The garden has died off, trees have dropped their brilliantly colored leaves, the once persistent buzzing of insects has slowly quieted; chickens have less to find as they spend the shorter days scratching about the yard. My chickens spend more time in the wooded section of our property verse the dying off meadow like field.They are turning […]

I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Andrea Martin Ph.D. and her wonderful Black Thistle Farm located in Massachusetts. Dr. Martin has dedicated her life to working with poultry as a behaviorist as well as running a chicken rescue. She is a terrific resource for many local and international chicken keepers. Recently […]

Some of our chickens have begun laying eggs AND they are having a  juvenile molt. If you got baby chicks back in the Spring like we did, you are probably getting some eggs now.  I absolutely love that egg laying song that they sing, don’t you? Our Black Star chickens are laying consistently now.  They […]

Are you thinking (dreaming) of having your own flock of chickens? Do you know someone who has been poring over hatchery catalogs; spending long minutes following chicken websites; sending you all sort of ideas for chicken coops; talking about Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Sex-Link, and Sussex? My friend Jenny has developed the perfect gift, for you or […]

Did you know that chickens have 4 types of feathers? These include webbed feathers, down feathers, bristles and filoplumes. Each type of feather has a different function.

Stories from the good ‘ol days (while processing chickens). We did it…Hubby and I (along with my parents) processed some chickens. Don’t worry…I’m not going to detail the butchering process. Instead, I’m going to tell you how we learned more about the good ‘ol days.  You know the good ‘ol days when life was simpler, full […]

This past August, I had the pleasure of attending the MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR in West Bend, Wisconsin. There, I got to see Robin Mather speak about the benefits of grass-fed beef. My grandfather was a cattle rancher. I grew up, loving everything about horses and cows. Each Christmas, my grandfather gave his six children 1/2 a […]

Years ago when I was entering the world of backyard chicken keeping, I pondered the vast variety of chicken breeds to choose from… I knew I wanted a breed that would be winter hardy, a good egg layer and also “family friendly”. After searching through hatchery websites, online chicken forums, and poultry magazines – I decided […]

Road trip! A car, snacks, friends and an awesome destination in mind. That is how my adventure to the Mother Earth News Fair in West Bend, Wisconsin, began. I have to tell you, it was an amazing experience. In fact, I think the term “Fair” does not do the event justice at all. It is […]

As a gardener and a chicken keeper, I’m always trying new ways to coexist with my free ranging flock. I’ve given presentations through my local Extension Center and Master Gardener chapter on how I take advantage of the benefits of having backyard chickens (free fertilizer and pest control) and at the same time protect my […]