by Melissa Caughey–Tilly’s Nest At some point in every chicken keeper’s life, they plan a vacation. Whether it is only overnight or a few days, often the dilemma as to who will watch the flock arises. Of course, it is important to find the perfect person so that your vacation can be relaxing and you […]

by Rebecca Nickols What a wonderful surprise I’ve discovered! Less than a mile from my property are several bald eagles overwintering. I can’t imagine that this is their first winter here, but then again I don’t know how I’ve missed them for the past ten years… With the trees now bear of leaves, their large […]

by Rebecca Nickols Snakes and Chickens – probably not a good combination…  However, not every snake is venomous and most snakes are not even considered a threat to you or your flock. In my state (Missouri) there are 47 different species of snakes; only five of which are venomous: the copperhead, cottonmouth and 3 different species […]

by Rebecca Nickols Photos by author A few common concerns of first time chicken owners (who have a dog as a pet) are: “How will the dog react to the chickens?” “Should I keep the chickens and dog(s) separated?” “What breed of dogs is best to keep around chickens?” I had the same questions with my […]

by Rachel Hurd Anger Photos by author Our backyard chickens just celebrated their second Happy Hatchday, and as we sort of pat ourselves on our backs for having some of the world’s oldest chickens, we’re all still recovering from our first predator attack. The victim was Clara, a Partridge Plymouth Rock, our most robust and […]

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, […]

by Hank Will Photo by Oscar Gutierrez Your backyard chickens depend on you for their health, housing and safety, and, in exchange, they will supply eggs, entertainment, pest control, fertilizer, meat and more. You should anticipate losing a bird to predation occasionally, but these tips will help keep your flock safe from a wide variety […]

by Jennifer Sartell Photos by author French Black Copper Maran Chicks Right now at Iron Oak Farm, we have baby everything! Baby chicks, baby ducks, baby goats, and even a puppy! It can be a challenge coordinating all the needs of these growing animals at once, but it’s a job that I cherish and wouldn’t […]

by Meredith Chilson Photos by author I’ve been in the chicken business for three years now. This is not my first experience with raising chickens, though. When I was young, my mother had a flock of 500 White Leghorns, and when my children were young, we had an assortment of fowl. My mother’s chickens went […]