Story and photos by Lori Leigh Why wait to plant seeds outside?  You can start sunflower seeds in eggshells today, right inside your home. Tall, beautiful sunflowers are a welcome sight around my chicken coop and run. The sunflowers add a burst of color to our landscape and some needed shade for my ladies. Although […]

by Lori Leigh Story and photos It is that time of year when wood ash is easily accessible.  If you have access to wood ash from a fire place or wood burning stove, why not put it to work for your chickens. Dust Bathing Natural – All year round, dust bathing is a chicken’s natural […]

Yes, chickens can eat pumpkin.  The orange beauty is packed full of nutrition, including vitamins and antioxidants.  Although there is no scientific evidence to prove that pumpkin can act as a natural de-wormer, many chicken keepers believe this to be true.  Pumpkins are plentiful and reasonably priced this time of year, so why not offer […]

Many times it is the simplest things that taste the best. Take eggs and toast for example. Easy enough to make for one or for a crowd. Ingredients you most likely have on hand. Eggs and toast – the perfect breakfast, or lunch, or supper. It starts with bread. White Wheat Rye Use what you […]

I am so excited to attend the Mother Earth News Fair (MENF) in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania this upcoming weekend.  Mother Earth News Fair is a fun-filled, hands-on sustainable lifestyle event.  The fair is offered throughout the year at different locations in the US.  This will be my first time attending! As a contributor to Community Chickens, […]

Did you know that growing your own herbs is fairly easy to do and can be an added health benefit to both you and your flock of chickens?  Herbs grow well in both containers and directly in the ground.  Most herbs don’t require a lot of water, so if you forget to water them a […]

The scorching sun… The sticky humidity… The hot temperatures… Chickens natural way of keeping cool is to spread their feathers to let the heat escape.  They are also smart enough to seek shade, create dust bathing areas, and drink plenty of water. Although they do a pretty good job of keeping themselves cool, I (along […]

Using eggshells in the garden can help provide calcium to plants and can also help fight off blossom end rot in some plants, such as tomatoes, squash, and peppers. Before using the egg shells, rinse them out first.  Doing so will help to keep unwanted animals away and will also assure that the shells don’t […]