Category Archives: Chickens

Baby Chicks, Breeds, Chickens, Chicks, Egg Layers, Eggs

Baby Chicks for Easter

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Are you planning on getting chicks for Easter?  I can always tell when Easter is close because feed stores start to fill up brooders in the stores with baby chicks.

Some people have mixed feelings about giving baby chicks for Easter gifts.  I have always gotten baby chicks at Easter and have given my own children baby chicks as Easter presents.  Easter falls right in the middle of spring and is one of the best times to get chicks because there are so many options available.

If you do plan on giving or getting chicks, make sure that you’re prepared to take care of them long after they grow out of the cute, fluffy stage.

Types of Chicks to Purchase

Once you’ve decided that you want to get chicks you’ll need to figure out what kind you want.  Don’t be restricted by the breeds that are in your local feed store.  Ordering chicks will allow you to purchase the breed you want and have it delivered to you!

Do you want chickens that are going to lay eggs every day? Or would you rather have chickens that lay colored eggs?  Maybe, if you’re like me, you want chickens that are unique and pretty to look at.

Best Egg Layers

Wyandotte– Consistent layers that produce light cream- dark brown eggs.

Ancona– Excellent layers that lay white eggs.

Minorca– These red faced, black chickens lay large white eggs.  They are a large breed.

Delaware– This older breed of chicken is a good egg layer.  Hens are medium-sized and can lay large to jumbo sized eggs.

Speckled Sussex– This dual purpose chicken is known for its colorful plumage and ability to lay frequently.  Hens lay lightly tinted eggs.

Egg Layer Assortment

Colored Egg Layers

Ameraucana– Often referred to as ‘Easter Egg Chickens’, this breed lays blue, green and blue/green eggs.  They are consistent layers.

Black Maran– Although Marans don’t lay blue or green eggs like the Ameraucana, they still lay beautiful eggs.  The eggs are a rich, deep brown and are often speckled.

Brown Egg Layer Assortment

Unique Breeds

Brahma– These chickens are unique because of their size when they are grown.  Brahma roosters can easily reach weights of 18 pounds and females can weigh in at 16 pounds.  Despite their size, Brahmas are laid back and docile.

Cochins– Cochins are completely feathered, right down to their toes.  Cochins are known for being extremely docile and make great pets for small children.

Crested and Polish– These chickens are adorable and have a crest.  A crest is a collection of feathers on top of the head that makes it look like they are wearing a hat.  These are chickens with big personalities!

Final Thoughts About Baby Chicks

Getting baby chicks is so exciting and rewarding! Make sure that you have all of your supplies when your chicks arrive (or before!). If you have everything that you need, choose a breed that will fit your needs and will fill your nesting boxes and yard with color.

Taking proper care of your chicks should prevent any illnesses from occurring.  Keep the feeders filled with fresh, clean chick feed.  Make sure that the chicks always have a clean source of water available.  Keep the bedding clean and change it out as needed.  Use a heat lamp to keep the brooder warm (95-100°F for the first two weeks, then decrease by 5°F each week until one month).   Being prepared for your baby chicks will help ensure that everything goes smoothly and you raise happy, healthy chickens that you can enjoy for years to come.

Written by: Shelby DeVore

Shelby DeVore is a former high school agriculture teacher that has taught numerous agriculture classes and successfully coached multiple competitive FFA teams, including Tennessee FFA State Poultry teams.  She’s an agricultural enthusiast and shares her love of all things farming with her husband and two children on their small farm in West Tennessee.  She’s also the author of the blog Farminence, where she enjoys sharing her love of gardening, raising livestock and more simple living.

Chickens, Uncategorized

A better understanding of the NPIP.

Wondering what NPIP is and what it stands for? It stands for National Poultry Improvement Plan.

If you receive poultry from Welp Hatchery, our INVOICE or PACKING SLIP can be used as an NPIP form for fairs.

NPIP Information and Requirements in Iowa
EXHIBITION / FAIR TESTING
There has been some confusion about which birds need to be tested before entering an exhibit or fair. The regulation states:
“All poultry exhibited must come from U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid clean or equivalent flocks, or have had a negative Pullorum-Typhoid test within 90 days of public exhibition and the test must have been performed by an authorized tester.”
A bird purchased and taken home from a hatchery, U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid (PT) clean or equivalent NPIP flock does not retain this “U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid clean or equivalent flock” status at the new owner’s or exhibitor’s home, unless the new owner’s or exhibitor’s flock is a PT clean flock.
In other words, just because you purchase a bird from a PT clean flock, it does not remain PT clean once you take it to your home and your flock is not proven to be PT clean also.

The National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) is a cooperative Federal-State-Industry program developed for controlling certain poultry diseases. NPIP consists of a variety of programs intended to prevent and control egg-transmitted, hatchery disseminated poultry diseases. NPIP identifies states, flocks, hatcheries, and dealers that meet certain disease control standards specified in the various programs. As a result, customers can buy poultry that has tested free of certain diseases or conditions. Being a member of NPIP allows greater ease in moving hatching eggs/live birds within the state, across state lines, and into other countries. In fact, most countries will not accept hatching eggs/live birds unless they can be shown to be a NPIP participant.
The Iowa Poultry Association oversees Iowa’s involvement in NPIP, regulates the importation and exportation of birds, issues permits for breeder flocks, along with administering laws and rules regarding poultry in Iowa.

Source: http://iowapoultry.com/

By Ann Phelps.

Chicken Photos, Chickens, Eggs, Uncategorized

5 tips for getting hens to lay in nest boxes.

PHOTO BY KAREN JACKSON https://www.flickr.com/photos/72284410@N08/
PHOTO BY KAREN JACKSON
https://www.flickr.com/photos/72284410@N08/

Do your hens lay their eggs everywhere but the nest boxes? Here are a few tips to encourage them to lay eggs in the nest boxes.
• Do you have enough nest boxes: 1 box for every 4 to 5 hens is the minimum for hens to feel comfortable laying in them.
• Are your nests appealing: Make sure the nests are in a dark, quiet place in the coop. Boxes should be a few inches off the floor.
• Train them with a “nest egg”: You can purchase a fake ceramic or wood egg from a farm supply store or online. You can even use a golf ball if needed. When your chicks get ready to lay, by placing the “nest egg” in the nests, this gives them the idea that this is the place to lay.
• Keep them confined until mid-morning: Most hens lay early in the morning, so by keeping them in the coop, this will maximize the chances that they’ll lay in the nest boxes instead of finding a place outside of the coop.
• Make nests soft and comfy: If the wood shavings get depleted in the boxes, the hens tend to avoid them. Keep shavings or straw nice and fluffy to encourage laying in the boxes.

Michelle Coleman
Reference:
About.com

Chickens, Uncategorized

Preparing for winter

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chickensinsnow

Check out these tips for keeping your chickens warm in the coming cold months.
Tip # 1
Raise cold –hardy breeds that are suited to the temperature in your climate.
Breeds with smaller, more compact combs, such as a pea or rose combs, fare better in cold and are less prone to frostbite on their combs.
Great examples of cold-hardy breed with pea or rose combs include Ameraucanas, Buckeyes and Wyandottes.

Tip # 2
Proper coop insulation and ventilation in any poultry housing set-up is absolute for fighting frostbite and for combating deadly moisture that could contribute to a host of other ailments and diseases.

Tip # 3
Many breeds can make it through winter without supplemental heat.  But for breeds that don’t always fare well in extreme cold, it may be necessary to add supplemental heat to the coop to combat moisture, cold or a combination of the two.
Properly and professionally set up the supplemental heat in the coop.
Use poultry-safe heat lamps with guards. Only heat the coop to a reasonable, winter temperature for your area to take the edge off; it should not feel warm to you.
Reduce supplemental heating as soon as possible when temperatures begin to climb, and gradually acclimate the birds to the change of weather.

Tip # 4
Use flat roosts, as this allows birds to spread out their toes flat on the board, making them easier to cover with their feathers when they sit down for the night.

Tip # 5
Provide a snow-free zone so your birds are not uncomfortable and unsafe. A snow- free zone doesn’t have to be fancy or complex. It could simply be a run or pen with a roof, a tarped or covered area in the pasture or backyard, or simply a shoveled path around the coop.

Tip # 6
Consider your coop flooring. Chickens spend much of their day in direct contact with the ground; that environment should be free from moisture and extreme cold as much possible, especially at night. Consider employing the deep-litter method or use a bedding option that remains warm and dry in the coop. Pine shavings are a favorite because they dry faster and resist moisture better than hay or straw. Finally, consider providing perches, stumps and other places off the ground for birds to seek relief from the frozen ground while spending time outside.

Utilize the information at your disposal to set up proper housing and prepare accordingly; it could save a lot of pain and suffering for your birds in the cold winter months to come.
Source: Chickens magazine from Hobby Farms www.kristinamercedes.tumblr.com

Chickens, Eggs, Uncategorized

Some interesting facts from the Iowa Poultry Association

IOWA…# 1 Egg Production

Did you know that…
• Iowa ranks #1 in the nation for egg production
• #1 in egg processing
• Iowa produced almost 16 billion eggs in 2014
• Iowa’s chicken layers consume 58 million bushels of corn and 30 million bushels of soybeans
• Iowa’s egg producers create more than 8,000 jobs annually. $2.02 billion in total sales and $424 million in seasonal income.

General Facts:
• Iowa has approximately 40 million laying hens
• Iowa produces enough eggs to provide an egg-a-day for the world for 2 days.
• An egg-a-day for China for 11 days
• An egg-a-day for all Americans for 47 days
• Iowa’s egg farmers add value to Iowa corn and soybeans – 58 million bushels of corn and 30 million bushels of soybeans

Source: http://iowapoultry.com/
For all your poultry needs contact:
WELP HATCHERY
PO BOX 77
BANCROFT IA 50577
1-800-458-4473
WELPHATCHERY.COM

compiled by Ann Phelps

Chicken Photos, Chickens, Eggs

Ameraucana

Photo By Royale Photography (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
 The Ameraucana is an American breed developed in the 1970’s.  It was derived from the Araucana breed from Chile and was bred to produce blue egg color.  This breed was added to the American Standard of Perfection in 1984, and is recognized in 8 colors.  The Ameraucana typically starts laying at around 5 months of age and produces approximately 250 eggs per year of various shades.

Source Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ameraucana

 

Chickens, Meat Birds

What kind of Meat Bird should i purchase?

WELP_CHICK

What kind of Meat Bird should I purchase?

CORNISH ROCK BROILERS – BEST MEAT TYPE
 -FAST GROWING
 -BROAD BREASTED
 -VERY EFFICIENT
- 5-6 POUNDS BUTCHERED WEIGHT IN 7-8 WEEKS
 -BUTCHERED WEIGHT WILL BE APPROXIMATEDLY 70% OF  THE LIVE WEIGHT
 -AVAILABLE WEEKLY JANUARY THRU DECEMBER
 -MOST STRAINS HAVE YELLOW SKIN & LEG COLOR, EXCEPT ONE STRAIN HAS WHITE SKIN AND LEG. (HOWEVER, ANYTIME YOU SCALD A CHICKEN WITH YELLOW SKIN TO PICK THE FEATHERS, IT WILL TURN THE SKIN WHITE)

SLOW WHITE BROLER
 -VERY SIMILAR TO CORNISH ROCK BROILER EXCEPT IT TAKE 10-14 DAYS LONGER TO GET TO THE SAME WEIGHT. (10-12 WEEKS TO REACH 6-7 LBS LIVE WEIGHT)
 -DOES VERY WELL IN HIGHER ELEVATIONS
 -DO NOT NEED TO RESTRICT THE FEED

RED RANGER
 -12 WEEKS TO MATURE (AVERAGE WEIGHT FOR THE FEMALE 5.74 LBS & THE MALE 7.48 LBS.)
 -GOOD FORAGER
 -GROWN ADULT MALES CAN REACH UP TO 10 LBS. AND THE FEMALES CAN REACH 8 POUNDS
AND WHITE FEATHERS

RED BROILER
 -YELLOW SKIN
 -3-4 POUND RANGE IN ABOUT 8 WEEKS
 -VARIOUS SHADES OF RED FEATHERS

Chicken Photos, Chickens

Send us your poultry photos!

As the leaves start to change from green to the yellow, orange and red colors of fall, there is a definite feeling of transition in the air. Although it seems the “busy” season of hatchery life seems to extend each year (and that is a good thing!), fall is a time where we can catch our breath, and maybe enjoy the beauty of the poultry we hatch and/or raise.

For a lot of people who ordered egg layer chicks in the spring, the birds have grown up now into chickens and are probably giving you plenty of fresh eggs. They probably have all of their permanent feathers grown in, and are pecking around the yard to get the last bugs of the season. Or maybe the last vegetables of the garden are being picked, and there is enough to share some with your birds.

We’d love to see some pictures of you and your birds enjoying the fall season. We are asking you to email us some pictures of you and your birds. Please email to bkollasch@welphatcherycom . We’ll try and share some of the these on our blog page, and we are always looking for photos to include in our print catalog. If you send in a photo, we prefer a digital image, and also include the name of the people (and the poultry, if they are named) in the photo.

We look forward to seeing some great photos!