I’ve been worried about Big Tom, our Black Spanish male turkey. Through the years I’ve become quite attached to Big Tom. He’s a large, impressive bird. The heavy folds of skin above his eye give him a foreboding look and he can be quite intimidating. But really, he’s a puppy at heart. Tom follows us […]

The chicks we got in April have grown so fast.  This White Rock shown above started out as a fluffy little yellow chick.  The Silver Laced is growing into her look graciously.  They all graduated from the inside brooder and have been living outside for a few weeks now. They are separated from the older/bigger […]

While the turkeys were living all snug in their brooder for the first 7 to 8 weeks of their life, we were getting everything ready for them outside.  Getting started with turkeys has taken a lot of time, but we are hoping that going forward, the majority of the work is done.  Using scrap and […]

Keeping backyard chickens is a rewarding experience. I have very few complaints when it comes to taking care of my ladies. I love the peace they bring me with their scratching about in the yard. The eggs are top notch and the education that keeping chickens has brought to my family is priceless.  However, this […]

We weren’t expecting to raise ducks or geese this year. But the little ones found a way into our hearts and onto our farm.         I am so glad we decided to bring our Toulouse gosling and our Pilgrim gosling home. Not just because they are adorable, but because they serve a […]

A flock of quail is called a covey, a female is called a hen, and a male is called a roo or a cock Can’t get enough of your chickens, geese, guineas, and ducks? Or don’t have the space to keep any of those birds? Well, I invite you to consider the Coturnix quail. The […]

Ever think about raising a turkey or two?  You know, for a holiday meal? Broad breasted turkeys are similar to what you find at the grocery store.  The ‘broad breast’ meat makes them ideal for special feasts.  Raised on our own land, knowing what they eat, how they are housed, and that they have a […]

Death and dying is a natural part of keeping animals. Sometimes animals become sick and perish. Other times, they live until a ripe old age and die of natural causes. The same goes for keeping backyard chickens. This is a part of the circle of life. Chickens can hide illness well. Sometimes it is not […]

We are approaching our second year of raising chickens and our first BIG problem!  Until recently, the chickens have lived together peacefully.  They have a 6×6 coop and a fenced chicken yard to enjoy.  All was good until… One morning a few weeks ago, I noticed that one of the chickens had some feathers missing […]

This has been an exciting spring for us. Along with all the usual miracles that spring brings, we’ve also added French Pearl Guineas and a pair of Geese to our farm.       The one with the dark beak is a Toulouse and the other is a Pilgrim. I’ll be sharing our experiences here […]