Popular Egg Layer Breeds

I hope your new year is off to a great start! This is the time of year where most people start dreaming about adding to their flock Of course, there are those of us who dream all year long about adding more chickens! (Aka me)

Right now, it’s the middle of winter here so there’s a little more down time to plan and prepare for those new little chicks I’m sitting here scrolling through Hoover’s Hatchery catalog and I think I’m in trouble! How does one pick with all these amazing breeds?

Most people get into backyard chickens for the fresh

Quick and Easy Christmas Deviled Egg Wreaths

Hurry! You’ve been invited to a friend’s house for a get together and you’re not sure what to bring? Well, maybe not in 2020 but you know what I mean? Anyways, I’ll help you out! I’m not going to go into a long story on how I came about all of this It’s really not that spectacular And, if you’re in a rush like I was, the last thing you want to do is to scroll through a long story before you

How to Prepare Your Flock for Extreme Winter Weather

It’s almost the middle of winter and here in southwest Minnesota, we still have no snow! Usually by now, we’re all singing “White Christmas” and wearing loads of winter gear out and about While us Minnesotans are all enjoying this weather, we know what’s coming The snow always comes and usually without much warning We have lived through many blizzards, but each year it still takes us by surprise

I was born and raised here and now we’re raising our family here I love every season But, there are certain things we do to prepare for winter, and preparing our

Decorating Your Coop for Christmas

Happy December everyone! I pray your Thanksgiving was full of all the things you love! Like most people, we have a good headstart on our decorating around here I decided to take it a step further this year and make it a little festive for our flock I wanted to show you two different ways The first option was done for under $10!

Then, I decided to up my game a little bit for some fun pictures The girls love it! Just kidding They could really care less! Haha! But, it

Is it Safe to Eat Eggs with Blood Spots?

If you’ve been eating or using eggs for any length of time (hello almost everyone!), you probably have had a blood spot in your egg once or twice While this isn’t appealing to the eye, you need to know that they are perfectly fine to consume or use!

Contrary to popular belief, a blood spot does not mean that the egg is fertilized It simply means that a blood vessel ruptured while the hen was laying the egg This can be due to stress, genetics, or health of the hen

Some stressors can be environment – lack of fresh water, diet,

Treat Idea: Sprouted Grains for Chickens

I set off on a little adult science fair project this past week I decided that in honor of Thanksgiving week, I’d try out a new treat for the girls I placed an order for some raw organic, non-GMO barley and alfalfa seeds You can sprout many different types of grain, beans or lentils Please remember to never feed your flock dried, uncooked beans They contain a toxin, hemagglutinin, which can be deadly for your chickens However, when you cook or sprout beans, the toxins are destroyed and are safe to feed your flock

I chose

Eggs! Color & Quality

If you’re a backyard chicken keeper, there is really nothing compared to the eggs your “girls” provide for your family The eggs are not only delicious, but there is something so fulfilling about raising your own food Heading out to the coop each day to collect your breakfast is one of the most rewarding parts of chicken keeping!

If you have different breeds of chickens, you may have a variety of egg colors If you’re one of those people who “only eats white eggs”, do your research and make sure you have the appropriate chickens My very first chickens laid

Gardening With Chickens

It’s August! What in the world? Where did the summer go? I’m torn between being ready for 2020 to be over (with Covid-19) and really wanting to throw the breaks on because I love this time of year! The mornings are starting to get a bit cooler here in Minnesota, but still warm up in the afternoon The cicadas are singing their song and the sunsets are stunning It’s also the time of year where our garden is starting to overflow with an abundance of produce! We’ve already had BLT’s 3 times and green beans until our hearts are