Planning to hatch eggs? Candling lets you peek inside to monitor development without cracking them open. What IS Candling? Shining a bright light through an egg to see internal development. The egg becomes translucent, revealing what's happening inside! When to Candle: 🥚Day 7-10: Check for development and blood vessels 🥚Day 14-18: Assess growth and air cell size 🥚Day 18+: STOP handling eggs (lockdown period) What You're Looking For: FERTILE & DEVELOPING: 🐥Spider-like blood vessels (Day 7) 🐥Dark mass (embryo) growing larger 🐥Movement in later stages 🐥 Expanding air cell at blunt end INFERTILE (Clear): 🥚Egg looks clear throughout 🥚Only yolk shadow visible 🥚No blood vessels or development EARLY DEATH (Blood Ring): ☠️Red ring visible inside egg ☠️Development stopped ☠️Remove from incubator Equipment: A simple LED flashlight works! Or purchase a dedicated egg candler. Dark room = better visibility. Critical Tips: 🧼Handle eggs gently, wash hands first 😓Don't candle too frequently (stresses developing embryo) 🌡️Room temperature eggs candle more clearly ✔️Mark questionable eggs, recheck in 3-4 days Fun Fact: You can see the chick moving inside around Day 14-16! The air cell also grows as the chick develops and needs more oxygen. Your turn: ❓Ever candled an egg and been totally amazed (or totally confused) by what you saw? 🤔 @Casey Balkcom I'd love if you showed your awesome candling video!

Lost a bird and don't know what happened? Predators leave "signatures" that help identify the culprit - and prevent future attacks! RACCOONS 🦝 🦝Kill at night, often inside coop 🦝Head/neck eaten, crop removed 🦝Birds dragged away or partially eaten 🦝Can open simple latches! FOXES/COYOTES 🦊 🦊Entire bird missing (carried off) 🦊Scattered feathers along path 🦊Attack dawn/dusk or daytime 🦊Dig under fences HAWKS/OWLS 🦅 🦅Breast meat eaten, rest left behind 🦅Neat piles of plucked feathers 🦅Hawks = daytime, Owls = night 🦅Attack in open areas WEASELS/MINK 🐁Multiple birds killed (surplus killing!) 🐁Bite marks on head/neck 🐁Little meat eaten 🐁Blood draining behavior OPOSSUMS 🌙Messy eaters, scattered kills 🌙Target young chicks/eggs 🌙Eggs broken and partially eaten 🌙Nocturnal, slower moving DOGS🐶 🐶Multiple birds injured/killed but not eaten 🐶Widespread destruction 🐶Birds scattered around property 🐶Often daytime attacks SNAKES🐍 🐍Missing eggs or chicks 🐍No mess, no feathers 🐍Eggs swallowed whole Prevention Key: Knowing WHO you're dealing with helps you predator-proof effectively! Each predator requires different strategies. Your turn: 1. Ever played "CSI: Chicken Coop" trying to figure out what got in? What was the culprit? 🔍 2. What predator do you worry about most in your area?

I was scrolling some of the backyard poultry Facebook pages and came across this. I wanted to share my response with the group😊 Yes, blood on the outside of eggshells is completely normal for new layers. ❓What causes it❓ Blood-stained eggs (blood on the exterior shell) typically occur in pullets (young hens) just starting to lay. This happens when eggs are contaminated by smears of blood from the vent area during laying. The primary causes include: 🐓Pullets coming into lay - The reproductive tract is new to passing eggs 🐓Overweight pullets - Extra body weight can strain the vent 🐓Sudden, large increases in day length - Rapid hormonal changes 🐓Prolapsed cloaca - Tissue protrusion during laying 🐓Vent pecking or cannibalism - External trauma The blood comes from minor tissue trauma as the egg passes through the vent. Young pullets' reproductive tracts are still adjusting to the egg-laying process, making small vessel ruptures or tissue tears common. ❓Is the egg bad?❓ No. The egg itself is safe to eat if you want. Simply wash the blood off the shell before use. As long as the shell isn't cracked, there's no food safety concern. ‼️Important: Check the hen's vent When you find blood on an egg, examine the hen's vent area for any visible blood or injury. Vent pecking and cannibalism are recognized causes of blood-stained eggs. Blood visible on the vent can attract other flock mates to peck at the area, which can quickly escalate from minor trauma to serious injury or death. If you observe blood on the vent: 🩸Isolate the affected hen immediately 🩸Clean the area gently 🩸Monitor closely for continued bleeding or prolapse 🩸Keep her separated until fully healed to prevent flock mate aggression Management considerations Maintaining proper flock nutrition is important for overall reproductive health. A balanced diet with adequate vitamins A, K, and C helps maintain healthy blood vessels and tissue integrity throughout the reproductive tract. Most pullets naturally outgrow this issue within a few weeks as their reproductive systems mature and adjust to regular egg production.

Is your chicken looking like she lost a fight with a pillow? She's probably molting - a completely normal (but dramatic!) process! What IS Molting? The natural shedding and replacement of feathers, typically once a year. It's essential for maintaining healthy, functional plumage. When Does It Happen? 🪶Usually late summer/fall as daylight decreases 🪶Triggered by decreasing photoperiod (day length) 🪶First molt around 16-18 months old 🪶Takes 8-16 weeks to complete (varies by bird!) The Molting Process: Head → neck → body → wings → tail follows a predictable pattern! 🐓Some birds are "hard molters" (fast, dramatic) 🐔Others are "soft molters" (gradual, barely noticeable) Why Egg Production STOPS: Feather production requires MASSIVE protein and energy! Research shows growing new feathers takes priority over egg production - hens literally can't do both simultaneously. Critical Nutritional Needs: 💪 PROTEIN is key! Feathers are 80-85% protein 🐤Increase protein to 18-20% during molt (vs. 16% layer feed) 🪱Offer high-protein treats: mealworms, black oil sunflower seeds, scrambled eggs 🐤Ensure adequate methionine and cysteine (sulfur-containing amino acids) Normal vs. Concerning: 😊 Symmetrical feather loss following head-to-tail pattern 😊 New pin feathers emerging 🤒 Bald patches with no regrowth 🤒 Feather pecking by flock mates 🤒 Year-round feather loss Your turn: ❓Ever had a chicken molt so dramatically you thought she was sick? Share the your story! ❓What's your go-to high-protein molt treat?