Feeding chickens can get expensive. But what if we told you there was a simple and easy way to cut down on costs? By planting perennial weeds around your backyard, you can do just that. These weeds are safe for your chickens to eat and will regrow every spring, thus reducing how much feed you… Read more »
Using Geese to Protect Your Chickens
No matter if you live in the city, the suburbs, or the countryside, there are many predators that can go after your chickens. To protect their flocks, many chicken owners deploy the services of certain animals. Some may use roosters, others have livestock guard dogs, and others may use geese. Having a goose to protect… Read more »
How to Sell Your Backyard Chicken Eggs
There are many rewards to raising backyard chickens. One of those rewards is getting a fresh supply of eggs each day. However, depending on how many chickens you have, you may have too many eggs than you know what to do with. While you have many options in front of you for unloading your extra… Read more »
Friendliest Chicken Breeds
Chickens make great companions and can be wonderful helpers in teaching responsibility and care to kids. Of course, with any animal, some breeds are known to be more friendly with humans. Especially if it’s your first time caring for chickens, it’s never a bad idea to get some that you know have the reputation of… Read more »
Keeping Your Chickens Cool on Hot Summer Days
When it gets hot in the summertime, you can retreat inside your air conditioned home or gulp down a bunch of ice-cold water to beat the heat. But unfortunately, your chickens aren’t able to do the same. They have to stay outside where it’s hot, and if you’re not careful they can overheat due to… Read more »
Can Essential Oils Help Your Chickens?
Recently, some poultry farmers have been integrating essential oils into their flocks’ diets. While there isn’t much research yet as to the effectiveness of essential oils, many farmers and backyard flock owners swear by them. Here, we examine some of the most commonly used essential oils for chickens. What are essential oils? Essential oils are… Read more »
Chicken Nesting Boxes 101
Chickens can be as finicky as Goldilocks when it comes to their nesting boxes. They can’t be too big or too small, too hard or too soft; they need to be just right for your chickens to use them. Finding this perfect middle ground can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Here we’ve put… Read more »
What Are the Different Chicken Egg Sizes?
When you head to the grocery store, you’ll likely see many varieties of eggs. You’ll see white eggs and brown eggs, cage-free and pasture-raised, and more. Another distinction you’ll notice is the size of the eggs. Chicken eggs can come in many sizes, but the USDA recognizes only six weight classes. Read on to learn… Read more »
How to Keep Your Chickens Out of Your Garden
A common challenge that many people who raise backyard chickens struggle with is keeping their chickens out of their garden. One day your garden may be fine, but the next you find it trampled and eaten. While some people just decide to get rid of their garden, there are ways for your chickens and your… Read more »
How to Catch a Chicken
Once you develop a bond with your chickens, you should have no problem scooping them up into your arms. However, some chickens will always be intransigent, squirming or running away before you can get your arms around them. If you have a few chickens in your flock like this, here are a few methods on… Read more »