Annie
The Best Chicken Waterer Option
I’ve used just about every chicken waterer option out there, and I think I’ve finally landed on my favorite one! This is, of course, my...
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Annie
- Nov 22
- 2 min
Give the Gift of Coop Recuperate Orange Spice
I just came in from doing chicken chores and let me tell you how wonderful my coop smells! Strong Animals Chicken Essentials just came...
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Annie
- Nov 16
- 2 min
Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe
I wish you could smell my house right now! It smells like fall. With Thanksgiving right around the corner and the possibility that it...
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Annie
- Nov 8
- 2 min
Why is My Hen Crowing Like a Rooster?
It was a cool late summer morning, and I was enjoying my first cup of coffee on our deck. The sun was just starting to warm things up...
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Annie
- Oct 31
- 2 min
All About the Rhode Island Red Chicken
Photo Credit: Hoover’s Hatchery We’ve all read the story of the “Little Red Hen”. I have always loved this story. The moral of the story...
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Annie
- Oct 24
- 4 min
Understanding the Pecking Order in Chickens
Shortly after I got my recent flock of chickens, I quickly decided to add more chicks to my flock. It was quite the process of...
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Annie
- Oct 17
- 4 min
How Long Does it Take for Chicken Eggs to Hatch
“Sweetie” the Silke from our first hatch. I remember when I started raising backyard chickens. I would've honestly never considered...
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Annie
- Oct 11
- 2 min
Lifespan of a Chicken
Chickens are absolutely incredible birds. They’re smart (well most of them anyway), sweet and have been an incredible addition to our...
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Annie
- Oct 5
- 1 min
Annie’s Homemade Zucchini Bread Recipe
It’s officially fall, and we are so excited! Fall is my favorite time of year. The crunchy leaves, beautiful colors, pumpkin spice...
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Annie
- Sep 26
- 4 min
How to Store Fresh Eggs
This week’s blog is going to be very practical. And maybe it’s something you haven’t thought of before because it seems too simple. We’re...
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Annie
- Sep 20
- 2 min
Easy Sausage and Veggie Frittata Recipe
I used to be the girl who’d see a word like “frittata” and just keep moving right along. I have shared so many times that I am not a...
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Annie
- Sep 13
- 5 min
Can You Have Chickens in City Limits?
As most of you know, our family lives on an acreage. It’s a beautiful setting along a riverbed with lots of wide-open space to dream...
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Annie
- Sep 6
- 4 min
Fowl Pox in Chickens: How to Prevent It
Most of the time, I look forward to writing these blogs because we get to talk about the wonderful ways backyard chickens can add to our...
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Annie
- Aug 31
- 3 min
How to Clean Chicken Nesting Boxes
Photo Credit: HGTV Chickens are beautiful, friendly (most of them anyway), and wonderful birds. But they are also very messy! I feel like...
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Annie
- Aug 23
- 2 min
Beat the Heat With These Fun Summer Activities for Kids
My father-in-law is taking a spin on the giant slip-and-slide! We have hit the hot days of summer! With heat indexes into the hundreds,...
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Annie
- Aug 17
- 2 min
All About the Black Copper Marans Breed
Are you looking for a docile, friendly, and gorgeous chicken to add to your flock? Look no further than the Black Copper Marans. This...
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Annie
- Aug 9
- 1 min
The Best Cucumber Salsa Recipe
Get ready to run out to your garden because I have a delicious recipe for you! Fresh ingredients collide with a fun cucumber twist....
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Annie
- Aug 3
- 3 min
How to Raise Baby Ducks
These little ducklings will always have a special place in our story! It is absolutely no secret that I’m obsessed with raising backyard...
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Annie
- Jul 24
- 2 min
5 Outdoor Centerpieces for Entertaining Guests
This is a centerpiece for an outdoor baby shower I put together. Living in Minnesota, we appreciate the warmer months of summer! One of...
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Annie
- Jul 19
- 2 min
Repurpose Old Tires Into Dust Baths
It never ceases to amaze me how great my chickens are at digging holes! They love to scratch around, wiggle down and flap around the...
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Annie
- Jul 14
- 2 min
Benefits of Citronella and Peppermint Essential Oils for Chickens
Ever heard of essential oils for flock health? Well, if you're a seasoned backyard chicken owner, you probably have. It's all the rage!...
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Annie
- Jul 6
- 1 min
How to Smoke Eggs for a BBQ
Happy late 4th of July, everyone! This holiday is a favorite in our family and something we look forward to each year. We all get...
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Annie
- Jun 28
- 3 min
Scaly Leg Mites in Chickens
Photo Credit: American Poultry Association The pros of raising backyard chickens far outweigh the cons in my opinion! However, at some...
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Annie
- Jun 22
- 2 min
Decorating Rocks for Your Flower Garden
We’re in full garden swing around here. We had an early spring, so the flowers and food garden are bursting, and I love every second of...
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Annie
- Jun 14
- 3 min
Tips for Protecting Your Free-Range Flock
I remember when I first started with chickens. I had four laying hens and they toodled around in the yard in our chicken tractor. They...
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Annie
- Jun 6
- 3 min
What You Need to Know About Chicken Grit
This week we’re going to talk about a very important piece to raising backyard chickens. It’s a topic that if you’re brand new to this...
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Annie
- May 31
- 3 min
Gardening in Containers
This is our Everbearing Strawberry box. These are perennials and come back each year. Our daughter painted rocks red before the berries...
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Annie
- May 23
- 1 min
Memorial Day Fruit Kabobs
I can’t believe we’re almost at the end of the school year! Graduations, family get-togethers, and Memorial Day picnics are upon us. I...
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Annie
- May 17
- 2 min
Sugar Scrub Recipes Using Essential Oils
Photo Credit: Natural Living Family It’s graduation season around here, and there’s always a reason to bless someone we love with a fun...
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Annie
- May 9
- 2 min
All About Black Jersey Giants
Today we are going to highlight one of my favorite breeds. But let’s be honest, they are almost all my favorite breeds! Haha! Except...
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Annie
- May 2
- 3 min
How Do I Know if My Chickens Have Worms?
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Not all parts of raising backyard chickens is glamorous. Haha! For real though, today we’re...
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Annie
- Apr 26
- 2 min
How to Make Homemade Jam
One of my favorite memories from my childhood was coming home to the house smelling like fresh baked bread, homemade jam, and tomato...
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Annie
- Apr 19
- 1 min
Crack into Some Fun: Use Plastic Easter Eggs for a Chicken Activity!
Before you pack your plastic Easter eggs away for the year, use them to make homemade egg-shaped treats to hang in your chicken run....
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Annie
- Apr 12
- 3 min
What is Water Belly?
I remember when our son, Jett, decided to raise a few broiler chickens. He did all the right things and took care of them diligently. Yet...
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Annie
- Apr 6
- 4 min
What to Do With Aging Hens
It’s springtime! And for many of you that means the exciting time of bringing home new chicks and eventually integrating them into your...
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Annie
- Mar 27
- 2 min
The Best Eggshell Crafts
Spring is so close here in Minnesota, we can almost feel it! It’s been a long winter here, and we're looking forward to warmer days. With...
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Annie
- Mar 22
- 3 min
All About the Lavender Orpington Breed
I remember the first day Rosie came to our house. I had been doing some research on different breeds to figure out which ones I was going...
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Annie
- Mar 15
- 1 min
Irish Taco Recipe
You guys are going to want to get your grocery lists out! I’m serious. I just made some incredible Irish tacos and you’re going to want...
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Annie
- Mar 8
- 3 min
Treating Pasty Butt
It’s baby chick season! I can already almost hear the sweet little peeps when walking into our local farm supply store. And honestly? Is...
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Annie
- Mar 2
- 3 min
What is Marek's Disease?
Have you ever heard of Marek's Disease? If not, today is your lucky day! You'll learn all about the causes, if it’s treatable and how to...
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Annie
- Feb 22
- 4 min
The Baby Chick Success Guide
We are kicking off this week with a giant, possibly record-breaking snowstorm here in Minnesota. Yikes! However, the good news is that...
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Annie
- Feb 15
- 2 min
The Best Crème Brûlée Recipe
We recently went to our friend's house for a fancy dinner. It was so much fun! And can you believe it, when it was time for dessert, they...
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Annie
- Feb 10
- 2 min
Can I Use Straw in My Chicken Coop?
For many years I have used pine shavings in my brooders and coop while raising backyard chickens. There are a few different bedding...
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Annie
- Feb 1
- 3 min
How Strong is an Eggshell?
This week we’re going to have a little fun! Growing up, I loved science fair projects. They were an awesome time to learn something new,...
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Annie
- Jan 25
- 3 min
Chicken Coop Lighting in the Winter
It’s January and I don’t know about you, but me and the girls are feeling this long winter month! While it’s been absolutely gorgeous...
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Annie
- Jan 19
- 2 min
All About the Mystic Onyx Breed
Photo Credit: Hoover’s Hatchery The Mystic Onyx breed was originally developed by Hoover’s Hatchery in very recent years. Their beautiful...
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Annie
- Jan 4
- 3 min
How to Tell Your Chickens Apart
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...
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Strong Animals Team
- Jan 3
- 2 min
How to Build a Winter Dust Bath for Your Chickens
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...
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Annie
- Dec 29, 2022
- 2 min
3 Healthy Breakfast Ideas for the New Year
It’s the day after Christmas and I’m sitting here thinking I’ve probably eaten one too many cookies. Yikes! While we try to eat as...
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Annie
- Dec 21, 2022
- 1 min
Annie’s Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipe
It’s the week of Christmas and if you’re like me, there’s a present to be wrapped, a gift to be bought or a cookie to be made! I’m...
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