Guides
Plain-language answers on hatching, chicks, coops, predators, seasons, eggs and flock health.
GuideHow to start raising backyard chickens: a first-year plan
How to start raising chickens: check local rules, size the coop, choose chicks or pullets, set up feed and water, and…
GuideHow many chickens should I get? Eggs, space and chicken math
How many chickens should I get? Work it out from eggs per week, coop floor, run, nests, roosts and feed, with Penn…
GuideChicken breeds for beginners, eggs and cold climates
Chicken breeds for beginners compared: top layers, calm dual-purpose hens, cold-hardy and heat-tolerant birds, egg…
GuideHow to incubate chicken eggs, day by day
How to incubate chicken eggs: storage, temperature, humidity, turning, candling on days 7 and 14, lockdown on day 18…
GuideIncubation chart: chickens, ducks, quail, turkeys, geese
Incubation chart by species: days, forced and still-air temperature, wet-bulb and humidity, and lockdown day for…
GuideHow to candle eggs: what to look for on days 7, 14 and 18
How to candle eggs step by step: when to check, what veins, blood rings and air cells mean on days 7, 14 and 18, and…
GuideHow to raise baby chicks, week by week
How to raise baby chicks week by week: brooder temperature, space, starter feed, water, heat-lamp safety, when chicks…
GuideHow to set up a brooder for chicks, step by step
How to set up a brooder: size by chick count, heat plate or secured lamp, bedding, feeder and waterer layout,…
GuideHow big should a chicken coop be? Space per chicken, explained
How big should a chicken coop be? Compare Penn State, UMN and 4 + 10 space norms per chicken, plus run, roost and…
GuideChicken coop ventilation: airflow without drafts, all year
Chicken coop ventilation explained: where to put vents, how to avoid drafts at the roost, winter moisture and…
GuideHow to protect chickens from predators, day and night
How to protect chickens from predators: read attack signs, lock the coop at night, use hardware cloth, bury an apron,…
GuideHow to keep chickens warm in winter (and when to add heat)
How to keep chickens warm in winter: dry ventilation, deep bedding, wooden roosts, unfrozen water, extra feed,…
GuideKeeping chickens cool in summer heat: signs and fixes
Keeping chickens cool in summer heat: heat-stress temperatures, panting and other signs, shade, airflow, cool water,…
GuideWhy are my chickens not laying? 10 causes and what to check
Why are my chickens not laying? Check age, daylight, molt, broodiness, feed, heat, stress, hidden nests, egg eaters…
GuideMolting and broody hens: what is normal and what to do
Molting and broody hens: why hens drop feathers and stop laying, how long a molt lasts, how to help, and how to break…
GuideHow to clean a chicken coop: routine and deep clean, step by step
How to clean a chicken coop: daily, weekly and yearly jobs, a 9-step deep clean, safe disinfecting per the label, and…
GuideThe deep litter method for chickens: how to start and manage it
The deep litter method for chickens explained: how to start it, stir and top it up, keep ammonia down, when to clean…
GuideCommon chicken illnesses: signs, prevention and first aid basics
Common chicken illnesses explained: warning signs, how Marek's, coccidiosis, mites and respiratory disease spread,…
GuideSalmonella and backyard chickens: keeping kids and family safe
Salmonella and backyard chickens: CDC rules on handwashing, children under 5, no kissing birds, keeping poultry out of…
GuideBird flu and backyard biosecurity: how to protect your flock
Bird flu biosecurity for backyard chickens, based on USDA APHIS Defend the Flock: wild birds, visitors, shoes, warning…
GuideHatching projects at school and home: a safe, planned hatch
School hatching projects and family hatches: timeline, incubator choice, CDC hygiene rules, candling days and a plan…
GuideRaising backyard ducks: housing, water, feed and ducklings
Raising backyard ducks: space per duck, wet-proof housing, water, waterfowl feed, brooding ducklings, hatching duck…
GuideRaising quail: housing, hatching and brooding at home
Raising quail at home: space per bird, hutch setup, coturnix and bobwhite incubation days, humidity, safe brooding,…
GuideHeat lamp fire safety for brooders and chicken coops
Heat lamp fire safety for chicks and coops: fire marshal and extension rules on mounting, distance and cords, safer…
GuideEgg freshness, cleaning and storage for backyard eggs
Should you wash fresh eggs? How to collect, dry-clean or wash backyard eggs, refrigerate them, check freshness and how…
GuideHow to sell eggs locally: rules, handling, cartons and labels
How to sell eggs from backyard chickens: check state rules, keep eggs clean and at 45°F or below, candle and grade,…
GuideBackyard chicken laws: city codes, HOAs, roosters and egg sales
Backyard chicken laws explained: how to check city code, zoning and HOA rules, typical hen limits, rooster bans,…
GuideHow to spot a fake Omlet Eglu and buy the real coop
How to spot a fake Omlet Eglu: check the brand and seller, compare specs with omlet.us, confirm the warranty, and know…
GuideChicken keeping glossary: 100+ terms from pullet to lockdown
Chicken keeping glossary: plain-English definitions of pullet, cockerel, point of lay, lockdown, pip, bloom, broody,…