8 Week Old Chick, Picture Credit: Willow Creek Farms You head out to do your morning chicken chores with a coffee in hand, still half-asleep and something stops you cold. A dropping that doesn’t look right. Red. Maybe streaky. Maybe just…wrong. Your heart does that little lurch. We’ve been there. And the first thing we want to tell you is: breathe. Not every alarming-looking dropping means something terrible is happening. But it does mean your birds are trying to tell you som

Picture credit: The Vanderveen House Okay, real talk. How many of you have stood in your backyard, looked at your chicken run, your coop, your kids’ bikes, the patio furniture, and thought… where on earth would I even put a garden? Here’s the thing though. Growing your own food doesn’t have to mean a big sprawling garden with raised beds stretching across your yard. More and more backyard homesteaders, especially those of us working with a suburban sized lot, are turning to v

Stressors like predators, sickness, disease, molting, extreme heat, cold weather and pecking order changes can all take a toll on your chickens. Along with keeping a close eye on our birds, we use Strong Animals Chicken Essentials every day to help keep our flock and coop in tip-top shape! A little care really does go a long way in keeping backyard chickens healthy. Some of the most common questions we get are: What is the difference between Chicken E-lixir and Flock Fixer? D

One of my favorite chickens I’ve ever had was Paris, my Prairie Bluebell Egger. Her personality matched her gorgeous plumage, and she brought so much joy to the coop. If you’re looking for a chicken that lays beautiful blue eggs and fits well into a backyard flock, the Prairie Bluebell Egger chicken is definitely one to consider. These birds have become increasingly popular with backyard chicken keepers because they combine dependable egg production, eye-catching feather colo

Picture credit: Freedom Ranger Hatchery Chickens, like any other animals, can run into health issues from time to time. The good news? A lot of those problems can be prevented with good nutrition, a clean coop and a little daily observation. But let’s be honest, sometimes things still happen in the coop. One issue that can sneak up on you is eye infections in chickens. They’re more common than you might think and can quickly impact your flock’s comfort, vision and overall hea

Photo Credit: SunnyDaysNora I find myself standing in front of the refrigerator more often than not wondering what on earth I’m going to make for supper. Does anyone else do this? Haha. I do much better when I have a plan, but let’s be honest… sometimes that plan disappears somewhere between chores, errands and everyday life. That’s why I love recipes like this one. If you have leftover Easter ham, you likely already have most of these ingredients sitting in your fridge and c

Picture credit: Serious Eats Our family loves omelettes! They’re a great source of protein, and the best part is that each person can customize their omelette to their liking. Over the Fourth of July, my brother sets up a big omelette bar for breakfast, and it’s become a family favorite. I’m usually a ham-and-cheese omelette kind of girl, but sometimes I crave something a little lighter. That’s where the Florentine omelette comes in. It’s rich, satisfying and packed with flav

I think one of the most stressful parts of raising backyard chickens is the thought of one, or many, of them getting sick. As chicken keepers, we do everything we can to keep our birds healthy and happy. So when you hear a chick sneeze, it can definitely make your heart skip a beat. The good news? Most chick sneezing is caused by something harmless, like dust or bedding irritation. But sometimes, sneezing can signal a bigger issue. Understanding the difference can help you re

Raising baby chicks is super fun, fascinating and honestly? I don’t get much of anything else done when I have baby chicks because I always find myself watching them in their brooder! Their instinctive behaviors are mind blowing. When a mama hen hatches her chicks, she teaches them the ropes on eating, dust bathing and how to stay safe. But what about the chicks that are hatched in an incubator or hatchery? These chicks still seem to know what to do! Creation is amazing. One

Baby chick with a splayed leg A Real Story: Bleu the Silkie A number of years ago, I hatched a small group of Silkies in an incubator. That was an experience in and of itself, so fun and honestly, a little stressful. It always makes me wonder in awe how mama hens do it so naturally. Chicks need just the right temperature and humidity to hatch. It’s incredible. All of my Silkies hatched healthy and spunky except one little lady I named Bleu. Bleu had a harder time during hatch

Raising healthy baby chicks takes more than starter feed and fresh water! Early nutrition plays a huge role in immunity, feather development and long-term flock health. That’s why more backyard chicken keepers across the U.S., especially here in the Midwest where chick season hits hard every spring, are talking about sea kelp. Sea kelp is a mineral-rich sea vegetable that delivers powerful benefits when used correctly, especially during a chick’s first few weeks of life. What

If you’re wondering what it’s really like to receive baby chicks shipped through the mail, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions new backyard chicken owners ask.

Picture credit: Hoover's Hatchery If you’ve spent any time raising backyard chickens, you know how it starts. At first, you just want a few nice hens that lay eggs. Simple enough, right? Then suddenly you’re learning about different egg colors, feather patterns, personalities and before you know it… you’re planning your next chicken addition. That’s exactly where I’m at. While scrolling through Hoover’s Hatchery (as one does), I came across a breed I hadn’t seriously consider

Picture credit: EurekAlert! If you’ve been around here long enough, you know I’m passionate about poultry and all things eggs. But I’m fairly sure I’ve never talked about quail or their cute, itty-bitty eggs. So today, we’re cracking into the similarities and differences between quail eggs and chicken eggs, and which one makes the most sense for everyday use. Eggs are a staple in many diets and a reliable source of high-quality protein. When it comes to choosing between chick

When it comes to eggs, not all are created equal. I never fully understood just how different they could be until I started raising my own backyard flock. Whether you’re making a quick weekday breakfast or baking something special, the difference between store-bought eggs and farm-fresh eggs really can show up on your plate. So let’s crack open this topic (sorry, I had to 😉). What Are Store-Bought Eggs? Store-bought eggs are what you’ll find at grocery stores and big-box ret

Happy New Year, everyone! January has a way of making us think about getting back to healthy habits, especially during these long Minnesota winter weeks when simple, hearty meals are a lifesaver. What if most of us make eating healthy more complicated than it needs to be? Nutritious food can still be fun, it’s really about moderation and saying no to the “good things” that keep us from our best. I’ve never been big on New Year’s resolutions, but I do see January as a clean sl

Picture credit: Hoover’s Hatchery Every so often, I come across a chicken breed that makes me pause and think, maybe someday . The Buckeye is one of those breeds for me! I don’t have them in my coop right now, but I’ve spent plenty of time reading about them and appreciating what they bring to the table for backyard chicken keepers. If you’re drawn to practical, hardy chickens with a good balance of eggs, personality and cold weather hardiness, the Buckeye is one worth gettin

Discover the family story behind Strong Animals Chicken Essentials made in the USA in Marshall, Minnesota, backed by science and family-owned for over 50 years.

I know what you’re thinking: “Really, Annie? A whole blog about toys and stocking stuffers for chickens?” And honestly, if you had asked me this back when I first started keeping chickens, I probably would’ve rolled my eyes right along with you! But stick with me, there’s a reason this little tradition has become one of my favorites. Why Winter Gifts Matter for Your Chickens Winter in Minnesota is long. Like… six-months-of-snow long. And when the weather keeps your flock indo

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving! I’ve always loved this holiday, there’s something special about slowing down, gathering with family and friends and soaking up that feeling of gratitude. Recently, we had a friend visiting from South Africa who was excited for his very first Thanksgiving dinner… until he realized his flight home was three days before the holiday. So, we did what any good Minnesota host would do, we cooked a full Thanksgiving meal early! And because stuffing almost n