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Poultry and rabbits

Photo Credit: Alyson Yates (Cropped from original)
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From backyard flocks to small-scale rabbit producers, we provide producers with vetted information on housing, nutrition, disease prevention and processing regulations. Through educational content and trainings, we help small-livestock operations thrive and remain compliant.

Latest resources

What can protect my shrubs from rabbits?

Q: I want to prevent rabbits from feeding on my green shrubs. Are rabbit repellents effective, or is there a better way to protect the plants?

A: View answer | View all featured questions

Can eggs from backyard chickens be donated to a food pantry?

Q: With egg prices being so expensive at the grocery store, I wonder if the excess eggs from our backyard chickens can be donated to our local food pantry?

A: View answer | View all featured questions

Meat and poultry processing regulations in Oregon: A short guide

Farmers and ranchers around Oregon raise and sell livestock and poultry for a variety of local and regional markets. Processing is a necessary but often complex link in the chain connecting farms to end consumers. Here are ...

Lauren Gwin, Rebecca Thistlethwaite | Dec 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Gray level)

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What to know about bird flu in Oregon

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a highly contagious, deadly disease for domestic poultry, but is not so severe in other species.

The current strain of HPAI circulating in the U.S. and worldwide (H5N1) is endemic in wild birds, causing outbreaks in poultry, wild mammals, including seals and sea lions, and domestic animals, including dairy cows.

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Latest news

OSU Extension brings back popular chick hatching livestream

The livestream starts on April 20 and will document the chicks as they hatch. The expected hatch date is April 21, and the cameras will remain on until April 23.

Grace Xue | Apr 17, 2026 | News story

Critter Campus draws young 4-H’ers eager to learn about small animals

The long-running Polk County event builds skills, confidence and curiosity.

Chris Branam | Mar 25, 2025 | News story

Keep the eggs coming with the right chicken care

Feed complete rations, limit treats and provide water and winter shelter.

Kym Pokorny | Jun 8, 2023 | News story

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How to feed your laying hens

Learn how to feed chickens for optimal egg production. Find out which are the best feeds for each life stage, learn tips to manage water and find out how to store and manage feed.

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Credit: Alyson Yates (Cropped from original)

Poultry

Oregon Farm Direct Marketing: Guidelines for Selling Eggs

People who produce and sell eggs directly to consumers must follow specific labeling and handling requirements to qualify for the farm-direct licensing exemption. Learn about the requirements and best practices for providing high-quality eggs to your customers.

Sara Runkel, Heidi Noordijk, Melissa Fery, Rebecca Landis, Sarah Schwab | Jun 2022 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Why did my chickens stop laying?

Discusses reasons for cessation of egg laying, including decreasing day length, disease, broodiness, poor nutrition, and stress. Suggests strategies for minimizing these effects on egg production.

James Hermes | Mar 2023 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Chicken tractors: Moveable flocks help manage orchard pests

It can be difficult to manage insect pests and weeds in an orchard, where tilling is not an option. Could chickens be part of the solution? See what the research says!

Betsey Miller, Travis Witmer, Linda Brewer | Mar 2026 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

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A Best-Practices Guide to Open-Air Poultry Slaughter

Oregon poultry producers who meet certain conditions can slaughter chicken, turkey and other birds in an open-air setting. But they still must meet requirements for sanitation, monitoring, recordkeeping and more.

Spanish version: La guía de buenas prácticas para el sacrificio al aire libre de aves de corral

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Photo Credit: Sergey Bogdanov - Adobe Stock (Cropped from original)

Rabbits

Signs and symptoms of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease

Cornell University information on what Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus is, its signs and symptoms, information on diagnosis and next steps.

Aug 2022 | Online resource

Living on The Land: Raising Rabbits for Meat—Managing Animals' Health

Topics include protecting your animals from predators and disease, and providing proper housing. This publication is part of the Living on the Land series. It provides concise information on raising rabbits as a ...

Elli Korthuis, Brian Tuck, Susan Kerr, Ellen Hammond, Shilah Olson | Mar 2023 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Rabbit advancement guide(4-H 1601R)

The Oregon 4-H Rabbit Advancement program will make your rabbit project more interesting and help you learn more about and develop greater skills with rabbits.

4-H Youth Development

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Rabbit Coat Color Genetics

Wonder what color your rabbit will be? Learn how genes work together to display different combinations of rabbit coat color and patterning.

Rabbits are bred for 4-H projects, hobby farms, as personal pets, and for other uses such as meat and fiber production.

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Photo Credit: Victorio - Adobe Stock (Cropped from original)

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Meet Our Experts

Candi Bothum
Candi Bothum
State 4-H Animal Science Coordinator, 4-H Youth Development
Rebecca Thistlethwaite image
Rebecca Thistlethwaite
NMPAN Director

Contact for meat sales, science, & processing questions.

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What can protect my shrubs from rabbits?

Q: I want to prevent rabbits from feeding on my green shrubs. Are rabbit repellents effective, or is there a better way to protect the plants?

A: View answer | View all featured questions

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