Chickens
Page: 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Next >>
5/15/2013 1:08:55 PM
We found out the hard way that cinder blocks can be dangerous in the coop.
5/14/2013 8:46:45 AM
One of the worst habits that chickens can develop is eating their own eggs. This post helps the backyard chicken keeper to understand, prevent, and treat this disturbing problem in the flock.
5/5/2013 7:56:18 PM
Many commercial antibiotics and other medications are not labeled for use in chickens, or have withdrawal periods during which the eggs should not be eaten. Why not try using oregano as a natural antibiotic instead?
4/22/2013 10:35:44 AM
The too often not discussed downside of having chickens. Sure, the rewards can be great, but chickens also take time and a real commitment from their owners.
4/17/2013 9:49:08 AM
A day in my life; having animals in the country.
4/11/2013 12:02:23 PM
A no cost, easy to build chicken coop.
4/6/2013 2:40:30 AM
Have a few too many eggs in your fridge? Here is the solution!
4/2/2013 11:54:33 AM
This is how I got a solitary chick to eat and drink.
3/21/2013 3:15:19 PM
This Georgia farmer raises 60,000 free-range chickens in specially designed chicken tractors.
3/20/2013 2:02:13 PM
Determined to find out why clover is often included on lists of harmful plants for your chickens, I did a bit of research and spoke with some experts to find out the lowdown on feeding clover to your flock.
3/19/2013 11:36:50 AM
In a recent chicken workshop, I warned my students that chicks are not like puppies, you don’t want the calm one who is taking a nap when you inspect the litter. Quite the opposite, when you pick out chicks, you want the ones who are most lively and active.
3/18/2013 3:13:20 PM
Learn about the different ways you can adjust the temperature in your brooder to ensure your chicks are comfortable.
3/16/2013 10:27:54 AM
Homestead Redhead solution for those nasty chicken eating hawks.
3/15/2013 8:54:58 AM
The first in a series of chicken talk and care, Homestead Redhead style.
3/14/2013 1:37:07 PM
With 12 chicks and 3 ducklings in the extra bedroom, we knew we needed to hustle and get a permanent coop built.
3/1/2013 1:11:17 PM
Just like raising children, people have many different opinions and styles regarding how to raise and keep a flock of backyard chickens. This post might just might get you thinking about all the available options available.
2/26/2013 11:36:07 AM
As a backyard chicken owner, one of the most responsible things you can do for your flock is to learn how to cull a bird. You may never need to do it, but it's best to be prepared.
2/20/2013 10:52:07 AM
Why I include how to kill a chicken in my workshops on getting chickens. Sometimes, it's just the right thing to do.
2/19/2013 10:29:24 AM
Poultry Sass, The misadventures of hens
2/15/2013 8:37:19 AM
Join me in the conclusion of this 5 part series-An Introduction to Keeping Chickens. Broodiness, keeping roosters, chicken diet, egg laying issues and more are covered.
2/14/2013 8:57:53 AM
We built a chicken tractor type coop for our one surviving chicken, who was more than ready to get out of the brooder. This is the story of Bess the chicken's moving day.
2/12/2013 10:51:34 AM
It was bound to happen. What happens when your daughter accidentally gets locked inside the hen house.
2/8/2013 7:01:31 AM
Mud is the most abundant crop in our fields right now!
2/6/2013 10:56:51 AM
When chickens escape, here's what you do to catch them.
2/5/2013 8:21:37 AM
Join us for part 4 in our Introduction to Keeping Chickens. Learn about their care during the first six weeks, how to set up your permanent coop and run, feeding your chickens, transitioning outside, and predator proofing.
2/4/2013 10:58:59 AM
It's freezing outside, how are you supposed to keep your flock warm?
1/31/2013 4:48:54 PM
Feeding chickens is easy when you let them peck around your pastures, garden and yard clippings.
1/30/2013 8:56:18 AM
Contemplating spring projects and all there is to do before warmer weather sets in at an old farmhouse.
1/28/2013 11:44:54 AM
Letters to the editor written by GRIT readers include modern homesteaders, Christmas tree recycling ideas, nut cracking tips, keeping chickens, an update from our friends in Chicago, and more.
1/28/2013 11:27:18 AM
Part 3 in my 5 part series, Introduction to Chicken Keeping, introduces the concept of the brooder and discusses your chicks' arrival.
1/28/2013 9:21:33 AM
Suet blocks are easy to make, use up leftover grease and will be enjoyed by your chickens as well as the wild birds on cold winter days.
1/23/2013 11:33:28 AM
A number of easy chicken recipes answer the question of what to serve for dinner.
1/22/2013 12:04:44 PM
If your chickens can't free range, and the ground is muddy or frozen, here's how to create a chicken dust bath to keep your chickens healthy and happy.
1/21/2013 11:52:46 AM
Learn all you need to know about meat and laying chicken breeds for the farmstead, including Marans, Old English Game fowl, Buff Orpingtons and Wyandottes.
1/18/2013 2:00:52 PM
Learn about all the supplies and food for baby chicks in Part 2 of my 5 Part Series.
1/13/2013 5:27:17 PM
Raising chicks is fairly easy if you follow a few simple tips. My baby chick care guide will help you get started on the right track.
1/11/2013 11:40:37 AM
Part 1 of a 5 part series on getting started with backyard chickens.
1/6/2013 2:34:29 PM
I thought it would be fun to recap the top ten most-read chicken-related posts on my blog from 2012. Popular topics ranged from coop cleaning to making your own apple cider vinegar to sewing totes from empty feed bags.
1/1/2013 3:21:09 PM
Do you have any chickens in your flock with missing feathers? This post will help fellow chicken keepers get to the bottom of why their chickens are missing feathers. It offers possible causes and solutions. A must read for every chicken keeper.
12/17/2012 8:47:45 AM
Do you free range your chickens? Are you nervous about predators? Why not try supervised free-ranging? This successful technique allows your chickens the opportunity to free-range under your watch.
12/16/2012 3:02:20 PM
One of the most challenging aspects of raising backyard flocks is keeping them safe from predators. A secure run and coop goes a long way, but being able to identify the specific type of predator can also help a chicken keeper battle the threat.
12/10/2012 3:23:46 PM
Eggs contain every nutrient necessary for life except Vitamin C. Read more about the amazing egg.
12/6/2012 12:35:15 PM
From laying birds to meat birds to dual-purpose breeds, there are many options for a small flock.
12/6/2012 11:51:25 AM
Learn the best feed mixes to produce high-quality eggs from your backyard poultry flock.
12/6/2012 10:19:22 AM
A small flock of free-range ducks can be a great addition to your garden by giving you tasty fresh eggs, natural fertilizer and effective pest control.
12/3/2012 1:50:58 PM
Boredom during the cold months can lead to pecking and other issues within your flock. Cure the winter blahs with edible vegetable garlands for your chickens!
11/29/2012 4:15:42 PM
Clean water in stock tanks and fresh air will help your livestock face extreme weather conditions.
11/29/2012 12:27:42 PM
The best fertilizer comes from a combination of organic material, including livestock manure.
11/26/2012 9:04:32 PM
Determined to find a fun, age-appropriate way to engage my two daughters in dialogue about the true meaning of the Christmas season, I began by createing a blown egg nativity scene.
11/26/2012 4:53:27 PM
Letters to the editor written by GRIT readers include a Michigan resident who wins a chicken coop from GRIT Magazine and GreenChickenCoop.com, master gardening ideas, how to raise chicks, the perfect pie crust from lard and more.
11/23/2012 7:12:51 PM
Raising chickens naturally means learning how to treat illness and injury using products with no potential side effects or danger if you eat the hens' eggs after treatment. Here are 8 essential items for any natural chicken keeper's first aid kit.
11/16/2012 10:06:03 AM
This chicken keeper is always learning lessons from her backyard flock. Today, they remind her of the true meaning of home.
11/15/2012 3:20:50 PM
My top 10 reasons to raise chickens!
11/13/2012 6:37:39 PM
Salmonella is contracted through uncooked or under-cooked poultry and eggs. Should you worry about YOUR flock transmitting the bacteria to your family?
11/13/2012 11:37:52 AM
An adventure in writing and chickens, including a rooster named Abraham Lincoln.
11/4/2012 9:38:01 AM
As the weather gets colder, rodents start looking for a nice, warm, safe place to bed down for the winter. Don't make your chicken coop the place they choose because in addition to eating feed, they carry disease and can harm your flock.
11/3/2012 7:26:30 PM
I'll see your moose and raise you 10 chickens...a suggestion for rural communities and states experiencing too much of a good thing...
10/27/2012 4:19:25 PM
Sometimes a really good scrubbing is needed in the chicken coop, other times a quick cleaning and refresh is all it takes. Here's my quick and easy all natural coop cleaning method as well as a link to the Deep Litter Method to use over the winter.
10/26/2012 1:22:15 PM
Be prepared the next time you are ready to vacation. Here are some suggestions to help you identify the perfect chicken sitter for your flock and identify their responsibilities in your absence.
10/26/2012 12:27:58 PM
The greater prairie chicken was once a classic rural icon, but now its future is not so certain.
10/26/2012 10:00:05 AM
Letters to the editor by GRIT readers include students learning about urban agriculture, a grandfather’s horse-drawn hay mower and more.
10/22/2012 11:27:58 AM
Daniel Olsen talks about how to build a chicken tractor for raising broilers (and laying hens) on pasture.
10/21/2012 2:34:54 PM
Our chickens love apples, so we always share a few from our horses' stash. Here are some easy, fun ways to make apple treats for your flock to help keep them from getting bored.
10/15/2012 3:25:45 PM
Chickens are more cold-hardy than you might think, but they will will appreciate anything you can do to make the winter more comfortable for them. Here are a few easy ideas to winterize your flock.
10/11/2012 8:56:27 AM
Heating the chicken coop during the winter is controversial to say the least. Here are 10 ways to help keep your flock comfortable in freezing temperatures without ever turning on a heat lamp.
10/7/2012 6:19:36 PM
Wondering what you can give your chickens as nice healthy treats over the winter when they can't get out to forage? Try sprouting some seeds or beans for them. It's easy and inexpensive....and a lot of fun!
10/5/2012 9:18:36 AM
Clinical studies show that raw pumpkin seeds can be helpful in worming your backyard chickens. Read on for the evidence and mechanism of action.
10/4/2012 12:36:11 PM
Kasey moves his Blue Splash Marans Chickens into a chicken tractor built from a doghouse.
10/1/2012 1:50:29 PM
Raw pumpkins seeds are thought to work as a natural internal wormer for chickens as well as ducks, goats and sheep. Why not use your leftover Halloween pumpkins and make some Pumpkin Soup for your flock?
9/28/2012 10:10:47 AM
A heartwarming story of how a bully hen finds a forever home.
9/27/2012 1:48:51 PM
Build the right chicken houses for your flock this winter.
9/13/2012 11:10:38 PM
The primary functions of litter (or bedding) in a chicken coop are to make floor cleaning easier and to control odors and moisture; SAND accomplishes all of those tasks and more!
9/7/2012 7:09:25 PM
Keeping a flock of backyard chickens will certainly provide you with eggs, but can chickens make good family pets? Here is what one backyard chickens keeper has to say.
9/2/2012 8:52:59 PM
For an easy weekend project, make this cute portable chicken nesting box out of a wooden half barrel in just a few minutes. A portable nesting box has many uses and your cost can be minimal if you repurpose materials you have lying around.
8/30/2012 10:33:13 PM
Basic hurricane preparations for backyard chickens.
8/30/2012 6:57:26 PM
Heritage breeds of chickens accompanied the pilgrims on the Mayflower. This week we visited Plimoth Plantation where they recreate and relive events of the 17th century.
8/26/2012 10:03:43 AM
Moving your flock to a new coop can disrupt their routine and confuse them about where they should be laying their eggs. A few plastic Easter eggs quickly clears up the confusion.
8/23/2012 12:33:48 PM
Much confusion surrounds the differences between Araucanas, Ameraucanas and Easter Eggers. Learn a few of the differences between these chickens and why there is no I in Ameraucana.
8/22/2012 1:28:05 PM
Backyard chickens can produce plenty of eggs. Learn how to store, clean, package and sell the eggs from your backyard flock.
8/16/2012 6:07:58 PM
Which treats can chickes eat and which should be avoided? Feeding our backyard pets the wrong treats or too many treats can be harmful to their health, stunt growth, shorten their lifespans & interfere with egg production. Don't love them to death.
8/11/2012 7:49:23 PM
The one downside to fresh eggs is how hard they are to peel. To me, setting some aside and waiting until they get old in order to be able to hard boil them seems counterproductive, so I was determined to find a way get perfectly peeled fresh eggs.
8/10/2012 3:55:44 PM
Being able to identify each variety of mites or lice that can potentially plague chickens is not as important as being able to detect an infestation and treat it effectively- the health of your flock and their egg production depend on it.
8/8/2012 12:00:53 PM
It's not always sunshine and roses. Homesteading has its ups and downs, you just have to make the most of them, learn, and move forward. We are experiencing an abundance of eggs, a skunk invasion, and the loss of a hen.
8/5/2012 12:02:22 PM
I normally crush up our eggshells and feed them free-choice to our chickens as an economical way to provide them the extra calcium they need to lay eggs with nice hard shells. But there are other practical uses for eggshells. Here are nine of them.
8/2/2012 8:30:52 AM
Whether you have an injured chicken, new chickens to introduce to the flock, or a hen brooding chicks, this chicken safe place fits directly in your coop. It can be built in about 30 minutes and is removable when not in use.
7/29/2012 3:39:47 PM
Basic biosecurity measures are important to protect the health of your chickens. Biosecurity is a routine of run hygiene to keep your chickens safe from disease, which spreads easily from infected flocks, but it's fairly easy to reduce the risk.
7/27/2012 3:03:01 PM
Molting is the loss of feathers and their subsequent re-growth. See what it looks like and learn how to help chickens get through it a little more easily.
7/25/2012 8:24:01 AM
She was my favorite hen...and then she crowed.
7/21/2012 8:23:05 AM
Take the time every few weeks to do a complete comb to toe check up of each of your chickens to prevent serious health issues from compounding. If you spend enough time with them on a regular basis, you will know what is normal and what is not.
7/20/2012 3:37:57 PM
Egg binding is a serious condition in which an egg gets stuck inside the hen just prior to release. It can be life threatening, which is why every backyard chicken-keeper should know how to detect, prevent and treat if necessary.
7/20/2012 3:06:51 PM
Learn how to trim your chicken's toenails in this simple tutorial.
7/17/2012 11:25:51 PM
Chicken Spraddle Leg or Splayed Leg, is a leg deformity in chickens that can be permanent if not corrected. Causes, prevention and treatment of spraddle leg and curled or crooked toes is simple and effective when intervention occurs early.
7/16/2012 11:56:46 AM
Like mites, chickens can be affected by poultry lice. This post gives you all the information you need to prevent, identify and treat your entire flock including natural alternatives and techniques.
7/15/2012 8:03:36 AM
Molting is the process that chickens (and other birds) go through to replace old, broken and dirty feathers with new healthy ones. Help your flock get the added protein they need during this period by baking them up a loaf of Molt Meatloaf.
7/11/2012 4:42:43 PM
As usual things, something is always going on. The pigs and chickens got there outside runs, hay season is in full swing, and the girls finally got to pull their tractors.
7/11/2012 12:46:11 PM
Stress can cause chickens to become confused about where home is and result in them not returning to the safety of the coop at night. Coop Training is a simple, effective method for teaching chickens to come home to roost.
7/8/2012 10:22:42 PM
Heat stress can result in death very quickly for chickens if not managed properly. Adding electrolytes to chicken waterers is one way to help them survive in excessively high heat. Make an electrolyte solution inexpensively from common pantry items.
7/8/2012 8:32:49 PM
Here's a quick, easy recipe for Homemade Electrolytes that help your flock replenish the nutrients lost in extreme heat.
7/5/2012 4:55:34 PM
When three of our hens were broody, we thought we'd see if they'd adopt a batch of hatchery chicks. It worked! Here we share some ideas for a successful hen and chick adoption.
7/5/2012 1:59:50 PM
Make Raw Apple Cider Vinegar WITH the Mother! The health benefits of raw ACV have been touted by people for centuries & adding it to the drinking water of chickens improves gut health, reduces slime in the waterers and combats heat stress.
Page: 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Next >>