As the snow begins to melt and the crocus start to push up through the earth, there’s no denying that Spring has finally come! It can be a very busy time of year as we rush to plant gardens, care for newly born animals and enjoy some extra outdoors time! But, spring is also an […]

Blogger Traci DeLore covers how to make some of the difficult decisions we need to make as chicken owners. Visions of backyard chickens don’t usually make us think of difficult chicken decisions. We think of cute, fluffy chicks and of happy hens scratching the grass. We really think of delicious fresh eggs for breakfast. However, […]

 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 […]

A few precautions will keep your chickens safe and warm during winter.   Caring for your backyard poultry flock in winter can be especially challenging. Frigid temps, snow, and wind can all play havoc with our normal chicken care routine and with your birds’ health. Depending on your climate, winter can present some trying conditions, […]

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 […]

Mixing it up, birds of different feathers CAN flock together. Keeping a mixed flock is a thought bound to cross your mind when those spring chicks start arriving at the feed store. Maybe you have chickens and think you might like to add some ducks. Maybe you have ducks and want to expand into more […]

Craft your own guinea incubator, and learn how to troubleshoot their hatching. (All photos by author.) Having incubated guineas three times now, I can attest that—despite the hard shells on their eggs—they aren’t any more difficult to hatch than chickens are. Not even when you use a cooler to keep them warm as I do! […]

Make sure your chickens have clean and free water with this DIY waterer idea stolen… uh… borrowed from Frank Hyman. Water, water everywhere, but not a drop in the hen pen that’s fit to drink, because it’s often mucked up with dirt, debris, or chicken poop. Yuck! Theoretically, keeping chickens can be a lot of […]

Maat van Uitert recommends calm, friendly chicken breeds to work with kids. For children, building a relationship with a pet can help them develop language skills, provide a fun sensory experience, and encourage the stewardship of another life. Over the years, I’ve found that chickens get children excited the most. Kids know eggs are food, […]

Have you ever wanted to try raising meat chickens for your family? Learn some of the ups and downs from blogger Kaylee Vaughn’s experiences.   After several years of owning and raising chickens, we decided that it was time to try our hand at raising meat chickens. In the past, we had raised and home-butchered […]