Poultry: Small Flock Management

Poultry producers take pride in owning a well-managed, productive flock. However, most flocks suffer from management problems that prevent the birds from ever reaching their productive potential. The vast majority of problems encountered in the poultry house are not related to nutrition or disease, but from mismanagement by the poultryman.

The information contained in this section is designed to assist the poultry producer in avoiding management problems and preventing potentially serious problems in the flock. The emphasis in poultry production must always be placed upon the prevention of problems, rather than correcting them after they occur.

The discussions and publications that follow can be useful to both novice and experienced poultry producers for expanding their knowledge of poultry.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best breed of chickens to raise?
How can I sex day-old chicks?
How can I stop my hens from eating their eggs?
Why did my laying hens stop laying eggs this winter?
How do I properly care for my laying hens to get maximum egg production?
How can I identify poor egg producing hens in my flock?
My laying hens seem to loose their feathers in the late autumn months and often stop laying. What is wrong?
How do I stop my chickens from pecking on each other?
Why do my birds have an absence of feathers on parts of their bodies?
How should I care for newly hatched chicks?
What is best brooding temperatures?
How do I treat chickens to remove intestinal worms?
How do I treat chickens to rid them of mites, lice and ticks?
When should hens be culled?

 

Publications

MSUcares Poultry publications

 

Other Information

Grow Healthy Chicks is a series of ten information sheets that address problems that may be encountered while raising chicks.

Breeds and Varieties of Chickens lists the breeds and varieties of all chicken, turkey, and waterfowl recognized by the American Poultry Association.

Solutions for Poultry lists many solutions and remedies to treat problems in the poultry flock.

Cannibalism, Prevention and Treatment discusses the causes and measures to prevent and correct cannibalism in flocks.

Prevention of Egg Eating suggests how egg eating by hens can be corrected or prevented.

Why Have My Hens Stopped Laying? discusses the effects of seasons and how the changes affect egg production of hens.