I feel like sometimes the Leghorn is an overlooked breed. With so many fancy breeds to choose from, a plain, typical, all white bird that lays a white egg is somewhat mundane when compared to Frizzles, Silkies, Polish, or some of the beautiful colors and feather patterns available. But if you’re looking for a constant […]

Chickens have been domesticated for thousands of years and dozens of beautiful breeds have been developed. Some “dual-purpose” breeds like Rhode Island Reds or Barred Rocks lay a good number of eggs and also put on weight well for meat. But MOTHER’S mini-coop is designed specifically for egg production by foraging hens, so we asked […]

Pick Your Chicks Choosing the best chicken breeds to raise begins with deciding which attributes are most important to you: egg production, meat production, temperament or other qualities. If you try a breed for a year or two and decide it isn’t quite what you were looking for, try another — or try two or […]

This breed profile is proudly brought to you by The Livestock Conservancy! In 1934, white eggs brought premium prices at market because it was believed that white eggs had a finer, more delicate flavor. At that time most of America’s eggs were produced on small farms all across the country, and small farmers preferred dual-purpose […]

This Breed Profile is proudly brought to you by The Livestock Conservancy! The Crèvecoeur chicken is one of the oldest of the standard-bred fowls of France. The breed gets its name from Crève-Coeur en Ange, a small town in Normandy, France. The breed’s name translates as “broken heart” as in the romantic sense. Little is […]

The time has come for the baby chicks to move from the brooder to outside.  Because of the unseasonably warm weather that we have been experiencing, the chicks, which we mail ordered back in August have been living outside now for about a week.  The time schedule is ahead of what I anticipated and they are […]

It’s amazing the bond that can form between humans and animals. The book Rocky Hen, A Life Story by Rosalie Rowe and Nancy Ruiz Depuy beautifully illustrates that relationship. It’s especially refreshing to see a special bond with an animal that is not the traditional dog or cat. Chickens are not your typical pet, though […]

After spending all last winter hauling drinking water out to the chickens, I knew I needed a better solution this year. I resolved to find a large volume option that would provide fresh water without the repeated struggle of lifting heavyweight.  I wanted to design a poultry drinker appropriate for my space as well as […]

Chickens are amazing creatures! I have had people come up to me at the grocery store and ask if I was the “Chicken Lady.” They are always curious to why I started keeping chickens in the suburbs of Kansas City. Since it’s one of my favorite subjects, I have no problem sharing. Below are seven […]

We’ve raised French Black Copper Marans for about 10 years. It started with my husband Zach, who was on a quest for dark brown egg layers. We had heard of the Kuckoo Marans, a breed who is also known for dark eggs, but not quite as dark as the French Black Copper. After a month-long […]