University of Maryland Poultry: Small Flock Producers

ℹ️ Biosecurity alert for Virginia poultry owners & waterfowl hunters

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was recently detected in wild waterfowl in Virginia. Those involved with poultry production in VA, from small backyard flocks to large commercial production, should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers the risk to the general public from HPAI infections to be low. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry, wild game birds, and eggs to an internal temperature of 165˚F kills bacteria and viruses, including HPAI.

Find more information from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources at www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pdf/animals-va-poultry-owners-waterfowl.pdf.

▪️ Poultry biosecurity info is available at bit.ly/APHISflockresources.

▪️ Additional biosecurity info on backyard flocks can be found at healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov.

Check it out!

Maintaining the Health of Your Backyard Flock

Did you know? A single female bed bug with fertile eggs can case an infestation on her own even if there are no males around.

To learn more about bed bugs, how they affect poultry, and how to prevent and treat infestations, check out this month's PEC newsletter. https://www.poultry-welfare-extension.com/uploads/2/5/6/3/25631086/pec_newsletter_vol_15.pdf

mda.maryland.gov

For more information, visithttps://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/poultry/FS-1007%20Recognizing%20and%20Preventing%20Mareks%20Disease%20in%20Small%20Flocks.pdf

Happy National Poultry Day! : Maryland's number one agricultural commodity is poultry and eggs.🐔

USDA's 2017 Census of Agriculture found there were nearly 2,000 farms in Maryland producing poultry/eggs. This sector made up 47.8% of Maryland's total farm sales.

Chick Tip #6: Be sure to provide clean fresh drinking water for your chickens at all times. Water is arguably the most important nutrient and vital for health and production. Raising a waterer up off the ground or using a ni**le watering system can really help to keep out dirt and debris, just make sure all birds can reach them. All waterers should be checked daily and cleaned regularly. Keeping a watering system outside of the nesting area can help with moisture issues, but you may need to make changes during cold weather months to prevent freezing. https://extension.umd.edu/poultry/small-flock-production/water-forgotten-nutrient

Great info from UME Backyard Farming for all those new chicks coming home! Remember too much handling away from the warmth can trigger this too.

Pasty butt can be a common problem this time of the year when chicks are shipped from the hatchery or even a cool car ride from the store to your home. Remember to have the brooder set up and at the appropriate temperature before you get your chicks. Place a thermometer at chick level to monitor the temperature.

Chick Tip #5: Sixty to seventy percent of the cost of raising poultry is feed. Chickens must be fed diets that meet their nutritional requirements to achieve maximum production and to keep them healthy. Nutritional requirements will differ depending on the age, breed, and use (eggs or meat) of your birds. Use the correct type of feed for the chickens you are raising. Many commercially formulated feeds are available that will provide the complete nutrients your birds need throughout life. In most cases, feed should be accessible 24/7. Chickens like to eat throughout the day. Choose a feeder that you can keep clean and dry and that will minimize spills and waste. Raising a feeder up off the ground can help with this too. Always store feed in rodent and moisture proof containers. Remember, treats are nice, but should be minimized to keep your birds healthy! You can find more details about feeding your flock on our website. https://extension.umd.edu/poultry/small-flock-production/feeding-right-ration

Chick Tip #4:
You have done your background research, now it is time to work on housing! With many options out there, the type and number of birds you will have will impact the design of your coop. Remember that predators can come from above and below, and through very small openings. Easy access for humans to collect eggs and clean out is important too. While you are planning for your coop and runs, plan for additional separate housing for quarantine, new or sick/injured birds too. Check out our resources on housing plans on our website. https://extension.umd.edu/.../housing-your-small-flock

FREE BIOSECURITY WEBINAR: Sign up now!

Just a reminder, along with the Tuesday "Chick Tips" on our page, UME Backyard Farming will be doing a great series in March and April that might help with even more of your questions. Sign up now so you don't miss these informative sessions!

New session alert! Register at https://go.umd.edu/happyhen

Long live the prairie chicken!

This Man Spent 30 Years Solving A Rare Bird’s Murder Mystery The Attwater prairie chicken has been on the verge of extinction for decades. Now it has one more chance.

Chick Tip #3
A lot of the time, raising your own chickens is not economically advantageous. ( Chickens eat a lot!) If you are hoping to make money from your eggs or meat, you will need to plan out your budget carefully and take each step into consideration. If you are just interested in providing your own food and enjoying the process of raising them, then your small flock budget just needs to work within your own personal or family budget. The link below shares some basic examples to consider when budgeting for your small flock. You would need to personalize it to suit your individual situation and expenses.
https://extension.umd.edu/.../economics-small-poultry-flocks

Mark your calendars and register- these are great topics to help you get started off right or answer questions!

New session alert! Register at https://go.umd.edu/happyhen

Chick Tip #2: Once you have determined that your zoning will allow you to have chickens and house them appropriately, it is time to think about what kinds of chickens you want to raise. Are you looking to have eggs for you and your family? Or meat? Both? We usually recommend you start with one type and add others as you get more comfortable in taking care of them. Your coop design will change a bit with the type of bird you decide to raise, so figuring that out now lets you move forward in a more intentional way. https://extension.umd.edu/learn/what-kind-chickens

Chick Tip #1 - Before you begin, check the zoning regulations for your exact address with your zoning board. Local codes and HOA's may have more stringent requirements than the county. Agricultural zoning areas may still have minimum acreage requirements or bird limits. Once you verify that you CAN have chickens, and know how many are allowed for your property, check on how far from property lines and existing structures your coop needs to be. Do you have a means of disposing of dead birds (it happens sometimes) and manure? Making sure that you have addressed all issues regarding the property before bringing birds in will help you to avoid difficult situations later on.
https://extension.umd.edu/.../raising-your-home-chicken...

It is February, and that means chicks will start arriving in local feed and livestock supply stores! Watch this space as we will share the information you need to know before you ever bring those new chicks home so that you can get off to the best start! Can't wait for our next tip? You can find great information from our website resources: https://extension.umd.edu/poultry/small-flock-production/small-flock-production-0

Check out this new morning "show" you can even interact with this week!

Good Morning, Farmer! | University of Maryland Extension University of Maryland Extension invites farmers and those who work in the agricultural sector to gather virtually each Wednesday from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. from December 2, 2020 until March 31, 2021 to discuss topics of interest, learn from experts, and join in fellowship.

Say hello to this year’s presidential turkeys- Corn and Cob!

National Turkey Federation Welcomes Presidential Turkeys Join the National Turkey Federation and 2020 chair Ron Kardel as we introduce the two lucky turkeys vying for the title of National Thanksgiving Turkey! Whil...

Safe food handling will ensure you and your family have a delicious and healthy meal! Check out these turkey handling tips - it's time to defrost!!
https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/countdown-food-safe-thanksgiving-day-faqs

So many breeds, which should you choose? Learn more today at noon on "Flock Friday"!

We are starting the Backyard Farming series back up again! The registration link is https://go.umd.edu/flockfridays

There is a single registration for all poultry sessions. Select the dates you want to attend (virtually).

It’s almost time! Plan now for thawing the turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner!

https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2016/11/18/how-safely-thaw-turkey

How to Safely Thaw a Turkey While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. As soon as it begins to thaw, bacteria that may have been present before freezing will begin to grow again. There are three safe ways to defrost a turkey: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in a microwave oven. Refrigerator Thawing (Recommended) The....

DYK: Only male turkeys gobble. Female turkeys make a clicking noise.

Take listen at how a male turkey gobbles: https://www.nwtf.org/_resources/dyn/files/1475676z54066659/_fn/Gobbling.mp3

Listen to the female:https://www.nwtf.org/_resources/dyn/files/1475680z3afddfa3/_fn/Plain_Hen_Yelp.mp3

Have you signed up yet???

We are starting the Backyard Farming series back up again! The registration link is https://go.umd.edu/flockfridays

There is a single registration for all poultry sessions. Select the dates you want to attend (virtually).

We are starting the Backyard Farming series back up again! The registration link is https://go.umd.edu/flockfridays

There is a single registration for all poultry sessions. Select the dates you want to attend (virtually).

Stop by tomorrow to see Dr. Weimer and ask her your poultry behavior questions!! Bowman's Feed and Pet, Westminster, MD 10am!

Join us with Shawna Weimer on Saturday, September 26th at 10 AM to talk all things poultry behavior! She will be here to answer all your questions, and we will be giving out coupons and raffle tickets! Stop by the Feed Tent!

Dr. Weimer and her colleagues are working hard to share poultry welfare information.

With an uptick in poultry farming, animal welfare specialist Shawna Weimer is partnering with several other Extensions to form the Poultry Extension Collaborative to provide research-based information to chicken enthusiasts. Read more at https://extension.umd.edu/news/ume-partners-form-poultry-extension-collaborative.

This is an awesome free download! Get it now and have to print off whenever you need it! Great for kid activities, ag tourism, etc. too.

Happy National Coloring Day! We invite you to celebrate with our Heritage Chicken Coloring Book, available as a free download on our website: https://bit.ly/chickencoloringbook

The CDC is seeing the most Salmonella infections linked to backyard poultry in US history.
https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/backyardpoultry-05-20/index.html

See our September PEC Newsletter for more information on salmonella, important biosecurity considerations, and how to safely handle backyard poultry.https://www.poultry-welfare-extension.com/uploads/2/5/6/3/25631086/pec_newsletter_v.6.pdf

University of Maryland ExtensionDepartment of Agricultural & Extension Education at Virginia TechNC State University Agricultural and Extension EducationPurdue Extension