I was raised on a California coastal farm that was an actual commercial chicken farm. My grandfather housed about 20,000 laying hens and sold eggs to an early egg
wholesaler. By the time I reached my teen years many decades ago, I had raised lots of baby chicks, gathered thousands of eggs and thought I knew all there was to know about chickens. Turns out, and the truth is, I’m still learning about chickens, eggs, and other poultry.
For this article, I’ve decided to take on some of the facts I’ve accumulated and will try to put them forward. Before I do so, I must give a bit of a disclaimer. As most will agree when talking species, there are always exceptions to the rule and some disagreements may result. Anyway, here goes!
JUST THE FACTS
Just to get things started, we should start with some basic terminology. You can fact-check this if you want, but this is outside the realm of argument. Baby chickens are called chicks. They grow into either cockerels or pullets. Cockerels turn into roosters at maturity, and pullets become hens.
However, exactly when a pullet becomes a hen could be up for debate. A “started” pullet means they no longer need a brooder light for warmth but have not laid their first egg. In some parts of the country, pullets remain pullets until they lay their first egg, but others say a pullet is a pullet for a full year.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March - April 2024-Ausgabe von Hobby Farms.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March - April 2024-Ausgabe von Hobby Farms.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
The RISE of Opportunist WEEDS
Be prepared to see increasing changes in weeds we fight, such as poison hemlock and poison ivy, and in the crops we grow.
LIVESTOCK Health
Prepare yourself for how to spot symptoms of illness in your farm animals so that you can get them help before it's too late.
CUT FLOWER Farming
If you're considering growing flowers for sale, brush up on these five key things to know before diving in.
WINTER Survival
Keep your land, animals and yourself in good shape this winter with this helpful advice.
COVERAGE CONCERNS
Avoid common insurance mistakes for rural and hobby farm businesses.
FARMER'S GUIDE Berries
Set the stage for tasty strawberries, blueberries and brambles with these soil-boosting garden tips.
Preconditioning CALVES
Follow our step-by-step guide to get more money for your calves.
Soil Conservation
Often, outside of having a specific problem that needs to be addressed, soil conservation isn't something every farmer readily thinks about. Yet conserving the soil should be at or near the top of every farmer owner or manager's list of concerns because absent the prevention of soil erosion, we have the opportunity for another dust bowl.
Year-Round Lettuce & Salad Mixes
It's easy to think of salad greens as just a spring- or fall-garden crop, but it's possible to enjoy freshly harvested lettuces, mustards and more from your own garden year-round.
Barn Improvements
Days are never long enough for a farmer. From dawn to well into the night, tasks arise that often require immediate action. Having to search for tools or equipment is an enormous time waster and incredibly frustrating when you can't find what you need, especially when you know you have it.
