Little Henny was one of our original chickens, she was on the homestead for three years with us. The name “Henny” is because we had five Buff Orpingtons who I couldn’t tell apart at first, so they were all called “Hennys.” As they got older and developed personalities they got additional descriptors… Little Henny was the smallest […]
Super Gluing a Broken Chicken Beak, or… How I Became a Crazy Chicken Lady
Living in the country on an old property with a big barn comes with a few inherent resources- like cats. People drop their unwanted pets outside of town, and cats seem to come and go, using our big vacant barn as shelter and a smorgasbord of rodents. I knew this was going to be hard […]
Homemade Organic Baby Chick Starter Feed Recipe {corn-free and soy-free}
Thinking about making your own chick starter feed, eh? When we first got our baby chicks, I was determined to be the best chick mother I could possibly be. This involved painstakingly researching exactly what they should eat, being over-protective, and taking waaay too many pictures. There were three things I knew before getting chicks: […]
The Loneliest Rooster: A Chicken Story
I never would have guessed that I’d turn into a “chicken lady,” you know… one of those. I own chicken pot holders, and I talk to the hens like they’re real people. I’m full-blown Chicken Lady. Crazy Chicken Lady. Or as I prefer to call myself: “Chicken Enthusiast.” Before getting chickens, I had no idea that they were […]
Why Egg Yolk Color Doesn’t Matter
Egg yolk color: the great homesteader status symbol! It doesn’t matter if you have a herd of perfectly-groomed sheep, prize-winning tomatoes, a beautiful milk cow, or a pantry full of home-rendered lard, nope. The real measure of a homesteader is the color of their chickens’ egg yolks. At least that’s what I thought when I first […]
Chicken Behavior During Molting… or, Why Have My Chickens Gone Crazy?!
Not only do they provide us with meat and eggs, but chickens are pure homestead entertainment! Spending even a few minutes out in the fresh air and sunshine with these birds will always put a smile on my face. I love just watching them- and actually, keeping an astute eye on them is part fun and part […]
Raising Chickens & Honey Bees Together
Do chickens and honey bees get along? Can you raise them close together? The short answer is, well… yes. I remember last spring when we received our first-ever batch of baby chicks and a couple boxes of bees all in less than a month’s time. I wondered and hoped that I wouldn’t find a band […]
Chickens Have Feelings Too + Why Eating Eggs from Humanely Raised Chickens Matters
Anyone who’s had a dog or cat would tell you that they definitely have feelings. Quinn exhibits shamefulness when he’s been caught sleeping on the bed, and sheer joy when Karl comes home from work. And the cat… well, he gives me the sourest look of anger and betrayal anytime I return from an overnight trip. […]
Chickens in Slow Motion
It’s winter in Wisconsin… what else is there to do but hang out in the coop and take slow motion videos of the chickens? They are really fascinating creatures- and even more so in slow motion! Two Hens Devouring an Apple On the left is Abe Lincoln (note her beard) and on the right is Hennie. You should see […]
10 Creative Protein Sources for Chickens to Help You Save Money on Chicken Feed
Don’t be fooled, “creative” is just a code word for weird. We’re about to dive into some really odd stuff here. It might make your stomach crawl, but your chickens will love it! Plus, these ideas really can help you save money on chicken feed. We wanted our meat birds and egg-layers to be of the […]