We’ve raised French Black Copper Maran for about 10 years. It started with my husband Zach, who was on a quest for dark brown egg layers. We had heard of the Kuckoo Maran, a breed who is also known for dark eggs, but not quite as dark as the French Black Copper.   After a […]

If you read my article about egg eating chickens, you might think I am crazy because now I’m writing about feeding crushed egg shells to chickens.  If you are hesitant, I completely understand.  I was too…until recently. While trying to solve the egg eating problem that was happening in our chicken coop, I did a […]

The name breakfast casserole is misleading, don’t you think? I think it’s safe to say that as chicken keepers, we have all tried different kinds of breakfast casserole recipes.  After all, it’s a great way to showcase those beautiful farm fresh eggs.  Many breakfast casserole recipes use a few eggs at a time, which is […]

Although chickens can be very entertaining, they can also be complex, and dare I say…frustrating.  For example, why, oh why do chickens break open eggs and eat them?  Mmm hmm…complex to understand and frustrating to stop.  Fresh eggs are one of the main reasons many people decide to raise chickens in the first place.  When […]

I’ve raised chickens since 1992. So that’s what?…25 years? Sheesh! Time flies when you’re raising chickens evidently. In those 25 years, I’ve noticed something. A correlation between offering a calcium supplement and difficult hatches.   When I first started raising chickens there was no internet. No chicken forums, no Community Chickens. We didn’t live in […]

It’s spring! As chicken keepers we should all be enjoying the increase of egg production with our flocks. The fall molt has long been over, the summer heat has not yet started and the longer daylight hours should be triggering a laying effect with your flock.   This is prime egg laying season. This is […]

It’s chick season! Many of you I’m sure, are visiting farm stores, firing up the incubators and placing orders with breeders and hatcheries for baby chicks. This year as you select the different breeds to add to your homestead, consider selecting a variety that will give you a colorful egg basket.   As you’ve all […]

Have you ever wanted (or needed) to know how to blow out an egg? Crafts and Easter egg coloring are great reasons to blow out an egg. Filled with mustard (to hopefully stop an egg eater) is popular among many chicken keepers. Farm fresh eggs make beautiful arrangements.  Blowing out the eggs will ensure that […]

Why wait to plant seeds outside?  You can start sunflower seeds in eggshells today, right inside your home. Tall, beautiful sunflowers are a welcome sight around my chicken coop and run. The sunflowers add a burst of color to our landscape and some needed shade for my ladies. Although sunflowers mature fairly quickly, I just […]

While in the coop doing my morning chores I was met with an unusual surprise.  An unfamiliar colored egg had found its way into one of my nesting boxes.  I was use to seeing nearly every shade of brown from my eight hens but never one with a completely white eggshell. This discovery lead me […]