Keep the peace among members of your flock by understanding your chickens’ pecking order and the behaviors that go with it.
Rachael Hurd Anger One reader asked if he could breed his rooster with the rooster’s offspring, and the short answer is yes, but only in the short term. In livestock husbandry, what we’d usually call inbreeding is termed linebreeding. This method is how breeders dilute a variety of possible characteristics to produce the very best-looking […]
If you want to make the step from chicken-keeping hobbyist to breeder, there are some important things you need to keep in mind.
Rachel Hurd Anger Chicken keepers have supporters and critics everywhere. From rural career farmers to city dwellers, judgments are all over the map. Here are four types of people who have opinions about your urban farming habits. Can you name these people in your community? 1. The Encouraging Ally The best supporter is often a […]
During a vacation when I was a kid, I learned that seagulls were nicknamed “rats with wings.” It would be many more years before I learned that all birds are scavengers or foragers. On that vacation, my dad sprinkled hot sauce onto a French fry and threw it out of the car window to a […]
Gian Luigi Perrella Across the country, city chicken regulations have countless variations, ranging from residents simply being allowed to have chickens to restrictions on flock numbers based on yard size. Some flocks can free-range, while others cannot (and some rebels do it anyway). Some cities require that each bird be registered like its dogs and […]
Rabbits are an efficient, productive protein source that can be raised on properties of all sizes. Here’s why you should consider keeping them.
Ease your children’s transition to helping out with livestock on your farm by starting them off with one of these species.
Rachel Hurd Anger Chickens have a symbiotic relationship with our kitchens. They provide for each other, through us, of course. But, where do we draw the line on feeding chicken scraps? Emma asks, “Is feeding cooked chicken leftovers (bones, etc.) to chickens bad for them?” Some foods are absolutely not appropriate for chickens. Green potato […]
Having a hard time getting your birds to bed at night? These tips will help.
Rachel Hurd Anger “My girls aren’t producing the quality of eggs that I’m used to. Some shells are rough, and they’ve reduced in size, but that’s primarily from my brown egg layers. My Rhode Island Red girls are young, but even some of their eggs have become smaller. My Dominique girls are a bit […]
