Did you know that a persistent, bullying bird can be deterred from feather pecking by using a foul smelling spray on the rest of the flock.

Dry out old egg shells on a low heat in the oven, crush to a fine powder and add to chickens diet to increase shell strength.

Call your birds at the same time every night to give them a treat of an egg cup sized amount of mixed corn, and this will maintain their warmth overnight in winter and get them into a routine of coming when called.

For easy catching, wait until they have roosted in the dark and them hold them firmly to carry out any necessary health checks. They will be less stressed in the dark and easier to catch!

Make sure your birds have succulents available every day, a good tip is to hang cabbage leaves or a swede up so they can peck at it to relieve any boredom.

Adding Vitamin Boost or Herbal Gut Conditioner in a rabbit drinker bottle will keep them amused for hours and enable you to deliver correct dilutions of the liquid.

To introduce new birds to the flock, after all normal health checks, and using Nettex Total Mite Powder on the birds, house them in the same area as your existing flock, but in a separate run so they can become accustomed to each other for at least 5 days. Then add the new birds into the house after the birds have roosted at night.

Cut the time it takes to kill of a red mite infestation by removing the birds from the house to alternative accommodation for a week, if the mites cannot feed it limits their population growth.