Backyard Poultry
Quick Links
The Basics
Here you can find introductory resources on husbandry, managing predators, and common issues you may encounter.
- Debunking Popular Myths on Chicken Blogs/Forums (BYP-UCD)
- Common Questions on Chicken Forums (BYP-UCD)
- Basic Husbandry Practices (BYP-UCD)
- Husbandry Practices (BYP-UCD)
- What to do with Chicken Poop? (BYP-UCD)
- Negative Effects of Ammonia (BYP-UCD)
- Raising Flocks in Population-Dense Communities (Utah)
- Selecting Chickens (UCANR)
- Basics for Raising Backyard Chickens (Utah)
- Predator Management (eXtension)
- How to Protect Your Chickens from Predators (CW-UCD)
- Processing Poultry Safely (CW-UCD)
- Backyard Poultry and Exposure to Toxic Chemicals (CW-UCD)
Chick Care
Find information specifically for young birds and important topics like vaccination
- Poultry Vaccine Considerations (BYP-UCD)
- Proper Nutrition for Baby Chicks (BYP-UCD)
- Common Incubation Problems (UCANR)
- Egg Candling (UCANR)
- Hatching Chicks (UMaine)
- Handling Baby Poultry (Utah)
- Understanding Failure to Thrive in Baby Chicks (CW-UCD)
- Vaccinating Strategies for Chicks (CW-UCD)
Feeding Your Birds
- FDA Veterinary Feed Directive (BYP-UCD)
- Modifying Your Eggs Based on Diet (BYP-UCD)
- Nutrition Do's & Don'ts (BYP-UCD)
- Feed Conversion (BYP-UCD)
- Feeding Small Flocks (Utah)
- Poultry Diets (ACES)
- Clean Water (CW-UCD)
- Dietary Calcium and Phosphorus in Laying Hens (CW-UCD)
Diseases
Basics
- Common Avian Diseases
- Illness & Disease in Meat Birds (BYP-UCD)
- Biosecurity Resources
- Who to Contact
- Backyard Poultry Disease Prevention Basics (Root Simple)
- When is a Sneeze Just a Sneeze? (BYP-UCD)
- What Disease Could My Chicken Have? (BYP-UCD)
Avian Influenza
- Avian Influenza (BYP-UCD)
- Difference Between Low Path & High Path Avian Influenza (BYP-UCD)
Newcastle Disease
- An Update on Virulent Newcastle Disease and Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (CW-UCD)
- Exotic Newcastle Disease (BYP-UCD)
- Virulent Newcastle Disease & the Current CA Outbreak (BYP-UCD)
Egg Associated
- How to Identify and Prevent Egg Bound Hens (CW-UCD)
- Prolapsed Vent, Vent Gleet & Egg Binding (BYP-UCD)
Fowl Pox
- Introduction to Fowl Pox (BYP-UCD)
- Fowl Pox (BYP-UCD)
Pests & Parasites
- Backyard Flock Pests (UCD)
- External Parasites (BYP-UCD)
- Internal Parasites/Worms (BYP-UCD)
Other Illnesses
- Salmonella (BYP-UCD)
- Coccidiosis (BYP-UCD)
- Marek's Disease (BYP-UCD)
- Mycoplasma (BYP-UCD)
- Coryza (bacteria) and Infectious Bronchitis (virus) (BYP-UCD)
- Heat Stress (BYP-UCD)
Eggs
- Washing and Refrigerating Eggs (BYP-UCD)
- Egg and Shell Abnormalities (BYP-UCD)
- Egg Abnormalities (BYP-UCD)
- Drug/Egg Withdrawal Times (BYP-UCD)
- Chemicals in the Environment & How They Affect Eggs (BYP-UCD)
- Egg Sanitation (UCANR)
Special Topics
Here are links on other topics like showing off your birds and designing a chicken coop
- Preparing Broilers for Show (Utah)
- Housing Backyard Chickens (Utah)
- Small Scale Poultry Housing (VA Tech)
- Coop Biosecurity (CDFA)
- Choosing the Right Bedding (BYP-UCD)