Welcome to The BackyardChickens.com Forum! + Newsletter Archive

[BYC Support]

April 2014​

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Adding New Chickens to Your Flock
Moving in with new peeps can be a stressful experience for chickens. As head hen or roo, it's your job to make it a safe and easy transition. Learn about the importance of quarantining the new chickens, and how disrupting the pecking order affects the henhouse balance.



Going Free Range?
Like teenagers, chickens think they are born free and destined to roam! But are your spring chickens ready for their first foray into the wilderness? Learn what "free range" really means, and how to provide for the best (and safest) experience for your chickens. One day they'll thank you, we promise.



Win a New Coop for Your Crew!
Now through April 30, 2014, enter the Nutrena® Farm Team Challenge sweepstakes for a chance to win a new chicken coop, live pullet chicks, free Nutrena® Poultry Feed or Happy Hen Treats, and other great prizes awarded weekly. To enter and earn a money-saving coupon for Nutrena® feed, go to FarmTeamChallenge.com.

Hot Topics on BYC

• What is your "If only someone had told me!" moment?
• Raising Meat birds on alternative feeds (ie CHEEP-ly)
• Which Incubator to buy?
• May Hatch-a-Long!
• Found green poop in the coop
• THE all-purpose chicken
• Best type of roost? Weigh in with your design opinion
• Turkey thief caught in the act!
• Should i buy eggs or day old chicks?
• Chicken name help?
• What to do with this litter?

 

[BYC Support]

May 2014​

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Letting Broody Hens Hatch, Raise Chicks
A broody hen is the best way to hatch chicks for you and your flock. But it can be nerve wrecking when you let a broody hatch for you the first time, especially if you’ve bought her really expensive hatching eggs. Hopefully this guide will help take you through it and put your mind at ease.



The Perfect Chicken Coop?
Does the perfect chicken coop exist? Did you believe your coop was the greatest only to feel slighted by all the amazing chicken coops on BYC? If you could give your hen house an extreme makeover, what would you change? Share your experiences and wishful thinking in this great thread.



Chicken Toys
A chicken that is not provided with adequate enrichment and mental stimulation will be more inclined towards behaviorial problems. Feather pecking, bullying, and even cannibalism can be a result of chickens that are confined without proper enrichment. Check out this great article with ideas on chicken toys.



Register Now for Free Flock Minder Tool!
Looking for timely tips on how to care for your chickens throughout their unique life stages? Sign up for Flock Minder, a new online tool from Nutrena

. Get helpful tips and expert guidelines delivered directly to your inbox. From newly hatched chicks to mature birds, get the right advice at the right time for free. Sign up today at FlockMinder.com.

 

[BYC Support]

May 2014​

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BYC University Shirts Available
Back by popular demand! We haven’t done a run of this fun design in years and now finally have limited stock available. You can now proudly display your association with the best chicken education system in the world! Hurry and get yours before they sell out again.



How to Train Your Dragon Chicken!
Train a chicken? You betcha! Chickens are remarkably intelligent, and with a little know-how on your part, your flock can be trained to do lots of things!



The Egg Plant
Get it… “egg plant”… “eggplant”? So clever! Come check out this beautiful and fun coop!



Protect Your Flock the Natural Way!
Poultry Protector® from Manna Pro® is different from other insect treatment products. It uses natural enzymes, not harsh chemicals, to safely rid your coop of pesky bugs such as mites, lice, fleas and ticks. Help make your birds more comfortable so they can grow, flourish and lay beautiful eggs.

Hot Topics on BYC

• TWEAK MY COOP - Tweaks on the cheap
• When are chicks considered "Feathered"? Looking to remove lamp ASAP.
• Neighbors dog killed my whole flock – How to price my loss?
• Rooster attacking me
• What time do chickens lay eggs?
• Dust bath? When and what?
• Do chickens get fleas?
• Chickens not allowed, going to anyway.
• Free ranging pros and cons?

 

[BYC Support]

June 2014​

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Cleaning & Storing Eggs
Thousands of early-Spring chicks are getting ready to lay their first eggs and you may have questions about how to clean and store them. Check out this article for tips and ideas! Oh, and remember to post pics of your first egg.


"Chillin'" Shirt Sale
To celebrate summer, we’re having a 2-week sale: For every two “Chillin With My Peeps” clothing items purchased, you’ll get a FREE 1-year Golden Feather Membership ($20 value!) for you or a friend! Note: supplies are limited, offer good while supplies last.


Fun Contests!
We’ve got a handful of contests that you should check out and submit your entry!

• BYC Video Contest
• Article Writing Contest
• Coop Page Contest

Hot Topics on BYC

• What do you feed your 3-4 month old chickens?
• Thread for people in wheelchairs who raise chickens
• Bed time drama & nighttime shenanigans?
• 2 yr old rooster has gone psycho
• My chicken is eating it's own egg
• Best way I've found yet to deal with snake problems!
• At last! How to stop your rooster crowing - maybe
• Are theses eggs fertile?
• Should I be present when broody mama's chicks hatch?

 

[BYC Support]

July 2014​

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We Need Your Pics - BYC 2015 Calendar
We’re halfway through 2014 and we're already planning the BYC 2015 Calendar. This year, we’ve started early so all our members get a chance to submit their photos. So what are you waiting for? Submit your photos now!


Advice For First-Time Chicken Owners
We’ve all been brand new chicken owners once and we are well aware how daunting it can be! So we asked our members for tips and advice for others new to this wonderful hobby and condensed their advice into this handy article.


BYC Cookbook + FREE GFM
BYC has an official cookbook? Yup, and it’s full of wonderful recipes submitted by our amazing community members! For the next week, if you buy a BYC cookbook you’ll get a FREE 6-month Golden Feather Membership!

Sign Up for Free Flock Minder Tool!​

Looking for timely tips on how to care for your chickens throughout their unique life stages? Sign up for Flock Minder, a new online tool from Nutrena®. Get helpful tips and expert guidelines delivered directly to your inbox. From newly hatched chicks to mature birds, get the right advice at the right time for free. Sign up today at FlockMinder.com.
Hot Topics on BYC

• Moving chicks out to the coop
• Ideas needed for constructing a sloped chicken run
• When is it time to switch to layer feed?
• Best floor material for small coop and run?
• Apple Cider Vinegar for hens?
• Bear caught on game cam!
• Does every flock have a complainer?
• Homemade feed questions
• How much time do you spend cleaning the coop?
• Cold hardy and broody chicken breeds?