Getting ready for fall starts in the late summer. Fall chicken care thoughts begin to run through my head. Chilly weather will require some changes to routine, and buildings need to be checked for repairs. Using the days with pleasant weather to get these things done keeps us from repairing and scrambling during a storm. Are you preparing now? Here are some of the things we begin to do. Health Check - Beak to Tail Chicken Checkup Making sure that your individual flock members are ready to … [Read more...]
When is the Best Time to Start Chicks?
Waiting until spring for the best time to start chicks, can be too much to handle. Nothing starts a severe case of chicken fever like a brooder full of baby fluff butts. Chicks are extremely susceptible to the cold weather and unless you live in an area that has warm weather year round, It can be much easier to wait until close to Spring. Here are my reasons for waiting for the best time to start chicks. Baby chicks are mailed from hatcheries soon after hatching. They are mailed … [Read more...]
Sheep Care on Small Farms and Homesteads
Is sheep care part of your future? Can you raise sheep in a large backyard? In some cases the answer is yes. Sheep are adaptable and can be cared for in a paddock or small field if their needs are met. It may be a little more labor intensive and take a bit more effort and management to raise our sheep this way. Here on the farm we raise a little bit of everything. Well not really everything. But we do have quite a variety of animals. We have successfully raised goats for many years, a small herd … [Read more...]
Chicken Gardening for You and Your Flock
Are you chicken gardening? Chicken gardening means growing foods that can be used to supplement your chicken's diet. Chicken gardening is slightly different than gardening only for people. Our flock of chickens, ducks, turkeys and guinea hens love all sorts of vegetable products and scraps. In the winter months, I ask the local grocer for the trimmings from the produce and then a feast occurs. During the rest of the year, we are able to grow fresh garden produce and herbs for our chickens, ducks … [Read more...]
Make a Chicken Coop from a Garden Shed
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...]
