If you’re a homesteader, you’ve got to have a generator. Whether you need power somewhere out on the property for doing repairs, for countless other jobs, or you are just coping with the loss of electricity from a storm, disaster, or accident, you can’t be without one. But generators are just freaking loud! It’s enough
13 Clever Tips to Make Your Generator Quiet as a Cricket Read More »
If you own chickens, or buy chicken eggs fresh from a farm and especially from a smaller vendor, the concern is always there that you might get a fertilized egg. Anytime a rooster is around hens, unless he’s been caponized, you can assume that those girls are going to lay fertilized eggs. The obvious implication
Can You Safely Eat a Fertilized Chicken Egg? Read More »
Chickens rule the roost when it comes to domestic poultry, especially for backyard keepers and homesteaders like us. But lately, ducks have been making a major comeback. Lots of homesteaders are becoming enamored with the overall good health, self-sufficiency and hardiness of ducks compared to chickens, and more and more are getting turned on to
The Swedish Blue Duck Breed for Homesteaders Read More »
Owning ducks presents several unique challenges compared to owning chickens. Probably the single biggest challenge is that more domestic duck breeds can fly, and fly pretty well. Although they rarely keep up with their wild cousins, backyard ducks may be able to take flight for more than a mile at a time, and some of
9 Tips to Keep Your Ducks from Flying Away Read More »
If you’re keeping chickens for eggs, naturally you want them to keep right on laying them so you have a steady supply. Whether you and your family are eating them, you are selling them, or using them for a breeding program, maintaining output is important. But, as productive as chickens are, there are plenty of
10 Good Reasons Why Hens Stop Laying Eggs Read More »
Chickens have a reputation as being the smallest of the common poultry species kept around the world, though they are certainly the most numerous. With that being said, even though they are the smallest compared to ducks, geese, and turkeys there is still a considerable amount of variation in how big chickens are… Excluding exceptional
From Bantams to Giants: How Tall Are Chickens? Read More »
If you own birds or are thinking about getting some, be they poultry or just pets, you need to know about mealworms. Mealworms are one of the most important nutrient-rich and energy-dense food sources for many bird species, both wild and domesticated. With tons of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and more that birds need,
18 Birds That Will Eat and Enjoy Mealworms Read More »
If you want chickens, or you’ve been thinking about getting them, you likely already know that chickens are omnivores. This means that they eat both plant and animal matter. Naturally, chickens, like so many other birds, lovebugs and some of their very favorite bugs of all are mealworms. Mealworms are actually insects, not true worms,
Mealworms for Chickens: Pros, Cons and Legality Read More »
Rats and mice are an inseparable and necessary part of the natural world, that much is certain. But what else is certain is that absolutely nobody likes them when they are part of our human world. Or at least, when they’re an uninvited party! They cause damage, stink up your home, and spread disease, a
20 All-Natural Rat Baits for Your Mouse Traps Read More »
If you’re going to raise animals, you are signing up for a lot of responsibility. And responsibility is a synonym for work. That’s just the way it is. If you want something that can basically raise itself, you need to look at plants, not animals. But even if you’ve got the gumption, we’re all limited
Top 10 Lowest Maintenance Farm Animals to Consider Read More »
