There are over 130 different kinds of quail breeds throughout the world but, if you are thinking of raising your own, there’s a handful of top-notch quail breeds suitable for the homesteader. Out of the 130-some quail breeds, five are most commonly found in the backyards of bird lovers. Each breed offers something a little […]
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Beginner chicken keepers often ask this question, probably because Spring is the most active and usual time for rearing and raising chicks. However, there is no good reason why you can’t raise chicks year-round – after all, many hatcheries have chicks available year-round. As long as you have everything you need for raising them, you […]
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We often get asked how many roosters should be kept with a flock of hens. What’s the ratio of hens to roosters. Although this question is a moot point for folks who cannot keep roosters because of the city or byelaws, it is a valid question for those who want to keep a few roosters […]
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All birds are covered to a greater or lesser extent with feathers. We really don’t think about the amazing ability of chicken feathers and their use. The very first birds, Archaeopteryx, were huge, terrifying beasts. They are one of the first known appearances of the feather, enabling this dinosaur to fly! Several others dinosaurs also […]
Naturally, the perfect chicken breeds mean different things to different people. My perfect chicken would not only lay the egg but scramble it and serve it in bed to me. While I enjoyed breakfast in bed, she would do housework! So, for me, the perfect chicken sadly doesn’t exist, but truthfully I think chickens are […]
Read More… from The A-Z of Chicken Breeds and Choosing the Perfect One
For those of you who don’t yet raise chickens, the life of a backyard chicken keeper can seem like a strange and confusing world. It doesn’t need to be though! In this article we talk you through exactly what hens need to be healthy and good egg layers. Many folks spoil their chickens in many […]
Sometimes old wives tales linger on long enough to become folk legends that people still believe in to this day. As people become more and more disconnected from their food source, the ‘legends’ continue and can even expand. Over the years I’ve heard many myths about chickens, some entertaining, but others just outright lies! We […]
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 […]
I’m sure you’ll agree it 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 latest blog […]