Keeping chickens can be a fun hobby and rewarding venture, but it can sometimes be hard to keep the roosters from fighting each other. These willful males play an important role in keeping a flock orderly and safe from predators but that doesn’t matter when they are tearing each other to shreds! There are several … Read more
Mangoes have often been called the king of fruits, or at least they are called the king of fruits in the countries where they usually grow! These delicious, delectable tropical fruits are sweet and satisfying, and also contain a good complement of vitamins. We know people love them, but can chickens eat mangoes? Yes, chickens … Read more
If there is one vegetable that is a love it or leave it proposition for most people, it has to be squash, of all kinds. They are either beloved seasonal vegetables suitable for all kinds of dishes or disgustingly slimy, depending on who you ask. But however you might feel about them, we need to … Read more
Chickens eat all kinds of leafy vegetables. From lettuce and cabbage to various types of grass, if you own chickens you know by now that they love snacking on the green stuff. However, there is one leafy vegetable that is renowned for its nutrition and is commonly used in salads: arugula. Can chickens eat arugula? … Read more
If you are new to keeping chickens, you’ve at this point probably heard a little bit of buzz about using something called diatomaceous earth that can help keep your birds healthy. Lots of seasoned chicken keepers on farms and in backyards across the nation didn’t tell you wrong in this case. Diatomaceous earth is one … Read more
Chickens will eat just about anything, and that includes all kinds of plant matter. They will eat leaves, flowers, stems, roots, and all. But not all plants are healthy for chickens, or even safe, and knowing enough to keep your birds away from harmful plants is crucial. How about ferns? Can chickens eat ferns? Yes, … Read more
Most animal owners know that nuts are one food that you need to be really careful with when it comes to feeding it to your furry friends. Some nuts are safe to eat, while others can cause serious health problems. Most people, luckily can eat nuts but even then nut allergies are among the most … Read more
There are a lot of talks these days about homesteading, the resurgence of people wanting to grow their own food, raise their own animals, reduce societal dependence and generally be more self-sufficient. It is undoubtedly appealing. Some even claim to have significantly increased their income as a result of homesteading. But can homesteading be profitable? … Read more
It rarely fails that animals kept together, or even near each other, on a farm or working homestead will find a way to “share” food. Horses will eat goat feed, cows will swipe a bit of hay from the horses, and so on. But chickens, chickens are omnivores, and that means they can be some … Read more
Lard is a once-popular cooking ingredient that has been around for centuries. But with so many things, it has fallen out of favor today in place of “modern” industrialized oils and other trickery. Many of us, your author included, can remember our parents and grandparents keeping a big jar or crock of lard handy around … Read more
If you’re like most people, you probably think that the only thing chickens can eat is chicken feed. But that is not true. Chickens are actually omnivores and can eat a variety of foods, including many of the same foods that people can. It is nice to know that you can share some foods with … Read more
If you tend to your own garden, you already know that time is always at a premium. There’s a never-ending list of things to do, chores to handle, and projects to start, or sometimes cancel! It’s a good idea, then, to draw on any technique, tip or hack that can make your life just a … Read more
Ask anybody that is afraid of bugs what their number one most hated bug is, and they will probably answer roaches. Even among people who aren’t skeeved out by bugs, roaches tend to evoke disgust and nothing else. Whether they are scuttling out from under the refrigerator at night or infesting the shed behind your … Read more
Chickens, despite being the most common domesticated birds found around the world, still have a few mysteries about them. Namely, there seems to be a considerable amount of disagreement concerning whether or not they can actually fly. Some keepers report that their birds never really leave the ground, while others have been surprised to find … Read more
Ask your average person whether or not chickens can fly, and they might show a moment of hesitation before answering. It seems that plenty of people think chickens are flightless, and those who do know that chickens can fly rarely think that they can fly well. This latter part, at least, is true: compared to … Read more
Planting tomatoes is really easy because they are low-maintenance, fairly hardy plants. Whether you grow from seeds you purchased, or seeds taken from a tomato that has passed its best-before date, some seeds will happily take, and others just will not. There is always the question of either over-populating or under-populating your yard. So, how … Read more