So you want your chickens and ducks to come home every night from their free-range adventures? Fala Burnett has excellent advice for using clickers to train your birds. Consider using the clicker training method with your flock for effective training, whether it is for a practical purpose or just for fun. Socializing your animals can […]

From circumventing coyotes to outsmarting opposums, Maat van Uitert has 7 practical suggestions to protect ducks from predators. We used to think we just had a couple of predators on our farm, until I put out a game camera one night. Boy, were we wrong! Even if you think your flock is safe, you might […]

Ever wonder why eggshells have odd bumps or discolorations? Learn how eggs develop, and troubleshoot eggshell problems with chicken owner and writer Elizabeth Diane Mack. For small poultry flock owners, eggshell abnormalities can be a bit scary. The internal shell development process occurs in less than 24 hours, and during this time, even minor upsets […]

While we often think of herbs in terms of cooking, they’re also an excellent tool for keeping your flock healthy. Amy Fewell shares tips and specific herb information to help you heal wounds and protect your chickens. Holistic Living We started our homesteading adventure in 2010 when our son was diagnosed with childhood asthma. Herbalism […]

An impacted crop is a life-threatening condition that effects chickens. Find out how to recognize an impacted crop and how to help prevent it in your flock! Spring is a wonderful time of year! The grass turns green and new growth starts shooting up all around us. While these fresh greens can provide a healthy […]

Blogger Michele Cook writes a three-part series on caring for new chickens.  This is Part 3: Sick Chicks.  Look for Parts 1 & 2: “Housing Chicks” and “Chick Care Basics”. It is inevitable that one or two of your new chicks will get sick. Some issues, like pasty butt, are relatively minor, while others, such […]

Community Chickens Editor, Carla Tilghman and author Carrie Miller team up with share information with you about rodent borne diseases and some basic techniques for safely cleaning up their messes. Companion piece to Carrie Miller’s Rodents and Your Coop. Why not just coexist? Because rodents can carry many diseases harmful to both birds and humans. […]

Over the years, I’ve raised Silkies on and off. Every once in a while, one of the feed stores will get in a batch and I just can’t say no. I think they’re absolutely adorable! As we expand our chicken coop, I’d like to designate a wing just to the Silkie breed.   Another breed […]

When it comes to chicken keeping injuries and illnesses are par for the course.  Keeping a chicken first aid kit is extremely important, knowing what supplies you need even more so.  I like to have a separate small tackle box or tool chest for each type of animal.  What’s in my chicken kit?  Let’s go […]

Brrr!  It’s cold outside.  Not just cold, but freezing cold temperatures and brutal wind chills! I like to think that I am deliberate in tending to our flock of chickens this time of year, but it still happened!  Yep, one of our chickens got frostbite on her comb. See those black spots on the comb?  […]