beginner | Community Chickens

How to Get Started with Quail

Wild populations of quail have been shrinking in the U.S. for decades, to the concern of bird conservationists. However, in recent years, several different species of quail have become popular birds with homesteaders and backyard bird enthusiasts. They are small, easy to maintain, and in most states they aren’t considered livestock. This means that you […]

Chicks,DIY

A Beginner’s Guide to Raising Chickens

by Cheryl Long — Photographed by Jordi Sole Marimon If you have ever considered raising chickens, it’s a lot easier than it sounds. One way is to start with day-old chicks purchased from a farm store or mail-order catalog. Mail orders usually require a minimum shipment of 25 chicks, so if you just want three […]

Chickens,Processing

A Beginner’s Guide: Raising Chickens for Meat

by Gwen Roland — Photographed by Preston Roland Raise your own broilers, and avoid battery cage-raised, flavorless supermarket chicken. Though I have kept chickens for years, I never expected to eat any of the animals I raised. After they provided many delicious eggs, I would retire my layers to the barnyard. But Barbara Kingsolver’s […]

For more than 130 years, GRIT has helped its readers live more prosperously and happily while emphasizing the importance of community and a rural lifestyle tradition.
Subscribe Today!