Raising chickens can be quite the costly endeavor. Sure, you get rewarded with eggs, meat, and free fertilizer – but you have a lot of expense in raising your flock, don’t you? From one-time equipment expenses like feeders and waterers (and chicken coops!) to more regular, yet equally costly, expenses like food and medications, raising… [read more]

If you’re trying to figure out what to feed your flock of chickens, you might feel overwhelmed by the wealth of information out there. Don’t feed high-protein food. Feed high protein feed! Well, feed it in moderation. Only feed it during molting. The information is exhausting when you try to find the answer to the… [read more]

Whether you want to raise chickens as pets or you’re interested in making some money with your new backyard flock, knowing the full cost of raising chickens is important for several different reasons. Not only does having a clear idea of the costs give you a good idea of whether you’re saving or making money,… [read more]

New chicken keepers frequently ask the question, “How often should you collect chicken eggs?” This is a great question to ask because not only do we love our chickens, we love their eggs! And part of chicken keeping is making sure that we have the best, cleanest, healthiest eggs we can. A big part of… [read more]

Take a stroll down the egg aisle at your supermarket. Without a doubt, you will see countless types of eggs with all kinds of monikers. Some claim to be free-ranged, some are cage-free, and others are organic. But what about vegetarian? And what does it mean if a label reads, “USDA verified 100% vegetarian-fed chicken?”… [read more]

The days may be getting longer, but we still have a lot of days ahead of us that will prove to be both chilly and cold. As it happens, you may have already noticed a subtle change in both your flocks routine and personalities. These changes in your flock are those of being not so… [read more]

A rare modern breed of chicken, the Ayam Cemani is native to Indonesia. This chicken isn’t a great egg or meat producer – so why are people so obsessed with it? And more importantly, is this luxury chicken breed even worth raising? The short answer is…well, it depends. Here’s everything you need to know about… [read more]

You don’t need to enter the chicken coop in fear anymore. Whether your meanest rooster is a diminutive bantam or a hulking Jersey Giant, there’s nothing laughable about a boss rooster who thinks he rules the roost. I’m not afraid of roosters by any means, but I’ve suffered my fair share of injuries – from… [read more]

If the cost of raising chickens has got you down, maybe you want to take on a new challenge: how to feed your chickens for free. You might be surprised by all the things you can feed your chickens that won’t cost you any money. And while it is true that chickens need a balanced… [read more]

If you have ever thought about raising chickens, you likely have images of ruby-red birds prancing through grass-covered pastures running through your head. The unfortunate reality for many people ist hat for part of the year, those grass-covered pastures are covered with something else entirely – snow. Raising chickens for eggs or meat requires you… [read more]