It’s the middle of winter here in Minnesota and temperatures frequently drop below freezing. Many people question my choice to live here, but if they’d experience the other seasons, they would know why. Minnesota is a wonderful place to grow up, raise a family or even just visit! However, I do sometimes wonder if my flock wishes we lived somewhere more mild, but they can’t talk so I’ll never know! Ha! Why Do Chickens Lay Fewer Eggs in Winter? It's typical for egg production t

One of the most exciting times we’ve had in our backyard chicken experience is the day we received our very first egg. If you've gone through this, you know how thrilling that first egg is! When our girls first started laying it was very early spring. They were technically still “cooped up” then. But to our surprise, Coco plopped her first egg right there on the floor that day, and I didn’t even care because I was so excited!! After our first egg, I remember researching what

If you’ve never experienced a January in Minnesota, you should, at least once in your life! I was born and raised here, and still, there are times when I’m surprised at the sub-zero temperatures we get! I mean the kind of temperatures where your skin hurts just being outside, and your lungs sting when you inhale too quickly. Usually around this time of year, weather officials start to warn about the dangers these temps can cause. They tell us it’s important to take special ca

I remember the very first time we raised chickens. I wasn’t “all-in” if you will, for a few different reasons. First off, our flock was fully grown when we got them. We didn’t start from the chick stage. They weren’t the cute little balls of fluff that we could play with and get to know their personalities. So, naturally, we didn’t have that bond. Second, they were so stinky, dirty and dusty and none of those things appealed to me. Lastly, I read about chicken mites and lice.

Well that year just flew by! How many of you have goals and resolutions for the upcoming year? Don’t worry, this is not another blog post...

Are you participating in the ever-popular Elf on the Shelf tradition this year? I love scrolling through social media to see the fun and...

My husband and I love to entertain people, especially around the holidays. For me, setting everything up is fun, but can I be honest with...

The tree is up, the stockings are hung and if you’re anything like me, you’re working through that Christmas to-do list! This year,...

As the days get shorter and the nights grow longer, you might notice changes in your backyard flock. If your chickens are molting or...

After your big Thanksgiving get-together, what do you do with all that extra food? Unless you’re a terrific menu planner, chances are, you will have some leftovers. Most people welcome a few leftovers, but after you’ve fed your family the same Thanksgiving meal for 4 days (no judging here!), why not spice it up a bit? In our family, we love doing the Chopped Challenge! For those unfamiliar with the Food Network show, “Chopped”, chefs use a basket of mystery ingredients to cre

Last week we celebrated Happy and my original 10 girls’ birthday! Yes. We had a party. These girls deserve to be celebrated! Birthdays...

I remember the first time I watched our chickens go through their fall molt. I was so worried—I thought for sure my chickens were dying! They looked like a total mess. But after doing some research, I quickly learned that molting is a completely normal part of raising chickens. In fact, chickens go through two smaller molts as chicks before they experience their first big molt at around 12-18 months old. When the lazy days of summer turn into cooler, shorter fall days, you ma

When I started this adventure with backyard chickens, I said I wanted NO MORE than six chickens! I had chickens before, and both times, I ended up with too many and was overwhelmed. Fast-forward to now: Our kids are older, we have a better setup and here I am with 26 chickens! Haha! I didn’t start that way, though. Initially, I started with ten chicks, intending to give four away, but I found myself quickly attached to all ten. And then came spring. Our local farm supply stor

Today we’re going to be talking about poop! Sounds exciting, right? If that topic doesn’t excite you, don’t leave yet! I’ll be discussing the approach we use to combat all that poop called the deep litter method. Some people have lovingly labeled this method as the “lazy persons” way to keeping a clean coop, but I see the deep litter method as an awesome system with many benefits. Instead of cleaning out chicken poop multiple times a week, how does 1-4 times a YEAR sound? W

Summer is finally here! After a long, cold winter, we can enjoy the warmth, sunshine, green grass, and late nights around the campfire....

Hey everyone! If you live in the upper Midwest like I do, you understand my need to not complain about the heat after our very long, cold...

Welcome to my kitchen! Today we’re going to be talking about all things eggs! One of the biggest reasons people get into backyard...

Welcome to our coop! Happy and I are here to update you on all the happenings here at the Wing Nest. Our coop is 8’ x 12’. It’s the...

The day is finally here! The girls’ new home has arrived. To say I was excited is an understatement. Thank goodness they didn’t capture...

May is National Egg Month, and I couldn’t be more excited! One of the pure joys of raising backyard chickens is heading out to the coop...