Raising Backyard Poultry

A guide to raising backyard chickens, covering brooding, housing, perches, nest boxes, water, feed, predator control, lighting, egg production and molting.

Although most small backyard flocks of chickens remain relatively healthy, it is useful to note a few diseases and abnormalities that may be occasionally encountered.

This guide offers practical advice to help you raise resilient, high-laying hens and build a successful small-scale egg production system, no matter your level of experience.

Chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, peafowl, and game birds can harbor and transmit certain agents that might infect people. These practices will help minimize the chance for disease transmission between you and your poultry.

Essential guidelines for hatching eggs and raising chicks, covering topics such as egg collection, incubation, candling, hatching, and chick care.

An overview of basic housing principles for small flocks of chickens.

This fact sheet covers poultry history, top egg-laying breeds, egg anatomy, nutrition, and practical tips to help farmers improve productivity and run successful egg production ventures.

A guide to better understand and evaluate the status of egg production in the domestic fowl.

An overview of feeding and nutrition principles for chicken owners, including water, feed quality, feeding systems and feed consumption.