Broody – A tendency for a hen to incubate a clutch of eggs until they hatch.
Chicken Tractors – Generally a portable or moveable chicken house or coop or pen designed to allow chickens to be moved to new ground, grass or dirt on a regular basis. The purpose is to provide a clean area for chickens to eat grass/dirt/bugs/minerals. This process of regular movement of the chicken tractor allows the manure to fertilize the existing ground for future vegetation growth.
Chicken Forum – The chicken forum or internet message board is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages about chickens. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are often longer than one line of text, and are at least temporarily archived. Also, depending on the access level of a user or the forum set-up, a posted message might need to be approved by a moderator before it becomes visible.
Dual Purpose Breed – A chicken that is used for both meat and eggs. These breeds usually do not lay as well as those bred for laying and do not grow as well as those for meat production, but are good farmstead chickens.
Egg Bound – A condition where an egg gets stuck just inside the vent, usually because the egg is too large, the pullet is fat or unhealthy, or the pullet/hen’s body isn’t fully mature when she starts laying.
Egg Tooth – A small, sharp temporary cap at the tip of a newly hatched chick’s upper beak, which helps it break out of the egg and falls off a few days after hatching.
Failure to Thrive – There are varying factors that may cause a bird not to thrive. The most common reasons for young chicks not to thrive are inexperienced handlers, inadequate temperature in the brooder, inadequate nutrition, stress, bullying, and illness. Deficient diets can cause the chick to be stunted, weak and have symptoms. Brooder temperature is the first cause of losses in chicks, whether it’s too hot or too cold.
Feather Picking – A form of cannibalism most common when chicks are feathering out. The newly emerging feathers are filled with blood and once chickens have a taste of it they want more. Normally seen when there is overcrowding, lights left on 24 hrs, too few feeders and waterers.
Fertile Eggs – Produced from hens that have been exposed to a rooster. Eggs are still safe to eat but kept under right conditions can develop into a baby chick.
Forced molt – A process of restricting the water and feed intake of chickens (usually in Sept) to force the timing of the natural process of molting. Generally this will stop the egg production and allow the chicken to molt off significant feathering. After 3-5 weeks of restricted water and feed, then put chickens back on full feed and water to rebuild feathering. We have good luck using a chick grower feed for this rebuilding of feather process (4-6 weeks) and then change over to egg crumbles. Molting allows time for rest of egg production and allows nutrients to be used for new feathers.
Free Range – Technically, means chickens which are not confined, but in practical terms means chickens allowed to roam at will within a fenced outdoor area.
Hen – Female chicken older then a year
Heritage chickens – Heritage poultry, sometimes referred to as traditional breeds or old time established breeds and are most often recognized by the American Poultry Association. General poultry characteristics can include natural mating, good foragers, good broody hens and good mothers, disease resistance, good fertility, longevity, alert for good natural flight or fight responses, domesticated qualities for human care and usually a good sustainable dual meat and egg producer.
Marek’s Disease – A viral infection that primarily affects the nerves of growing chickens, causing leg paralysis and droopy wings, and sometimes death.
Nest Egg – A fake egg placed in a nest to encourage hens to lay their eggs where you can find them.
Pasty Butt – A fairly common condition in newly hatched chicks where they have loose poop stuck to the vent area. Pasting can be caused by stress due to chilling or overheating or by feeding an improper diet. Soft droppings that stick to the vent will harden and seal the vent and eventually cause death. It should be carefully watched and if seen, removed by softening in warm water and very gently removed.
Pullet – Adolescent female bird under a year old
Rare Breed – A breed that is not commonly used in modern agriculture but once may have been. The organizations that strive to preserve these breeds include American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Rare Breeds Canada, and the Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities.
Roo or Cockerel – Adolescent male bird under a year old
Rooster – Male chicken older then a year
Scaly Leg – An unhealthy condition that affects the toes and legs of chickens and is caused by the scaly leg mites.
Sexed Pullet – a female chick, varying in age from one day old to a year.
Splayed Leg – A condition in newly hatched chicks whereby one or both legs slide out to the side so the chick cannot properly stand and walk. Most generally caused by using a slick or smooth brooder floor causing its legs to slide.
Straight Run – Cockerels and pullets that have not been sorted as to gender and remain in the ratio that they were hatched from a setting of eggs.
Vent Sexing – A traditional Japanese method of determining a hatchling’s gender by checking for minor differences in the tiny cloaca which is inside a chick’s vent.
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FANCY POULTRY BIRDS, WEIRICK RD, CORONA, CA, UNITED STATES