Help! My Hen Thinks She’s A Rooster!
January 12, 2022A flock of hens will naturally establish a pecking order, but in some instances it’s possible for a hen to develop the traits and behaviors of a rooster.
What To Do When Chicken Cages Are City Law
October 7, 2015Gian 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 […]
3 Scenarios Where Backyard Roosters Won’t Work
June 9, 2015Some 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 […]
Rooster Steve: Hunter, Protector and Model Farm Father
June 10, 2014I couldn’t tell you who named Steve or even where the name came from, but regardless of the origin, “Steve” quickly became a bar to which all future roosters would be measured.
A Roo Awakening: Nighttime Lists
January 13, 2014As I attempt to drift off to sleep, my mind is reviewing my day’s to-do list, working on tomorrow’s list and remembering all the things I forgot.
How to Deal with Aggressive Roosters
May 6, 2013Our rooster all of sudden turned on us and keeps going after us every chance he gets. He was never this way before. How come? —Gayle
Giving-Up a Rooster
October 15, 2012Photo by Audrey Pavia It’s time to give one of my new roosters, Henryfonda, away. When one of my hens hatched three chicks several months ago, despite the odds, I had fingers crossed they’d all be hens. I ended up with two roosters and only one hen. When I first got chickens, I wanted just […]
Stephanie vs. Mr. Mabel
May 16, 2011Photo by Audrey Pavia My friend, Stephanie, and my rooster, Mr. Mabel, have a stormy relationship. Early last week, I got an email from my old friend, Stephanie, who lives in Pittsburgh. Her planned trip to Russia fell through, and she asked if she could come stay with me this week. I was thrilled—I hadn’t […]
Baby Jo: Baby No More
April 4, 2011I remember the first time I saw her. She was a little gray ball of fuzz, no bigger than a mouse.
Sounds of the Urban Farm
February 28, 2011I have the benefits of city life alongside those of the barnyard.
