Have you ever thought about gardening with chickens? If you have both, gardens and chickens, then you might think that it can’t be done. After all, when left to their own devices, free range chickens will happily eat your precious seedlings, devour your tomatoes and squash, and poop all over your gardening bench. However, with […]
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Pasty butt, also called pasted vent, is a condition that commonly affects baby chicks, especially those hatched and shipped commercially. It occurs when a baby chick’s vent gets clogged with dried feces. The dried feces prevents the baby chick from defecating normally, and it can be life-threatening if not treated immediately. Pasty butt is the
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You’re at the feed store, suddenly realizing that you’re not going to be able to resist buying some baby chicks. They’re too cute, and you want to bring them all home. Hey, I’ve been there many times! And as cute as those baby chicks are, however, you need to take a deep breath, steady yourself,
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Are you thinking about adding some Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chickens to your flock? If so, you’re in good company. Many people (myself included!) love Wyandottes: they’re beautiful, docile, and decent layers. However, if you’re looking for an affectionate family pet this might not be the breed for you. Let’s take a closer look at
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So your chicks are home, your brooder is set up, you know what to do if you have a sick baby chick, and now you’re ready for the fun stuff: figuring out the best treats for baby chicks so that you can start spoiling those little peepers. It’s important to realize that all treats are
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This is our first year hatching eggs with a broody hen. And, our new clutch of chicks is due literally any minute! I’m having to restrain myself from going out to the coop every hour to see if they’re ready. I’m sure Broody Mama, our setting hen, is sick of me peeking in on her.
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Are you looking for ways to keep rats out of the chicken coop? If so, welcome. It doesn’t matter if you’re raising a small suburban flock of chickens or you have a large flock out on a country homestead. If you have chickens, you’ll eventually wind up with rats or mice. I’m also on a
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If you want to start urban homesteading, then you need quiet chickens. After all, you want to keep the peace when you’re surrounded by neighbors. But, is there such thing as a quiet chicken? Absolutely. There’s also such thing as a cackling, incredibly annoying chicken that drives both you and your neighbors crazy. This is
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The Lavender Orpington chicken has to be one of the most elegant and beautiful chicken breeds I’ve come across since starting our homestead. Orpingtons come in a wide variety of colors, and Lavender is one of the most uncommon. Aside from their beauty, Lavender Orpingtons are a great breed to add to your flock because
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Are your chickens sleeping in nesting boxes? If so, you’re not alone. This spring our new flock of chicks developed a bad habit: they started sleeping in the nesting boxes. During the day, they loved to jump up in there for a nap, and when I’d go out to the coop to close everything up
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