A few weeks ago, we brought the chickens out to the new property in West Virginia, a two-and-a-half hour drive from our home in Virginia. It’s a challenge to move chickens without causing significant stress, and stress can kill chickens. Any disease which may have been laying dormant is likely to appear after a stressful … Continue reading
My new home is a winter wonderland. From October through April, the snow covers the ground and drifts to depths of up to 5 feet. The average low in December is 22 degrees Fahrenheit and the average high in August is 82 degrees with 2.6 to 5.3 inches of precipitation per month. The 3,800-foot elevation … Continue reading
This past Saturday, I published a post summarizing the benefits of fermented feed and some basic directions on how to get started. Take a look at “Why and How to Ferment Your Chicken Feed” over on Community Chickens! Do you want to save money on your feed bill? Do you want better feed conversion, stronger … Continue reading
This spring, we’ll build the chicken coop on my new property. My goal is simple: Build a coop which will serve my needs and last at least 40 years. With this as my goal, my requirements were clarified: Room for enough chickens to provide meat and eggs for at least six people (my husband and … Continue reading
I published a long piece on how to sell hatching eggs on Community Chickens this morning. Check it out! You’ve obtained the best stock, raised them well, and made your breeding selections. Find out how you can sell hatching eggs to promote a rare breed, build your business, or simply get the best price for … Continue reading
What is the current state of your homestead and flock? What is working for you? What would you like to do more of, and what would you like to change? Consider each of the areas below and begin to define your goals! In coming days, I’ll discuss each of these points in greater depth and … Continue reading
We all have goals for our self-sufficiency, our farms, and our flock. The more clearly we can define our goals – really see them – the more likely we are to work smart to achieve them. Join me in setting goals and envisioning your flock’s future! photo credit: mcarpentier via photopin cc We have long … Continue reading
The antitheses of Anthropologie’s $3,000 reclaimed lumber A-frame chicken coop is a coop that you make in your own yard with lumber you have reclaimed yourself from an old construction project, broken furniture, or wooden pallets. A $30 bucket of dried mealworms can be replaced by worms from your own vermiculture bin or homegrown mealworms … Continue reading
Last Saturday on Community Chickens, I explained the basics of setting up a breeding pen. You want to select healthy birds that are not too closely related, provide them with nutritional supplements, and separate them from the rest of the flock. But how do you select chickens to further your breeding goals? Two common approaches … Continue reading
Soon after I began fermenting my chickens’ feed, I began experimenting with what I could ferment. The fermentation process makes nutrients more available, increases digestibility, and promotes beneficial bacteria throughout the digestive tract, so I knew that it wouldn’t hurt to try fermenting foods that I already provided as treats. (Read about the benefits of … Continue reading
Scratch Cradle 