So you’ve got chickens. They’re fluffy, they’re fabulous, and they lay breakfast. But now you’ve noticed a few mysterious, dark-feathered figures lurking nearby—crows. Are they friends? Foes? Freeloaders? Before you start handing out tiny trench coats and naming them Edgar, let’s break down the pros and cons of letting crows hang around your backyard flock.

Pros: The Crow Side of Things

🧠 Smart Security Guards

Crows are basically the neighborhood watch with wings. They’re incredibly intelligent and will sound the alarm if predators are nearby. Hawks, raccoons, or that one cat with a suspicious glint in its eye—crows will call it out.

🧹 Clean-Up Crew

Crows are scavengers, which means they’ll happily clean up spilled feed, food scraps, and anything your chickens leave behind. It’s like having a feathered Roomba, but with attitude.

🐜 Pest Control Pros

Crows eat insects, rodents, and other small pests that might bug your chickens (literally). They’re nature’s pest control, minus the monthly bill.

🎓 Free Entertainment

Watching crows solve problems, play games, and occasionally troll your chickens is like having a live nature documentary in your backyard. Bonus: they might teach your chickens a thing or two about street smarts. We started out feeding a “married couple,” as we called them. At first, handling feeding JUST 2 crows was easy. After a few months, word spread, and we now have 7 crows who split their daily bread. A couple are clearly young, and flap their wings, begging their parents to feed them, even thoughthry are clearly old enough to feed themselves!

Cons: The Crow-ncerned Side

🥚 Egg Thieves

Crows love eggs. If they figure out where your hens are laying, they might start helping themselves. Your omelet dreams could be dashed by a sneaky beak.

🐥 Chick-napping Risk

Crows generally don’t mess with full-grown chickens, but chicks? That’s a different story. If you’ve got babies in the flock, keep them protected—crows can be opportunistic.

🗣️ Noise Pollution

Crows are chatty. And loud. If you thought your rooster was vocal, wait until a murder of crows starts gossiping in your trees at 6 a.m. Crows use their voices as their main mode of communication, and will soon start trying tocommunicate with you! Our crows are in the tress at sunrise, calling me for breakfast!

💩 Messy Guests

They’re not exactly tidy. Crows can leave droppings, scatter trash, and generally make a mess if they’re feeling bold. Think of them as the punk rockers of the bird world—cool, but not always courteous.

Final Verdict: Murder or Mates?

Crows can be surprisingly beneficial backyard companions—smart, resourceful, and occasionally hilarious. But they’re not without their mischief. If you’re willing to keep an eye on your eggs and chicks, and maybe toss a few shiny trinkets their way (they love that), you might just find yourself with a feathered alliance worth crowing about.

Just don’t expect them to pay rent.

The fox, the mortal enemy of the chicken. For as long as people have kept chickens, a battle has ensued between the chicken and the fox. The fox, a cunning and intelligent hunter, has long found ways to infiltrate our defenses, thus claiming his prize and leaving us chicken owners feeling devastated.

The red fox (vulpes vulpes), can be found all across the United States. Measuring about 3 feet long, and 2 feet tall, the red fox is both as cunning as it is beautiful. It’s cousin, the grey fox, can still be a threat to chickens, but is much smaller and it is rare for a grey fox to go on the hunt for chickens. A hunt it is, the fox will scope out his or her attack ahead of time. Foxes plan, they think, and they plot. In order to defend your flock, you’ll have to do some planning ahead as well.

Red foxes are devoted parents, and often monogamous, mating for life. Like their cousins, domestic dogs, given optimum conditions, foxes can live up to 15 years in captivity, but live much shorter lives in the wild. It is a hard life being a wild red fox, with most only living 2-6 years in the wild. With a new litter of up to 12 kits each spring, the parent foxes go to work securing and stashing food around March. Foxes plan ahead. It is for this reason, when they attack a flock of chickens, they often take out the whole flock in one night. Once they’ve found a way in, they will grab a chicken, take it away, and keep coming back, repeating until the resource is depleted-in one single night. They hide and stash their food for future meals.

Rarely ever will a fox return to the scene of the crime multiple nights in a row. They know you are going to be up, waiting for their next strike.

To keep your chickens safe, here are a few ways to prevent foxes from taking our your birds:

1. Surveillance

Chances are, your farmyard turns into a whole different world under the cover of darkness. You would be surprised how brazen predators can be, coming right within feet of the front door, looking for something to catch or scavenge.

One of the best plans of action is to get yourself some nighttime surveillance cameras.

Foxes take the same paths along coop walls and fences while on patrol. Look for any areas of ground that look frequented, and place your cameras.

(We once caught a pair of foxes on our nighttime camera, playing with a dog toy!)

Once you find out what is visiting your coop, and when, you’ll know exactly where to place traps.

2. Militarize the Coop

Foxes are as stealthy as they are intelligent, so making your coop as secure as Fort Know is imperative. Extra work up front, when building your coop or run, will save you trouble in the long run. Foxes are great at digging, they dig a new den site each year, even sometimes with alternate dens, in case of emergency. The athletic fox will quickly dig under a run fence, then easily slip their petite frames underneath. To deter this, you can bury the fence. The deeper the better, but if the fox encounters a buried fence, it may stop him from digging deeper. Bury your chicken wire about 8 inches deep, or put heavy rocks along the wire bottom.

As well as under, keep the upper parts of your coop secure as well. Red foxes are stealthy climbers, and can fit through the narrowest of holes. Be sure to cover any and every crack and crevice where a predator could slip in. Keep your chickens locked in a coop at night, preferably only letting them into the fence or to free range during the day. If chickens are left in a run overnight, it really must have chicken wire over the top. Opossums, owls, raccoons, weasels, bobcats, and yes, even a fox, could easily climb on over any height fence, so long as it doesn’t have a secured top.

3. Decoys and Detterents

As with any intelligent animal, after some time, the fox will most likely realize your decoy is just that, fake. He’ll slide right past the decoys he is used to seeing, so try moving them and swapping them out. Coyote decoys work great, as foxes and coyotes are enemies in the wild. Given the opportunity, a coyote will kill a fox. Try adding scent to your decoys as an extra way to make the decoy seem real. Some motion detecting lights are a great idea as well. When our motion lights come on at our place, it helps notify our dog, Elsa, of trouble. If you have an extra brazen fox, some motion activated Halloween decorations could do the trick! As with anything though,with added exposure, comes less fear.
Foxes are very leery of humans, and even just making lots of noise can be enough to keep it away for good. Yelling, banging pots and pans if you see the fox, can get the message across. Even better is shooting a few rounds into the air. (only if you’re in the country of course…)

4. Set Traps

Sometimes the very best option is to trap and remove the fox. Having a large animal live trap cage on your farm will come in handy and definitely pay for itself after a couple years. A larger size trap is best for a fox. Place the trap along a wall where you think it frequents. Be sure to cover the cage in some branches and leaves to make it seem less obvious. If you just place a random cage out in the open, chances are, the fox won’t be falling for that. Use fragrant and delicious bait in the trap, like a can of tuna or fried chicken.

After catching the fox, what to do with it is at your discretion. It is not illegal to shoot a fox in the United States, especially if you are defending your livestock. You can also catch and release the fox. Experts recommend taking the fox at least 10-20 miles from your home if local ordinances allow, to be sure the fox doesn’t return.

5. Get a Dog

Dogs can be great at keeping all types of curious nighttime critters away from your coop. While you are sleeping, your best friend can be keeping an eye or ear on the farmyard. A barking dog can prove enough deterrent to keep your fox away. Do be sure to keep your dog vaccinated against rabies, as foxes are a common carrier. If you see a fox behaving strangely, stay away and call animal control at once.

Dealing with a fox can be difficult. There are so many stories of a fox coming in a killing an entire flock in one night-a story shared by many chicken owners. Here, even on my own little farm, I had collected quite a perfect little flock of chickens, about 12 in all. In a single night this April, a fox came and took out all but 2 of my chickens. We heard the commotion, and sprinted out of bed, grabbing the spotlight, and racing to the yard- a fox was there, amongst our goats, running around pulling the feathers out of a big white hen! He had already took off with then hen in his mouth, and we, thinking it was over, we went back to bed. Just as we had fallen asleep, we heard chickens screaming again! He had come back! In fact, he had never left, but was HIDING in the barnyard, waiting for us unaware humans to sleepily stumble back indoors. Grabbing one after another, the fox took out some of my very favorite and best birds, all in one night, even a mama hen who was sitting on her clutch of eggs. The next morning, there was nothing but a mess of feathers scattered around a sad, sad scene. The fox has not returned, but know he will!

When we invite livestock into our lives, we are often inadvertently inviting unwanted predators as well. The red fox is just trying the survive and feed his family, just as we are. With these simple approaches, maybe you can convince your fox family to stay away from your chickens, and just go back to hunting rabbits!

Wounds are just an unfortunate, yet inevitable occurrence if you have animals. The best approach is being prepared. Chances are, you may be able to doctor up your chicken at home, without having to see a veterinarian or put the chicken down. Chickens can find some fun ways to hurt themselves, not to mention they are on the menu for pretty much every type of predator out there. You’ll likely come across a medical situation or two. Here is what to do if your chicken gets an injury, most specifically a flesh wound.

To make the process easier, it helps to already have the correct supplies on hand. You don’t need to purchase an overpriced first aid kit, when you can simply head to the feed store and put together your own. Here are a few essential items to keep in your first aid kit:

(Hoover’s is in no way affiliated with the following products, they are just some easily available essentials I personally have on hand.)

First Aid Kit:

Blu Kote

Red Kote

Vetericyn

Neosporin

Betadine
Beeswax Wraps

Latex Gloves

Paper towels, gauze, and vet tape

Tweezers and scissors

If allowed a clean and safe space to heal, chickens can recover from some of the most gruesome injuries. For example, we once had a beautiful beige Naked Neck hen who survived a hawk attack. We were able to scare the hawk off her, but she was left missing about a 6 x6 inch patch of skin missing! Her skin was literally gone and I could see her muscle tissue underneath! After a minute of panicking, I had to figure out what to do with this poor girl! It looked painful and I was scared she might not survive, but after isolation and applying antiseptic spray every day, she had re-grown all tissue and was back living her best life after about 3 weeks! She even eventually grew back feathers as well!

If your chicken has an open wound, laceration, or skin that has been damaged, here’s what to do!

1. Isolate

To be best prepared, have a small kennel on hand. Isolating the injured bird is important for a fast recovery. Other chickens will often peck or bully an injured one. Be sure to keep the bottom of the cage dry with clean shavings. Avoid using any granular bedding that could get stuck in a wound. The chicken may do better in its kennel in a garage or barn, somewhere cool where you can regulary check in on it.

2. Clean Wound with Antiseptics

After examining, carefully clean the wound. First wash gently with warm soap water, then gently pour some betadine over it. The bedadine is a natural antiseptic, commonly used in surgery. Gently remove any debris or dead skin. The betadine can be left on, or rinsed off. Betadine has a dark brown, staining color, which dries to a yellow stain over the skin. It can be left on, or rinsed off.

3. Treat Medicinally

There are several medicinal options available for flesh wounds on poultry, most being available at your local feed store. One particular spray, called Vetericyn, is a great option. It is an antimicrobial spray that doesn’t sting when applied. It promotes healthy skin regrowth and does not have any egg withdrawal time!

Another option is Red Kote, which is available in a dobber or spray. Red Kote is another great wound antiseptic, and is best on a moist lesion. It can also be used to help treat scaly leg mites and bumble foot as well. However, it contains scarlet red oil which looks like blood. This only matters if you have not separated the injured bird from the flock. The red color can trigger the other chickens to peck. Pecking is a very serious problem, so be sure to isolate if using Red Kote.

A relative of Red Kote is Blu Kote. Made by the same makers of Red Kote, Blu Kote also comes in a dobber or aerosol spray. It contains a purple dye called violet gelatin. There is some debate on this product’s safety and egg withdrawal period. Despite this, it is one of the fastest and best sprays for wounds on chickens. The purple color actually deters other chickens from pecking and it leaves wounds dry. Blu Kote contains both antibacterial and antifungal properties.

Another great product, is plain Neosporin. The petroleum based antibiotic ointment probably is already in your medicine cabinet. Just be careful not to use Neosporin containing lidocaine, as this may be harmful to poultry. Neosporin is a great option if you are planning on wrapping the wound. Apply a good,thick layer to keep any cotton fibers from getting into the wound.

4. 4. To Wrap, or Not to Wrap

If you are dealing with a flesh wound, sometimes the best option is leaving it to dry. Drying promotes scabbing and regrowth of skin. If the wound is missing skin, and hasn’t gone into the muscle, leave it to dry with a dry antiseptic spray, reapplied a few times a day.

If your chicken has a very deep, wet cut, you may prefer to wrap it. Be sure if you wrap the wound, to moisten whatever cotton pad with lots of medicine. You definitely do not want the cotton drying into the skin! Most feed stores carry beeswax wraps. These stretchy wraps secure to themselves, without the need for tape. Wrap the wound with light pressure, not allowing the wrap to become too tight, constricting bloodflow.

A wound on the back or chest should be wrapped with care to avoid being overly tight, yet still allow for some mobility.

5. Observe

While a chicken is healing, keep her comfortable and quiet. Lightly cover part of her cage with a towel or blanket to reduce stress. You can give the chicken some added supplements (like Rooster Booster) or electrolytes to their water.If you can, check on the chicken several times a day and clean and rewrap the wound once everyday, at least. It can be a long road to recovery, but chances are, your chicken will ready to ready outside in a few weeks.

If you happen to experience a wounded chicken this year, try not to be discouraged. As chicken owners, we wear many hats, and sometimes that hat is one of emergency nurse! Good luck out there fellow chicken tenders!

Hot Chicks: How to Keep Your Backyard Flock Cool When the Sun’s on Full Blast

Summer: the season of sun, sweat, and suspiciously judgmental stares from your chickens as they roast like feathery marshmallows in the backyard. While you’re sipping iced tea in the shade, your flock is out there wondering if this is how rotisserie begins. Fear not, fellow chicken tender (pun absolutely intended)—here’s your guide to keeping your birds cool, comfortable, and cluckin’ through the heatwave.

1. Shade: Because Chickens Don’t Do Sunglasses

First things first—give your chickens some shady real estate. Whether it’s a tarp, a beach umbrella, or a chicken-sized cabana (we won’t judge), make sure they have a place to escape the sun. Bonus points if it comes with a tiny fan and a drink with a paper umbrella.

2. Hydration Station

Water is life. And in summer, it’s also the difference between a happy hen and a heat-stroked heap of feathers. Keep water fresh, cool, and plentiful. Add ice cubes if you’re feeling fancy. Pro tip: Chickens love pecking at frozen fruits like watermelon or berries—hydration and entertainment in one chilly package.

3. Dust Baths: The Chicken Spa Experience

Chickens don’t do bubble baths, but they do love a good dust bath. It helps them stay cool and keeps parasites at bay. Make sure they have a dry, shady spot to roll around like they’re auditioning for a poultry version of “Dirty Dancing.” Add a little diatomaceous earth into the favorite dusty spot for added parasite prevention.

4. Ventilation: Coop or Sauna? Choose Wisely.

Your coop should be breezy, not broiling. Open windows, install vents, or go full DIY and add a solar-powered fan. Just don’t let it turn into a sweat lodge—unless your chickens are into that sort of thing (they’re probably not).

5. Frozen Treats: Because Chickens Deserve Dessert Too

Freeze corn, peas, or chopped fruit in muffin tins with water and serve them up like gourmet popsicles. Your chickens will peck at them like they’re Michelin-starred meals. It’s enrichment, cooling, and a great way to feel like a five-star chicken chef. You can also cut a whole watermelon in half and freeze them. Chickens LOVE watermelon, and they love frozen watermelon even more!

6. Schedule Adjustments: Siesta, Chicken Style

Let your flock free-range early in the morning or later in the evening when the sun isn’t trying to melt everything in sight. Midday is for lounging in the shade and plotting their next escape from the coop. Middays are meant for staying still in the shade.

7. Watch for Signs of Heat Stress

If your chickens are panting, spreading their wings, or looking like they just ran a marathon, they might be overheating. Act fast—cool them down with water, shade, and a gentle reminder that they’re not actually firebirds.

Final Cluck

Summer’s no joke, especially when you’re covered in feathers and can’t order a cold brew. With a little planning, a lot of water, and maybe a few frozen snacks, your backyard chickens can stay cool, calm, and comfortably sassy all season long.

Staying cool the flock-approved way—with juicy watermelon and a shady spot! 🐔🍉☀️ Download this summer coloring page and bring the coop to life with color!

Besides the obvious need for procreation, many people ask me what the reason for having a rooster is. If you don’t need a rooster for the hens to lay eggs, then why keep one? A rooster provides protection and stability to his flock. Ever vigilant, he keeps his hens close and always is looking and listening out for danger. Keeping a rooster is more of a personal preference, but there are sure advantages to adding one to your flock.

Cockerels vs Pullets

A cockerel is a young male rooster, while a pullet is a young female chicken.

If you purchase “straight run” chicks, you are gambling on the gender of your chicks. “Straight run” chicks are male and female chicks mixed together. While there are several debated theories on how to tell the difference, the only sure fire way to determine gender is by sexing done by a trained professional. The sexual organs are internal, so unless the chicks are sex-linked. Sex-linked chicks are the male and female chicks of a particular breed look different as chicks, but these chickens will not

Young roosters, called cockerels, do have some features you can look out for. Cockerel chicks will have thicker, bigger feet and legs. They also have what some describe as an “angry eye.” The chick may not actually be feeling any particular way, but it is true that baby roosters have a slant to their eyes, almost giving them an squinty, angry appearance! The only sure fire way to determine whether you have a pullet or a cockerel, will become evident when it starts to crow!

Roosters help feed their hens.

Did you know a good rooster will actually feed his hens before himself? Yes, a gentleman rooster will offer delectable treats to his wives. He will call them over with a rapid, high pitched cluck. He will pick up the morsel and keep dropping it in front of the hen to see.

Young roosters are often less chivalrous, and tend to be greedier than the seasoned roosters. This devotion seems to come with age and maturity. Just like people,all roosters can be different. If you have a good one, keep him around! If you have a bad one,best to remove the problem instead of try to reform them. Aggressive roosters are no joke and can be relentless. Defending yourself just emboldens the rooster, and they really do not seem to learn from reprimands with a broom. The best place for a problem rooster is in the oven!

Crowing

The most iconic trait of the rooster is their crow. Roosters start crowing at around 3 months old, and sometimes this is the first indicator for new chicken owners that they even have a rooster. Roosters crow to stake claim to their territory and warn other roosters to stay away. The frequency and volume depends in the individual. It is true that each rooster has his own unique sounding crow. Roosters don’t just crow in the morning, they will crow all day, and sometimes even in the dead of the night! Its important to consider whether you (and your neighbors) would be okay with tolerating a particular level of noise, that will be happening throughout the entire day.

Roosters provide free flock surveillance.

The main reason to keep a rooster is to help protect your flock. If he is devoted, a rooster will spend all day keeping an eye on his ladies. Always checking the sky and also keeping tabs on the location of all his hens, a good rooster will definitely improve the survivability of the flock. While some roosters will go to battle to defend a hen, their main contribution is as an alarm system. It really is true that a rooster will be hyper vigilant throughout the day, while the hens tend to be a little less observant of their surroundings. His warning call, a quick and high pitched rapid almost shout, alerts the hens to danger. At his call, the hens will always fly for cover.

Roosters provide flock replenishment for free.

The best hen to rooster ratio is 1 rooster per about 10-12 hens. A single rooster is totally fine with more hens, but if you are wanting hatching eggs, its best to stay closer to the ratio to increase your chances of fertile eggs. Mating happens quickly, usually with the rooster first calling the hen, tempting her with a small piece of food. He will then put one wing down, extended to the ground, and do a little dance around her. If the hen accepts him, she will squat on the ground. After mating, the hen can keep sperm within her for several weeks, thus not needing to mate everyday to lay daily fertile eggs.

As far as paternal instincts, roosters don’t have much. They will continue to protect and look over the flock, but it is the mother chickens that do the chick rearing.

Roosters are beautiful, fun characters to have on your farm. Their quintessential crow, and watching them strut proudly around the yard, reminds us of a simpler time and place. If local ordinances allow, try adding a rooster to your flock. Roosters are usually less expensive than hens of the same breed, and you can even sometimes find people giving them away! (just be sure to get a nice one!)