It’s about time to incubate spring chicks. Learn more about what dandling is and what you can expect to see. -Advertisement- Candling is the process of shining a concentrated beam of light through the shell of a developing egg to gather details about the embryo inside.   What is a “Candler” A variety of specialized […]

Lots of folks are perfectly happy to incubate their chicken eggs to produce healthy chicks. But some homesteaders really want to work with their broody hens to hatch eggs. Author Amy Fewell shares her experiences and lots of suggestions for efficient hatching with a broody hen. Rocky Beginnings I can still remember thinking that all […]

No matter the age of the student, there is something to learn in witnessing the hatching process. Whether it’s a toddler in preschool or a senior in High School, the miracle of birth is always a fascinating moment. Heck! I’m 37 and I’ve hatched hundreds of chicks, and I’m still learning and seeing new things […]

Jennifer Sartell Story and photos by author You can expand your flock by hatching eggs from a breeder. Chickens are some of the most varied animals ever domesticated by humans. The APA recognizes 65 breeds alone and there are many, many more hobby breeds, fancy breeds, and interesting egg layers beyond that. Have you ever […]

The springtime is one of the most exciting times in the chicken keeping experience. It’s all about new life! Our hens start laying again after their long winter break, baby chicks are popping up at feed stores, and in many homes you can hear the whirr of running incubators. This post covers everything you need […]

by Jennifer Sartell of Iron Oak Farm Here at Iron Oak Farm, the spring time hatch is over…well, as far as us humans are concerned. It was a fun and exciting season that included new breeds of chickens, turkeys and all the treasured moments that new babies bring. If the chickens decide to hatch something […]

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 Heather Nicholson of Scratch Cradle Will you be setting eggs this spring under a broody hen or in your incubator?  Both natural and artificial incubation will get the job done, but one may be a better fit for your flock.  Here is a point-by-point comparison of these two methods. Timing You can schedule artificial […]

by Jennifer Sartell Photos by author My husband, Zach, and I love to watch old horror films. Our favorites are the black-and-white versions from the 1950s, where there’s always some sort of nuclear mishap, and as a result, insects have grown to the size of small cars … or lizards … or, worst of all, […]