Livestock
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…
Our First Dairy Goats
When I was a little girl, my Uncle Larry would take me to the Farmer’s Inn in Sigel, Pennsylvania. We’d have dinner, maybe play miniature golf, and we ALWAYS had to visit the animals. Back in the early 90s, they…
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…
The Healthy Meat Source No One Talks About
Shhhh… I have a secret. We’re raising meat rabbits. I know that probably makes about 70% of you uncomfortable (or downright upset). If you browse homesteading blogs, you’ll see lots of posts about cows, pigs, goats, sheep and chickens, but…
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…
Meet Our Six Chicks
For the past three weeks, I’ve been pretty much driving the employees at the feed store crazy. Nearly every day, I called to ask if the buff orpington chicks had arrived. Every time, they’d say no. I debated several times…
Easy DIY Heat Lamp Stand for your Chicken Brooder
Once I got my chicken brooder box all set up, the first thing I did was test the lighting. One week old baby chicks need to have their heat lamps set at about 95ºF, then have the temperature decreased by…
Easy DIY Chicken Brooder Box
We’re getting our first chickens this spring (!!) and over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing our experiences along the way. Be sure to subscribe via RSS or email to keep up with our latest posts! Chicken brooder boxes…