Photo Credit: Hoover’s Hatchery The Mystic Onyx breed was originally developed by Hoover’s Hatchery in very recent years. Their...

If you’re new to raising backyard chickens, you may think I’m a bit crazy. However, if you’ve been doing this for a while, you will...

Have you ever seen chickens rolling around in the dirt? That’s known as a dust bath, and it helps chickens keep their feathers clean and...

It’s December and you know what that means, right? Some people are Christmas shopping, some people are busy planning their gardens and...

You walk into your backyard, and it looks like your chickens went on an intense weight-loss journey. Feathers are everywhere and your hens look skinny and sickly without the full breadth of their beautiful feathers. Don’t panic, your flock is fine, they’re just molting! What is Molting in Chickens? When chickens lose and re-grow feathers it’s called molting and it usually starts when a hen is around 18 months old. It occurs every year when the days get shorter. Molting is a

As you probably know by now, chickens are a huge part of our family’s life! It may have started as my dream (haha!), but my family has...

I’m so excited to write this blog because Barred Plymouth Rock chickens are one of my absolute favorite breeds! They’re simply amazing,...

Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year. Not only is it cozy and beautiful, but it’s also when we celebrate my wedding anniversary,...

When raising backyard chickens, it’s important to know some basics on their anatomy and the function for each part. This way you can keep close tabs on your flocks’ health and notice any changes that might signal a problem. Chickens are gorgeous birds and were created so well. When you sit and really think about the process a chicken goes through to lay their egg, it’s astounding! Today we’re going to be talking about the basic anatomy of a chicken. You can always do a deep d

This week we’re going to talk about the benefits of tea tree and lavender essential oils for your chickens. We use both lavender and tea tree essential oils in our home as well as our coop. I think one of the biggest reasons that some backyard chicken keepers are leery of using essential oils is because they aren’t sure which ones are safe for their flock as well as how much to use and where. Why Should You Use Essential Oils for Chickens? I understand that some backyard chic

I remember when I first started out with chickens. Back then, I didn’t pay much attention to breeds—I just wanted the eggs for our...

We are in a heat wave here…along with most of the country. It’s mid July and there’s no break in sight. As you know, a chicken’s feathers act like a winter coat. I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine wearing a winter coat in this heat! Along with their feathers, chickens don’t have sweat glands. This combination can provide the perfect storm for your chickens to overheat. Once they overheat, chickens can go downhill really fast. According to Chicken Scratch, in hot clim

If you brought chicks home this spring, and if they haven’t started laying, they will soon! There’s nothing much better than collecting...

As the heat turns up, so will the broodiness in some of your hens. The warm temperatures will sometimes encourage this behavior. If you...

Spring is finally here! We’ve been busy in our yard and gardens, getting everything ready for the growing season. Do you enjoy gardening too? Our go-to petunias are already in their pots, our flower beds are full of beautiful blooms, and our food garden is prepped and ready to plant. Why Gardening with Chickens is Even Better Gardening is rewarding on its own, but when you garden with chickens , it’s even more fun! Our chicken run is separated from the garden by a fence, but

I think we can all agree that our chickens are very valuable to us. Whether they are simply a way for you to get fresh eggs, or if they’ve become like family as in our case, chickens are an investment. With that said, we do everything we can to ensure the health and safety of our flock. Chickens are actually fairly fragile and while they don’t take a lot of extra care, it’s important to keep an eye on them. Chickens use their feet for so many things. Scratching, perching, jum

I had the pleasure of growing up in a family that understood the rich benefits of working hard and growing our food. We didn’t have any farm animals, but we did have an awesome garden every summer! Fortunately, my husband's parents taught him these same values, so we set out to grow our first garden. There were a lot of ups and downs and learning curves. And while I don’t consider myself a “professional” gardener, I have learned some tips along the way. We even ran an organic

We have an interesting situation at our house. Our family raises backyard chickens and Labrador Retrievers. If you know anything about either of these wonderful animals, you know that they really don’t go together! Our dogs are from excellent bloodlines and are bred for hunting as well as family pets. With that said, they have a high drive when it comes to bird hunting. Insert my chickens into the story. Yikes! They are unable to defend themselves against our dogs, so we’ve h

Easter is hands down, one of my favorite holidays. I love this time of year. Everything is fresh and new and has a feeling of new life....

Easter Eggers are defined by their poofy cheeks and beard. When we started our most recent flock, I started with all brown egg layers. I...