So you have decided you want hens. You have been leafing through catalogs, trawling the internet and buying magazines that feature chickens and visiting farm stores almost daily- it has become an obsession! But the big question remains… which breed to choose? There are so many different breeds out there. There are chickens that are […]
The time is approaching- your chicks are going to be delivered soon, but are you totally prepared? It may seem like you have everything, but if it’s your first time there’s a good chance you may have missed something. You don’t want to be running round like a headless chicken when they arrive, so it’s […]
Read More… from 7 Things You Must Prepare Before Your Chicks Arrive
The excitement of buying chicks is usually only surpassed by the arrival of that first egg! While you are caring for them as chicks, there is much to do and think about. It isn’t until they become ungainly ‘teenagers’, eating us out of house and home, that our thoughts turn to the question- when will […]
Many people ask if it’s safe to free range their flock. As with most questions, there is no simple yes or no. To really answer this question you need to understand the pros and cons of free ranging your hens. First, let’s define ‘free range’. For most of us, we have an idyllic picture in […]
Read More… from Should I Free Range My Chickens? Learn What’s Best for Your Hens
I’m sure you’ll agree 2015 has been a fantastic year for backyard chicken keepers! This year we’ve made our own mealworm farm, ran the annual backyard chickens blog award, and even interviewed 43 backyard chicken keepers– it’s been a very hectic year! We thought it would be a great idea to make our last blog […]
Read More… from Top 10 Must Read Backyard Chicken Articles of 2015
During the wintertime your hens’ dietary requirements will change as they molt and prepare for the cold, dark winter whilst their body recuperates for next spring. Not only will their dietary requirements change but the volume of food they eat will also change during the winter. It’s important that during these changes you keep an […]
Read More… from Chapter Three: How To Feed Your Chickens Correctly During Winter
In the first chapter of our definitive winter guide, we are going to look at how to prepare your coop so it’s ready for winter. Mother Nature built the chicken to withstand some fairly extreme environments. The layers of downy feathers under the visible plumage can be puffed up to catch air against the body, […]
As many of you who read this blog will know, two weeks ago we started The Annual Backyard Chicken Blog Awards of 2015. You have been voting in your thousands and last Monday (6th July) the voting lines were closed. Before we get to the results I want to thank everybody who turned up and voted […]
Read More… from Results: The Annual Backyard Chicken Blog Awards 2015