by Meredith Chilson Photos by author It seems to me that this time of year has an urgency to it. Maybe it’s from all the children trying to pack a final few days of summer in before they head off to another year of school. Or, maybe it’s from the migratory birds and the hibernating […]

by Kimberly Furry Photos by author Early Saturday morning was a special day for our family. One of our chicks hatched out of its egg! The night before, I could see the egg moving and hear little peeps. We also noticed a small crack in the side of the egg. Bleary-eyed, the girls crowded around […]

by Rebecca Nickols Photos by author Some chickens are just meaner than others … I was hoping that my Buff Orpingtons would welcome my new chicks without too much of a fuss. Actually, one of my two older hens, Henrietta, is the perfect example of a courteous, well-behaved chicken. The other one, however, is just […]

by Jennifer Sartell Photos by author A little over a month ago, one of our Lavender Orpington hens decided she wanted to become a mother. She plucked herself a nice broody patch and set up camp in our barn. A quaint little corner between the rabbit cages and where we store the bales of hay […]

by Meredith Chilson Photos by author Q: From Keith: “I am temporarily keeping chicks in the house until they get old enough to go outside. What should the temp be under the heat lamp?” And, from Sarah: “Is the heat lamp left on constantly? Can it be turned off for the night? This is for […]

by Rebecca Nickols Photos by author. When I started my chicken-farming experience (or should I say experiment) last summer, I thought that four chickens was a good number to begin with. Not too many, but enough for my family of four. After I realized that chickens weren’t much harder to take care of than my […]

by Kimberly Furry This has been a constant and long-standing request: “Mama, I want baby chicks!” Each time my daughter Ara asks for them, I cannot help but roll my eyes, thinking, “Fools rush in …” The excitement at the idea of chicks crashes over her 5-and-a-half-year-old mind like an ocean wave. Her face lights […]

Guest post by Pam Baker I am, my husband and I are, proud to say we are backyard chicken farmers. But let me start at the beginning. Moving to Vermont was a decision based on family. At forty- something, my husband and I had grown tired of the suburban life. Well, actually, I had grown […]