If you are looking for a completely free way to keep your coop clean and cozy this winter, raked leaves might be the best resource hiding in your own backyard Using leaves as chicken bedding is one of the simplest, most budget-friendly tricks in backyard poultry keeping, and fall gives you an endless supply of it for the cost of a little raking With feed and bedding prices climbing, more flock owners are skipping the store and turning to the leaf pile instead Best of all, your chickens will absolutely love it
Wyandotte Chickens: A Complete Guide to America’s Cold-Hardy Beauty
Few backyard breeds turn heads quite like Wyandotte chickens With their richly laced feathers, rounded bodies, and easygoing confidence, these birds have earned a loyal following among flock keepers across the country Wyandottes are one of the earliest chicken breeds developed in the United States, and they have been gracing farms and backyards for well over 100 years Whether you want a steady supply of eggs, a hardy bird for cold winters, or simply a stunning addition to a mixed flock, the Wyandotte delivers on every front
Feeding Turkeys
What to Feed Turkeys for a Healthy Balanced Diet at Home
To ensure the health of your turkeys, you need to mimic their natural diets as much as possible
Wild turkeys are found all over most of the United States Our domestic turkeys are descendants of these wild birds Although leaner, the wild turkey has a similar diet to that of the domestic turkey Turkeys, like chickens, are omnivores Omnivores need a mixed diet of both plant and animal variety Omnivores are foragers, taking bits here and there as they move through the environment Wild turkeys can have ranges of up
Edible Weeds (And Poisonous Weeds!)
Edible Weeds for Chickens: Free Backyard Forage Guide
Most of us can agree that a weed is any plant growing where we decide it doesnt belong Millions are spent every year in America on spraying and killing these plant pests What if i told you most of those “weeds” in your backyard could supplement your chickens for free! Here are a list of the most common edible weeds for chickens
Although most commercial feeds can provide good nutrition for your flock, supplementing fresh greens really gives them a boost Most all the weeds I am going to list all contain huge
All About the Turken: The Naked Neck Chicken Breed
Few chickens turn heads quite like the Turken With its bare, featherless neck and one of the most misunderstood names in the poultry world, this breed sparks plenty of questions and more than a few double takes Also known as the Naked Neck chicken, the Turken is a hardy, productive, and surprisingly friendly bird that has earned a devoted following among backyard keepers Whether you find it charming or comical, there is a lot to love about this unusual chicken Here is everything you need to know about the Turken, starting with the question everyone asks first
Proper Fresh Egg Storage
The first step in successful egg keeping is daily egg collection If you can, try to collect eggs everyday or every few days at least, to ensure freshness During hot summer months, fertile eggs can actually begin to incubate if the interior egg temperature reaches 90 degrees F
Fresh eggs are best when kept at room temperature, and here is why: the bloom
When an egg is laid, a protective, bacteria resistant film coats the egg This is a translucent covering that dries soon after being laid This is called the “bloom” This “bloom,” also referred to as the “cuticle,” provides
Candling Eggs
Candling eggs is a fun and educational activity for both children and adults When incubating eggs at home, candling ensures you keep only the healthy eggs It is also just really neat to see the embryos growing! You can candle your eggs at home, but be advised, if you have darker eggshells, they can be harder to see Lighter colored eggs are easier to see through All chickens’ eggs hatch after 21 days of incubating at 995F Stages of embryo growth are very similar throughout the bird kingdom, with only small variables differentiating them
Training Hens to Lay in Boxes
We’ve all had that one or two hens who love to lay their eggs in the most surprising places We had a hen that sat on the front seat of the side-by-side every single day, and left us a tan egg There was also our hen Dotty, who loved to lay her eggs in the dog bed, making the perfect organic dog treats Although it can be funny later, when you can’t find your chickens’ eggs, it can become frustrating very quickly
There are several reasons why a hen would prefer to lay her eggs anywhere other than the nesting
Apartment Style Gardening
Apartment Gardening Tips for Growing Food in Small Spaces
Dreams of living the country life often start in times of our lives when we are not yet able to fulfill them Like many people out there, I myself once dreamed of rolling hills and a simpler life while living in an urban sprawl My husband and I lived in a small Japanese apartment for 2 years before we settled back in Alabama That being said, no matter the space you have, there are still many options out there if you want a piece of the farm life
Apartment style gardening has
All About the Black Australorp: A Gentle, Record-Setting Layer
If you want a backyard hen that is as sweet-natured as she is productive, the Black Australorp belongs at the top of your list This glossy black beauty is one of the best brown egg layers in the world, gentle enough for children to handle and tough enough to thrive in nearly any climate The breed even set an egg-laying record that still impresses chicken keepers a century later Whether you are after a full egg basket, a friendly pet, or both, the Black Australorp delivers on every front Here is everything you need to know about this remarkable