About FlockGuide
FlockGuide is written and edited by me, Jonathan Caruso. I live in Milledgeville, Georgia, work as an engineer, and build reference sites on the side. This is the one I spend the most time on.
FlockGuide is a research site, not a farm blog. I am the person who reads the university extension bulletins, the Merck Veterinary Manual, and the city zoning codes so you do not have to, and every guide lists its sources so you can check the work yourself. When two authorities disagree, I say so instead of picking the tidier answer.
How I Research
Chicken advice online is full of confident contradictions. I try to cut through it by leaning on primary, expert sources rather than other blogs:
- University cooperative extensions (the poultry science and small-flock programs at land-grant universities) for husbandry, feed, and management.
- The Merck Veterinary Manual and USDA for health, disease, and biosecurity.
- The Livestock Conservancy and breed registries for breed history, standards, and traits.
- For the state and city keeping laws, the municipal code itself. I verify hen limits, rooster rules, and setbacks against the ordinance text, cite the section, and flag when you should confirm with the city before you build.
More than 120 guides carry a Sources list at the bottom. You can read the full editorial standards for the details.
How I Choose Products
Some guides recommend gear, and some of those links are Amazon affiliate links. Here is how I keep that honest:
- I evaluate products on published specifications, patterns across large numbers of verified owner reviews, and feedback from keeping communities, and I say plainly when a cheaper option is enough or when a popular product is overkill.
- Nobody pays to be included or ranked. A commission never changes a recommendation, and I leave good options in even when they earn nothing.
- I do not publish star ratings I did not measure, and the recommendation schema never invents review scores.
How the Site Pays for Itself
When you buy through one of the Amazon links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. That, plus advertising, is what keeps the guides free and free of paywalls. See the affiliate disclosure for specifics.
Corrections
I get things wrong sometimes, and animal-care advice matters, so I fix mistakes fast. If you spot an error, an out-of-date ordinance, or a source I should have cited, please tell me. I read every message and update the guide when you are right.