by Jennifer BurckeI chose to become a chicken keeper for a host of reasons, but the same two are always at the top of my list.  First, I wanted to connect to the generations of my family that had come before me.  They were farmers and I wanted to continue the family tradition of raising […]

by Jennifer BurckeOver the last two years, I have shared my family’s journey to become chicken keepers with the readers here at Community Chickens.  It has been an incredibly rewarding experience during an exciting time in my adult life.  In two short years, my family has experienced everything from the arrival of our first batch […]

by Jennifer Burcke Photos by author Chickens have been decorating the landscape at 1840 Farm since our first chicks arrived in 2010.  I always believed that chickens were beautiful.  Becoming a chicken keeper has only served to deepen that feeling. I now find myself surrounded by chickens.  My friends and family all know how proud […]

by Jennifer Burcke Photos by author As a person who proudly defines herself as a chicken keeper, I find myself answering a lot of questions regarding our flock.  The first question is usually in regard to how many chickens we keep.  The second question almost always involves what breeds of chickens live at 1840 Farm. […]

Jennifer Burcke Photos by author Chicken coops are like snowflakes:  no two are exactly alike.  They come in every imaginable size, shape, and color.  If you don’t believe me, visit the Coops and DIY Pinterest board for Community Chickens.  There are over 230 coop and coop related pins there and the number seems to grow […]

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 […]

Jennifer Burcke Photos by author Imagine that you live in a small one room apartment without indoor plumbing.  Living with you are your closest friends.  You dine together in this space.  You sleep in this space.  You go to the bathroom, when necessary, in this space. It’s not the prettiest of mental pictures, is it?  […]

by Jennifer Burcke Photos by author Earlier this summer, I shared with you Five Features To Incorporate Into Your Coop.   It was easy for me to decide which features I would be sure to include in the design of a new chicken coop if I ever found myself constructing one.  While I don’t have any […]

by Jennifer Burcke Photos by author If you read the Community Chickens e-newsletter on a weekly basis, you’ve probably seen the great collection of posts that discuss gardening with your chickens. Fellow contributor Rebecca Nickols wrote a four-part series that includes a wealth of information regarding the subject. I have enjoyed reading the other contributors’ […]

by Jennifer Burcke Photos by author I grew up celebrating Independence Day with sparklers and barbecue. I lived in Kansas then and we didn’t really need an excuse to eat barbecue. We viewed a warm weather holiday as an opportunity and seized it. Fourth of July parades and celebrations seemed to be as ubiquitous as […]