Got Soft Eggshells? Here’s How to Help

Can you believe we are in the middle of the summer already? If you are like our house, you have eggs coming out of your ears! Gathering eggs is one of my favorite chores

I sometimes get asked if I have trouble with soft eggshells or if the eggshells are so thin or they crack easily? If you are experiencing this with your girls, have no fear I can help!

Let’s start with why your hens might be laying soft shelled eggs and what you can do to help them

Hens can start laying soft shelled eggs for several reasons It can

My Chicken Coop Is Here! A Step-by-Step Chicken Coop Setup Guide

The day is finally here, friends The girls’ new home has arrived, and to say I was excited would be a serious understatement Thank goodness nobody captured the part where I went running down the driveway to greet the delivery man, because he probably does not get too many grown women sprinting toward him over the arrival of a shed That little building was about to become my flock’s forever home, and getting the chicken coop set up right was the only thing on my mind If you are bringing home a coop of your own soon, here is exactly

Building Play Areas for Your Chickens

I would love to tell you that I’m a DIY queen and that I know my way around power tools and the lumber yard, but I’m not and I don’t! I enjoy watching people do it though, so does that count? Haha!

Last summer, I was scrolling through what every DIY “wannabe” does to grab ideas for the flock to enjoy I came across a picture of a really fun “playset” for chickens I sent the picture to my husband and a few hours later, he and our daughter had it built!

We strive for excellence around here and not for

Setting up a Brooder

Hey everyone!

Today I am going to be talking about how to set up a brooder for your baby chicks Getting baby chicks is such an exciting time If you’ve never raised baby chicks before, you’ve come to the right place! I remember when I first heard the word, “brooder” I remember pretending to know what that was when in actuality, I had no idea! Ha Ha! A “brooder” is just a fancy word for a place to keep your baby chicks until they’re big enough for a coop

There are 4 basic things your baby chicks will need to survive

May is National Egg Month

It’s been pure joy heading out to the coop each day to see how many eggs the girls have laid To tell you I was overzealous about the “first egg” is an understatement! That’s a long story for a different day

Our big girls have been laying for about 3 months now We have enjoyed eggs prepared many different ways! And, it is just so much more fun because we raised them right in our backyard The kids can go “pick breakfast”

Beautiful eggs from my girls

Did you know?

Eggs are considered one of the healthiest foods on the planet

The Deep Litter Method for Chicken Coops: A Beginner’s Guide

Let’s talk about poop It is not the most glamorous part of raising backyard chickens, but it is the part that never seems to stop A single hen can leave behind 50 to 60 droppings a day, so if you keep even a small flock, the mess adds up fast The good news is that there is a smarter way to handle it The deep litter method for chicken coops lets your bedding and manure compost right where it falls, so instead of scooping out the coop several times a week, you only deep clean a few times a

Holiday Entertaining: Deviled Egg Bar

My husband and I love to entertain people, especially around the holidays For me, setting everything up is fun, but can I be honest with you? Preparing the food can sometimes cause me unwanted stress I’m not a top chef, so I always seek out easy entertaining ideas What I have learned after all these years is to make it easy on myself because my guests are just thankful to be invited They want to be included and inviting people into your home gives them a wonderful feeling of belonging

Our menus vary depending on the type of party or

Handling Frozen Eggs in Your Nest Boxes

It’s the middle of winter here in Minnesota and temperatures frequently drop below freezing Many people question my choice to live here, but if they’d experience the other seasons, they would know why Minnesota is a wonderful place to grow up, raise a family or even just visit! However, I do sometimes wonder if my flock wishes we lived somewhere more mild, but they can’t talk so I’ll never know!

The Best Summertime Treats for Your Chickens

We are so excited around here! When you live in Minnesota, you learn to appreciate the beautiful weather So for us, Summer is finally here and we’re celebrating!

During these summer months , it’s easy for us humans to cool off at the local swimming pool or lake However, chickens find the heat a bit uncomfortable and need some relief In fact, chickens don’t have sweat glands so it’s very important to provide them with plenty of shade, fresh cold water and watch them very close Chickens can get overheated quickly and go downhill much faster than you’d think

One of

Chicken Coop Ideas: What I Learned Touring Three Real Backyard Coops

When my chicks started outgrowing their brooder, I realized I needed serious chicken coop ideas, and fast My current chicken tractor simply was not big enough for all ten of my girls So instead of guessing, I did the most useful thing a new flock owner can do: I called up a few fellow chicken raisers and asked to tour their coops in person Seeing real, working setups taught me more in one afternoon than weeks of scrolling ever could, and I came home with a notebook full of practical ideas I could actually build

https://wwwyoutubecom/watch?v=9eZmDlouaxs

Most chicks are ready to