Blogger Sandy Cryder shares her adventures with her very first flock of chickens. The four Buff Orpington hens in my first flock were beautiful! Large bodied; warm, golden, buff colored feathers; heavy, feathered breasts; full, downy Fluffs; Red wattles and single combs. They lay large, brown eggs starting between 5-7 months of age. Buffs are […]

How to Create an All-Weather Dust Bath Dust baths are important for maintaining a healthy, happy flock. But what do you do when the ground is frozen or covered in snow? Make an all-weather dust bath for your chickens! We live in a part of the Western US that experiences cold winters but rarely gets […]

Tis the season for fleas, ticks and other creepy crawlies.  They can affect not only human health but also that of our dogs, cats and feathered friends.  Finding a natural solution is easy once you become acquainted with the power of Neem Oil. After moving to our new farm last year I tried to find […]

Depending on where you live in the country, your flock can be affected by a variety of pests. These include mites, lice, assorted fleas and ticks. Most people do not think of these as predators. How could something so tiny do so much damage? Well, in fact, it is important to stay on top of […]

by Jennifer Sartell A couple of years ago we went to The Grandpa Tiny’s Chicken Show. It’s a spectacular display of beautiful and rare poultry. The finest of the finest in our mid-Michigan area. At the show, I remember passing a cage among the junior entries with a Silkie in it. This Silkie was among […]

by Meredith ChilsonLast Saturday was a perfect spring day: warm breeze, sunshine—I was up early with plans for the day. Laundry washed and on the clothesline—check! Garden peas weeded—check! Garage cleaned and materials laid out for making “chick corral”—check! Nest boxes cleaned in henhouse—ICK! Crawly things! Ick, ick, ick. My plans for the weekend suddenly […]

by Suzanne Roark Other than a fluke blizzard-like snowstorm way back in October, we haven’t had a stitch of snow here in southern New Hampshire. With temperatures hitting the near-50° mark, it’s the perfect time to take care of some business out in the coops. Maybe it’s because the coop is kept closed more often, […]