by Meredith Chilson The hen yard is still full of feathers.  There are long, sleek feathers and piles of fluffy feathers.  In my last post, I talked a bit about how to ease your chickens through a molt – the annual replacement of worn and faded feathers that occurs in all birds.  I have plenty […]

by Meredith Chilson As a “seasoned” hen keeper, I can tell when it’s beginning.  It’s partly the change in the temperatures from summer to fall and partly the evenings that arrive earlier and mornings that don’t brighten quite as early.  Those are reminders.  It’s the first hen that doesn’t join in the usual henny activities […]

by Meredith Chilson It’s off the beaten path, even for our rural area. The directions were vague—turn here and there, over a single lane bridge, up and around to the top of the hill. But. It was worth the trip. The view is magnificent, the Biodynamic Henhouse is sturdy and modern, and Andrew, the farmer/henkeeper […]

by Meredith Chilson It takes a long time to write a good story.  Sometimes years. Besides the basics of plot, character and setting, a proper story should have intrigue, romance, adventurous nail biting moments, a bit of tragedy…and a happy ending. I have just such a story for you.  Well, minus the romance, but including […]

by Meredith Chilson  “The Shenandoah Valley stretches 200 miles across the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains. It’s been nicknamed “The Big Valley” and immortalized in song, dance, film and television.” (Shenandoah Valley-Virginia is for Lovers) In a rural pocket of that Big Valley, a 12 year old named Josiah is raising quail, for fun AND profit. When I […]

by Meredith Chilson We have a chicken that seems to wait too long before heading to the nest boxes.  About once a week, I find an egg that’s rolled into a corner of the hen yard, or under a branch, or even in the middle of the coop floor.  I’m never quite sure how fresh […]

Lally Broch Farm is located in beautiful mid-coast Maine on a little over 4 acres of land in a very rural community.  Sean and Sonja began “farming” about 5 years ago, though at the time, they merely thought they were going to keep a few backyard chickens as pets and for their eggs. They answered […]

By Meredith Chilson For years, I thought there were only two breeds of chicken.  White Leghorns—which laid white eggs and pecked your hands hard enough to draw blood, and Rhode Island Reds –which laid brown eggs and were so affectionate they would sit right down in front of you when you wanted to pet them. […]

by Meredith Chilson I’ve come to know, through the Wonders of the Internet, a young couple in Oklahoma who have given up suburban living to build a homestead and grow a market garden. Building a home for new chicks. When I read that they are going to start raising chickens on their homestead, I asked […]

I have an abundance of eggs.  A plethora. A….LOT!  Stacks of cartons in the refrigerator; a full basket every day.  It’s wonderful!  I’ve used some of the eggs with our fresh asparagus to make frittata, I’ve baked and fixed breakfasts—I’ve even taken eggs to church on Sunday morning and handed them out. Today, I’m putting […]