Chickens
Spring Chicks
Every year, we usually add a few hens to our laying flock, just to keep productive young hens coming up as older hens slow down their laying. This winter, we lost about 6 hens and one much-loved rooster to a…
The Truth About Backyard Chickens: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
I recently shared a post on the @littleredfarmstead Instagram feed and asked my followers what they’d like to read about here on the blog. One question that came up was asking about the pros and cons of keeping backyard chickens.…
For the Love of Chickens
Sometimes I feel like the chickens on our farm don’t get enough attention any more. Of course, they’re well-fed and cared for, but I don’t talk about them or post as many photos as I once did. But they’re the ones…
Meat Chicks Moved to the Great Outdoors (a 3.5-Week Update)
Saturday morning, I opened the barn door to find one very confused meat chick looking at me from outside his brooder. Clearly, they were getting big enough to hop or fly or otherwise foist themselves out of the brooder, which…
Our First Meat Chickens
Over the weekend, Mike and I were talking and realized we have: (1) an extra semi-portable chicken coop, and (2) an already-fenced garden area we’re hoping to plant next year that needs to be tilled and fertilized. Inspired by my friend…
Truth or Fiction: Baby Chicks are Being Ground Up Alive
Recently a friend of mine forwarded this to me on Instagram, and asked me if I could explain if it’s true or not: https://www.instagram.com/p/BFCv_XTgzKU/ It’s an upsetting image, and an upsetting message, no doubt. There is some truth in it,…
Getting Started with Chickens: BEFORE You Bring Home Chicks
It’s important to prepare for your chicks well before you bring them home or they arrive in the mail. Chicks are fairly delicate, so you’ll want your brooder, heat source, and feed and water all set up so you can make…
Getting Started with Chickens: Picking Your Chicks
Spring is in the air and it’s finally time to start your backyard chicken flock! So how do you get started? This month I’m doing a 5-part series on picking your chicks and how to care for them once you…
6 Tips to Keep Your Chickens Happy & Healthy This Winter
I hate to admit this, but winter is coming [insert Jon Snow reference here]. Here in the snow belt just south of Lake Erie, it won’t be long till we’re buried under a couple feet of snow. (Actually, I think…
Happy First Egg Day!
That’s the face of a happy [crazy] chicken lady right there!
Top 5 Questions About Backyard Chickens
Since getting chickens four months ago, I’ve been surprised how many people ask the same questions over and over. I love talking about my chickens, but I’m by no means a chicken-expert. I can only share what I’ve read and experienced…
Chick Update: Almost 2 Weeks
I knew chicks grow fast, but until witnessing it in person, I really had no idea HOW FAST it really goes. There have been days that I feed and water them in the morning, and when I come home after work I swear…
