My Australorp, Helen, is a tough broody to crack. Despite her sacrifices to keep the flock’s unfertilized eggs warm—forgoing food, water, exercise, dust bathing—the stubborn old hen won’t budge. Because we’re nearing the end of prime hatching season, I’m willing to bet that many of you are dealing with a broody hen or two, […]
Warning, this post is not for "serious” chicken keepers. Everyone else wants to have a little fun may proceed.
Don't let the heat get the best of your chickens. Keep them cool with these tips.
Even when we do things right, we must rely on chicken biology for egg production. Consider these things if your flock’s egg production is in decline.
Culinary herbs provide health benefits for both you and your flock, so start growing and using them today.
Some roosters are large, gentle protectors, but many more are misguided aggressors. Many city ordinances won’t even allow them to be kept in backyard flocks. Straight runs—unsexed mixes of male and female chickens—usually go to farms where they’re raised for meat, while males that hatch from orders of females are often destroyed. Only a small […]
If you can’t keep a backyard chickens of your own, maybe a flock of these balloon animals will do.
Moving can be tough, especially when animals are involved. If you’re relocating to a new property and taking your flock with you it’s important to keep their health and safety in mind—both during traveling and when it’s time to introduce your flock to their new coop. One of the options when moving your ladies […]
Last weekend, my husband and I finally finished cleaning out the old shed for what we’re dubbing a “Barn Razing.” It’s been a year in the making, so the event of destroying the old structure deserved a quality name. Among things that needed to be thrown away: a nearly empty bag of old straw bedding […]
Today, I’m sitting on nine dozen eggs. I wash them after collecting them to store in the refrigerator. This way, they’re ready to go if I get the chance to sell or gift them. Unfortunately, we’re having a problem. One hen’s brown eggs are so delicate that when I wash them, they crumble to pieces […]
Rabbits can be a great asset to a diversified farm, but make sure you’re up to the task.
Gardening with chickens can be a lot of fun. They’re often underfoot (and under shovel) doing some of the grunt work, like removing weedy sprouts and wriggling ground pests. The problem is that chickens don’t know when to stop helping. Growing food in small spaces is challenging enough on its own, but add a […]
