Crystal Creek

“My Layers Were Producing Well, But Are Not Producing Now –

What Is The Problem?” – Eggless in Ohio

 As you might expect there is a long list of reasons why this might happen. However, the most common theme that results in a decrease in egg production is stress. Stress is defined in medical terms as, “Any physical, physiological or psychological force that disturbs equilibrium…..includes agents that upset homeostasis, such as infection, injury, disease, internal organ pressures or … strain.”¹

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Click here to view as a pdf:  Jack Frost Nipping At Your Beak

By Julie Wadzinski, B.S.

When cold weather sets in, poultry need diet modifications, appropriate water access, and properly maintained litter to stay healthy, warm and productive. “Cold Stress” is a phrase not spoken enough in the poultry industry. For the backyard flocks, adding heat lamps as supplemental heat is often considered the end of the story. When it comes to managing cold stress in birds, there is more to consider. Cold impacts animals differently. For example, a cow’s rumen is a heating vat that assists in keeping her warm. Poultry do not have the same type of digestion as a cow and rely on increased calories from feed to keep warm.

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Click here to read as a pdf:  Ask The Vet / Ask The Nutritionist

By Julie Wadzinski, B.S.

“Avian Influenza has been in the news lately. I only have a few laying hens. How can I protect my hens from getting sick? What are the symptoms of Avian Influenza?”

~Homesteading Hobby Hens ~

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Click here to view as a pdf:  Get Your Spring Chicks Off To A Good Start

By Julie Wadzinski, B.S.

Across the country, more and more people are discovering the joys of maintaining their own backyard chicken flock. For many backyard flock owners, knowing where their meat and eggs come from, coupled with the security and self reliance of having control of their food source is important. Even in many urban settings, city residents find that local ordinances allow for a small flock of chickens. It is not uncommon, for new people being introduced to chickens, to begin their flock by purchasing peeping chicks. When it comes to chick rearing, there are four key management areas to focus on: Temperature, Water, Feed and Lighting.

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Click here to view as a pdf:  Introducing The Family Flock Line Of Poultry Feed

By Dan Leiterman

In an effort to be more self-sufficient and provide quality nutrition, many families today are raising their own poultry flocks. The Family Flock® line of poultry feeds have been specifically formulated to an elevated standard that supports the production of high quality, safe and nutrient dense meat and eggs. The Family Flock® line of poultry feeds provide a significant upgrade in poultry nutrition when compared to what is typically available on the market today.

It is important to be a well-educated consumer, especially when dealing with matters that can directly affect your family. Many other  brands of poultry feeds offer just enough nutrition to get by and use ingredients that are not the best quality. It seems their marketing effort relies on a low information consumer with lower expectations of performance. This type of consumer will typically make purchases based in large part on price per bag, rather than on value for the dollar spent, or on the quality of the end product for the family.

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Click here to read or download this article from our December Newsletter.