HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Washington and Franklin counties are known for their acres of farmland. In fact, 53% of Franklin County is made up of various farms, while Washington County consists of 41%. Of those percentages, only 11% of Franklin County produces poultry and eggs, and 12% is produced in Washington County.
Take care of the hens
For the best eggs to be sold on the market, an egg producer must take excellent care of their hens. Here are some tips from the 2026 Almanack.
“Checking your hens’ daily output of excrement for any abnormalities regularly will ensure that you will quickly treat any ailments early. A change in the appearance, texture or color of the excrement may signal a brewing health problem.”
Too many roosters can be hazardous
When raising chickens, it is important to have the right ratio of rooster to hen. Here is what the 2026 Almanack suggests.
“Depending on the breed, the ratio of hens to roosters is going to vary, but the general rule is a 12:1 ratio, so for every 12 hens, you should have one rooster. If you have too many roosters, then your hens will be mated too often, and they end up missing feathers, having bare backs and can even be injured.”
Biggest enemy is disease
Disease is the biggest enemy of poultry farmers. While most risks of disease rates are higher for backyard flocks rather than commercial flocks, the death rate for commercial producers is around 5% annually, while backyard flocks percentage is around 35%, according to the National Chicken Council.
There are six diseases that farmers need to be mindful of:
1. Marek’s Disease
2. Coccidiosis
3. Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
4. Virulent Newcastle Disease (VND)
5. Salmonella
6. Mycoplasma
Being aware of these ailments and their treatments could help save the farmer money and keep the flock thriving.
A fed chicken is a happy chicken
Like all living creatures, chickens are happiest when they are fed properly. Here is a tip for saving costs on feed.
“One way to save on feed costs is by fermenting your chicken feed. This increases the volume of the food, and you’ll end up feeding your chickens less overall.
Another option is foddering your feed, which means sprouting the grains. This does take a pretty extensive setup and you’ll want to be sure to protect it from rodents. Fodder will help supplement your chicken’s diet if they can’t free range.”
The new 2027 Edition of the Almanack is available now. To get your copy just click on this link: localnews1.org/almanack-order.
LocalNews1 has partnered with The Almanack to bring you a story every Monday taken from current or past editions.
First published in 1797, it’s the second oldest almanac in the United States and has been in continuous publication for 230 years and is the only almanac in the United States still published by the founders’ direct descendants.
