Laying hens

The popularity of raising chickens in household conditions has been rising in recent years. This trend may be due to several factors, one of these surely being the search of high-quality foods, a more sustainable lifestyle and desire for greater independence. Breeding chickens at home also allows owners to control the animals’ living conditions and…

Chickens are the most numerous bird species ever, with 26 billion breeding representatives. Unsurprisingly, they are divided into several groups according to different aspects. Which division is the most common, and which breeds of hens should you definitely be familiar with?

When keeping chickens, one may wonder how long a hen actually lives. There is no clear answer to this question. It always depends on several factors – some you can influence, some unfortunately you cannot. How can you contribute to the long life of your hens and how does the life of a fowl work?

In our flock, hens should lay eggs in laying nests lined with clean straw; the eggs should be clean and have intact shells.

The health of your hens is one of the most important things you should look after in your breeding. If a flock is lacking something or has a health problem, it will show up in a drop in laying or a change in behaviour. One such situation is an infestation of bumblebees. How do you…

Chicken is the most widespread bird species in the world, so it’s no surprise that choosing the ideal breed for your backyard can feel overwhelming. Each breed has slightly different needs — and unfortunately, beginners who choose the wrong breed may not always be able to provide what their hens require. So how do you…

Believe it or not, every hen keeper will at least once go through that state of despair when they discover a louse or mite on their hen. If this unfortunate event has happened to you, you need not despair. How do you deal with unwelcome guests or, better still, how do you not let them…

Laying hens are, in terms of both numbers and production, the most important group of poultry—and indeed livestock—in small-scale farming. In large-scale production systems, they are clearly defined, consisting of hybrid laying hens used for intensive egg production during a single season. In small backyard flocks, however, both hybrids and a wide range of purebred…

Already at the beginning of winter, it is high time to think about creating optimal conditions to achieve the best possible results in poultry hatching.

Broodiness is a natural reproductive process in laying hens, whose biological purpose is to bring a new generation into the world — which is why hens lay eggs. This process is controlled by hormones and influenced by many factors. However, a broody hen stops laying eggs, and a brooding period (which can last several weeks)…