Egg Laying Tips to Keep Up the Egg Production

If you’re looking for egg laying tips to keep your chickens laying beautiful eggs all year, you’re in the right place

 

Nutrition is Key

Feeding a quality food and snacks is the first place to start when it comes to egg production Chickens need to start from day one on a high quality, high protein feed to prevent long term problems One they reach 16-20 weeks old, you can switch them to a lower protein feed Certain snacks are also useful to encourage chickens to lay eggs

Meal worms, bugs, black sunflower seeds, scratch grains, and watermelon are all snacks that can

Tips and Tricks to Get Your Chickens to Lay Eggs in Nesting Boxes

Encouraging chickens to lay in their nesting boxes is sometimes easier said than done While many chickens will naturally gravitate to their nesting boxes, sometimes they need a little encouragement to lay their eggs in the convenient boxes you give them

 

Here’s how to encourage nest box laying in your backyard flock

First, make sure you have the right number of nesting boxes The general rule of thumb on nesting boxes is three to four chickens per nesting box If you have 12 chickens, you want four nesting boxes

If you have too many nesting boxes, the chickens might start sleeping in

Benefits and Drawbacks of Free-Ranging Chickens

If you’re wondering about free-ranging chickens, let me tell you about our experience! We have a variety of birds on our little farm, and they all free-range Here are some benefits and drawbacks you might want to consider before deciding to let your chickens free-range too

Drawbacks of Free-Ranging Chickens

First, let’s talk about the drawbacks of free-ranging chickens From my perspective, there are really only two negatives, but they can seal the deal for a lot of people

The first drawback is quite simply: chickens make a mess I have a hard time keeping flower beds pretty, and if I can’t

What to do With All the Eggs

Winter is coming, which means egg production will slow down on our little farm I know from history that I will run out of eggs at some point as my chickens stop laying While I will turn on supplemental light after they finish molting to jump start egg production again, I’m already thinking of ways to avoid having to buy grocery store eggs

Can we all agree that grocery store eggs are a little gross? We’re so spoiled with our wonderful, farm-fresh eggs If you’re flush with eggs now and wondering how to make eggs last through the winter, here

How to Keep Chickens Cool in the Summer

Welcome to the dog days of summer where the weather is hot, hotter, and hottest You might worry more about keeping your chickens warm in the winter, but the hot summer weather can be just as hard on chickens, and sometimes even worse than the cold

 

Recognize Signs of Heatstroke in Chickens

If you notice your chickens panting or spreading their wings during hot weather, don’t panic Like dogs, chickens pant to keep cool as neither have sweat glands Chickens will also spread out their wings to cool off

However, if you notice your chickens acting lifeless, lethargic, or their combs start

Dogs and Poultry

Dogs and poultry can be a match made in heaven or a nightmare, depending on a few factors If you want to keep backyard poultry and dogs at the same time, here’s what you need to know!

 

Consider the Breed

Some dogs are better suited for poultry than others Livestock guardian breeds like Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherds, and Maremma have a lower prey drive and can be very helpful when it comes to protecting your poultry

We have two Great Pyrenees dogs on guard, and they are amazing at keeping away foxes, raccoons, and aerial predators like hawks and bald eagles as

How to Prevent Chickens from Eating Your Garden

A lot of people who keep backyard chickens also garden because it seems like a good combination Chickens can be really helpful for gardens, but they can also be very harmful If you’re curious about chickens and gardening, keep reading!

 

How Chickens Help Your Garden

Chickens can help out in the garden because they are natural tillers Turn them loose in your garden, and they immediately go to town, scratching and rearranging your dirt They can prep it in the fall, help spread out your compost or mulch, and have fun in the process

Their bedding is a great source of nitrogen

Sourdough for Beginners

As the days get shorter and the weather eventually cools off, baking will once again be on my mind! I’ve taken a bit of a break during the hot summer months, but I am looking forward to reviving my sourdough starter and getting creative in the kitchen again If you’re interested in sourdough, here are a few tips and tricks to help you have success!

First, if you’re a real sourdough beginner, I recommend starting with a ready to go starter instead of trying to make your own You can make your own, but it’s pretty easy to get a

What to Know About Keeping Geese on the Homestead

Geese get a bad rap (unfairly in my opinion), but we have found them to be a great addition to our homestead If you’re curious about geese, here’s what we’ve learned over the years of keeping them on our little farm

  1. Geese are large, loud, and in-charge They make great guard animals

We have a multi-tiered guarding system on our five-acre homestead to keep our birds safe The geese work together with the guineas and the Great Pyrenees to help keep everyone safe

Guineas are useful at alerting everyone that something is not quite right, the geese are great at

Naked Egg Experiment- A Fun Summer Learning Activity

Have you ever found a shell-less egg in your chicken coop? Sometimes chickens lay eggs without shells, and all that’s left behind is a thin, rubbery egg

There are a few reasons your chickens may lay shell-less eggs: they’re new layers, they need more calcium in their diet, or they’re getting too much salt If your chickens have been drinking softened water, that could be the reason

If you notice thin shelled eggs, make sure your chickens get a good amount of calcium in their diet and that they’re drinking regular water that hasn’t been softened

Not only is it exciting to