I remember the first time I saw a Buff Orpington chicken. It was at the State Fair and the bird was MASSIVE! It was in a large display cage and took up most of the space allotted. I fell in love immediately and vowed that one day I would raise these giant chickens. Fast forward […]

At the minimum, a well balanced, age-appropriate chicken feed will provide a complete source of nutrition for your flock. I say “age-appropriate,” because chickens need different levels of protein at different ages. For example, chicks and young chickens need higher protein levels as they grow than adult birds. Meat birds also need additional protein to […]

The hardest part about writing this post was narrowing down the photo selection. I took over 200 photos while visiting the Ohio National Poultry Show in Columbus, Ohio on November 11th and 12th. Eventually, I had to make a conscious decision to put my camera away and just enjoy the moment. But it was all […]

Do the ghosts and goblins of Halloween have you feeling a little … chicken? Don’t despair; this year, turn gourds and pumpkins into a three-dimensional fall decoration that will rival any old-fashioned Jack-o’-Lantern carving. Or carve the famous Community Chicken (templates included below)! Carve, paint, or etch a pumpkin chicken, share photos with us, and […]

I feel like sometimes the Leghorn is an overlooked breed. With so many fancy breeds to choose from, a plain, typical, all white bird that lays a white egg is somewhat mundane when compared to Frizzles, Silkies, Polish, or some of the beautiful colors and feather patterns available. But if you’re looking for a constant […]

It’s amazing the bond that can form between humans and animals. The book Rocky Hen, A Life Story by Rosalie Rowe and Nancy Ruiz Depuy beautifully illustrates that relationship. It’s especially refreshing to see a special bond with an animal that is not the traditional dog or cat. Chickens are not your typical pet, though […]

We’ve raised French Black Copper Marans for about 10 years. It started with my husband Zach, who was on a quest for dark brown egg layers. We had heard of the Kuckoo Marans, a breed who is also known for dark eggs, but not quite as dark as the French Black Copper. After a month-long […]

By Jennifer Sartell Our chicks from this spring are beginning to lay eggs!   Our Leghorns were born on March 1st. It took 162 days from birth to laying hen. You can see the new layer’s egg (right) isn’t quite as big as a 2 year-old hen (left).   The French Black Copper Marans that […]

By Jennifer Sartell   Usually, around this time of year, I start getting e-mails and Facebook messages from people about roosters. The reason for this is that around this time of year, spring cockerels start crowing, which is the last confirmation that your supposed pullet chick, is, in fact, a boy. Lots of people start […]

By Jennifer Sartell (This post is not sponsored. The product interested me so I decided to share it with our readers.) A local reader recently got a hold of me and asked if I was interested in taking a rooster off her hands. She lives in a downtown village setting and the law for her […]