Birds are probably the very first things any new homesteader thinks about raising… and for good reason: they’re small and so easy to care for!
Chickens are of course, an all-time favorite, since they lay eggs almost all year round, and they’re a good source of meat, but guineas, ducks, geese and quail are also very good options.
Which ones are right for you? Read our articles to find out, not to mention everything about raising them, incubating eggs, butchering and 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
Most chicken owners who do any amount of gardening or landscaping around their homes have probably, at one time or another, discovered to their horror that chickens will happily eat ornamental flowers. They can’t help it, and it’s hard to stay mad at them, but that is cold comfort for all the wasted work. Knowing … Read more
Chicken owners probably already know that their beloved birds can be pretty pesky if they are allowed to free-range. So many times chickens will happily pluck blooms off of our beautiful, decorative flowers and sometimes even nibble young plants all the way down to the ground. Sure, it’s annoying when it happens but it is … Read more
If you own chickens, you probably already know that they like to nibble on all sorts of plants, including grasses, herbs, and everything in between. And naturally follows that you might wonder what sorts of herbs people enjoy that chickens can also enjoy. One of the most popular around the world is mint. Can chickens … Read more
Chickens eat all sorts of things growing in the wild when left to their own devices. It makes sense, then, that their owners would try to replicate parts of their naturally occurring diet with supplemental items. How about mushrooms? Can chickens eat mushrooms? Yes, chickens can eat mushrooms assuming that they are not poisonous. However, … Read more
Berries are one of the most delicious, diverse, and appealing fruits there are. The flavors, the colors, there is something for everyone. They are just wonderful. Chickens also love berries, but as it turns out there are quite a few berries out there that your chickens should not eat. How about raspberries? Can your chickens … Read more
If most chicken owners are being honest, they will admit to periodically giving their birds a little nibble of something that they shouldn’t have, usually tasty junk food. But what might surprise you is that some things we consider junk food really aren’t, and can actually be good for your chickens in moderation. How about … Read more
Chickens are enthusiastic and highly adaptable eaters, partaking in produce, both vegetable, and fruit, with equal enthusiasm. In fact, they can eat so many fruits they can sometimes surprise their owners by gobbling up a completely novel offering that they ordinarily wouldn’t have access to. Take quince for instance. Can chickens eat quince? Yes, chickens … Read more
Depending on where you live, lantana is either a spectacularly gorgeous flower, or an invasive menace that no moral methods can seem to remove. There is little doubt that this flower seems to become successful, too successful, wherever it winds up planted but we are here to answer another question today. Chickens can eat some … Read more
If you own chickens, you probably know by now that they eat all kinds of plant matter, including seeds, grass, fruits, and veggies. You might even see them swiping the green tops off of carrots or plucking a few delicate leaves from various shrubs! But how about maple leaves? Can your chickens safely eat maple … Read more
The delicate, sensuous aroma of magnolia blooms has often been described as possessing the soul of the South. Whether you love them or hate them, there is no mistaking them. These are popular trees, often grown and tended to with exacting care in order to cultivate those amazing flowers. However, they are also known for … Read more
Napier grass, also known colloquially as elephant grass, is a type of grass indigenous to Africa that is renowned for its immense height, easily topping 6 ft. This is certainly a novel characteristic, but Napier grass is a significant crop, used as both animal feed and as a natural component in pest control protocols. Interesting … Read more
Nasturtiums, also known as monks cress, is a beautiful and greatly beloved annual or perennial flower that is best known for its broad and brilliant almost fluorescent red-orange flowers. A distant relative of watercress, another distinctive feature is that the entirety of the plant is edible by humans and it has some interesting culinary uses. … Read more
It turns out that most root vegetables are safe and healthy for chickens to eat, but not all of them are, and it pays to be certain before feeding anything, even an all-natural veggie, to your chickens. How about radishes? Can chickens eat radishes? Yes, chickens can eat radishes. Every part of a radish is … Read more
If you own chickens, you know by now that they can and will try to eat pretty much everything they can reach. There is a lot that chickens can eat, but a long list of things they can’t, including a lot of junk food that people enjoy. But not all junk food, as it turns … Read more