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Mention the word predator to a backyard flock owner and they’ll likely conjure mental images of a hungry raccoon, fox, or owl carrying off a favorite hen.  

Mini predators? They’re the tiny wild animals that don’t directly kill chickens but filch expensive feed, make a mess, and possibly introduce diseases and parasites. Mice and House Sparrows are the major culprits, helped occasionally by starlings and rats.

It’s probably impossible to completely eliminate these hungry animals, but there are ways to keep their numbers down. The fewer sparrows and mice the safer the flock. 

MICE and HOUSE SPARROWS

Several mouse species love chicken feed, but the most common is the Old World House Mouse. It has several traits common with House Sparrows  (sometimes called English Sparrows).

Both are native to the Old World.  Mice probably reached America as stowaways on old sailing ships traveling from Europe to America. Once the ship docked, mice eagerly moved to shore and eventually spread across America. House Sparrows arrived from Europe in a different way. They were deliberately imported and  released in New York City in 1852 in an effort to control the linden moth. As prolific as mice, they also quickly fanned out across the continent. 

House mice and House Sparrows almost always live close to people. They’re absent from the deep woods, big prairies, and wilderness areas but often are amazingly common in and around  barns, houses, sheds, and chicken coops. They also enjoy city life. Both the bird and rodent love dining on chicken feed and any sort of grain.  Sparrows work the day shift eating and pooping around the coop, while mice mostly work the night shift doing the same things. Together they can eat lots of expensive feed and potentially introduce lethal diseases or parasites.  

Reducing Mini Predator Numbers in the Run and Coop

It’s probably impossible to completely eliminate these animals but taking simple measures will reduce their numbers and save expensive feed.  It also reduces the odds of them  bringing parasites and diseases to the coop.  Here are some ways to discourage these mini pests:.

• Store feed in metal containers with tight fitting lids. Metal garbage cans work well.
• Avoid scattering feed in the run, as sparrows will filch some of it.  
• Only scatter as much seed in the coop as the chickens can eat in a short time.
• Use metal hanging feeders inside the coop to make access difficult for mice but easy for chickens. Well designed feeders don’t let chickens scatter feed on the coop floor where mice can reach it. 
• Install screens over coop windows to keep sparrows out. 
• Keep everything tidy and clean.  Mice and sparrows  love clutter.
• Maintain an active mouse trap line.  Simple inexpensive snap type mouse traps work well. Set them in the coop but keep them inaccessible to chickens.  
• Keep wild bird feeders as far away from chickens as possible and only give the chickadees and cardinals as much food as they can eat in a day. 

Replacing Shrubs in the Run with Chicken Ramadas

House sparrows roost in shrubs and tree branches. If these are inside the run sparrow poop rains down to  the ground  right where chickens like to rest in the shade on hot days.  It may contain bacteria and viruses.

Overhead protection from the hot sun and raptors is important. Pallet ramadas can provide it without attracting sparrows.  A pallet ramada is an easy to make an inexpensive “table” that provides shade and protection from raptors without attracting sparrows.  

Making a Pallet Ramada 

About two billion wooden pallets are in circulation in the United States. Many get reused but thousands  are tossed out after one use and are free for the taking.

Often they’re piled near dumpsters behind stores and in industrial areas. Almost always the company enthusiastically gives permission to take a few following a pleasant ask. .   

Most pallets have information stamped on them in code.  It’s easily decoded by accessing universalpallets.com.   Codes reveal the country of origin, but most important is the stamped letters “HT”.  This means the pallets were heated in massive ovens to kill any animal or plant pest hiding in the wood. They are safe to handle. Occasionally a pallet will be marked  “MB” meaning it’ treated with toxic chemicals. Leave it alone. 

Pick up two  pallets.   One will serve as the pallet ramada. Disassemble the other one  and save the 2X4’s to use as ramada legs. The rest makes handy kindling for starting a campfire.   

Tools needed:   

• hammer and crowbar to disassemble one pallet
• Tape measure
• Hand or power saw to cut the legs to size.
• Power drill and screws to attach legs to the pallet.
• About 20 3” screws.   A hammer and nails can be substituted for a drill and screws.

Building the ramada:

• Cut the 2×4’s to 30”
• Flip the pallet over and screw or nail a leg on each corner. 
• Place the completed ramada in the chicken run where chickens can rest beneath it protected from the hot sun and overhead predators. 

Sparrows, mice, and some other wild animals could bring diseases and parasites to a backyard chicken flock.  Making the run and coop as inhospitable as possible to these mini predators helps keep chickens safe.

If you’ve ever been curious about trying duck eggs, then this article is for you!

Side by side, the duck egg is about 30 % larger than a large chicken egg. Although larger, the general protein and fat in each is about the same relative to size. Long prized by chefs, duck eggs boast a richer, fattier flavor than chicken eggs. It is this rich fat that encourages more rising in baked goods, resulting in fluffy, rich convections!

With the popularity of homesteading and keeping livestock back on the rise, duck eggs are making a comeback to family tables. Duck eggs can be prepared the same way as chicken eggs, scrambled, fried, and added to any and every recipe calling for eggs. Duck eggs make fluffy sponge cakes, beautiful meringues, and cakes that stay moist! The albumen, or “egg white” of duck eggs is higher in protein than a chicken egg, lending itself well to gelling and foaming.

In America, most people have low levels of vitamin D. Many of us, including myself, have to take a daily supplement of Vitamin D. Responsible for calcium absorbtion and many other metabolic functions, a single duck egg contains about 10% of your daily value of Vitamin D. That’s impressive, especailly considering vitamin D also helps in happiness and mood regulation.

When it comes to Vitamin B12, a single duck egg has on average 90% of your daily value! B12 is responsible for red blood cell creation, nerve function, and the formation and preservation of our actual DNA! In contrast, a chicken egg only contains about 20% of your daily value of B12.

Duck eggs can be kept for up to 6 weeks in the fridge. They have harder shells, so can withstand a longer life on the shelf. If you’ve ever collected duck eggs, you may have noticed ducks are messy when it comes to their eggs. If they have a dry, clean nest to lay eggs everyday, of course the chance of messy eggs go down. However, ducks being the goofy creatures they are, can be notorious for laying their eggs in random places. Almost as if the duck was swimming when she felt the urge to lay, I have found eggs IN the pond, hidden under a barn, and most commonly, scattered randomly around the yard. Thankfully, since the ducks have harder eggshells than chickens, the eggs tend to be able to undergo lots more rough and tumble.

The best place to find duck eggs is from a local source. Just as with chicken eggs, duck eggs nutritionally are a blueprint of what the bird has been eating. Farm raised duck eggs can be found at most large chain grocery stores. Those ducks, however, were most likely fed a limited diet of pre-made feed. Ducks who have been allowed to wander the farmyard pick up what they search for, resulting in a much more well-rounded duck and egg. The more free ranging the bird does, the higher the amount of Omega 3 fatty acids present in the egg,

If you are considering adding some ducks to your place this spring, here are a few tips:

1. Ducks do need constant access to water. As soon as a duckling hatches, it needs water to help it eat. When planning for future ducks, plan to give them somewhere with water deep enough to submerge their entire bills in.

2. Ducks are cute! They will imprint on humans as ducklings and give their owners a bit more love and affection than chickens.

3. Ducks are messy! They can’t help it, they just are! If you don’t mind a little mess and rinsing off eggs every once and while, they are for you!

Some of the best laying breeds of waterfowl that Hoover’s offers are the Ancona, Golden Cascade, Black Swedish, and Khaki Campbells.

Shopping for friends who homestead is actually quite fun and easy!

Whether you know someone with 3 backyard hens in a subdivision, or have a friend with more chickens than they can count, these Christmas gift ideas are sure to please!

1. Local Gift Basket

Shop local and fill up a basket with goodies from artisans in your community! Chances are there is a winery, some local farms selling homemade breads, jellies or jam. Local honey is always a hit! Handmade soaps are popular, as well as heirloom seeds for next year’s garden. Add a bright book for them to read this winter and start dreaming of warmer days ahead.

2. Personalized Farm Signs

Most little farms I know have a name, usually a quirky name with a story behind it. I bet your homesteader would love a custom created farm sign. The mediums are endless; wood, metal, painted, there is a style for everyone. Most signs can be ordered directly over the internet and are super easy.

3. Custom Art

One cute idea is to commission a portrait of your loved ones’ favorite pet! Each community usually has an artist you can reach out to. A whimsical painting of their favorite goat or an ornament of their best chicken is sure to bring smiles. The art will be there forever as a little reminder of something that brings them joy.

4. New Gear

Most homesteaders would never turn their noses up at anything that makes life easier! With animals, things are always needing to be replaced or changed out. Gift your homesteader new chicken waterers, an upgraded feeder, brand new halters for the horses, or maybe a new rake? Just walk into a farm store and go to town on practical, useful gifts that’ll make farm life easier.

5. Skill Start-Up

People who homestead are masters of many trades. No matter the degree at which we are self sufficient, there are skills I bet your homesteader is wanting to learn. If you can find out, why not get them what they need to get started? If they are into cheesemaking, maybe a book on the subject, along with the supplies to make a few batches? Perhaps they are interested in gardening and learning to can. A set of jar, lids, a pair of tongs, and a pressure cooker would be such a practical and exciting gift! Get a feel for what their interests are, and cultivate them.

6. Gift Card to Hoover’s!

What better way to say Merry Christmas than the promise of chicks to come? I know personally I would be thrilled to receive the gifts of chicks! Maybe some hot cocoa and a Hoover’s catalog will inspire the homesteader you love!

Winter can be a bleak and hard time for anyone living the farm life. Spread the gift of giving with some of these gifts. You’ll be sure to warm up your homesteader with many smiles. Merry Christmas!

Chickens have been doing just fine surviving winters with humans for many hundreds of years. Long before the invention of electricity, chickens have lived alongside people in the farmyards. We all love our chickens and want to give them the best care, especially during those bitter, cold winter months.

Here are a few ways to prepare your coop for winter. Whether you just want to make a few improvements to an existing coop, or might be planning a new one, these will definitely help keep your flock warm this winter.

1. Insulate the interior coop walls. While I do not recommend using house insulation, there are many cheap and effective ways to insulate your coop. Stapling old newspaper or cardboard (I have even heard of people reusing empty feed bags), can put a huge dent in the cold that enters the coop. The thicker the walls, the warmer the inside of the coop stays. Many stores give away their cardboard boxes if you ask.
2. Paint it dark. The darker the color, the more heat it absorbs. The simple trick of painting your coop a dark color will invite more heat from the sun, thus becoming a little warm box for your flock. It doesn’t have to be black, but the darker the better.

3. Add sky lights. This tip isn’t so easily done, but can make a huge difference if you’re willing to put in the work. Adding a few sky lights, or windows on the roof of the coop, allow areas where the sunlight can directly penetrate the floor of the coop. In addition to adding a beautiful light source, I bet your hens will love sunbathing underneath them.

4. Keep your litter dry. This is an obvious one, but keeping the litter and ground inside the coop dry is imperative. The more moisture that is inside the coop, will actually freeze onto the chickens themselves during cold nights. That is why I have started removing the waterers from inside the coop. Doing this prevents frostbite, but keeping the ice out of the waterers is a different challenge.

Many people also use the deep litter method in their coops. Instead of removing all the spoiled shavings periodically, you just keep adding more material. (layers of shavings, straw, dried leaves, etc). The litter begins to compost inside the coop and produces warmth!  When spring rolls around, you have compost for the garden and can start all over again!

5. Feed a winter diet. Your hens may not be laying much this winter, and that is because they are using their energy to stay warm. You can make life easier on them by feeding a fat and protein rich diet over the winter months. Whole corn, when feed as a snack before bedtime, has long been believed to warm up the bird during digestion. Scratch mixes often contain things like corn, sunflower seeds, barley, oats, and high carb seeds. You can ask your feed store for their best winter scratch mix, and your birds will be fat and happy all winter.

6. Chose your breeds wisely. Although most chickens will on average do fine during winter, there are some who thrive in the cold. I happen to live in Alabama, so our winters are not that bad, however, if you happen to live in a particularly cold climate, here are a few winter hardy breeds:

• Cochins, Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, Australorps, Brahmas, Wyandottes, Jersey Giants, and Faverolles, just to name a few.

With a few adjustments, your flock will be warm and happy this winter. Enjoy this season of rest and recovery. Give your flock a little extra care this winter and they’ll be paying you back ten fold when spring rolls around!

If you are looking for a FREE way to keep your coop tidy this winter, try using leaves!

Any leaves raked from the yard will do, the only prerequisite is that the leaves be DRY. Rake up your leaves into a pile and let them dry for a few days. After drying, move the leaves into the coop, making the bedding thickness at least about 8” deep. You can use leaves for the deep litter method, or change them out as you clean the coop, either will work with leaves! If you don’t have access to enough leaves,  find some friendly neighbors who’d love to get them off their hands. Store extra bags of leaves in a dry location, and add them to the coop as needed throughout the winter.

Over time, the texture of the leaves will change inside the coop. As the chickens kick up and scratch the leaves, they will begin to crumble. This actually makes the perfect texture for coop flooring. Once the dried leaves have been crunched up for a few weeks, they will become similar to confetti paper. The smaller texture is easier for the chickens to move around in, and will be easier to collect when it’s time to clean.

All leaves from your yard should be fine for chickens. They will not eat the leaves, but instead scratch around in them. Leaves raked from the yard hold lots of yummy bugs and treats. Even if you do not use leaves as your bedding, simply giving your cooped hens a bag of leaves will provide enrichment. If they look extra bored, give them a heap of leaves in the run to get them moving. Chickens are very curious and will love hunting for any unlucky bugs in the leaf pile.

Pine needles are also a good option for coop bedding! They will be spiky at first, but just like the leaves, the needles will soon break down and crumble into softer bedding after a week or so. Pine needles also have a wonderful scent that can cover coop odors. We used pine needles in our dog’s bed growing up, and I can still remember the nice smell!

When you are ready to clean the coop, the leaves or pine needles will be mulched down and easy to collect with a manure fork. After being “enriched” by your chickens, the old leaf bedding will be ready for your compost pile! The addition of chicken manure actually aids in a quicker decomposition. Therefore, giving you great composted fertilizer that’ll be ready for next year’s garden! Remember to let any compost “sit” for a few months before putting directly onto your garden.

Personally, this will be my first year using leaves in the coop and I can’t wait! I usually use pine shavings in my coop, but with prices of everything being so high, I am going to give leaves a try! Let me know if you try leaves this fall too!