Marissa Buchanan writes about the importance of genetic diversity for worldwide food security and how she practices breed conservation with her own flocks. Conservation and Genetic Diversity “Conservation” and “poultry” are two words that aren’t always put together by backyard poultry owners. More often, we use words like “rare” or “heritage” to describe breeds that […]

 Christine Heinrichs shares how living history farms in the U.S. preserve heritage poultry breeds. Stay tuned for her upcoming article on British living history breeds, such as the Dorking. A flock of chickens brings a historic site to life. Visitors can’t resist the allure of chickens clucking in a run. At living history sites, historically […]

As winter approaches, it’s time to think about helping your birds weather the cold. Maat van Uitert provides lots of feed and housing tips for protecting your ducks.  Fall is here! Fall means crisp air, apples, pumpkins, and completing last-minute duck coop preparations before the snow starts falling. Preparing your coop for winter is easier […]

Permaculture writer Jonathon Engels shows how duck ponds can benefit both your water-loving fowl and the surrounding ecosystem. In permaculture design, we are constantly in search of ways to make things function on multiple levels. We like to have waste streams—gray water, kitchen scraps, spoiled animal bedding—cycle productively through our holistic systems, providing solutions rather than […]

Learn tips and tricks for safely housing these marvelous birds from quail expert and owner, Kelly Bohling. (Unless otherwise noted, all photos by author.) Quail Are Easy to House Raising Coturnix quail—also known as Japanese quail—is an approachable endeavor, made easier by the low maintenance habits of the birds and their hardiness against disease and […]

Poultry parasites can cause harm to individual birds, or the whole flock. Elizabeth Mack identifies some common parasites to watch for and what to do about them. For small flock chicken owners, nothing raises more alarm than finding out that one of your chickens has parasites. Chickens can pick up internal parasites from ingesting contaminated […]

Joel Salatin a.k.a. Chicken Man is both an experienced broiler farmer and businessman. Here he shares some of his economic wisdom and the nitty gritty of farm finances. Read and learn lots. The Gross Margin Pastured broilers were my ticket into fulltime farming. For that and many more reasons, I’m still in love with pastured broilers. In […]

Want to own backyard birds, but don’t have the room or time for chickens? Alexandra Douglas shows you how to acquire, hatch, and brood tiny, beautiful Coturnix quail. Intriguing Alternative to Chickens With the popularity of raising your own birds for meat and eggs, Coturnix quail are becoming the alternative to chickens and other fowl […]

Frank Hyman humorously shows us how to make two different types of DIY poultry feeders that are inexpensive and efficient. I enjoy having chickens as long as I don’t feel like I’m working for them. I especially like chickens when I can go on vacation for two weeks without worrying about them. But there are […]

Poultry conservationist Marissa Buchanan knows that Chinese geese are excellent guard animals, weed eaters, and all-around useful homestead birds. When looking for a goose breed for your farm, consider the Chinese goose. One of the most popular breeds, it has an amazing and culture-rich history, and makes an excellent addition to the homestead. This popular […]