Using sound judgment to be more self-reliant.
What are the best laying hens? The answer will vary, depending on your needs. First, ask yourself some basic questions: What is your purpose for getting chickens? Do you primarily want a good source of eggs? If so, how many eggs do you want in a week? What egg color do you want? Will your chickens be more like pets than working livestock? Do you want a dual purpose breed so that you get a little meat? [Read more…]
Our main outbuilding is a combination of garden shed and chicken coop. The main human door is a screened patio door, which opens to the inside of the building. The chicken door was a custom built. As we were building, we left an opening in the wall for the chicken door, but didn't have a chicken door design we really liked. Through trial and error, searching the internet and talking with neighbors, we came up with a solution we believe will work for most chicken coops. [Read more…]
Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the pile of interesting scraps on the other side of the road, of course! Commercial producers feed a highly controlled diet to their birds, and there are good reasons for that. Backyard hobbyists and homesteaders love to give treats to their girls. We'll talk about what to feed chickens and what not to feed chickens to keep your flock happy and healthy. [Read more…]
I recently had the pleasure of reading “The Small-Scale Poultry Flock – An all natural approach to raising chickens and other fowl for home and market growers” by Harvey Ussery. This book is overflowing with detailed information on every aspect of natural poultry care. It's a worthwhile investment for new poultry people and experienced growers alike. This is not a “pet chicken” book, but a practical manual grounded in decades of experience. [Read more…]
Chickens are all the rage these days, and while I'm usually not big fan of “trends,” I happen to think this is a good one! There is a lot of chicken raising information out there and it can definitely be overwhelming at first. While I don't claim to be the final authority of all things chicken, I've kept a flock for several years now and want to share my seven best chicken tips for simplifying your chicken keeping. [Read more…]
