hen apron 209.890.5326 • [email protected] for you and your chickens, please send them to us at [email protected]. Strong supporter & promoter of the American Poultry Association, For more information, see the American Bantam Association, National Poultry Improvement Hen Saver® ad on page 13 or visit Plan, and the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. www.crazykfarm.com. Saddles & Treading for Hens

By Ga i l Da m e r o w , Ar t w o r k b y Be t h a n y Ca s k e y Re p r i n t e d w i t h p e r m i s s i o n f r o m St o r e y ’s Gu i d e t o Ra i s i n g Ch i c k e n s

A cock may pull out a hen’s feathers while treading during mating. A hen with missing feathers on her back has little protection from the cock’s claws during future mating, and as a result may be seriously wounded. If a hen has her sides sliced up by a rooster’s toenails, isolate the hen and treat the wounds until they heal. To protect hens from particularly brutal roosters, house the cocks in a private coop and let each run with the hens for only a day or two per week. Be sure to keep the cock’s toenails clipped. A temporary solution is to dress each hen in an apron or saddle. You can buy saddles ready-made, or make a quick and inexpensive version from two pieces of canvas or old-fashioned stiff cotton denim stitched together and fitted with elastic straps. Apply the saddle when the hen’s feathers start disap- pearing, not after she is already wounded. Make a preliminary pattern from the legs of old denim jeans and keep adjusting it until it fits properly. If the saddle is too tight it will chafe, rub off breast feathers, injure the hen’s wings, or strangle the hen. If it’s too loose, it will flop to one side and be useless. To dress a hen, put her head through the center opening between the two elastic straps, then put one wing through each of the other openings so a strap runs beneath each wing. When first dressed, the hen will try to back away from the saddle (please refrain from wounding her dignity by laughing), but soon enough she’ll get used to it. To readily identify each saddled hen, put her leg band number on the saddle using paint, embroidery, machine stitching, or iron-on patches. A saddle is not intended as a permanent fixture on To make a saddle proportioned for a Rhode Island Red hen, you will need two a hen’s back, but will get you through the period during pieces of denim or canvas 6-3/8" x 9", two pieces of 1/4" elastic and thread. which you wish to collect fertile eggs.

44 Backyard Poultry Ho l i d a y Fu n : Have Your Chickens Been Naughty or Nice? Gift Ideas for Your Chickens

By r o n Pa r k e r wings. This reminded me of some cheesy Ra n d a l l Bu r k e y Co m p a n y horror flick, perhaps titled Night of the Te x a s Chicken. When Pecky finally untangled herself from Jenny’s hair and dropped to was the night before Christ- the ground, Jenny immediately explained mas when all through the to me that “it’s not funny,” even though house, my daughter brought a I can’t remember laughing much harder Products such as the Heated 3-Gallon chicken’T inside and it scared the pants off than I was at that moment. Waterer, the NiteGuard Solar, and the my spouse. My wife Jenny walked into So have your chickens been naughty Grade A Egg Scale make practical and the kitchen and found a chicken stand- or nice this year? I guess you could say affordable gifts that Santa should be able to fit down most chimneys. ing up on the dinner table pecking at the some of my chickens have been naughty, oranges in the fruit bowl. Normally she even though I am pretty forgiving be- Another “eggcellent” gift idea for that would have been really excited to find cause of all the eggs they shared with someone special that gets up early to gath- chicken on the table but this one wasn’t my family over the last few months. If er the eggs (so you don’t have to), would fried or anything! At the time, my daugh- you think your chickens have been nice be an egg basket. These plastic coated ter Kassidi was upstairs gathering toys for this year or the person in your life that wire baskets with handles are perfect for her and “Pecky,” the chicken on the table, enjoys raising chickens has been nice, gathering eggs and its open design allows to play with. (Pecky is a Barred Rock here are a few gift ideas you might write you to wash the eggs right in the basket. and Kassidi’s favorite.) Just as Jenny ap- to Santa about. They come in different sizes and range in proached Pecky to shoo her off the table, For the chicken that has everything, price from around $16 to $25. I opened the back door to come inside. except drinkable water because it’s The Grade A Egg Scale allows you to This startled Pecky, causing her to fly frozen, I recommend Farm Innovators weigh your eggs in grams or ounces and straight towards my wife’s face, whose Heated Poultry Fount. This 3-gallon best defense was to stand perfectly still, waterer is thermostatically controlled to cover her face, and scream. Pecky landed operate only when necessary and will on her head, dug her feet into Jenny’s keep water from freezing down to 0°F. thick head of hair, becoming tangled Simply plug an extension cord directly up as she thrashed around flapping her into the unit for use in the winter, or it may be used without electricity during warmer months. For under $40, this would give anyone, or any chicken, a very merry Christmas. What about the chicken who has too much, like too many predators sneaking in the coop at night? NiteGuard Solar™ will protect your flock against owls, coy- otes, opossums, raccoons, foxes, bobcats, muskrats, bears, cougars, wild boars, minks, weasels and many more nocturnal predators. The small solar powered unit Chicken Poop may be the perfect stocking uses a red flashing LED light that auto- stuffer for someone with chickens and a If your New Year’s resolution is to raise matically turns on at dusk and off at full sense of humor. Who wouldn’t want to chickens or to raise a different breed, you daylight. Although multiple units may be reach into their stocking and find Chicken can’t go wrong with Buff Orpingtons. This required to effectively ward off nocturnal Poop inside? Available in individual proud hen is a beautiful example of why so predators, these miniature guardians can tubes or by the case, which comes with many people enjoy keeping chickens. be purchased for under $30 each. this classy display box.

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 45 will help you identify them as small, medium, large or extra coops that can be shipped directly to you by a commercial car- large. At under $30, this uniquely designed scale is shaped in rier or by a jolly fat man in a sleigh. These coops are perfect for the silhouette of a hen and is not only functional but makes a people with small yards and/or are raising only a few chickens. great kitchen decoration. These pre-built coops are specifically designed for small flocks Now if you’re just looking for a stocking stuffer or perhaps and most provide a very safe and comfortable living environ- a gag gift, you can give that someone special Chicken Poop! ment for your happy hens to lay plenty of fresh eggs. My family Yeah, that’s right, Chicken Poop! No I’m not crazy, there is a uses the Egg Cart’n Chicken Tractor to house our friendly flock, product called Chicken Poop that sells for under $3 and is actu- which consists of four Buff Orpingtons and three Barred Rocks. ally a tube of lip balm marketed under the name Chicken Poop. Although we only house seven, it is large enough to hold 10 to The inventor of this product claims his grandpa said, “If ya got 12 standard size chickens or up to 15 bantams. Our Egg Cart’n dry lips, put chicken poop on ’em so you won’t lick ’em!” Don’t is a 6' x 4' two level chicken coop and even though it weighs worry though, the tube of Chicken Poop states that it “contains nearly 400 pounds, it’s cleverly engineered so even my 12 year no poop!” I sure hope so, because I have already gone through old daughter Skyler can move it easily around the yard. The two tubes. My daughter Skyler introduced me to the product top level has a perforated floor and offers our hens two nest when she presented it to me as a birthday gift. I have to admit boxes with enough room for a feeder, waterer and roosting it was quite the conversation piece at the party. pole. During the day we leave the retractable staircase down If you have been struggling with providing proper housing allowing our hens access to a secured grazing area below. For for your chickens, here a few coops to consider. their safety we draw the staircase up at night while they sleep Many companies are now manufacturing small chicken upstairs. I have not lost a single chicken to predators, which is saying a lot in my part of Texas where the raccoons are abun- dant. Because it has removable climate control panels, I can safely keep them inside summer and winter. The Egg Cart’n The Egg Cart’n sells for just under $1,500 but is built to last a lifetime with Mini is built little or no real maintenance. with the same Horizon Structures builds a traditional wooden chicken coop high quality materials as the that is completely assembled when it arrives at your door. It’s a original model beautifully designed 4' x 6' chicken coop that is tall enough to but features feature a “people door,” allowing you to climb right inside the retractable coop for cleaning or maintenance. Although it is not technically handles that a chicken tractor, they do offer the option of adding heavy duty allow you to wheels that would allow you to relocate the coop as needed. move the Mini They also offer additional custom options such as exterior paint easily around colors and your choice of shingle color. One thing to remember your yard like a with a traditional coop versus a chicken tractor, the chickens are wheelbarrow. not protected when they leave the coop to access the ground. You may want to consider using an electric perimeter fence around the coop if you have troubles with stray dogs in your yard or other nuisances that may harass your chickens during the day. These coops can run up around $2,000 shipping included, Both the Original based on your location. Egg Cart’n and the Now if you are considering keeping less than seven chick- Mini feature a small sliding gate that allows ens, there are many options for housing available offered at chickens access outside various prices. The manufacturer of the original Egg Cart’n, of the shelter for free now offers the Egg Cart’n Mini. It’s built out of the same high range grazing during quality materials as the original but is roughly half the size the day. and runs about $500 less than the original Egg Cart’n. The Chick-N-Barn from Ware Manufacturing is a very attractive chicken coop and can be purchased for under $400. The optional Chick-N-Yard, for around $150, connects to the Chick-N-Barn to expand the chicken’s living space by roughly 15 square The large doors on the feet. The Chick-N-Hutch is a simple but effective home for Egg Cart’n make it easy to visit with your the smallest of flocks, about 2 to 4 hens, and can be purchased chickens, to feed and with the optional Chick-N-Pen that provide chickens access to water, and clean. My the ground for grazing and scratching but keeps them safe from chickens normally greet predators. You can purchase the Chick-N-Hutch and Chick-N- me at the door but seldom Pen together for under $400. jump out when I open it For the “do it yourself” type person who would rather to feed and water them. build their own coop or chicken tractor, there are many great books available to help get you started. You may even con- 46 Backyard Poultry FREE Best prices on: shipping on orders over $50! • New Egg Cartons • Incubators and Parts • Brooders • Pasture Pens • Equipment • Medications • Nests • Leg Bands • Vitamins • Books and much more!! Call or visit us online at: 812-603-7722 www.poultrymansupply.com Proof of their reconciliation, Jenny, Poultryman’s Supply Company Kassidi and Pecky agree to be PO Box 612 • Columbus, IN 47202 photographed together. However, after carefully studying this photograph, it appears Kassidi and Pecky are planning something mischievous again.

sider contacting Backyard Poultry for back issues that contain great articles on building chicken coops. Perhaps the ultimate gift for any poultry enthusiast would be a subscription to Backyard Poultry. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, all year long! In case you were wondering, later that evening my wife admitted the whole episode was very funny but she wants me to remind everyone that you don’t have to watch chickens attack your spouse to en- The bulb to buy when joy them. It’s true; turn off the television, you don’t want to worry sit on your back porch with your family about the bulb you and watch the chickens. Those birds will bought. give you all the drama, comedy and ac- L tion you’re looking for, uninterrupted Perfect for incubators and commercial free. Forget about going 20,000 hour product to the movies, stay home and avoid the Over 2 years operation high priced popcorn and dig into some deviled eggs. Merry Christmas and a * American Made * happy new year. Congratulations to Lory Ellis’s sons Call for pricing Will, Jack and Scott, Midlothian, Texas for doing so well at the poultry shows. I hope 502-426-1070 they gave their mom a big hug for all her Inc Industrial Lighting & Supply, help and for driving them all over Texas. Lory’s oldest son Kevin is now a poultry science major at Texas A&M University. Byron will continue to share his ex- periences with products used in poultry keeping in future issues of Backyard Poul- try. Byron is employed by Randall Burkey Company, see their ads on pages 3 and 23. The NiteGuard is available from Oakwood Game Farm, page 29. Horizon Structures coops can be found on page 40, Chick-N- Barn coops on page 43, back issues on page 57 and many other gift-giving ideas are available from advertisers throughout the magazine.—Ed.

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 47 Dec. 2008/Jan. 2009 Backyard Family Poultry Photo Contest Winner Album Dec. 2008/Jan. 2009

This hen is advertising her own wares.—Joy Tarter, Kentucky.

My family is delighted with Our rooster, Stew, watching over Could Your Photo Be On Backyard Poultry, his flock from the door to the the Next Cover? especially my 93- chicken coop.—Christine Desmond, year-old mom who Minnesota. Tips to Make Your Photo a Winner still has chickens. I love my flock and Beauty: Photos should be just plain pretty enjoy taking their enough to be placed on the cover. Think pictures and having vertical with some space on top for a them around. masthead. Many otherwise perfect photos Our rooster, Cisco, is from our White are taken in a way that makes it impossible Crested Black Polish cock and an to display them in the position of honor unknown hen. We have many purebred hens, but I do not know who the mother on the front cover of the magazine. If we is. Cisco got very little of the cock’s traits, won’t be able to do it justice, the judges except the little tuft of hair behind his will avoid awarding it first place. comb. His comb (shown in the smaller • Clarity: The judges will be scrutinizing photo included) is very large and this aspect thoroughly and will only award pointed, and splits in the back similar to first place to clear photos that can be enlarged a Buttercup comb. to cover size without loss of clarity. Rosemary Stockwell, • Conciseness: Photos are better if Pollock, Louisiana Our Japanese bantam rooster relaxes on there isn’t too much clutter or aren’t too the windmill.—Tony Zupan, Nebraska. many things going on. • Good photos tell a story. Send Your Photo(s) Today! Photo Contest Guidelines Each issue’s winner will be displayed in the position of honor— on the front cover of the magazine! Photos must relate in some way to poultry or their products. No limit on number of en- tries. Attach your name, address, phone number or e-mail and photo caption or description to each photo (not on the front, please). Backyard Poultry retains the right to publish and/or reproduce any and all photos submitted in future issues or publicity, with or without mention of source. To have your photos returned, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Each issue’s winning entry will be placed in a gallery of finalists, to be announced in the February/March, 2009 issue. First prize—$50; 2nd prize—$30; 3rd prize—$20. The gang’s all here.—Rebecca Send your entry to: Backyard Poultry Photo Contest, 145 Industrial Dr., Harvey, Maryland. Medford, WI 54451; or e-mail photos in jpg format to [email protected]. 48 Backyard Poultry You Be the Judge e have been holding an ongoing photo contest, with winning photos displayed in the position of honor—on the front cover of the magazine. W2008’s winning entries have now been placed in a gallery of finalists, and the winners will be announced in the February/ March, 2009 issue. We will award the following prizes: First place—$50 • Second place—$30 • Third place—$20 Now we want your vote! View our six covers on this page and send us your top three choices (in order of pref- erence) of cover photos. All responses received by December 18, 2008, will be tallied and the winners will be announced in the February/March, 2009 issue. Hurry, your vote must be received by December 18, 2008, to be counted. Backyard Volume 3, Number 1 BackyardVolume 3, Number 2 Backyard February/March, 2008 Volume 3, Number 3 Poultry April/May, 2008 June/July, 2008 Dedicated to more and better small-flock poultry Poultry Dedicated to more and better small-flock poultry Poultry Dedicated to more and better small-flock poultry

Gardening with

Guineas Pg. 38

Cheap Tricks for Winter Challenges Flying the Coop:

Vacation Care for Your Flock Raising Broilers for Small Markets: Fun to Raise, Pg. 16 Easy to Keep Bantams Thinking it Through Keep Birds in and Predators out A Primer on Different Comb Types with Good Fences Cook, Clean, New Kid in the Flock: Consider the Regal Red Heritage Turkey Store & Serve The Steinbacher “Kampf” Incredible Edible Eggs Introducing New Birds Fighting Goose Pg. 18

Plus: • The Nene goose • The Delaware chicken Make it Yourself: • The future of gamebirds • A Whizbang Chicken Plucker • Build a brooder • A Well-Planned Coop $4.95 US • $6.95 Canada $4.95 US • $6.95 Canada • Just for the fun of it $4.95 US • $6.95 Canada ...and more inside!

Cover photo Issue 1: By Dyanna Byers- Cover photo Issue 2: By Orren Fox, Cover photo Issue 3: By Tina Zalakos, Heiss, California. Massachusetts. Australia.

Backyard BackyardVolume 3, Number 5 Volume 3, Number 4 Backyard Volume 3, Number 6 October/November, 2008 August/September, 2008 Poultry December, 2008/January, 2009 Poultry Dedicated to more and better small-flock poultry Dedicated to more and better small-flock poultry Poultry Dedicated to more and better small-flock poultry

Large, Docile Brahmas ” The Majestic Ones” Pg. 50 All About the What to do about the One Dozen Cock’s Crow Pg. 32 High Cost of Feed Tips & Tricks to Simplify Pg. 18 Poultry Keeping Pg. 18 World’s Oldest Breed: The Hardy Asil Henhouse Management: Terrific Turkeys Pg. 50 Common Layer Problems An and How to Solve Them History, Culture & Varieties Pg. 42 Eggcentric Pg. 36

Artist Pg. 30 Raising Your Breed Focus: Chickens Naturally Plymouth Rocks $4.99 US The Homestead Flock: Pg. 30 “The Heirloom Breed” $4.99 US $4.99 US Pets or Partners? Pg. 36 Pg. 20

Cover photo Issue 4: By Mark Alan Cover photo Issue 5: By Robert Gibson, Cover photo Issue 6: By Rosemary Osterhaus, Wisconsin. New Hampshire. Stockwell, Louisiana.

If you prefer not to cut this magazine, send your Backyard Poultry vote choices on another piece of paper. Photo Contest Vote Comments: First Place Issue #

Second Place Issue # Mail your vote to: Ba c k y a r d Po u l t r y Ph o t o Co n t e s t Vo t e 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451 Third Place Issue # or E-mail to [email protected] (Enter “Contest Winners” in the subject line)

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 49 Br e e d s : Asils

Dark Asil hen owned by Dr. Everett.

at around three to four months of age. Secondly, the eyes of an Asil are cen- tered in the face. Thirdly, an Asil will immediately begin to preen himself when touched near the vent area. Pugnacious to an extreme degree, Asil chicks have been known to attack their own mother at the young age of two weeks! The Asil was originally bred for the cock pit with only the best cocks being allowed to eventually enter a breed pen. In India this was usually at the age of four. A cock that had proved himself in the pit would then be used from age four until his natural death which was often from 15 to 20 years of age. Though no longer used in the pit in North America the bred has retained its gameness through selective breeding. This is attained by only using a hen that will fight the cock. The cock must then “earn” the right to breed the hen by dominating her in this initial fight. Dr. Ch a r l e s R. H. Ev e r e t t India by the British. The name “Asil” or Afterwards, the pair will not fight as Se c r e t a r y /Tr e a s u r e r , SPPA “Aseel” means “thoroughbred” in Arabic. long as they are kept together. However, The title of thoroughbred has only been if separated for a length of time the pro- sils, though seldom seen at poul- applied to race horses and this particular cess will be repeated. For this reason, try shows, are hardy and beauti- gamefowl. The breed comes in sev- ful birds. They are the oldest eral different varieties and sizes, though historicallyA documented breed of poultry only one size has been standardized by in the world; having been mentioned and the American Poultry Association, the described in Hindu text from around larger-sized Madras Asil is available in 1,500 BC. Though the breed was devel- the United States. oped under the Hindu rulers of northern A true Asil is readily recognized by India; it was under the Mughals that the three peculiar traits. Asil cocks have a breed acquired its present name and pres- short four syllable crow. As a matter tige. Asils were then disseminated to the of fact, most Asil cockerels do not start rest of the world during the time of the to crow until around 10 months of age. Spangled Asil hen and cock owned by Kingdom of Oudh and the colonization of Most other breeds which begin to crow Dr. Everett. 50 Backyard Poultry Bantam Asils owned by Dr. Everett.

to the death; whether they are chicks, hens, or cocks. The only exception to this rule is in the breed pen between a cock and a single hen where death will not result provided the cock is mature. Given this factor for gameness, why would anyone desire to keep Asils? Ac- tually, there are several reasons. First, A black Asil stag. Photo courtesy of Mason Mackey, Washington. as I have already stated, they are a very intelligent breed. They know their keepers it is unwise to place a cock into a pen be kept, but they must be kept separate and are very affectionate toward them and containing several hens; as they will from one another from the age of six toward humans in general. I have never gang-up to fight him, which may end months onward. If a young cockerel is had an Asil cock attack me or my children; in his death. A hen that will not initially introduced to the hens before he is fully unlike some of the egg and meat breeds I fight the cock should not be utilized for mature the hens will kill him the first day. keep. Secondly, Asil hens make the best breeding purposes; this will ruin the Cockerels are not mature until they are of mothers. I have one Asil hen that has breed in short order. at least 18 months of age and two years hatched three batches of eggs for me one Asil hens that are raised together is even safer. right after the other. Their use as broodies as pullets will typically not fight one The strain of Asil hens I maintain is unsurpassed in my experience. Thirdly, another once the pecking order has been are excellent layers and mothers. Unlike they are an ancient breed of fowl that is the established. However, if new Asil hens or other breeds of chickens, an Asil mother basis for the modern broiler industry. It is pullets are introduced to the flock, there will stay with her chicks for nearly six the Asil, through its progeny the Cornish, will often be a fight to the death. Thus, months if allowed to raise them on her that provided the broad breast seen in the keeping a great many hens becomes own. Interestingly, chicks raised by a carcass of “super-market” chicken that near to impossible. Multiple cocks may mother hen will not develop coccidi- we are all so familiar with. Finally, their osis. The downside to this arrangement health and vigor is nearly unparalleled is the need for separate housing for the among breeds of fowl. In combating dis- young chicks and their mother, not to ease among my flock, I have never had an mention her lack of egg laying during Asil that was sick. this time. Granted, the backyard keeper or small The Asil is by far the most intelligent farmer cannot keep many Asils. However, breed of chicken in the States today. even a few Asils are enough as they are a An Asil can pick out another Asil in a long lived fowl that will be productive for flock containing many different breeds many years. The beauty of a stream-lined of chickens. If you choose to artificially Asil hen or a robust, rock-solid Asil cock brood Asil chicks you should expect is just hard to beat. I highly recommend many deaths as they will begin fighting the Asil for its ability to forage and pro- one another at an early age. Contrary to ductivity on open range. what many believe concerning breeds of Join the Society for Preservation of gamefowl, Asils do not have to be taught Poultry Antiquities (SPPA) by sending to fight. This characteristic has been $15 to Dr. Charles Everett, 1057 Nick selectively bred into the breed for nearly Watts Rd., Lugoff, SC 29078 or online White Asil cock owned by Dr. Everett. 3,500 years. When Asils fight, they fight at http://poultrybookstore.com.

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 51 Backyard Poultry Bookstore For a complete listing of all books available from the Backyard Poultry Bookstore, visit our website at www.backyardpoultrymag.com. If you do not have Internet access, request a book catalog: write to Bookstore Catalog Request, 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451 or call 800-551-5691.

Storey’s Illustrated Guide Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens

to Poultry Breeds Ga i l Da m e r o w Ca r o l Ek a r i u s This informative book for both beginning Gorgeous, full-color photographs of more than 128 and experienced chicken owners covers birds. This definitive guide includes a brief history breed selection, building feeders and shel- of the breed, detailed descriptions of identifying ters, how to collect and store your eggs to characteristics and colorful photographs that celebrate maintain freshness (or hatching), maintain- the birds’ quirky personalities and charming good ing good flock health, raising broilers for looks. If it’s fowl facts and photos you want, you’ll meat, and showing your birds. 341 pages, find them all here!278 pages, $24.95 $18.95

How to Raise Chickens Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks Everything You Need to Know Da v e Ho l d e r r e a d Ch r i s t i n e He i n r i c h s Everything you need to know to raise ducks This book is thoroughly modern and comprehensive. It delivers everything the subtitle promises: “Everything successfully. This comprehensive, fully you need to know—Breed guide and selection—Proper illustrated guide takes you through every care and healthy feeding—Building facilities and step of owning ducks. It provides the most fencing—Showing advice.” And it’s all presented in up-to-date information on various breeds the context of today’s small, backyard flock. How to (including rare breeds), feeding, housing, Raise Chickens might sound like a simple premise for a poultry book. But egg production, health care and more. 316 this one goes way beyond the how-tos. 191 pages, $19.95 pages, $18.95

Chicken Coops Storey’s Guide to Raising Poultry 45 Plans For Housing Your Flock Le o n a r d S. Me r c i a u d y a n g m a n J P An invaluable resource for everyone who Whether you keep one hen or 1,000 hens, you will raises poultry. It contains the most com- find a housing plan in this comprehensive book. prehensive and current information on Coops range from fashionable backyard structures to raising chickens, turkeys, waterfowl, and large-scale, movable shelters. You will also find plans game birds. Covers breed selection (for for converting trailer frames, greenhouses and sheds both meat and egg production), hatching, using recycled materials and simple ways to make housing and equipment, feeding, and rear- waterers, feeders and nestboxes. 166 pages, $19.95 ing. 343 pages, $18.95 Your Chickens A Kid’s Guide to Raising and Showing Storey’s Guide to Raising Turkeys Le o n a r d S. Me r c i a Ga i l Da m e r o w Complete how-to information on raising Your Chickens tells you everything that you need turkeys from young poults to delicious, to know about raising chickens, including informa- thick-breasted birds. Discussions on select- tion on choosing, purchasing, raising and showing all ing the right turkey for your flock, breeding types. Whether you want to raise chickens for fun or and management, processing, flock health, to make money, Gail Damerow gives you her friendly feeding and housing. Contains in-depth and wise advice on the subject. You will also find housing plan illustrations. Revised and important charts and checklists. 156 pages, $14.95 updated. 199 pages, $18.95

Raising Poultry on Pasture Pastured Poultry Profit$ Ten Years of Success Jo e l Sa l a t i n Ed i t e d b y Jo d y Pa d g h a m In this classic, Joel Salatin explains how Raising Poultry on Pasture: Ten Years of Success to raise pastured poultry on pasture in has over 130 illustrated articles. It’s divided into 14 portable, bottomless pens and earn $20,000 chapters and is fully indexed for ease of reference. The in six month’s time. This hands-on book enormous range of viewpoints and techniques make this covers everything from taking care of day- book unlike any other. Includes an overview of pastured old chicks to marketing your four-pound poultry, brooding, genetics, shelter designs, day-range broilers. It will teach you about the benefits systems, equipment, eggs on pasture, turkeys, ducks and of pasture, choosing a breed, starting chicks, pen and pasture other poultry, nutrition and health, processing, marketing, details, processing, common problems, marketing, and more. record-keeping,52 insurance and more. 246 pages, $39.95 334 pages, $30.00 Backyard Poultry Barnyard in Your Backyard Gardening with Guineas A Beginner’s Guide to Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Rabbits, Je a n n e t t e S. Fe r g u s o n This book is a delightful and informative guide to Goats, Sheep, and Cattle raising guinea fowl on a small scale. It covers the life Ed i t e d b y Ga i l Da m e r o w of a guinea from egg to adult, including incubation, The essential primer for first-time farmers. Covering feeding, housing, training and common problems. Jeannette includes information on reasons for raising everything from which breeds of ducks are best for guinea fowl (they eat garden pests, ticks and hate snakes), what eggs and which are best for meat to how to buy a beef or dairy calf to where you need to know before you buy guineas, working with newborns to find a market for manure. This easy-to-use handbook teaches you how and young keets, and much more. 131 pages, $14.95 to operate a mini-farm for fun, profit or both. 408 pages, $24.95 Chicken Tractor Living with Chickens b y An d y Le e & Pa t Fo r m a n Ja y Ro s s i e r This revolutionary, practical book will delight Tens of thousands of people in all areas of the country enjoy gardeners and poultry growers everywhere. A raising chickens, whether for food or companionship. Of chicken tractor is a bottomless, portable pen that course, you may want to read Living With Chickens just for can be moved wherever you need help in the gar- the sheer joy of it. Straightforward prose and illustrations den. Chickens aerate the soil while eating pests and give any future chicken farmer the tools he or she needs weeds, then fertilize the beds with manure. Best of all, they provide to get started. Jay Rossier draws on his own experiences the great tasting eggs and meat not available in any grocery store. and those of his fellow poultrymen in discussing everything from feed- Chicken Tractor shows how building a better garden can result in ing and housing the birds to keeping marauders from invading the coop. twice as much food from half as much land. You’ll find complete Personal anecdotes, interesting facts, and lush, full-color photographs instructions for building and using pens, tips on breed selection, plus round out this indispensable guide. 203 pages, $16.95 money-making ideas. 318 pages, $22.95 The Mating and Breeding The Chicken Health Handbook of Poultry Ga i l Da m e r o w In this must-have reference for the small flock owner, Ha r r y M. La m o n & Rob R. Sl o c u m Gail discusses the problems and diseases common to This book, first published in 1920, and now back in chickens of all breeds and all ages. It also explains how print, outlines all you need to know to become an ac- to hatch healthy chicks, provide proper nutrition, fight complished breeder. It includes manipulating shape and parasites, spot diseases and infections in their early color combinations, preparing birds for weather, encouraging the juici- stages, protect the flock from predators and building est meat and largest eggs and much more. Authors Lamon & Slocum safe houses and yards. Practical charts help pinpoint common symp- toms and causes of disease. An extensive listing provides quick access were the Senior Poultrymen at the Bureau of Animal Industry for the to treatments and remedies for everything from poor egg production to USDA. 341 pages, $14.95 crooked toe syndrome. Generously illustrated. 344 pages, $19.95 The Farmstead Egg Cookbook The Book of Geese a Complete Guide to Raising the Home Flock Te r r y Go l s o n This is not just another egg cookbook. This one stresses Da v e Ho l d e r r e a d farmstead eggs. It is written by professional chef and One of the classics of waterfowl management. An cooking instructor, Terry Golson, who also keeps hens easy-to-read book with good illustrations and dia- in her backyard. She knows the differences between grams, takes you from the egg through incubation, factory farm eggs and farmstead eggs and differences gosling stage, feeding, housing, mating, health and that affect cooking. The 70 recipes are simple and quick, but delicious. physical problems. It covers all breeds of geese Even though some have a touch of elegance, it’s a down-home, peasant with descriptions of the traits unique to each breed. This really is the gourmet kind of elegance. 124 pages, Hardcover, $16.95 complete guide to raising the home flock. 209 pages, $18.95

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Signature______WI Residents Add Backyard Poultry Bookstore 5.5% sales tax $______145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451 Total $______Call Toll-Free 800-551-5691 or Fax 715-785-7414 December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 53 Yo u t h : Minute Mystery “Yo u pu t yo u r left claw in and you shake it all about…” The hens shook their tail feathers at the annual New Year’s barn dance, The Fowl Ball. With all the hokey-pokey-jitterbug- twisting going on, I wouldn’t be surprised if tomorrow morning a few scrambled eggs were laid in the nesting box. As the “Chicken Dance” began for the fourth time, I waddled to the eggnog table. Taking a sip of the creamy beverage I overheard Babs cackling to Hello, Poultry Pals! her group of hens. At first glance the coop looks pretty quiet, but this is an exciting time of year. “Just look at her! Shaking her shanks Under a blanket of snow, dreams are incubated and hatched for the new year. like she deserves to be in our flock. Catalogs are pored over as new supplies and chicks are considered. One of the Honestly! If I was her I’d be hiding my most amazing things also happens with the turning of another year: pullets are head under my wing or better yet, hiding soon to become hens and cockerels become roosters. Now that’s something to from the farmer. This farm can’t afford crow about! freeloaders.” May you find some peace and quiet this season to hatch dreams of your Babs was staring at Eggatha, a B.B. own. Red hen who’d produced a nice clutch Keep your comb clean, Gertrude McCluck, C.I.C. of eggs this summer. I wondered what she was talking about until Chick-a-dee Word Search: added, “If I put that much energy into the Macarena I wouldn’t make many eggs in English & Asiatic Breeds this cold, either.” “We all slow down this time of year,” Babs leaned forward, “but she has L A N G S H A N O M completely stopped. Not an egg for two months. I bet she’s older than she says.” A A S I A T I C E A The other hens gasped as their beaks U S B R A H M A N L dropped. I couldn’t take it anymore and set my S U D O R K I N G A eggnog on the table. T M A R E U S I L Y “Eggatha was born on this farm a year and a half ago. She’s not a freeloader R A S P D X U B I C and it would be best to mind your own A T E I C O M S S O egg laying.” Why did Babs keep laying all winter L R E N A D A U H C when Eggatha stop? T S Z H O A L G P Y Answer on next page. R H U T X A R S M I HappyHAPPY CROWING NEW A A N NewYEA Year!R!!! P J W O F C E IN THE C O R N I S H X N Q NEW YEAR COCHIN ENGLISH REDCAP LANGSHAN AUSTRALORP SUSSEX MALAY CORNISH ASIATIC SUMATRA DORKING ASEEL ORPINGTON BRAHMA

54 Backyard Poultry Jokes…Get the Yolk? ’Twas The Night Q. What do you call a chicken at the North Pole? Before Cluckmas A. Lost!

’Twas The Night Before Cluckmas, when all through the shed, Q. What’s the best day to drink Not a bantam was stirring, not even the Sebrights I’d bred; egg nog? The feed sacks were hung on the coop wall with care, A. On the thirst day of In hopes that dear Santa Cluck soon would be there; Christmas! The chickens were roosting all snug in their beds, While visions of poultry shows danced in their heads; Q. What’s a drake’s favorite And Mamma in her coveralls, and I in my boots, Christmas carol? Had just closed the door and were about to follow suit; A. Duck the Halls! When out on the field there arose such a cheeping, I feared it might wake my kids, who were sleeping; Did You Know: When, what to my wondering eyes should I see, The common goose has a normal But a miniature nesting box, and eight white silkies; life span of 12-20 years. The Canadian goose lives to be With a bird-brained old driver, who’d had a few feathers plucked, I knew in a moment it must be Santa Cluck. thirty with some living to be twice More rapid than runner ducks his poultry they came, that. And he cackled, and chortled, and chirped them by name; The oldest fowl of all is the swan, which lives to be fifty years old and “Now, Dorking! now, Brahma! now, Leghorn and Delaware! some reports indicate may even reach On, Cornish! on Cochin! on, Polish and Chanticler! the century mark. Old Father Time To the front of the barn! to the feed sacks on the wall! Now trot away! trot away! trot away all!” has nothing on these birds! He was dressed all in feathers, from his hackles to his shanks, Answer Key And his clothes were all covered with bedding that stank; He preened his broad breast and fan of tail feathers, Minute Mystery Answer: Then flapping his wings he pulled himself together; In the winter it is common for poultry to produce less eggs. Some And flinging a bundle on his back of milo and corn, He looked like the co-op manager checking his store; birds are more seasonal layers, His eyes looked Old English, his coloring, Houdan, and when the weather turns cold But looking at his body shape he might’ve been Langshan; and the days get shorter they stop laying completely. This was the He was standard size, plump, a right jolly old cock, case with the petite B.B. Red And I laughed when I saw him strut ’round the flock; hen. Buff Orpingtons, as well as A wink of his eye and his red floppy comb, Leghorns, will continue to lay Soon gave me to know I was safe at my home; throughout the year with the proper He peeped not a word, but went straight to the coop, amount of light and heat. And filled all the feed sacks; then left me some soup; And laying his wing aside of his beak, Word Search Answers: And wiggling his wattles, out the barn door he sneaked; L A N G S H A N + M A A S I A T I C E A He sprang to his box, to his crew started crowing, U S B R A H M A N L And away they all flew like an oversized Boeing; S U D O R K I N G A But he “cock-a-doodle-doo’ed” as he drove out of sight, T M A R E + S + L Y “Happy Holidays to all, and may all your poultry dreams take flight.” R A S P D + U + I C A T E I C + M S S O is assisted by chicken L R E N A + A U H C Gertrude McCluck, Chicken in Charge O A L G P + T S + H wrangler Cyndi Gernhart. Find out more about Gertrude and R + + T + + R S + I her book series for children and other fun activities at: P + + O + + A E + N www.GertrudeMcCluck.net C O R N I S H X + +

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 55 Relax & Enjoy Yourself Now that you have learned more about showing your bird, you should relax and enjoy the showmanship com- Showmanship petition. Remember, it’s a learning experience; don’t be disappointed if you A Fun Thing to Do don’t win. I hope this will help you with showmanship at the fair.

chick just in case your first choice dies. On one occasion I chose a chick that I had a strong bond with, and two weeks before fair he was killed by a fox. So yes, it is wise to have a backup chick. Now that you have chosen a chick and at least one backup, you should start by picking up and petting the chick until it becomes calm when you’re handling it. Then, spread its wings out as you would at the fair, being Frequent handling of your birds, as soon careful, as chicks are very fragile. If the as you receive them, will help to build a chick peeps while doing this put it down bond with them, and keep them calmer during showmanship events. and pet it until it becomes calm. Repeat El i j a h Di x o n this process until it becomes calm with you Co l o r a d o spreading out both wings. Continue work- ing with your chick daily, until the fair. s the snow falls from the cloudy sky, I go outside to feed my 42 Learn About Poultry & chickens (30 hens and 12 roost- Your Bird Specifically Aers). Since I have been raising chickens You should study the different parts for four years and have been doing 4-H of chickens, ducks, turkeys, guineas, etc., for three years, I have learned a lot of and be able to demonstrate those parts to new things. I thought I would share with the judge. Some judges will ask you only you something I have learned about: about your bird, others will ask you about showmanship. Showmanship shows the other poultry as well. You should also Spread the wings while handling the judge what you know about the bird and learn things about your particular breed chick as you will need to do at the fair. If whether the bird trusts you. such as: what breed it is, whether it is a your bird gets nervous, set it down and cockerel (male under a year), cock (male pet it until it calms down, then repeat Build A Bond With Your Birds over a year), pullet (female under a year), the process until your bird is calm while First of all, you will want to build or hen (female over a year), when the breed spreading wings. Work with your bird(s) a bond with your chicks. When you originated, what it is bred for, when it was daily, even after they are trained, right up receive your chicks you should handle first recognized by The American Poultry until the fair. them frequently. The more you handle Association (APA), and different features your chicks, the stronger the bond and specific to your particular breed. Two good the greater the trust becomes. I definitely books to help you learn more about poultry recommend getting young chicks rather and your bird in particular are The Ameri- than getting older ones that have been can Standard of Perfection and Storey’s raised by someone else. You can build a Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds. bond with chickens raised by someone This is an example of what I would else, it is just a lot harder to do. The say at a showmanship competition: “Hi, younger the chick is, the easier it is to my name is Elijah Dixon, I am 13 years build a bond with it. old. What I have here is a Silver Duck- wing cockerel. He was bred originally Practice Handling Your Bird for cockfighting but that was outlawed, You will want to practice handling so now he is bred strictly for show. He your bird as you would in a show. This was admitted to the APA in the 1900s.” Study the different parts of your bird, and prepares you and your bird for the fair. Now, I would show the different parts of other poultry. Some judges only ask about Start off by choosing a chick to use at fair. the bird. This is where having a trained your bird, but others will test you on other Make sure you have at least one backup bird really comes in handy. poultry as well. 56 Backyard Poultry eed that’s best for you! Inside: A guide to help choose the br VolumeVolume 2, NNumberumber 2 7 Backyard Poultry’s BackyardApril/MayApril/May, 200

k poultry more andltry better small-fl ocock poultry Back Issue List PouDedicated to more and better • Controlling Mites in the Flock Polish April/May, 2006 Vol. 1/2 yalty of Poultry • Royal Palm Turkeys The Ro • Traditional Breeding Programs for 1 0 Steps to Raising Chickens Poultry Predator Identifi cation — The Fir • Golden Pheasants st Step To Deterrence The Home Flock the Easy Way! BackyardVolume 2, Number 4 August/September , 200 Dec, 2007/Jan, 2008 Vol. 2/6 Chickens in the 7 5 • Chick Success: Start Those Volume 2, Number er, 2007 Greenhouse October/Novemb PLUS: Po • A Game bird for Everyone ultry • The Delightful Dominique Backyard Dedicated to Birds Right! • Improve Your Hatch Rate more and better small-fl ock poultry • The American Gray Goose • Gu inea Hens & Motherhood • The Japanese Bantam lt...andr more inside!y ultryu more and better small-fl ock poultry • Working With the Cock(s) in the PoDedicated to • Auto-Sexing Geese Raising a Critically Flock Endangered Breed: • Serama: World’s Smallest Chicken • Maintain Poultry Health & Egg The Java • Managing Poultry on Pasture with Laying Through the Winter Experience Raising Ducks Ducks • The Muscovy Raising Ducks for Eggs • Bantam Raising & Training Electronet Exhibition Poultry April/May, 2008 Vol. 3/2 Health Pg. 49 Flock Answerman • Sticktight Fleas • The • Rats in Your Poultry Controlling Mites • Bantams: Fun to Raise, Easy to Poultry Housingeady-Made Shelters Building a Pasture Shelter • Broiler Pens • R Plus: Designing Your Aug/Sept, 2006 Vol. 1/4 Keep Royal Palm Turkeys Pasture Shelter Golden Pheasants Pg. 22 Showing Waterfowl • Make Your Own Feed • Keep Birds in and Predators Out and more inside! • Homestead Butchering With Good Fences • How to Bathe That Bird • Cook, Clean, Store & Serve • Chicks in the City: Hens Help Build Incredible, Edible Eggs a Community • Nene geese Aug/Sept, 2008 Vol. 3/4 • Delaware chickens • Brahmas: The Majestic Ones Oct/Nov, 2006 Vol. 1/5 • The Rosecomb Bantam • Portable Chicken Run June/July, 2008 Vol. 3/3 • Challenges of High Feed Costs • Turkey History & Varieties • Gardening with Guineas • Common Layer Problems & How to • Predator Control • Vacation Care for Your Flock Solve Them • Feeding the Flock From Home- • Integrating Poultry Flocks • Natural Food & Medicine on Range stead’s Resources • Make it Yourself: The Whizbang: • Legal Issues of Keeping Chickens in the • Integrating Chickens of Different An Affordable Homemade Poultry City Ages Plucker For more information on the content of back issues, please visit our website: Dec, 2006/Jan, 2007 Vol. 1/6 • Winter Care for Your Poultry www.backyardpoultrymag.com • Wyandotte Bantams • The Neglected Goose Only $4 each... while supplies last. • Guinea Fowl Circle the issues of your choice. (Note: Past issues not listed are sold out.) • Pigeons 1/2 1/4 1/5 1/6 2/2 2/4 2/5 2/6 3/2 3/3 3/4 • Make a Poultry Saddle Name ______April/May, 2007 Vol. 2/2 • 10 Steps to Raising Chickens Address______• Polish: The Royalty of Polish • Chickens in the Greenhouse City______State______Zip______• Choosing the Breed That's Best for You Phone number ______

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December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 57 The Chicken Tractor Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

High school teacher Christopher Dodds stands in front of the completed chicken tractor made by students from McClain High School, Greenfield, Ohio. The class was to completely disassemble an old camper and develop an innovative use for its frame to learn construction concepts and also how to recycle to reduce waste. This project was part of a national contest sponsored by Time Warner. Mr. Dodds received a Time Warner Teacher of the Year Award, and $5,000 in grants.

ur class project was to complete a project with the Fertilizer episode to further enhance their understanding of its specific goals and objectives listed below. I think they importance and also the significance of its use in the project we did a fantastic job, learned a lot, and had fun too. were designing. O — Christopher Dodds, Teacher Learning objective: The learning objective for this project was School name: McClain High School, Greenfield, Ohio to reduce, reuse and recycle as well as develop construction Subjects taught: Research and Development, Power and skills. Also students were to develop an appreciation for using Energy, Communications what is available to develop something useful. This project met Number of students involved in project: 52 multiple curriculum objectives in the Research and Develop- Duration of project: 5 weeks ment program. Grade level: 9-12 Evaluate the effectiveness of the project in relation to the Project description: learning objective: The project was effective in relation to the The goal of this project was for students to learn the importance learning objective. The students were excited about undertak- of reusing, recycling and construction concepts with organic ing such a creative project, developing their ideas, and making materials and to develop construction skills in the Research and Development class. Research and Development is a basic construction class for students in grades 9-12. The class was to completely disassemble an old camper and develop an innova- tive use for its frame. Our class was approached by a community member requesting we build a chicken coop for his chicken farm. The idea was to make it a mobile coop that could be moved so that chicken feces could serve as fertilizer of dormant fields. The students needed to learn more about chicken coops and fertil- izers to develop this idea. They completed Internet searches of various styles of chicken coops and found a style known as the chicken tractor. Although they did not find any coops as big as what was developed, this met the requirement for the reuse of organic material for fertilizer. Students also needed to understand more about fertilizer and its uses to learn the importance of its role in our world. We used the cable program Modern Marvels: Back side of chicken tractor. 58 Backyard Poultry A closeup view of the chicken door and walkway, also made with recycled materials. The base of the chicken tractor prior to recycling. Students cleaned up the trailer, strengthened it and then painted it. List benefits of project to students: The benefit of the project is that it teaches students to do things for others in the community, demonstrating to the community the value of positive learning. Students are also learning to care for the environment in a positive manner. I think many of the students had some attitude changes about reusing and recycling after this and are thinking of ways they can apply this to their family and work situations.

Who should be reading Backyard Poultry?

• 4-Hers and their leaders • Breeders and fanciers • Hatchery professionals and other suppliers • Everyone who keeps a few birds for entertainment, The interior of the chicken tractor included recycled materials beauty, eggs, and for fun used as flooring, nesting boxes, doors and feeders. • And everybody who has ever dreamed it function in a highly effective manner for its appointed use. of caring for a small flock of one of mankind’s most The camper was completed using multiple “throwaway” items interesting and valuable animal companions! such as second-hand flooring materials as well as the camper itself. The students learned to not throw things away but to Don’t miss another great issue think about the potential uses of items. Subscribe or Renew Today!

How did the use of cable programs or Internet technology in the classroom help you reach the objective?: The use of the Internet served as a research tool for the students. They were 3 Start or renew my subscription today! able to find out what already existed and think about ways to Yes! make it better, which is what the Research and Development m 1 full year, $21 (6 issues) m 2 years, $35 (Save $7.00!) class is about. Also the cable program, Modern Marvels, gave m Payment enclosed m Please charge my Visa/MC below the students insight to the uses of fertilizer. The program How It’s Made showed the chicken egg production process. They Name:______needed to understand how fertilizer works along with the egg production process in order to make the coop work correctly. Address:______This project was part of a national contest sponsored by Time City, State, Zip:______Warner. Mr. Dodds received a Time Warner Teacher of the Year Award, and $5,000 in grants. For more information about the Card #:______Expires______2009 awards, visit http://www.timewarnercable.com/Corporate/ Mail to: AboutUs/natlteachersawards.html. Backyard Poultry, 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451 Other materials and resources used: Salvaged construction 800-551-5691 • www.backyardpoultrymag.com materials

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 59 sectioned off for a time when roosters were numerous, remains empty most of Profile of a Lot the time now to preserve the meager grass gl that grew from the seeds I spread. We open risin y Special the chicken door to this area occasionally urp Pl as a treat to the chickens, but to leave it S ac open would bring an end to the grass. The A e common area has become an area devoid of plants and peppered with the remains of our extra garden produce from continuous use. Some portions of the dirt have impres- sions from the chickens dusting activities so watch your step. There may still be remains of the girls’ morning scratch (a mixture of wheat, oats, cracked corn, and barley) on the ground and in the wooden trough beside the coop. In the winter there will be straw bales along the base of the building for insu- lation from the icy winds. Before you leave you can flip them over and let the chickens eat the worms and bugs underneath. The chickens have probably finished off the food by now and you are ready to go into the building. Though some of the chickens went back to their normal We got chickens as a hobby and for eggs several years ago. My daughter, Kate, routines (scratching in the dirt and dust- picked out five breeds (Golden Sebrights, Ameraucanas, Mille Fleur d’Uccles, Silver ing), others may remain scattered around Laced Polish, and Silkies). Needless to say we don’t get the number of eggs we used your feet, so move cautiously. By the to but they still remain pets. Kate wrote this essay for a school assignment. way, watch out especially for our rooster —Rhonda McNabb Moped as you walk through. He likes to “innocently” draw near you (in other Ka t e McNa bb aunt dubbed it the Fort Knox of chicken words, sneak up on you) and flog your coops. Though the welded wire is getting leg when you are not looking. ave you ever really experienced older, bent, stretched, and saggy in some To enter the building you just open a chicken lot? To those who places, it stands about four and a half feet the blue wooden door, then the screen haven’t it may be strange to think tall and extends underground half a foot door at the front and step up. The hanging thatH one can be a special place, as ours to deter any excavating predators. Run- feeder, now modified with an oil pan to is for me. I have many memories of time ning securely around the base is chicken spent with my chickens in our chicken wire to contain small chicks that would yard and coop; some just observing the fit through the larger gaps. For the corner chickens’ daily life, others gathering posts we implanted telephone poles in the eggs, cleaning the coop, and the many earth but for the spanning sections iron other various activities of a chicken coop. fence posts suffice. For me, though it may seem a little out As you enter into the lot, open the of ordinary, our chicken lot holds a place gate cautiously: be aware of where the very dear in my heart. Perhaps I can birds have positioned themselves and give you a glimpse into our coop that deter any would be escapees with your will help you better understand what it leg or bucket. Try not to close the door means to me. Open a can of corn, dig a on any chickens, please. few nightcrawlers from the garden, or Do not be surprised when you find bring a few of the extra tomatoes; let’s yourself surrounded by a mob of chickens. visit the chicken lot… Our friendly birds surely spied you ap- As you approach our chicken lot you proaching and are just looking for goodies may first notice the fence enclosing the and attention. Now, spread the treat you chicken yard and coop. Since we see it brought around and revel in their clucks every day, my family and I are used to its of content as they dash from one area to appearance, but to the first time observer another, vacuuming up your gift with their it may still seem to be overkill. I admit beaks. Watch, listen, look around. Inside the coop, showing the nesting boxes, that as construction of it progressed, my A quarter of our chicken run, once separate rooster area, and folding roost. 60 Backyard Poultry stop food from being flicked on the floor, wood shavings installed the coop smells is right inside the door. To the immediate and looks pretty good. The chickens, just right are roosts, designed by my dad to beginning to recover from their indigna- fold up against the wall for easy cleaning. tion and flighty fears, are peering in the The back half has been fenced off for the door as we gather the tools. Some of the rooster section but now the door remains more eager hens have even reclaimed the open to the flow of any gender. Watch prime nesting seats already. Beginning out above! Though not intended, many the cycle anew, the first package has of our chickens decided that the rafters of already dropped. the building are their preferred roosting. Once your egg gathering duty is ful- Falling items can make an interesting visit. filled, the coop changed, and the morning On the left wall is the plastic garbage can water and feed are taken care of, you housing the scratch and chicken feed, and can just sit on the cinder block in the Kate feeds the chickens corn, a special beside it are the abodes of our cache; the treat she uses to help keep them friendly yard to watch and talk to the chickens. nesting boxes. and used to her presence. Some are more than happy to eat scratch Peering into each box you might find from your hand and perhaps even perch an empty nest, a few fake eggs (to encour- wheelbarrels, snow shovels, various scrap- on your arm. Sometimes you cannot age the girls to lay in the right spot), some ing tools, and new bales of wood shavings, help but chuckle as the rooster Moped, real eggs, or a hen. For the ones that are then set to work. Amongst the feathers, who is lower in the hierarchy, is quickly unoccupied just reach in, sort the real eggs squawks of protest, and hens that refuse reminded of his place by Sultan, the from the fake and place them in your bas- to move from their nest, shovel all the old dominant rooster (especially if Moped ket or shirt. You can also attempt to hold bedding out of nooks and crannies into has just attacked you). them all against your body with one arm. the wheelbarrel to be dumped elsewhere. After observing a while, you will see For the occupied nests: most of the time Empty the nesting boxes (after removing that each chicken has a unique personal- you are able to easily take the eggs from the objecting hens) and try to clean the ity. The time you spend with the hens the hens; slip your hand under their body, place up as well as can be. and two roosters is calming, interesting, retrieve the warm eggs, and ignore the Though you might not have stayed the and fun. For those who experience it, a protest and disgruntled looks you receive. cleanest during the overhaul, you finally chicken coop can be a surprisingly spe- Sometimes, however, the occupant is a tad reach the worthwhile end. With the fresh cial place. feistier and you must expect the flash of a beak and pinch of your skin. One of the more creative ones might even treat you to her stylish pinch and twist. AmericAn Poultry AssociAtion From time to time you will reach into a nesting box for eggs and extract a DEDICATED TO PROMOTING AND goo-coated hand. Wasn’t expecting that. PROTECTING STANDARD-BRED POULTRY This will happen every so often when, whether by accident or intention, an egg gets broken by a hen. Upon your discov- Benefits include: ery, shuffle all of your care packages into Quarterly Newsletter-Annual Yearbook an empty nest and begin the process of Officially Sanctioned Shows and Judges cleaning up. Using the eggshell, scoop up the gooey insides, then carry the blob outside to throw over the fence into the JOIN TODAY-Dues: $15 per year or $40 for 3 years tall grass. However, if the broken egg happens to have been underneath a hen it Junior members $10 per year is now time to consider ways to clean the egg innards off her underside. Hopefully, American Poultry Association when you finish and return, another hen PO Box 306, Burgettstown, Pa. 15021 has not plopped herself down in the nest Phone: 724-729-3459 - Email: [email protected] you used to store the eggs. Website: amerpoultryassn.com With the chicken deposits, broken eggs, and the many other factors that make a coop what it is, the atmosphere of the building can become a tad “pungent” after awhile. Time to clean! If you happen to have come along on a scheduled coop changing weekend you might get to par- take in the cleansing as well. Break out the

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 61 batch of 40 or 50 chicks, raised them up, and taught them to free-range and go into THE GREAT CHICKEN SHOW their coop at night. I built several more coops for the birds, designing them on a small scale, using plywood and lum- ber from the hardware store. My coops measured four feet wide by four or six feet long, and were only two feet high. I added a sloped roof with hinges so we could open the roof and reach inside. The door to the coop had hinges on the bot- tom, so we just dropped it down to make a ramp for the chickens to get in and out. Ultimately, we felt that the smaller coops were more advantageous all around, and ended up demolishing the old, large, walk-in coop that was there when we moved in. For starters, the old coop had hundreds if not thousands of flies in and around it, especially during the middle of summer. With the smaller coops, the chickens could get to the flies, so we ended that problem. We also felt that Constance Bothwell displays the ribbons she won in the summer of 2007. with the smaller coop, they would stay warmer during the cold winter nights that Ch r i s Bo t h w e l l but luck was with us, and we moved in we experience here in central Missouri. Mi s s o u r i shortly afterwards. The chickens have flourished under our We knew next to nothing about free-range philosophy, and are healthy t has often been said that you will chickens and other poultry at that time, and looking good. never realize your dreams unless you but given our overly protective nature of It was inevitable that we lost some of push yourself out of your comfort animals that belong to us, the chicks had our birds to predators, since we let them zoneI and into the unexplored. In the sum- a good chance at survival, even taking walk around unrestricted all day except mer of 2007, our family set off down a our ignorance into consideration. We for the fence around the yard. The fence road we had never traveled before; show- fed them, kept them inside in a cage, did not stop some of them from going ing chickens in competitions at county protected and warm, and renovated an old outside the yard and into the brush and and state fairs. This came about because coop that was on the property. We bought woods surrounding the house. Foxes, of my daughter Constance’s participation a few books about raising chickens and coyotes, raccoons, and the occasional with her 4-H club in Missouri. A hobby did what was recommended. When the passing dog got some of them, and hawks turned into a passion, and resulted in her day came to move them outside and into got a few of the smaller ones. Natural winning two blue ribbons at the Missouri their new home, all went well and they death took a few more, and we gave some State Fair in Sedalia that year. were soon out in their new yard, doing away to people who wanted them. Each It all started in the spring of 2004 the chicken-scratch dance. year our number has evened out around when we moved out of town and into a We had decided that the best way to 50 birds at summer’s end. house out in the woods of central Mis- get these guys to go in at night was to When we first started this we decided souri, on the north end of the Lake of the fence them in until they had learned to that we were only in it for fun, so bought Ozarks. We bought 25 acres of woods and go in on their own. The first few nights, exotic chickens, like Polish Crested and rock, and proceeded to settle in. We had we had to go up and chase them into Silkies, rather than the ordinary-looking already decided that if we got the house, the coop as evening fell, but they soon barn-yard varieties. In the beginning of we would try to free-range some chick- learned what to do and started doing it 2007, we joined the local 4-H club, with ens and guineas around the yard, letting on their own. Once that happened, the the intent of getting our 11-year-old them eat bugs and act as moving yard fences came down and they were free daughter interested in a wide variety of ornaments. Without knowing whether the to range the 1-1/2 acres we had fenced activities. Naturally, raising poultry was house was ours or not, we bought some in. Each evening they would gather one of the things she decided to do as a baby chicks and guineas, keeping them around the coop, slowly going in and 4-H member, and it wasn’t long before in a box in the family room of our house nesting down on their own. We would she wanted to show the birds at the county in town while waiting to see if the deal just walk out to the coop at dark and fair that summer. Thus, the great chicken went through on the house in the woods. close the door. It just didn’t get any summer began. I don’t know what we would have done easier than this. It started with getting our hands on with them if we had not gotten the house, After that, each spring we bought a some University of Missouri Extension 62 Backyard Poultry Service videos on how to raise and show what more of a challenge than the small we departed the fair that day with great poultry. Using these as guides, along county fair we had attended. As it turned anticipation of what might happen when with even more chicken-raising books, out, Constance’s faith in her birds was the judging began. we learned how to prepare our birds for more accurate than my estimation of the We went back up two days later, and their big day at the fair. The first step competition. lo and behold, there were our four birds, was learning how to give our chickens The morning finally arrived when we each with a ribbon on its cage. Robbie a bath. That’s right, a bath! Until this had to drive the birds up to Sedalia and had placed third, Henrietta had placed time, I had passed through five decades put them into the show. At the Missouri fifth, but the two Frizzles had each placed of life without knowing that you could State Fair, birds are dropped off on day first for their category! We were elated give a chicken a bath. Not only that, but 1, early in the morning, and picked up with the results, given the competition a chicken required three tubs of water to on day 10. They are placed in the poultry that was present at the state fair. Two get its bath. The first tub held a solution building according to breed and type. blue ribbons from the state fair was quite of soap, water, and anti-flea and tick The noise level is high, the building is an accomplishment for Constance, who medicine. The second tub held a warm large and open, with row after row of had just started showing birds that year. rinse, and the third tub held a warm rinse birds of every possible description. Fair Apparently, she was doing something with glycerin in it, to make the birds’ employees make sure the birds have food right. feathers shine. After the birds received and water, but owners are allowed to At the end of the fair, we went and their bath, Constance used a common bring their own food and water, and take picked up our chickens, along with blow-dryer to dry them off and fluff care of their own birds if they so desire. their ribbons, and happily drove home, them out. It was a high-maintenance Living 90 miles away, we did not have already making plans for the state fair operation, but the birds sure looked good the option of driving up daily to the fair next year. It was a wonderful experience, when it was done. to feed and water our birds, so they were and channeled our daughter’s energy into Now, not all chickens take to this placed in the care of the fair employees, something that became hers for life. She bath and blow dry routine equally, as who did a wonderful job of looking out had made a life-long memory, and done you could rightly understand. Some did for all the birds. something few 11-year-old children had not like it at all, some tolerated it without Constance had entered five birds in done. Now, her new goal is to learn to too much fuss, and some seemed to enjoy the state fair. Right away, the fifth bird be a poultry judge, and I don’t doubt it. Take Robbie the rooster, for example; was disqualified because it had been that one day she will be judging birds Robbie, bantam Buff Brahma rooster, entered improperly. That left four, and in Sedalia. was Constance’s favorite bird. When it came time to give Robbie a bath in preparation for show day, he took to it Constance prepares like a duck to water. Robbie would sit her rooster, Robbie, quietly in his tub of lukewarm water and for the show. Show doze off while the anti-bug stuff killed preparation starts whatever bugs were on him. We did not with a bath and blow even have to hold on to him to keep him drying (always on the in the bath. Other birds were just not that lowest setting). Not all birds will take tolerant. this bathing routine Finally, the day came for the county so easily, but with fair. Constance loaded the three birds continual handling, in the truck, and we drove into town to most birds will get show off what we had. I had not set my used to preparing for expectations too high, thinking that we a show. would be lucky to get any ribbon at all. It turned out that the competition was not too stiff, and Constance came home with two blue ribbons and one red. Not too For more information bad, for a bunch of beginners. on preparing your bird Those ribbons only fueled the fire for for a show, see the APA/ more, and the next week we were filling ABA Youth Program website: www.apa-aba out applications for the poultry show at youthprogramsite. the state fair in Sedalia in August. By this org, contact your local time, Constance had gained quite a bit of county 4-H extension knowledge about raising and showing office, or seeBackyard chickens, and was confident in her birds. Poultry Aug/Sept, 2006 I, on the other hand, was thinking that issue, page 60. the state fair, with one to two thousand birds present, would prove to be some- December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 63 years ago, my son has now accumulated 128 blue ribbons, 23 champion ribbons, 11 trophies, plaques, savings bonds and The County Fair other awards, along with considerable cash.

Beginner’s Luck Hooks Youth, Learn From Your Mistakes In our first couple of years with poul- and the Rest is History try we made a lot of mistakes. I entered a Rhode Island Red cockerel as a cock. The following year I entered the same chicken as a cockerel. We bought Black Japanese from a well-known hatchery. When we took them to the show the judge disqualified them and called them “an unknown breed.” We found that a Rhode Island Red ordered through the mail is probably not a Rhode Island Red at all, but a Production Red.

Educate Yourself Unless you learn from your mis- takes you’ll keep making them. We started going to people’s houses that had chickens. We would talk to anyone who knew anything about poultry. We started ordering books and magazines. When I found Backyard Poultry I said, “Finally, a magazine that is not about Jon Witham holds Birchen, his oldest chicken, hatched in 2000 in front of seven years farms, homesteads, making soap and of awards. While showing Birchen, Jon has won a Best of Show trophy, Best of Show all that other stuff but it’s all about ribbon, Champion Cock trophy, Champion ribbon and three blue ribbons. Birchen is poultry.” now “retired” with his four favorite hens. I’ve been getting Backyard Poultry now for over a year. My magazines are Ra n d y & Jo n Wi t h a m have it, my son won seven ribbons plus filled with highlighter marks. I keep the Ar k a n s a s one trophy and a big champion ribbon magazines on my bookshelf and have for his duck. often gone back to them to review some- n 1997 we moved to a house that The following year we had a rooster thing I had read. They are not just stories, was built in 1930 and has five someone had given us. Thinking it was they are information. acres. There is an old barn. Part of not a purebred, we nearly didn’t enter This year at the fair there were five theI barn had been closed off to serve him. He turned out to be a bantam trophies available for chickens. Jon as an 8' x 8' hen house. After living Birchen Cochin. Would you believe it, won four of them plus another Best of here for about five years, we decided that rooster won Best Cock and Best of Show. to fix up the chicken pen. After a lot Show at the Garland County Fair for 2002 We have found that it is best for us to more repairs than expected, we had in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I tell everyone stay with about five breeds of chickens. it in usable condition. I took my then “the rest is history!” We gave up the turkeys, ducks and other eight-year-old son and we set out to get Since we got our first poultry seven creatures. If it’s not fun, it’s not worth some poultry. doing. Different judges have told us that We accumulated two white Pekin our poultry is “faultless” and some of the ducks and eight various chickens. A best they have ever seen. But it has come friend was visiting one day and sug- from trial and error, and lots of hard work. gested we enter them in the county fair. We now sell 300-400 baby chicks each Growing up I had always admired the year during the hatching season. This poultry at the county fair, but knew pays for the feed and allows us to eat out nothing about entering them. After many occasionally. phone calls, paperwork, testing and a After seeing the cover of the Feb/ whole lot of help from the poultry su- March, 2008 issue I wanted to send you pervisors, we took our first entries to the The Witham’s show-champion Silver some pictures of our Silver Sebrights that county fair. As beginner’s luck would Sebrights. are also used for show. 64 Backyard Poultry Backyard Poultry Breeders Directory Have birds for sale? Advertise in the Backyard Poultry Breeders Directory for less than $4.50 a month. Your ad will be seen by more than 50,000 poultry enthusiasts who read every issue. Fill out the order form and return it today! Associations Doves Leghorns

AMERICAN BRAHMA CLUB. Sandy Kavanaugh, Indiana North Carolina Sec./Treas., 216 Meadowbrook Rd., Richmond, KY AMERICAN DOVE ASSOCIATION, Denny Stapp, LANDELORE BROWN LEGHORNS, Mark Atwood, 40475. Phone: 859-369-7244; Fax: 859-369-5659; 7037 Haynes Rd., Georgetown, IN 47122. 812- 3740 Cedar Trail, Thomasville, NC 27360. 336-476- . Promoting the Majestic DoveLine.com> Dues $20, $16 senior, $10 junior. utility Brown Leghorns, Single Comb Light & Dark Ones! Dues:Adults/Partnership/Farm $15/yr. US Bimonthly newsletter. Member directory. Join over Brown Leghorns. Show, breed stock only. Will airship. Juniors $10/yr. Canadian Memberships $15/yr. Any 500 members. Standard & bantams. other country $20/yr. Old English ARAUCANA CLUB OF AMERICA. Promoting the Game Birds tufted, rumpless, blue egg laying Araucana. $20.00 Indiana Connecticut annual dues includes quarterly newsletter, breed- ers guide, and Araucana Handbook. Mail inquiries WOODSIDE AVIARY, James Kotterman, Peru, IN. TONY BEZOK, 11 Gelding Hill Rd., Sandy Hook, CT to: Araucana Club of America, 207 Pickens Drive, 765-985-2805. Pheasants: The Golden Pheasant, 06482. 203-426-9160. Old English Game bantams, Pendleton, South Carolina 29670-9727. Visit our Gigi Golden, Lady Amherst, Temminck Tragopan, Black & Silver Duckwing. Can ship. website and forum: Silver, Swinhoe, Brown Eared. Orientals DOMINIQUE CLUB OF AMERICA. Boosting America’s Maine Oldest Breed Since 1973, Large Fowl and Bantam. MID-COAST MAINE BIRD FARM, Scott O’Brien, PO Pennsylvania $10.00 Annual Dues. Contact: Bryan K. Oliver, Secre- Box 243, Jefferson, ME 04348. 207-549-5473. Quail: HEMPHILL FARM, 117 Hemphill St., Alburtis,PA tary, 948 West Bear Swamp Road, Walhalla, SC 29691. Bobwhites in Normal, Mexican Speckled, Gray and 18011. 610-682-1701. Phone: 864-638-5650 Orange. Also Valley, Gambel’s, Blue Sealed, Coturnix, Started, adults and eggs in the following breeds: O- Mountain and Benson. Partridge: Philby’s and Barbary. EASTERN CAROLINAS BANTAM BREEDERS Shamos, Malays, Aseels, Tuzo, RS Yokohomas. Also Pheasants: Ringneck, Swinhoe, Elliot’s, Blue Eared, ASSOCIATION POULTRY CLUB. Kevin Old, WLR Cornish Standards and Bolos. Several colors of Lady Amherst and Goldens in Red, Dark Throated and 803-243-3840. Call ducks. Blue and Black Muscovys. We raise and Peach. I ship started and adult birds, and hatching sell only purebred quality birds. eggs in season. GUINEA FOWL BREEDERS ASSOCIATION. GFBA will encourage, support, and educate people Minnesota Rhode Island Reds as to the benefits in raising guinea fowl and provide OAKWOOD GAME FARM, INC., PO Box information and support to those who own or plan to own 274, Princeton, MN 55371. 800-328-6647. Florida them. We sell day-old pheasant RHODE ISLAND RED CHICKS, 727-388-9456. and chukar partridge chicks and eggs. Rhode PLYMOUTH ROCK FANCIERS CLUB OF AMERICA. Island Red chicks $1.25 each. Hatching eggs Robert Blosl, Secretary-Treasurer, 14390 South 75¢ each. Blvd., Silverhill, AL 36576. Guineas Iowa Sebrights POLISH BREEDERS CLUB. Jim Parker, 3232 WINTERS GUINEA FARM, Ralph Winter, 21363 Schooler Rd., Cridersville, OH 45806. 419-227-9385. White Pine Ln., New Vienna, IA 52065. 563-853-4195. Florida BLACKBURN’S QUALITY BANTAMS, Wayne Guinea fowl, Pea fowl. Blackburn, PO Box 736, Anthony. FL 32617. 352-622- ROSECOMB BANTAM FEDERATION. Steven 4622. Golden Sebrights and Buff Sebrights. Beaty, Secretary/Treasurer, PO Box 126, Portales, NM 88130. 575-359-1074. Rosecomb Seramas bantams––The Beautiful Little Aristocrats of the ban- Indiana tam world. The Rosecomb Bantam Federation is rich TOM & LINDA CHANDLER, 170 Mt. Calvery Rd., Louisiana with tradition from the past. I invite you to become a part Freedom, IN 47431. 812-859-4873. Quality birds only. Ship nationwide. 159, Vacherie, LA 70090. 225-265-2238. Serama. Jersey Giants Bourbon Red Turkeys Silkies Indiana Minnesota MARIA’S JERSEY GIANTS, since 1976, Maria California HAWK’S VALLEY FARM, Joanne Griffin, 18005 Tru- Hall, 7030 S. Bloomington Trail, Underwood, IN AMBER WAVES SHOW SILKIES, Debbie Hosley, man Dr., Spring Grove, MN 55974. 507-498-5108. 47177. 812-752-7825. 1320 Mountain Ave., Norco, CA 92860-2852. 951-736- Sicilian Buttercup chicks 1076. Bearded Silkie bantams, Partidge, Black, Jersey Giants in Backyard Poultry, August/September, Blue, Buff, Gray, White and Splash. Ship nationwide. Dominique 2007, pages 62-63. Also SQ Rhode Island Red & White Top bloodlines. Rock bantams. Ohio Various Ohio STICHLER’S POULTRY FARM, Mike Stichler, 1120 Florida State Rt. 603, Greenwhich, OH 44837. 419-565-3197. NEW HAMPSHIRE BANTAM, Tim Dominique Johnson, 17650 W. Poe Rd., Weston, OH 43569. PAMELA JOANNE WAGNER, PO Box 224, Large Fowl. Pickup at farm or shows. 419-353-0424. Black Jersey Giants large fowl. Lithia, FL 33547. 813-650-0806 or 813-465-1761.

December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 65 Backyard Poultry Breeders Directory

Malaysian Serama, Japanese, Maryland URCH/TURNLUND POULTRY, 2142 NW 47 Bearded Silkie. Ave., Owatonna, MN 55060-1071. 507-451-6782. WHITMORE FARM. Black & Blue Ameraucana, Dela- Large fowl: Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds, ware, Welsumer, and Brown-Red Marans. Hatching Rhode Island Whites, Java, Giants, Buck- Illinois eggs and day old chicks. Online ordering at or by phone 301-447-3611. Dark Brown & Black Leghorn, Spanish, Dorking, IL 62863. 618-262-8389. Eggs for sale from show R.C. Black Leghorn, Australorp, Polish, Hou- bantams, $17 per dozen freight paid. Buff Orpington, Michigan dan, Hamburg, Faverolle, Welsummer, Campine, PoultryNet Wyandotte & Old English bantams. ChickHatchery.com, John W. Blehm, 4599 Lange Cubalaya, Sumatra, Amerancauna, Naked Rd. Birch Run, MI 48415-8137. bantam Ameraucana, Lakenvelder, Modern Game, Rock, Rhode Island Red, AKERS EXHIBITION POULTRY, Doug & Marilyn Ak- Vorwerk & Hamburg, large fowl Ameraucana & Leghorn, Naked Neck, Polish, Amerau- ers, 300 S. 400 W., Lebanon, IN 46052 All large fowl breeds: Buff Orpington, Frizzle, Silkie, Sultan, Wyandotte, Mille Fleur, White Plymouth Rock, Black Sumatra, Silver Laced KIDS & FEATHERS SUPERIOR HATCHING EGGS, Buckeye, Old English, Ancona. Geese: Can- Wyandotte, Welsummer. No shipping. Farm pick up Bonnie Dreos, 6975 120th Ave., Fennville, MI 49408. ada, Egyptian, China, African, Pomeranian or deliver to shows we attend. 269-543-4544. Small amount only 12-24 eggs. Quail, Frizzle, green eggs, Ducks: Muscovy. Turkeys: Black, Slate, Bronze, Red, Palm, Beltsville, Eastern Wild, Iowa Mille Fleur, Guinea. Narragansett, exhibition fowl. QUALITY PULLETS, Verle Steere, 19358 135th St., Minnesota Greene, IA 50636. 641-823-5553. Excellent livability. Ohio Large brown eggs. Do well on range. All floor grown. JOHNSON’S WATERFOWL, 36882 160th Ave. NE, Bovans Brown. Middle River, MN 56737. 218-222-3556. Grey & Buff ERIC MARKLEY, 19454 Miller Rd., Wapakoneta, OH Africans, Grey & Buff Pomeranians, Brown Chinese, 45895. 419-568-7402. WELP HATCHERY, Box 77, Bancroft, IA 50517. Sebastopol & Buff geese, Swedish, Rouen, Silver Ap- White Leghorns, large fowl, bantams. Will deliver to 800-458-4473. pleyard, Pekin, White & Black Crested, Saxony, Black poultry shows that I attend. Specializing in Cornish Rock broilers. Also offering & Blue Magpies, Penciled, White, Blue, Black, Grey J.J. PETTIT, 249 Pleasant Grove Rd., Zanesville, OH baby chicks, ducklings, goslings, bantams, exotics, (Mallard), and Emory Penciled Runners, White, Grey, 43701. 740-453-4565. Show Black Old English and turkeys, Guineas, pheasants. Free catalog. MC/ Snowy & Pastel Call ducklings. Free brochure. Visa/Discover. S.C. White Leghorn bantams. MAPLEWIND POULTRY, Steve & Brenda Ernst, Hamersville, Ohio. Frizzles, Cornish, Leghorn, New Hampshire, Modern Breeders Directory Order Form Game, Cochins, Silkie & Sebright bantams. Polish bantams & large fowl.

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The “Instant” Fence! Easy & fast to install and remove. Ask for our 2 unique booklets—both free! Fences That Work! Equipment That Works! What is it? A prefabricated fence that arrives at your Other netting options— door as a complete roll. White vertical In addition to PoultryNet 12/48/3 strings are “welded” to black/white (shown here) we also offer PermaNet electroplastic conductive horizontals. 12/48/3. Same mesh but much larger White plastic posts built into the net and stronger posts—harder to install/ every 12 ft. support the mesh. remove but more resistant to wind, ice, 48 in. tall. 12 horizontals. Verticals every snow, rain. Best semi-permanent fence 3 in. A 164 ft. roll weighs less than 15 lbs. for poultry. We also offer over 20 specialized How does it work? nets—for sheep, goats, rabbits & deer. The close mesh spacing and the “live” horizontals present both a physical and a pain barrier to birds and their predators. To reduce energy loss, it should be moved FREE SHIPPING— before lush green grass grows into the on qualifi ed website orders. fence. That’s simple since a 164 ft. roll can be installed or removed in minutes without tools. Mesh is stretched only hand tight.

Uses? • To fence in most non-fl ying poultry (chickens, ducks & geese). • To fence out dogs, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, opossum & skunks. 800-282-6631 • To enable poultry to be easily rotated www.premier1supplies.com from one grass area to another. Washington, IA December, 2008/January, 2009 www.backyardpoultrymag.com 67 Pigeons, Poultry, Cage Birds, Rabbits, Ferrets, Small Animals

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