by Rebecca Nickols Photos by author Q: How long are eggs good if you find them in a hidden spot outside of your coop? Our days have not been above 45 degrees for a month and we believe that these eggs are up to three weeks old. – Stan A: Stan, I’ve always thought that […]

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 Meredith Chilson Q. Why do farm fresh eggs sometimes have a speck of blood in them and how do I keep this from happening? – Bonnie A. Bonnie, not too long ago I looked for the answer to this question myself! The short answer is actually right in your question: Specks of blood are […]

by Rebecca Nickols Q: I am considering getting some chickens for our farm, but am wondering if you can go away for a few days when you have chickens? Also, does anyone out there have dogs, and how do they get along with chickens? — Sheryll Brimley A: Sheryll, I pondered these same questions when […]

by Rebecca Nickols Q: What is the nutritional value of free-range eggs versus eggs laid by hens in a pen? – Curt Stowell A: If you’re referring to commercial eggs, controversy surrounds the debate. Just looking at the egg cartons can cause confusion: cage-free, free range, grass-fed, organic, brown, white … The labels are often […]

by Meredith Chilson Q: After enjoying eggs from our three hens for the past several months, we decided to increase our small flock by two. After reading up on introducing new hens, we decided to put the two in after dusk, when all had settled down for the night. For the first several hours the […]

by Meredith Chilson Q: Is there anything I can feed my chickens over the winter when they are not outside to get the yolks of their eggs that nice orange color? – Ruth A: I was thinking about the same thing just the other day, Ruth. In the summer when my hens are filling up […]

by Meredith Chilson Q: What temp do you hatch chicken eggs? A: This is an important question if you are trying to hatch chicken eggs in an incubator for the first time. A couple of degrees one way or the other can make the difference between a complete hatching and no hatch at all. I’ve […]