Friendly Links
What is Bumblefoot?
What causes it? How to prevent it. How is it treated?
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/07/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning.html
What is Coccidiosis?
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/ department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex4616
What is Turkey Black Head disease?
Histomoniasis, a protozoan called Histomonas Meleagridis can infect both chickens and turkey's. Learn more at:
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/viewhtml.php?id=343
Is there a poultry Veterinarian?
http://mikethechickenvet.wordpress.com/
"The number one reason that vet care isn’t more available for backyard chickens is inertia. “It just isn’t done”. Like giving women the vote, this is unheard of, and might be the end of civilization as we know it. Keep asking your vet (and other vets) to look after your hens. Be willing to pay a little, in order to make him/her think about making it a part of the clinic’s business model. Be patient if they are slow, or unsure. Keep trying to make it happen, and in the near future, someone will figure out that treating chickens is not scary or dangerous, and a model for this type of medicine will emerge and become commonplace."
Quote from Dr. Mike Petrik, DVM, MSc
source: http://mikethechickenvet.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/why-arent-there-more-chicken-vets/
How do I decide on which chicks to buy?
The staff at Beau Peep Farms is always happy to answer all of your questions and make recommendations based on your likes, needs and the space you have available to house your birds in. Helping you to build your very own designer flock is something we love to do! We also recommend you do your homework, look up breeds and their requirements on the internet before you decide to get chickens (Google is your best friend here). Check out these friendly sites: www.mypetchicken.comwww.backyardpoultry.com
What do I need to take care of my chicks?
At Beau Peep Farms we carry a small selection of feed and basic supplies to help fill in any of the items you may have missed when getting ready for your new chicks. Our knowledgeable staff is always full of helpful hints and can refer you to helpful websites, recommend books or even provide you with need-to-know information at the time of your purchase! Because we care we often ask you questions just to make sure you're fully prepared for the new young lives we are about to put in your hands!
What temperature do I have to keep the chicks?
http://webelfin.com/chickens/
What is Marek's vaccinated?
Marek's disease is a virus that is lethal to chickens. Luckily the numbers of cases and severity can be highly reduced by the use of vaccination. At Beau Peep we insist on Marek's vaccinations on all layer type chicks. Vaccination does not guarantee 100% prevention but it is preferred to the alternative.
For more information check out these sites:
www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
or www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marek's_disease
Parasites, external and internal, what are they and what to do about them:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/ectoparasites/mites-of-poultry
What is fly-strike?
A parasitic species of fly, whose larvae are renowned for eating and infesting the flesh of living organisms, primarily warm-blooded animals such as cattle and other livestock. Their larvae cause myiasis, or an infestation of maggots, in lesions or other wounds and injuries that the host animal may have.
These flies go through four stages are egg, larva, pupa, and adult. This entire lifecycle lasts an average of 21 days at prime conditions (preferably a warm, moist environment), and can last as long as three months in colder climates. Females only lay eggs once in a lifetime and can lay 100 to 400 in a clutch. Females usually lay their eggs on the edge of an open wound. The warm and moist conditions are the perfect combination of home and food source. The nasal, oral, anal or cloacal areas of a host are especially prone to Cochliomyia oviposition.
Larvae hatch about 12–21 hours after the eggs have been laid. The larvae are a cream color. C. hominivorax larvae dive head-first into whatever food source is nearest, and burrow deeper, eating into live flesh if available. This results in a pocket-like lesion that causes severe pain to the host.
Their lesser (secondary) cousins to C hominivorax is C. macellaria. The C. Marcellaria larvae only feed on the necrotic tissue of a wound. After 5 to 7 days, the larvae drop and move away from the food source to pupate. The larvae burrow into the first layer of topsoil, beneath leaves or garbage, and begin their pupation. The pupa is a dark brown color. This stage can last from 7 days at a warm temperature to as long as two months if the weather is much colder. The adults emerge and spend a day or two finishing maturity.
Adults of C. hominivorax breed only once in their lifetimes. Sexually mature adults breed 3–4 days after emerging from the pupa. Males mature rapidly, and spend their time waiting and eating nearby vegetation and the nectar of flowers. The females, however, are predatory, and feed on the fluids from live wounds. The females can fly long distances to find a mate. The adult flies of this species live around two to three weeks.
These nasty flies that cause fly strike (C. Hominivorax) are the size of a housefly with a greenish-blue metallic body color and an orange face, easily confused with the secondary screwworm, C. macellaria, which is a flesh-eating fly whose larvae consume only necrotic (already dead) tissue, either that of carrion or of an animal or human host (myiasis). This important distinction between C. macellaria and C. hominivorax (the screwworm described above).
For more information check out the following link:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/fly-strike
Some animal killed my birds! What was it??!
Check out this site: www.http://icwdm.org/inspection/Livestock.aspx It is the "Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management" it will also help you identify holes, scat and foot prints of predators.
How does an egg develop into a chick?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ah-gT0hTto
What about genetics?
http://kippenjungle.nl/basisEN.htm
We also suggest looking up images on Google for charts related to your goals for feather colour/patterns and egg shell colours etc.
Where can I see breeds of poultry on display?
Check out this site: http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/district_eleven.htm
The APA lists clubs and all of their shows/events. You can see poultry on display at these events.
Where can I get a chicken coop or plans to build one? Check out this site: http://backyardfarmingguide.com/free-chicken-coop-plans-to-download/ Free plans for building your own coop, repurposing items into feeders, water founts and nest boxes too!
What about bio-security? What is it all about? Check out this video:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/animals/terrestrial-animals/biosecurity/tools/video/eng/1320092234079/1322158553549
To learn more about poultry we recommend you visit these sites: (Top 3 in bold text)
For those wishing to keep chickens in various Municipalities of B.C. A concise guide to keeping chickens which includes municipal bylaws:
http://www.farmfolkcityfolk.ca/resources/all-about-chickens/
Keeping Backyard Hens – The Basics, a PDF Document
www.dailyeggs.com/Chicken%20class%20complete%2010.09pdf.pdf
or www.farmfolkcityfolk.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Keeping-Backyard-Hens.pdf
Vancouver B.C. Metro Area Edition. October 2009. Very Useful! Also includes bylaws information.
The Chicken Chick, site loaded with helpful information such as chicken first aid and DIY projects!
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/01/chicken-first-aid-kit-sick-bay-be.html
This Chicken Chick link gets you straight to the specific care articles. Angela highly recommends this site!
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/p/chicken-resources-directory.html
www.mypetchicken.com
The Poultry Keeper has over 600 well written easy to understand articles covering poultry keeping and poultry health including answers on strange looking eggs! This one is one of Angela's highly recommended sites! https://poultrykeeper.com/
www.chickensinvancouver.com a must for anyone living in Vancouver!
http://webelfin.com/chickens/ Jenny Robson's How to Raise Chickens as based on her own experience.
www.omlet.co.uk/guide/chickens/ this one is from the UK, but very informative.
www.poultrypedia.com for great information regarding poultry health and nutrition.
http://www.smallfarmer.ca/category/livestock/ Metro Vancouver Farmers Listings
http://www.homeadvisor.com/r/raising-chickens-at-home/#.WD9BY-mPKUk brought to our attention by a 4H member, this site is a good one.
http://www.raising-chickens.org/ Raising chickens website also includes how to humanely kill a chicken.
Need some inspiration on what to do with all those eggs? Check out these links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XonNy7s2Nhk ten inspiring ways to cook an egg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gJYTEk90uk ten more delicious ways to cook an egg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGHGLlxlvBw one long egg made up of many eggs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKCkR6L85vg scrambled eggs still in their shells
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkPPn5ycsnc Scotch eggs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVAud3mogvk cloud eggs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1ZLSbQ0r0I french toast uses eggs discretely (so do pancakes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBoFpzrQokI Make a fried egg and cheese sandwich (use french toast in place of plain bread and wow even more eggs in your diet. Can anyone say Monte-Cristo?!)
Remember, there's still scrambled eggs, fried eggs, boiled eggs, poached eggs, eggs in baking, egg omelettes, frittata, Eggs Benedict, Quiche....eggcetra eggcetra...
What causes it? How to prevent it. How is it treated?
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/07/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning.html
What is Coccidiosis?
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/ department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex4616
What is Turkey Black Head disease?
Histomoniasis, a protozoan called Histomonas Meleagridis can infect both chickens and turkey's. Learn more at:
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/viewhtml.php?id=343
Is there a poultry Veterinarian?
http://mikethechickenvet.wordpress.com/
"The number one reason that vet care isn’t more available for backyard chickens is inertia. “It just isn’t done”. Like giving women the vote, this is unheard of, and might be the end of civilization as we know it. Keep asking your vet (and other vets) to look after your hens. Be willing to pay a little, in order to make him/her think about making it a part of the clinic’s business model. Be patient if they are slow, or unsure. Keep trying to make it happen, and in the near future, someone will figure out that treating chickens is not scary or dangerous, and a model for this type of medicine will emerge and become commonplace."
Quote from Dr. Mike Petrik, DVM, MSc
source: http://mikethechickenvet.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/why-arent-there-more-chicken-vets/
How do I decide on which chicks to buy?
The staff at Beau Peep Farms is always happy to answer all of your questions and make recommendations based on your likes, needs and the space you have available to house your birds in. Helping you to build your very own designer flock is something we love to do! We also recommend you do your homework, look up breeds and their requirements on the internet before you decide to get chickens (Google is your best friend here). Check out these friendly sites: www.mypetchicken.comwww.backyardpoultry.com
What do I need to take care of my chicks?
At Beau Peep Farms we carry a small selection of feed and basic supplies to help fill in any of the items you may have missed when getting ready for your new chicks. Our knowledgeable staff is always full of helpful hints and can refer you to helpful websites, recommend books or even provide you with need-to-know information at the time of your purchase! Because we care we often ask you questions just to make sure you're fully prepared for the new young lives we are about to put in your hands!
What temperature do I have to keep the chicks?
http://webelfin.com/chickens/
What is Marek's vaccinated?
Marek's disease is a virus that is lethal to chickens. Luckily the numbers of cases and severity can be highly reduced by the use of vaccination. At Beau Peep we insist on Marek's vaccinations on all layer type chicks. Vaccination does not guarantee 100% prevention but it is preferred to the alternative.
For more information check out these sites:
www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
or www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marek's_disease
Parasites, external and internal, what are they and what to do about them:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/ectoparasites/mites-of-poultry
What is fly-strike?
A parasitic species of fly, whose larvae are renowned for eating and infesting the flesh of living organisms, primarily warm-blooded animals such as cattle and other livestock. Their larvae cause myiasis, or an infestation of maggots, in lesions or other wounds and injuries that the host animal may have.
These flies go through four stages are egg, larva, pupa, and adult. This entire lifecycle lasts an average of 21 days at prime conditions (preferably a warm, moist environment), and can last as long as three months in colder climates. Females only lay eggs once in a lifetime and can lay 100 to 400 in a clutch. Females usually lay their eggs on the edge of an open wound. The warm and moist conditions are the perfect combination of home and food source. The nasal, oral, anal or cloacal areas of a host are especially prone to Cochliomyia oviposition.
Larvae hatch about 12–21 hours after the eggs have been laid. The larvae are a cream color. C. hominivorax larvae dive head-first into whatever food source is nearest, and burrow deeper, eating into live flesh if available. This results in a pocket-like lesion that causes severe pain to the host.
Their lesser (secondary) cousins to C hominivorax is C. macellaria. The C. Marcellaria larvae only feed on the necrotic tissue of a wound. After 5 to 7 days, the larvae drop and move away from the food source to pupate. The larvae burrow into the first layer of topsoil, beneath leaves or garbage, and begin their pupation. The pupa is a dark brown color. This stage can last from 7 days at a warm temperature to as long as two months if the weather is much colder. The adults emerge and spend a day or two finishing maturity.
Adults of C. hominivorax breed only once in their lifetimes. Sexually mature adults breed 3–4 days after emerging from the pupa. Males mature rapidly, and spend their time waiting and eating nearby vegetation and the nectar of flowers. The females, however, are predatory, and feed on the fluids from live wounds. The females can fly long distances to find a mate. The adult flies of this species live around two to three weeks.
These nasty flies that cause fly strike (C. Hominivorax) are the size of a housefly with a greenish-blue metallic body color and an orange face, easily confused with the secondary screwworm, C. macellaria, which is a flesh-eating fly whose larvae consume only necrotic (already dead) tissue, either that of carrion or of an animal or human host (myiasis). This important distinction between C. macellaria and C. hominivorax (the screwworm described above).
For more information check out the following link:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/fly-strike
Some animal killed my birds! What was it??!
Check out this site: www.http://icwdm.org/inspection/Livestock.aspx It is the "Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management" it will also help you identify holes, scat and foot prints of predators.
How does an egg develop into a chick?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ah-gT0hTto
What about genetics?
http://kippenjungle.nl/basisEN.htm
We also suggest looking up images on Google for charts related to your goals for feather colour/patterns and egg shell colours etc.
Where can I see breeds of poultry on display?
Check out this site: http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/district_eleven.htm
The APA lists clubs and all of their shows/events. You can see poultry on display at these events.
Where can I get a chicken coop or plans to build one? Check out this site: http://backyardfarmingguide.com/free-chicken-coop-plans-to-download/ Free plans for building your own coop, repurposing items into feeders, water founts and nest boxes too!
What about bio-security? What is it all about? Check out this video:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/animals/terrestrial-animals/biosecurity/tools/video/eng/1320092234079/1322158553549
To learn more about poultry we recommend you visit these sites: (Top 3 in bold text)
For those wishing to keep chickens in various Municipalities of B.C. A concise guide to keeping chickens which includes municipal bylaws:
http://www.farmfolkcityfolk.ca/resources/all-about-chickens/
Keeping Backyard Hens – The Basics, a PDF Document
www.dailyeggs.com/Chicken%20class%20complete%2010.09pdf.pdf
or www.farmfolkcityfolk.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Keeping-Backyard-Hens.pdf
Vancouver B.C. Metro Area Edition. October 2009. Very Useful! Also includes bylaws information.
The Chicken Chick, site loaded with helpful information such as chicken first aid and DIY projects!
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/01/chicken-first-aid-kit-sick-bay-be.html
This Chicken Chick link gets you straight to the specific care articles. Angela highly recommends this site!
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/p/chicken-resources-directory.html
www.mypetchicken.com
The Poultry Keeper has over 600 well written easy to understand articles covering poultry keeping and poultry health including answers on strange looking eggs! This one is one of Angela's highly recommended sites! https://poultrykeeper.com/
www.chickensinvancouver.com a must for anyone living in Vancouver!
http://webelfin.com/chickens/ Jenny Robson's How to Raise Chickens as based on her own experience.
www.omlet.co.uk/guide/chickens/ this one is from the UK, but very informative.
www.poultrypedia.com for great information regarding poultry health and nutrition.
http://www.smallfarmer.ca/category/livestock/ Metro Vancouver Farmers Listings
http://www.homeadvisor.com/r/raising-chickens-at-home/#.WD9BY-mPKUk brought to our attention by a 4H member, this site is a good one.
http://www.raising-chickens.org/ Raising chickens website also includes how to humanely kill a chicken.
Need some inspiration on what to do with all those eggs? Check out these links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XonNy7s2Nhk ten inspiring ways to cook an egg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gJYTEk90uk ten more delicious ways to cook an egg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGHGLlxlvBw one long egg made up of many eggs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKCkR6L85vg scrambled eggs still in their shells
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkPPn5ycsnc Scotch eggs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVAud3mogvk cloud eggs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1ZLSbQ0r0I french toast uses eggs discretely (so do pancakes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBoFpzrQokI Make a fried egg and cheese sandwich (use french toast in place of plain bread and wow even more eggs in your diet. Can anyone say Monte-Cristo?!)
Remember, there's still scrambled eggs, fried eggs, boiled eggs, poached eggs, eggs in baking, egg omelettes, frittata, Eggs Benedict, Quiche....eggcetra eggcetra...
A great place to pick up chicks!
Beau Peep Farms