age of chickens, 7
anatomy of a chicken, 11
apple cider vinegar, 57, 76–77, 80
Bacon, Spinach & Cheese Quiche, 131
bantams
egg-laying, 63
vs. standards, 17
bedding for the brooder, 37–38
behaviors
bullying, 91
pecking order, 92
seasonal, 97
several types of, 93
Birthday Cake, 35
Blooming Lollipops, 118
blowing out eggs, 115
Botanical Bug Spray for Chickens, 79
breeds. See also breeds by name
considering which to raise, 12–13
different combs, 16
food and water, 39
keeping chicks warm, 38
supply list, 36
temperatures, 38
Buff Orpington breed, 16–17, 19, 63, 111
bug hunting, 95
bullies, 91
buying chicks
from a feed store, 25
from a hatchery, 26
calcium, 56
candle eggs, how to, 28
chick feed, 54
best location for, 44
insulating in winter, 13
chicken feed, 55
Chicken Jungle Gym, 50
Chicken Piñata, 85
Chicken Trail Mix, 68
chicken-friendly garden plants, 108–109
chicks
buying from a feed store, 25
buying from a hatchery, 26
hatching chicks from eggs, 27–29
protecting young chicks, 34
warming in a brooder, 38
Chunnel (A Chicken Tunnel), 106
combs, types of, 16
compact coop design, 45
composting with chickens, 113
cooking an egg, three ways, 125
coops. See chicken coops
Blooming Lollipops, 118
chicken photography, 121
Decorated Egg Holders, 119
Egg Carton Treasure Boxes, 116
Egg Carton Wind Chime, 117
how to blow out and decorate eggs, 115
how to draw a chicken, 120
list of supplies, 114
Crispy Treats, 23
crop
impacted, 76
pendulous, 77
ways to keep it healthy, 76
curled toes, 75
Custard-Style Rice Pudding, 133
Decorated Egg Holders, 119
Deviled Eggs, 129
diatomaceous earth (DE), 52, 57, 78, 80
dietary supplements, 57
digestive system of a chicken, 55
Dominique breed, 73
drawing a chicken, 120
DYI projects
Botanical Bug Spray for Chickens, 79
Chicken Jungle Gym, 50
Chunnel (A Chicken Tunnel), 106
Edible Herb Wreath, 110
Grow Mealworms, 61
Herbal Wading Pool, 82
How to Candle Eggs, 28
Easter Egger breed, 14, 16, 20
Edible Herb Wreath, 110
egg carton craft projects
Blooming Lollipops, 118
Decorated Egg Holders, 119
Treasure Boxes, 116
Wind Chime, 117
Egg Drop Soup, 130
egg hunt, 95
egg recipes
Bacon, Spinach & Cheese Quiche, 131
Custard-Style Rice Pudding, 133
Deviled Eggs, 129
Egg Drop Soup, 130
Egg Salad, 129
Fancy Egg-in-the-Hole, 126
French Toast, 126
French-Style Fresh Berry Clafouti, 132
Mexican Egg Pizza, 130
Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Breakfast Casserole, 127
Egg Salad, 129
eggs
cleaning, 66
decline in production, 67
embryo development, 27
gathering, 9
green, 14
hatching chicks from eggs, 27–29
how to candle eggs, 28
issues with eggs, 68
keeping records, 64
selling, 66
the hatching process, 29
types of, 14
when to expect first eggs, 63
eggs-periments, 69
embryo development, 27
end of life, 83
Fancy Egg-in-the-Hole, 126
feather picking, 77
feathers, types of, 13
buying chicks and supplies, 25, 27, 39, 75
feeding your chickens
Birthday Cake, 35
chick feed, 54
chicken feed, 55
Chicken Piñata, 85
Chicken Trail Mix, 68
Crispy Treats, 23
dietary supplements, 57
grower feed, 55
Jell-O Summer Party Treat, 3
mealworms, 3, 60–61, 67–68, 72, 87
Oatmeal Sundaes, 72
Seed Rolls, 43
Sprouts, 105
sunflower seeds, 3, 23, 43, 60, 67–68, 72, 105, 112
treats, good and bad, 60
first aid kit for chickens, 71
free-ranging flock, 53
French Toast, 126
French-Style Fresh Berry Clafouti, 132
gardening with chickens, 104–113
chicken-friendly garden plants, 108–109
composting, 113
establishing rules, 107
garlic, adding to diet, 57
goodbye, saying, 83
Grow Mealworms, 61
baby chicks, 86
holding a hen, 88
how to bathe a chicken, 102–103
hatching process, 29
health problems
feather picking, 77
first aid kit, 71
fixing feet, 75
handling and examining chickens, 72
heat stress, 38, 57, 76, 80–81
keeping your flock healthy, 71
mites, lice, fleas, ticks, 77–79
veterinarian, when to call, 81
Herbal Wading Pool, 82
How to Candle Eggs, 28
Jell-O Summer Party Treat, 3
Jersey Giant breed, 17
keeping records of egg production, 64
learning about chickens, 10
local laws and ordinances, 7
locavore movement, 2
mealworms, 3, 60–61, 67–68, 72, 87
Mexican Egg Pizza, 130
nesting boxes, 14, 30, 45–48, 62
cleaning, 52
collecting eggs, 65
Oatmeal Sundaes, 72
oyster shells, 46–47, 56, 65, 68
parasitic worms, 80
pasty butt, 74
pecking order, 92
pellets, 55
photographing chickens, 121
pine shavings, 13, 31, 36–39, 47–48, 52, 113
plants
that are bad for chickens, 113
that chickens like, 109, 111–112
preening, 93
quarantining, 72
recipes. See egg recipes
Rhode Island Red breed, 21, 98
roosters
run (space for chickens to roam), 8, 31, 42, 44–46
building the run, 49
cleaning the run, 52
run (when buying a batch of chicks), 25
Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Breakfast Casserole, 127
scratch (chicken feed), 60, 72, 107, 121
scratching
Seed Rolls, 43
splayed leg syndrome, 75
Sprouts, 105
standards vs. bantams, 17
sunflower seeds, 3, 23, 43, 60, 67–68, 72, 105, 112
taming chickens
adult hens, 89
treats for your flock. See feeding your chickens
veterinarian, when to call, 81
vitamin deficiency, 75
vitamins, 53, 57, 67, 75, 105, 111–112
Why I Love Chickens profiles, 5, 15, 59, 73, 100–101