Picture credit: Raising Happy Chickens Lets’ be honest, flies are one of the least glamorous parts of keeping chickens. They’re annoying, they spread bacteria, and if left unchecked, they can create real health problems for your flock. But before you reach for the chemical sprays, you might be surprised how much you can accomplish with natural methods. Here’s a practical guide to keeping fly populations under control the natural way. Why Fly Control Matters Flies aren’t just

Rounding up a free-ranging flock at the end of the day doesn’t have to be a wild goose chase! Here’s how to make coop time something your chickens actually look forward to. Tip 1 - Use Daily Treats as Your Secret Weapon Chickens are creatures of habit and they’re motivated by food! If you offer a tasty snack at coop time every single evening, they’ll start associating the routine with something delicious and they’ll come running. Strong Animals Happy Tract and Golden Graze ar

If you have backyard chickens, you already know they can be a little particular about where they lay their eggs. Some hens will happily use the nesting boxes, while others seem determined to find the most inconvenient corner of the coop! The good news is that a cozy, well designed nesting box can make a big difference. It gives your hens a quiet, comfortable place to lay, helps keep eggs cleaner and makes daily egg collecting much easier. Whether you’re setting up your first

Picture credit: Recipe Teacher Our secret for fall-off-the-bone drumsticks, oven or grill, it works every time and is perfect for a 4th of July cookout. We believe great chicken starts with quality, but the real magic happens in how you cook it. After years of perfecting our drumsticks, we’re sharing the one secret that separates a so-so chicken leg from one that makes your guests go quiet mid-bite. The Secret is Out Here is our secret. Cook your chicken legs to 185°F - 195°F

Picture credit: Eating By Elaine Because everyone in the backyard deserves a cool treat, feathers included! Hot summer days call for cool treats. With a few simple ingredients, you can make dye-free snow cones for the kids and a chicken-friendly shaved ice treat for your flock! First, Why Dye-Free? Artificial food dyes are everywhere in store-bought snow cone syrups. Those neon-red, electric-blue, radioactive-green bottles are basically the firework show of the food colorin

It’s a hot summer afternoon. You head out to check on your flock and notice something alarming. Your hens are standing still with their beaks wide open, breathing fast. Some are holding their wings away from their bodies. Your first instinct might be to worry, and you should listen to that instinct! Your chickens are panting, and they’re telling you something really important. The heat is getting to them. Here’s what’s happening inside your hens and why it matters. Why Chicke

Summer heat can be hard on backyard chickens! When temperatures climb, hens may pant more, eat less, drink more and slow down on egg production as their bodies work to stay cool. Unlike people, chickens can’t sweat. They regulate body temperature by panting, which can cause them to lose important electrolytes and vitamins faster during hot weather. That’s why hydration, shade and simple cooling treats can make a big difference for your flock. Frozen fruit and mint treats are

If you’ve got a backyard flock, you’ve probably watched your girls happily pecking away at the grass in your yard and thought, good for them, they’re doing what chickens do. And you’re right! Foraging is one of the best things chickens can do for their physical and mental wellbeing. But here’s something that surprises a lot of backyard keepers. Grass, specifically long grass, can actually be a sneaky trigger for one of the most common and unpleasant digestive problems we see

Make the most of summer with your flock and your family! Summer is the perfect time to slow down, head outside, and make memories with the ones you love including your feathered friends! Whether your kids are already chicken obsessed or just getting started, these three activities blend backyard fun with learning, creativity, and quality time. Best of all, your flock gets to be part of the action. Here are three of our favorite summer activities to enjoy with your kids and yo