by Rebecca Nickols Photos by author Every devoted chicken keeper knows there are times when you wonder if your friends really want to listen to your tales of how wonderful it is to have backyard chickens, but Community Chickens understands how endearing and full of personality a chicken can be! If you were looking for a way […]

Rebecca Nickols   What does a DIY composter have to do with raising chickens? Well, if you have chickens, you have chicken manure … and if you’re a gardener (like me) this unlimited supply of manure can provide you with an endless supply of the world’s best organic fertilizer! In fact, out of the fluffy backside […]

by Rebecca Nickols Photos by author Last year I was asked by the Master Gardener chapter that I’m a member of to do Power Point presentation on backyard chickens. Since I’m more of a gardener than a farmer, I thought I would not only share the whys and hows of basic chicken keeping, but also […]

by Rebecca Nickols While my heart goes out to those that were in the direct path of hurricane Isaac, the storm has brought some much needed rain to the drought-stricken Midwest. So far we’ve had two days of constant rain fluctuating from a drizzle to a downpour. Usually one associates rainy days with sadness, depression, […]

by Rebecca Nickols Photos by author Ever since I received a gift of Nikon SLR several years ago, I’ve enjoyed photographing the outdoors: plants, insects, wildlife, etc. I’ve found that with a good camera and a lot of patience capturing a great shot isn’t as difficult as it would appear. Outdoor photography has one huge […]

Rebecca Nickols Photos by author This past week, my husband and I headed for our local county fair, the Ozark Empire Fair. My main objective was eating lunch at Rudy’s BBQ; a family operated restaurant that’s been a regular fixture at the fair for over 60 years. This is not your typical fair-food; it’s slow-cooked authentic barbecue that’s […]

by Jennifer Sartell Chickens by themselves, they are a relatively inexpensive addition to any backyard. You can pick up a handful of chicks at your feed store for under $10. Feed and bedding for a small flock can be as little as $20 a month. Chickens are also pretty easy to care for. Daily maintenance, […]

By Hank Will — Feature photo by Vicki Reid Hatching chicken eggs and raising chicks isn’t as difficult as you may think. People have been doing it for thousands of years without the technology we have available today. Whether you actually incubate fertile eggs or simply purchase day-old chicks, there’s every reason to believe that […]

Written and photographed by Steve Maxwell There are numerous benefits to raising poultry, and even city dwellers should consider keeping a few chickens. If the looks of the coop are a concern, a small coop with a touch of class and style is the goal of Mother Earth News’ coop design, which makes it even […]

by Rebecca Nickols Photos by author My young flock is going into their third week, and I’m always amazed at how fast little chicks grow! This group of young pullets are different from the previous chicks I’ve raised. They don’t care to be held, and when I do catch one they chirp and struggle to […]