The first snowfall of the season happened the other day.  Although beautiful to me, it was a bit of a shock to the new girls in the chicken coop.  When I opened the door to let the chickens out in the morning, none of them eagerly came out as they normally would.  In this picture, […]

I let my chickens roam free – I couldn’t do it any other way. Free range chickens are the secret to a super productive garden. They spread their manure around for you, keep insects under control and even turn your compost. And I love watching them forage around the backyard. They all have their own […]

After losing three hens to poisonous edibles in the woods behind the coop, I had to come up with a safe free-range solution for my girls. After doing a little research, I discovered these “Chunnels” on the internet and made a modified version that I felt would suit our needs. They give Mom a sense […]

It was the same old story. USDA pamphlets recommended one nest for every five layin’ hens. I had a dozen of the “girls,” and the only commercially available chicken nests were huge metal banks of ten compartments apiece. I wouldn’t have needed that many even if I could have afforded them. So I decided to […]

Daylight hours decrease and cooler weather approaches as Autumn settles in all around us.  As you can see in this picture, some of the trees are bare, and so are the nesting boxes.  Fall is a common time for molting chickens and fewer (or no) eggs.  Even other chicken owners that usually sell eggs have covered […]

I’m stuck in a coop and I can’t get out!     I wish I could say the headline is a joke, but it’s not.  I also wish I could laugh about it, like the saying ‘someday you’ll laugh about it,’ suggests.  It’s only been a month since the coop ordeal. I’m sure someday I […]

Construct a Chicken Moat for Effective Garden Pest Control A chicken moat is not a waterway, but it does provide a protective enclosure for the garden. Weeds, insects, rabbits, ground hogs and even deer are barred from entry by the double wall of fencing and the ever-diligent patrol flock. All in all, it’s a clever […]

The time has come for the baby chicks to move from the brooder to outside.  Because of the unseasonably warm weather that we have been experiencing, the chicks, which we mail ordered back in August have been living outside now for about a week.  The time schedule is ahead of what I anticipated and they are […]

Tight Budget? 5 Ways to Finance Your  First Coop Guest Post By: Dakota Findley If you have a bit of extra space on your land, you are looking for ways to turn that bit of land into a nice profit, and the idea of caring for your own flock of feathery chickens appeals to you, […]

Pasture Your Poultry with a Chicken Tractor A well built chicken tractor may be the perfect home for your chickens, and a great way to aerate and fertilize the soil. Visit Homestead Hustle for more from Franny’s Farm and great tips on profiting from your homestead! Find Homestead Hustle on Facebook – Network with us on LinkedIn! […]