A Family Guide To Keeping Chickens (64 page)

bucket drinkers
77

choosing a poultry drinker
77–9

metal or plastic drinkers
78–9

tower drinkers
78

what size drinkers?
77–8

dust-bath
12
,
14
,
15
,
20
,
22
,
23
,
30
,
40
,
43
,
44
,
58
,
81
,
84
,
85
,
123
,
124
,
185
,
218
,
243

eggs and what to do with them
150–75

an egg a day?
150–1

blood on the shell
155
,
157
,
170

chart
174–5

colours
151–2

cooking with eggs
165–8

creating the wonderful egg
150–4

dietary imbalance
156

does size matter?
151

egg eating
158

finding alien eggs
154–7

freezing eggs
161

giving eggs away
162

how fresh are the eggs?
164–5

how many eggs can you eat?
165

inside the shell
154

knowing if a hen is ready to lay
158–9

laying problems
191–2

making use of your eggs
164–9

meat spots and blood spots
157

misshapen eggs
156

multiple yolks
155

number of egg-laying seasons
151

parasites and disease
156

pickling eggs
161

preserving eggs
160
,
162

selling eggs
162–4

storing eggs
160

stress
156

tiny eggs
154–5

where are the eggs?
157–9

eggshell
91
,
98
,
151
,
153
,
154
,
155
,
157
,
168–9
,
170
,
217
,
233
,
242
,
243
,
244

electric fencing
31
,
47
,
121
,
125
,
127
,
129
,
135
,
243

Faverolles
51
,
63
,
247

feathers:

hard feather, soft feather
58
,
71
,
243
,
245

loss
121
,
183
,
185
,
193–5
,
196
,
197

moult
121
,
131
,
135
,
155
,
157
,
185
,
193–4
,
197
,
198
,
235
,
237
,
242
,
243
,
244

wing clipping
127
,
130–1
,
135
,
245

avoiding poisonous plants
96-7

buying
89–90

cleaning
90

crumbs
90

drinking water
95

feeding chickens
95–6

grain
92

green food and grass
91–2

grit
91

mash
90

pellets
90

scraps
88–9

storing
80–1

supplements
94

treats and extras
94–5

feeder, choosing a poultry
74–7

cylinder feeders
75

feed cups
76

feed scoops
77

grit hoppers
77

metal or plastic feeders
76

peck and treadle feeders
75

trough feeders
75

what size feeder?
76

finding out about chickens
4–5

first aid kit, putting together
84
,
85

five freedoms, the
4

fleas
185
,
196

free-range chickens
14
,
15
,
27
,
29
,
30
,
44
,
46
,
51
,
53
,
56
,
58
,
59
,
60
,
61
,
63
,
64
,
65
,
81
,
90
,
91
,
94
,
96
,
97
,
103
,
111
,
112
,
115
,
117
,
120
,
123
,
129
,
130
,
144
,
147
,
154
,
157
,
163
,
165
,
185
,
195
,
203
,
206
,
221

freezing eggs
161
,
170
,
235

frozen combs and wattles
193

hard-feather
58
,
71

heart disease
190

heavy breeds
41
,
61
,
62–6
,
71
,
130
,
190
,
243

henhouse
see
housing

history of chicken keeping
7

holidays, arranging cover for your
3
,
133–4
,
136
,
251

housing, what to look for
36–42

design features
39–41

doors
39

ease of cleaning
41

henhouse dimensions
42

high-rise living
40

manoeuvrability
41

nest-boxes
40

perches
40–1

security
37–8

shopping around
42

structure
36

ventilation
39

hybrids
44
,
46
,
50–1
,
52–7
,
60
,
64
,
65
,
70
,
71
,
72
,
73
,
89
,
103
,
104
,
105
,
106
,
107
,
157
,
210
,
225
,
230
,
243
,
249
,
250

impacted crop
191
,
243

intelligent chicken, the
xiv
,
10
,
11
,
214

ivermectin
186
,
196
,
244

kids’ corner
8–9
,
22–3
,
48–9
,
72–3
,
86–7
,
100–1
,
118–19
,
136–7
,
148–9
,
172–5
,
198–9
,
208–9
,
226–7
,
232–3
,
240–1

Leghorn
51
,
52
,
55
,
57
,
60
,
70
,
151
,
247
,
248

lice
126
,
185
,
196

light breeds
59–62
,
71
,
151
,
217
,
244

magazines
105
,
249

Marans
46
,
55
,
64
,
152
,
248
,
250

Marek’s disease
69
,
106
,
160
,
188–9
,
197
,
244

moulting
121
,
131
,
135
,
155
,
157
,
185
,
193–4
,
197
,
198
,
235
,
237
,
242
,
243
,
244

mycoplasma
106
,
186–7
,
197
,
244

myths, ten chicken
2

Newcastle disease
106
,
189
,
197
,
244

northern fowl mite
183–4
,
196
,
244

organizations
246–7

Orpington
51
,
64
,
70
,
142
,
203
,
214
,
248

parasites and ailments, dealing with
176–99

appreciating the causes of disease
177–8

chicken pox
190

combating external parasites
179–86

digestive problems
190–1

droppings
177

egg-laying problems
191–2

feather loss
193–5

heart disease
190

looking after yourself
195

looking for problems
176–7

prolapse
192

recognizing infectious disease
186–90

respiratory system
190

treating wounds and external problems
193

see also under individual parasite and ailment name

pecking order, establishing the
12
,
13
,
20
,
21
,
22
,
23
,
96
,
112–13
,
117
,
119
,
244

Pekin Bantam
44
,
51
,
58
,
68
,
103
,
142
,
213
,
214
,
248
,
250

peritonitis
187
,
192
,
197
,
243

pets, chickens as
5–6

planning for your first chickens
1–9

Plymouth Rock
51
,
64
,
248

predators
2
,
19
,
25
,
27
,
29
,
30
,
31
,
32
,
33
,
37
,
38
,
44
,
46
,
47
,
66
,
84
,
121
,
122
,
133
,
134
,
138–49
,
158
,
176
,
178
,
213
,
228
,
229
,
230
,
237

the badger
140

birds of prey
144

crows, magpies, jackdaws and rooks
144

domestic cats and dogs
146

the fox
138–40

free-range chickens
147

humans
146

keeping your chickens safe
147

mink and otters
141–2

predator-proof chicken runs
28

rats and squirrels
144–5

stoats, weasels, polecats, ferrets and pine martens
142–3

trapping responsibly
145

prolapse
192
,
197
,
244

pure-breeds
44
,
46
,
50–1
,
52
,
55
,
58–62
,
70
,
71
,
72
,
103
,
104
,
105
,
106
,
157
,
205
,
230
,
244
,
250
,
251

red mite
36
,
47
,
83
,
124
,
130
,
135
,
137
,
157
,
170
,
179–83
,
196
,
198
,
199
,
235
,
244

repairs and maintenance
123
,
125
,
130
,
135

respiratory system
32
,
178
,
186
,
187
,
189
,
190
,
242
,
243
,
244

responsible chicken keeping
3

Rhode Island red
51
,
52
,
65
,
205

Rosecomb Bantam
68
,
248

run:

cleaning/maintaining the
124
,
125
,
127
,
129
,
135

electric netting and
30
,
31

giving chickens some fun in their
82

ground cover for
26

integrated runs and arks
34–5

large
27

movable
28
,
29

predator-proof
28

small garden and
24
,
25

sales and auctions, buying from
5
,
46
,
105
,
107–8
,
117
,
118

salmonella
89
,
106
,
165
,
190
,
197
,
245

scaly leg mite
184–5
,
186
,
196
,
245

scratching and foraging
14
,
20
,
25
,
30

Sebright
51
,
69
,
189
,
248

Serama
51
,
69
,
248

shade and shelter, providing
17–18
,
47

Silkie
51
,
59
,
60
,
70
,
189
,
214
,
248
,
250

Silver Spangled Appenzeller Spitzhauben
51
,
61
,
70
,
247