Inexpensive, easy-to-build chicken coops Once you get caught up in the idea of having chickens, it’s easy to find yourself spending more on them and the coop then you ever thought you would. For many people chickens are a hobby as well as pets with benefits: I’m thinking of my wife and me. We spent […]

On the rural southwest Virginia road where my wife, Elaine, and I live, a number of folks raise chickens. Understandably, then, it’s common for us to exchange information on how our respective flocks are doing. So, several months ago, I wasn’t surprised to receive a frantic call from a neighbor that “some hawk is eating […]

Keep your chickens cool and comfortable this summer with these 5 quick and easy ways to cool your chicken coop! Summer is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to start preparing for those inevitable heat waves! Heat can make us all miserable, and that includes our chickens! But, depending on the temperatures […]

 Home is where the quail are. With modern farming, there are many ways to raise an animal. There isn’t a right or wrong way, rather, we all learn what works for our space and needs through trial and error. Environment plays a significant role in how we choose to house our animals. What works in […]

Predators can’t be avoided, but coop doors can help. -Advertisement- If you’ve had chickens for very long, there’s a good possibility that you’ve lost at least one or two birds to a predator. Losing a favorite hen is never fun, and unfortunately sometimes the first sign of predator problems is when we lose that first […]

Movable boards for poultry droppings help with cleanup and let you use chicken manure for composting. Liz Fulghum explains how to easily build a drop board. All photos by author. It’s an irrefutable fact: Chickens poop, and they poop a lot. In the coop, their favorite place to poop is off the edge of the […]

When winter comes around, both new and experienced homesteaders wonder how they can keep their livestock and fowl warm. This issue is primarily a concern for those who have smaller animals, like chickens. There are several ways to protect these animals from the cold, but many owners ask if they should provide a direct heat […]

Need versatility in your broiler or heritage pen set up? Anne Gordon recommends using snap together wire pet exercise pen panels. You can read more about Anne’s whole Broiler Set-up here. Wire Pet Pens I’m a huge fan of 42-inch wire pet exercise pens because they are versatile, easy to use and can be quickly […]

Learn how to set-up your Cornish Cross broiler operation for versatility and efficiency. Anne Gordon shares her tips so your set up can reduce and even eliminate health issues and the sudden death “flip.” [Unless otherwise noted, all photos by author] Each spring and fall, I raise a batch of 25 Cornish Cross pullets. My feed […]

Charlotte French, Amanda Sorrell, Jeanette Beranger, and Patricia Foreman discuss the considerations you need to take when you are looking for or building a chicken coop.   This episode was proudly sponsored by Onduline. In this episode of Mother Earth News and Friends, we discuss the considerations you need to take when you are building […]