News Archives - Chicken Wing Toe

May 25, 2022June 25, 2022

What Is Egg Bloom?

Sharing a fantastic article from Better Homes and Garden. because it is just so good.

Just before laying an egg, the hen adds a protective layer called “bloom” or cuticle to the outside of the egg. This coating seals the shell pores, prevents bacteria from getting inside the shell, and reduces moisture loss from the egg. These are all things designed to make the egg last longer.

All chickens add the protective bloom to an egg just before they lay it. However, because of the conditions at some large egg operations in the United States, commercial (grocery store) eggs are required to be washed right after collection. This is done to make them appear clean and presentable. Of course, this destroys the protective egg bloom. Then, to try replacing the natural bloom, most commercial packers spray shells with a thin film of mineral oil. That’s why grocery store eggs sometimes appear shiny.

An advantage of having backyard chickens is that we can assure sanitary conditions; so the natural protective bloom can be preserved. If the nest boxes are kept clean, most eggs come out spotless, so washing after collection is unnecessary (read more on washing eggs or not here).

Eggs that have their protective bloom will last for months, but washing them right before cooking is a good idea.

Occasionally, an egg will come out a little dirty, or feathers and nest box shavings will stick to the fresh (still wet) bloom. If shavings or feathers have gotten stuck, we simply brush them off.

Any eggs that are truly dirty we wash and reserve for immediate use. The bloom should NEVER be washed off any eggs that are planned to be used for incubation and hatching; these eggs need all of their natural protection (see Collecting and Storing Eggs for Hatching).

April 23, 2022April 23, 2022

Chicken Helmets + Bikes

Spring has sprung and we are having a ball with our flock! We recently discovered that our feathered friends enjoy riding around the neighborhood with us. They literally fly into our bike baskets and are ready to go, go, go! Truth be told, they get a little bossy with us if we make them wait.

Concerned for their safety, we bought them helmets. These helmets are absolutely adorable and you can find a variety of online. We bought ours on Etsy.

If you are looking for fun things to do with your chickens and enhance your bond with them, do take them for a spin. They absolutely love it!

February 22, 2022May 4, 2022

Caring for Your Flock

Even thought it is cold outside (HELLO WINTER), caring for your flock is so important. We take extra steps to be sure that they are healthy and happy. Here are few things that we do and highly encourage you to do, too!

- Manage the bedding. How you do this depends on the litter method you are using. For flocks that only have a small area, typically change the bedding in the coop at least monthly. But flocks in larger spaces can use the deep litter method. For this method, begin with 3 to 4 inches of bedding. Each month (or when droppings build up), add more bedding until you have 6 inches or more. Then, remove all the bedding twice a year and start over. orever, you can compost chicken litter for use in the garden; it is rich in nitrogen.
- Freshen the nest boxes. When the bedding in the nest box becomes soiled with poop or broken eggs, pull out the dirty parts and put in fresh bedding material. This helps to keep your hens laying in the nest boxes, and it makes the job of cleaning eggs easier.
- Sanitize the waterers. At least monthly, you should give the water containers a deep clean. Sanitize them with your choice of solution; the simplest is 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Then, scrub the waterers with dish soap and warm water, and rinse well to remove any remaining bleach and soap before refilling with fresh water.
- Let there be heat. Making sure you have roosting space for everyone; this is how hens stay warm. Be careful about heating your coup as it is not always recommended.

August 17, 2021August 17, 2021

Adopting Chickens

As it has become very popular to have chickens in your backyard as of late, I highly recommend that you choose to adopt before buying. Many people have romantic notions about having chickens in your backyard, but truth be told, there is work involved, as well as a true commitment to your feathery friends’ well-being.

Here is a an article by the Humane Society that is worth the read. Now go love some chickens and give them a proper home if you are willing!

August 9, 2021August 9, 2021

Personalized Egg Stamp

We found a company that creates personalized egg stamps. And let me tell you… our sweet chickens can’t lay eggs fast enough so we may gleefully stamp their eggs with joy. We often gift eggs to our friends. Now, our gift of giving is so much more meaningful when the eggs are personalized. We made stamps for each of our lovely hens so that our lovely egg cartons (yes, we personalized those, too) are filled with a variety of names.

To order some of these lovely stamps for yourself and flock, please visit Southern Paper and Ink.

July 20, 2021July 23, 2021

Keeping Your Chickens Cool in Summer

Wow, is it hot outside! With excessive heatwaves hitting most of the country this year, it is so important to maintain a cool environment for our feathered friends. Although chickens are very adaptable to weather changes, they usually perform at their best around 75°F and below. Consistently high summer temperatures can cause your chickens to suffer from heat stress and overheating, or even halt their egg-laying process. Among heavier breeds, extreme heat can even cause death.

Here are some things you can do to help combat the crazy apocalyptic heat.

Offer Shade for Chickens. Providing a shade structure is the best idea. Without shade, chickens won’t have any place of refuge in which to escape the heat. We built a permanent structure to be utilized year-round. In extreme heat, any shade structure, small or large, temporary or permanent, makes all the difference to help our flocks.
Install a Fan in the Coop. This tip is not always possible without messing up the structure of the coop, but a small fan can circulate air and keep your flock cooler during the summer months. Caution: Be very careful about electrical wiring exposure. We added a fan and heating element to our permanent structure and then added a cooling/heating window unit to provide additional circulation. The window unit prevents any accidental exposed wires that could get wet or even become a possible would-be snack. OMG, that would be so shocking!
Install a Mister / Spray Cold Water / Add a Pool. Our chickens basically enjoy a spa-like setting. We put a kiddie pool nearby so they can wade in the water at their leisure. The mister is on a timer for the hottest part of the day. All can be easily cleaned and managed for your most discerning fowl.
Keep Cold Water Available 24/7. This tip is pretty self-explanatory, but may be the most important. The cold water will regulate the chickens’ body temperature and keep them cool. Make sure it is always available so your chickens can regulate their water intake themselves.
Add Electrolytes to Their Water. Electrolyte tablets are important for extreme heat and can prevent dehydration. Also, they often contain vitamins, too.
Offer Frozen Treats. Fill a large container with berries and water and freeze it overnight. Leave the container out the next day for your chickens so they can pick at the frozen berries and stay cool. You can also slice a watermelon and cucumbers into quarters and freeze it for a similar result.
Keep Interaction with the Flock at a Minimum. Interaction with your chickens causes them to be more active and create more heat. On extremely hot days, try to leave your chickens alone and check on them only as necessary.

Hope these friendly tips keep your flock healthy and happy this summer.

April 30, 2021May 11, 2021

Chicken Harness

Chicken harness you ask? Yes, you too may take your chicken for a walk in the neighborhood!

In all honesty, our chickens enjoy roaming our property, but every now and then, we need to take one of our littles to the veterinarian. Using the harness makes the journey so much fun for our fowl and us, too.

We highly recommend getting one for those special moments when you need to go on an adventure with your favorite feathered friend.

March 15, 2021

Spring Has Sprung

Spring has sprung and we could not be more thrilled. We have begun building on the property to make way for more entertainment space for both us and our beloved fowl.

We shall post progress shortly. In the interim, please enjoy Cutest Chicken on Instagram. So much joy may be found here!

January 24, 2021January 24, 2021

Insulation During Winter

We are designing a sleek and modern structure to encapsulate our existing chicken coup to provide our property with sustainable energy throughout the year. We are also keen to provide additional protection from all types of extreme weather for our flock..

We have always been fascinated with shipping containers. We will keep you posted of our progress and hope that our ideas might inspire you to create something innovative for your own property.

January 11, 2021January 11, 2021

Beautiful Garden Ideas for Chickens

Gardens of Emma Bridgewater by Arthur Atkinson

We are so excited about 2021 and we wanted to share beautiful garden ideas for your chickens.

We have designed our property to allow our chickens to roam free. As we love gardening, we felt that it was important to cultivate plants that both the chickens and us could enjoy.

Here is our favorite list of plants to grow in your garden:

1. Sunflowers
These flowers are very hardy and they thrive between zones five through nine. To make a chicken-friendly treat out of your sunflowers, cut the seed heads down in August thru September, dry them in a place where birds can’t get them and feed the dried seeds to your flock.

2. Fennel
This plant provides delicious seeds for your chickens and the lacy pods attract insect pollinators so they will have an additional treat when they snack. The seeds also improve the reproductive health of chickens. Your hens will eat the leaves from the fennel and you will reap the benefits in daily eggs! The plant thrives in zones six through ten.

3. Swiss Chard
This leafy plant is a favorite of our bird buddies. We love it, too. Swiss chard thrives in zones five through nine are the best place to grow this plant.

4. Cucumbers
Cucumbers are a major favorite for our chickens. To feed your chickens cucumbers, you can simply slice off a few pieces and leave it for them to eat. The seeds do a great job at getting rid of nasty intestinal worms. The plants thrive in most zones throughout the country, although they do exceptionally well in warm and humid climates.

5. Watermelon
Our chickens like to devour the entire melon: seeds, rind, and the flesh. Watermelon can be grown in most growing zones and they take a like time to grow.

6. Corn
Our birds love sweet corn and so do we. You can opt to dry out the kernels or feed your chicks straight from the ear. The plant grows well in zones four through eight. We typically plant three to four rows of corn for various recipes.

7. Oregano
We cook with lots of this herb. We have also read that oregano provides a healthy boost to chicken immune systems since it works as an antibiotic. It grows best in zones five through nine.

8. Dandelions
We plant a lot of dandelions to enjoy in many culinary recipes throughout the year. It is another favorite of our chickens, too. Dandelions flourish in every region of the country.

9. Carrots
Another favorite of ours! We love to roast, sauté and pickle them. The chickens love the leafy part of the plant. Carrots grow in most zones due to the fact that they are biennial.

10. Beet and Beet Greens
One of the best features of beets is that your chickens can eat both the greens and the vegetables as well. Beets do a great job at cleansing the blood of your birds, and chickens will simply peck them apart until they are fully consumed. Beets grow well in most zones; however, they don’t grow as well in the hotter zones.

11. Strawberries
This is a hard plant to keep in the garden as our chickens tend to eat them before we get a chance to do so. We have a wide array of berries in our garden as we love all the varieties. Strawberries tend to grow during the spring, but some produce berries in the summer as well in zones four through nine. We have begun to growing this plant indoors.

12. Kale
These leaves are high in vitamin A, and have a high amount of other nutrients. We love using this plant for shakes, salads and even bake them to create a delicious chip. Our chickens can’t get enough of this plant. Kale flourishes in zones eight through ten and grows best in full sun.

13. Mustard Greens
Another leafy green that our chickens enjoy, mustard greens are nutrient-packed and can help your bird’s overall health. These greens grow best in zones eight through eleven, and since these greens tend to be attractive to pests, you’ll also provide your chickens with insects to munch on as well.

14. Pumpkins
Just like a watermelon, our chickens devour the entire gourd. They grow really well in zones three to seven. It takes a long time to grow these delicious plants: 85 to 120 days from planting depending on the variety that is grown.

Featured Photograph: Gardens of Emma Bridgewater by Arthur Parkinson