Automated assessment of broiler chicken welfare poses particular problems due to the large numbers of birds involved and the variety of different welfare measures that have been proposed. Active (sustained, defect-free) walking is both a universally agreed measure of...
In a recent report from the Steiner Consulting Group released on March 7th, 2023, the U.S. turkey industry marked a notable milestone: its first annual increase in per capita consumption since 2016. However, this uptick came with a tinge...
Millions of UK chickens are suffering skin damage from being forced to live packed together in their own waste, a new investigation has found.
"Hock burn", caused by ammonia in excrement, is visible on a third of supermarket birds, according...
As spring approaches, backyard poultry owners and educators may be preparing for hatching season, which also means taking precautions against the spread of disease.
“Even in a small and controlled environment, biosecurity threats are present,” says Samantha Lahman, North Dakota...
When broiler chickens are busy fighting the parasitic infection coccidiosis, they can’t absorb nutrients efficiently or put energy toward growth. With consumer sentiment pitted against antimicrobials and other drugs, producers still have some options to ensure optimal growth during...
For farmers residing near poultry production facilities, poultry litter emerges as a cost-effective fertilizer option, provided they plan meticulously. Environmental quality specialist Peter Tomlinson and nutrient management specialist Dorivar Ruiz Diaz from Kansas State University elaborate on this in...
Stress is chickens’ natural physiological response to protect themselves, but too much stress can reduce your flock’s health. For prey animals like chickens, stress initiates the fight or flight response that helps them survive in the wild.
Figuring out how...
Quick facts
Provide supplemental heat when coop temperatures fall below 35 degrees F.
Collect eggs as soon as you can and throw away any with cracked shells.
Make sure your chickens have free access to fresh, clean water.
Manage...
Despite a significant decrease in the number of confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) over recent months, fresh outbreaks continue to wreak havoc on avian populations across the United States, as revealed by a blend of federal...
Gut health has made its stamp on livestock production as the gateway to animal health. We often think the gut's primary job is to digest valuable nutrients. But an immunologist may argue that a more important job of the...