Make a Chicken Coop from a Garden Shed! The day I brought home the first two chicks, I went against all the advice I give to people thinking about getting chickens. We had a farm but had no chicken coop or really any plan to build one. But two chicks followed me home from work at a feed store and the future was changed forever. Not long after, twelve more chicks arrived to keep the first two chicks company. We now had fourteen baby chicks growing up in our house but they could not stay … [Read more...]
Why Keep the Rooster with Your Flock?
Why would you keep the rooster? The general feeling from most chicken keepers seems to be just the opposite. Rightly so in the case of neighborhood rules, or possibly having small children around. But in many cases, if you keep the rooster, your flock will benefit from a good leader. When you picked up your chicks this year, the little fluffy balls of fun were so cute! No doubt one was your favorite. Now that the chicks are reaching 10 to 12 weeks of age, you have begun to notice something a … [Read more...]
Water Glassing Fresh Egg Storage
Spring brings on the egg laying which can quickly lead to an abundance of fresh farm eggs. What methods work for fresh egg storage? One method called water glassing has been around since pioneer days and probably earlier. Is this method of fresh egg storage safe? Let me share with you what one of my friends learned using this method. Barbara Whitford Fox wrote the following guest post for this site. Barbara and her husband farm in Utah and she can be messaged through Facebook or … [Read more...]
Can Chickens Eat Mashed Potatoes?
Can chickens eat mashed potatoes? Believe it or not, too much of any food can upset the delicate balance in the chicken's digestive tract. Being Omnivores means that technically, chickens can eat anything they want to eat. Their diet in the wild would consist of varied plants, bugs, dead animals, and live rodents. However, they have some of the choice taken away from them when we keep them in coops and runs. Faced with a delicious plate of mashed potatoes, next to the regular dish of layer feed, … [Read more...]
How to Avoid a Chicken Coop Fire
We are heading into the prime season for a chicken coop fire. Cool weather leading into actual cold weather begins and soft hearted chicken keepers try to keep the coop warm. There are methods to keeping the coop comfortable for chickens and still avoid causing a chicken coop fire. The same prevention strategies will also help avoid barn fires. Understanding the Chicken and Cold Weather We might be tempted to view chickens as fragile, helpless birds that need us to dress them and supply a … [Read more...]
