Urban homesteading on a regular lot in the suburbs of Atlanta. Six years of backyard chickens — started with seventeen, down to three, and there’s a story behind every one. A garden I’m trying to get better at, cheese made with the wrong acid, and more sourdough starters killed than I can count. The canner is still in the box. It’s never too late to learn. Not a tutorial, and not a farm.
Any good gardener knows the value of a compost pile. A good compost pile is created by collecting your organic garden cuttings and layering them using an ample mix of green and brown materials to provide nitrogen and carbon. Add…
It can be disheartening when you bring your chicken home, starry-eyed with the idea of your new feathered friend, and then they run away in terror every time you approach them wanting a cuddle. Try not to take it personally!…
An essential part of keeping chickens is calculating how much feed your flock requires monthly. The amount of food that chickens eat each day is variable and depends on a range of factors, but for the sake of planning and…
Chickens are known to be quite scared of everything that they come across in their lives, including humans and even other birds. This has even led to the word “chicken” being used as a taunt for people who are afraid…
When your chickens start molting during the fall season it is important to increase their protein uptake. As they lose feathers and start the regrowth of new ones additional protein is required. Chicken feathers are made up of 97% keratin protein and…
In my backyard, we have eight large blueberry bushes that give us tasty fruit to eat each growing season. I let my chicken’s free-range during the day so it was important to find out if my flock could eat these…
Bantam chickens’ small size and fluffy plumage make them utterly adorable. It does not take long to fall in love with these endearing little birds. The first thing I wanted to know when we got our Bantam hens was how…
You will notice some dominant behavior among your hens if you keep chickens, either as a free-range flock or confines to a coop. They will fight to settle a pecking order, and roosters will fight over hens. Chickens have very…
As someone who has kept chickens for many years, I have learned several tricks to outsmart even the most cunning egg-eating hen in your coop! This is a common challenge faced by poultry owners. You look forward to enjoying fresh…
A bare chicken is not a pretty sight, and it can be alarming to see your fluffy hens with less than their average amount of feathers. It is always wise to investigate changes in your chicken’s appearance. The truth is…
