UNL Poultry - Research and Extension

Chick Days 2026 brought poultry enthusiasts together to learn more about reading a feed tag, how to control diseases and how to judge and grade chickens and eggs. Our egg art and photography contests are always a highlight along with the Quiz Bowl competition. Thankyou to all volunteers and participants for a fun educational event!

Early chick mortality, are you having some early deaths in new chicks (2-5 day mortality), it can be due to several reasons. Chicks rely on the yolk sac for nutrients and early survival when hatched. If the chicks don't start eating and drinking in your brooder, they will not thrive and can "starve out" because they just didn't want to eat and drink. If for some reason the yolk sac is infected (do a necropsy and you'll smell a very foul odor in the abdominal cavity), chicks will get very sick from peritonitis and will die. They can also pass on the infection thru their droppings to the other chicks they are with. If your chicks have yolk sac infection from poor hatchery sanitation, the only thing you can do is veterinary intervention with injectable antibiotic such as Naxcel. And it has to be caught quickly (within 3-4 days max). If you have sick chicks, separate quickly from the rest of the flock and get treatment.

Are you getting anxious for spring chicks? The time is coming soon, so also think about coming to the UNL Chick Days event on March 7th, here on UNL East Campus and learn more about how to feed you chicks and protect them from disease. Respond for our flyer or email me at [email protected].

Chick Days 2026 will be held on Saturday, March 7th in the Animal Science facility on East Campus, UNL, Lincoln, NE. Please see further information in our attachments. We'll be having a workshop to prepare youth for 4-H and FFA Poultry judging contests as well as 2 speakers on important Backyard flock management topics - Nutrition and Health. And returning are our popular photography and egg art contests. Hope you can make it! Message [email protected] for more info.

Busy weekend for our poultry team at the Nebraska State Poultry Association Show, we had a Dept. Exhibit for UNL Poultry Program and Dr. Purdum also showed one of her Purebred Leghorn Roosters to Reserve Champion Mediterranean. Be looking for Brutus's offspring in 2026!

Nice broilers for sale at UNL, these are meat birds - you process

🐔 White Leghorn Hens for Sale 🐔
• Age: 1.5 years
• Status: Currently laying
• Price: $6 each
Healthy, productive hens—perfect for your backyard flock or farm.
📩 Contact Info:
Please email Megan Carman, Poultry Research Tech, at [email protected]
by Thursday, August 7th to arrange pickup.

It's fair season for many, have fun and be sure to keep your chickens cool with fans, clean bedding and fresh cold water 2x a day

Complete Guide to Chicken Cuts

Nice White Leghorns for sale - good producers, Contact Megan Carman at # below

Older laying hens (White Leghorns) in good lay for sale $6.00 each (maximum 20/customer); contact Megan Carman at [email protected]; pickup only on East Campus - UNL between 9-noon after June 18th