by Meredith Chilson Will you be buying eggs to hatch or ordering chicks this spring?  Have you ordered yet?  Do you have a specific breed in mind, or are you going to be a little adventurous and order a few chicks of a different breed? I’d like to suggest you consider Marans—specifically Black Copper Marans.  […]

by Jennifer Burcke A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I would be publishing a series of posts that invited you to join in by sharing your opinions and comments.  I am always interested to learn from the experience of other chicken keepers.  I have been sharing my challenges and creative solutions for almost three years […]

by Meredith Chilson I’ve come to know, through the Wonders of the Internet, a young couple in Oklahoma who have given up suburban living to build a homestead and grow a market garden. Building a home for new chicks. When I read that they are going to start raising chickens on their homestead, I asked […]

by Jennifer Sartell of Iron Oak Farm It was a proud moment for me a few weeks back. I, actually had to talk Zach out of buying chicks! I’m not sure if we’ve come full circle, each turning in opposite directions…not that Zach was ever really opposed to keeping chickens, but I can’t recall him […]

by Jennifer Burcke A few weeks ago, I was browsing through the local newspaper and happened upon the type of story that sends a chill down a chicken keeper’s spine.  A family in a neighboring town had endured an unthinkable tragedy.  Their newly built coop had burned down to the ground, killing all 38 of […]

by Jennifer BurckeA few weeks ago, I was browsing through the local newspaper and happened upon the type of story that sends a chill down a chicken keeper’s spine.  A family in a neighboring town had endured an unthinkable tragedy.  Their newly built coop had burned down to the ground, killing all 38 of the […]

by Jennifer Burcke Bantams are the Rodney Dangerfield of the chicken world.  They get no respect.  People see them as fancy little creatures, not as an animal that has a place on the farm.  Trust me, I know from firsthand experience.   I used to see them the same way. From the first moment that […]

by Jennifer Burcke Bantams are the Rodney Dangerfield of the chicken world.  They get no respect.  People see them as fancy little creatures, not as an animal that has a place on the farm.  Trust me, I know from firsthand experience.   I used to see them the same way. From the first moment that […]

by Liz Hessen of For the Love of Chicken Poop I’ve hesitated writing tips, dos and don’ts about baby chicks and their care because there’s so much already written … why repeat it? Why not!   Part of our six-ring circus! Looking back on some of our chick experiences (even before the chicks arrived) I realized […]

by Wendy EN Thomas of Lessons Learned from the Flock  Apparently I ruffled a few feathers with this post. Let me clarify, baby chicks don’t absolutely need to have roosts in their brooders, chicks raised without roosts in the brooders will still grow up to be well-adjusted chickens. However, roosting is an instinctive behavior and […]