Is there another breed that more quintessentially says English barnyard hen than a Buff Orpington? People almost always picture a plump, stately, beautifully feathered hen going about her business in the barnyard as if she owns the place and is most definitely not in a hurry! As we shall see, the Orpington is a fairly […]
We have all heard of it, but what exactly is it? The egg float test is a simple test that checks for the egg’s freshness. But is it just an old wives’ tale or does this test actually work? Today’s topic is just that, we’re going to explain the egg float test, how to do […]
If your chickens are anything like ours, then they love to eat mealworms. Mealworms are a healthy, nutritious snack that are full of protein which helps your hens lay lots of eggs. We’ve previously discussed our favorite healthy chicken treats and mealworms were in the top 3 of that list! There is one catch though. Feeding […]
Miniature horses, miniature pigs, miniature chickens? Yes, there really are miniature chickens, though they aren’t just a novelty, flash-in-the-pan, type of tiny animal. They’ve actually been around for quite a while, and they have a name: Bantams. And yes, you’ll be thrilled to hear they come in all different kinds of chicken breeds, many of […]
Nest boxes aren’t essential for hens to lay eggs, they can (and do) lay where they feel secure. The nesting box is essential for you, the flock keeper, unless you enjoy searching the yard, outbuildings and under every bush or overhang for eggs! In this article we cover the basics of nesting boxes including: best […]
Before we ever entertained the idea of keeping chickens in our garden we were long under the impression that you need lots of land to keep chickens- ideally at least an acre of grass. Fortunately, this isn’t the case (unless you are planning on keeping thousands of them!) and you’d be surprised by the actual […]
Getting backyard chickens for the first time can be an exciting and nerve-wrecking experience. What if I forget to lock my coop at night? How do I stop predators attacking my hens? These questions ran through my mind repeatedly when I got my first backyard chickens. I would constantly be checking on my girls every 30 […]
Domesticated duck breeds were all initially created from either wild Mallard ducks or wild Muscovy ducks. Through generations of breeding we have create very specific characteristics. This myriad of domestic duck breeds have been generated around the world. Some domesticated duck breeds were created specifically for meat production. Others were bred for quantity and quality […]
Raising ducklings is the most fun and cutest parts of the entire duck husbandry process. These cute little fuzzy bundles of energy and noise are exciting to watch grow and thrive for the kiddos and adults, alike. Baby ducklings being raised naturally by a momma or incubated by their future keepers, the husbandry tactics are […]
Heritage duck breeds date back to the early years of America when pioneering families and farmers required poultry birds that were exceptionally cold hardy, quality meat producers, and reliable egg layers. Our pioneering ancestors and early American settlers could not go to the grocery store. They had to rely on what they could grow and […]