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.
Roosters are a necessary evil on the homestead. Yes, I am classifying them as evil – I wouldn’t have a few months ago, but this last rowdy row was sentenced to the freezer early because I had simply had enough of his attacks on, well… every person and critter who walked within 40 feet of … Read more
If you’re considering getting your very own flock of chickens, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans keep chickens these days; you can find them on homesteads as well as in the backyards of suburban America as well. One of the best reasons to keep chickens is for the fresh eggs that they produce. There is … Read more
If you are interested in raising chickens, you likely have made this decision because chickens are one of the easiest kinds of livestock you can raise. While there’s not much you need to do in order to help them thrive, it is possible for your backyard flock to be infected with one of many different … Read more
In any television show or movie you have watched that depicts farm life, folks are often shown simply opening up a door on a nesting box, and easily reaching in to retrieve nice clean eggs quickly without a threat to bodily harm. Oh, the magic of Hollywood… Getting farm-fresh eggs to scramble, bake, or cook … Read more
The chicken run, the hangout of your feathered friends. It serves as protection for your flock, and also encourages natural behavior to allow them freedom and entertainment. It is always best to customize and build the run that will suit your birds. You need to take into consideration the size of your flock before building … Read more
If you’re a homesteader now or aspire to be one, sooner or later you’re going to start a backyard chicken flock. If you’re planning on getting those chickens soon, you should start thinking about what kind of breed you’d like to get. The so-called dual-purpose birds, which lay eggs reliably and also grow big enough … Read more
Building a chicken coop doesn’t have to cost either a lot of money or a lot of time. This DIY chicken coop is predator-proof, very spacious, takes only a full day to create, and costs less than $300. If you have scrap wood and/or wire stockpiled on your homestead, the cost of building this rabbit … Read more
It is that time of year again, fellow homesteaders – chick days at agriculture supply stores. When the cold winter finally gives way to spring, Tractor Supply, Rural King, and many stores like them capitalize on our eagerness to get outdoors growing and raising our own groceries. I don’t blame them one bit. But I … Read more
Getting your flock of chickens and ducks ready for winter is essential to not just their egg laying, but their overall health and protection from predators. While chickens and most poultry birds have a higher internal body temperature than humans (about 105F to 107F degrees on average, that’s around 40C – 42C) that does not … Read more
Are your chickens scratching relentlessly, losing feathers, and generally in a miserable mood? If so, they probably have mites – or poultry lice. These nasty little infestations happen frequently, especially when birds are living in close quarters. Chicken mites will not kill your birds unless untreated for an extended period of time. Thankfully, mites and … Read more
Chickens draw in several animals that could endanger our flock. Due to the loss of their habitat, they have made their way closer to our homes in search of food. Some of these predators lurk in the shadows during the day, waiting for a stray bird to wander close. Or, like me, you may have … Read more
We’ve all been there, the day after tragedy strikes your coup, maybe it was a fox, a hawk, a neighbor’s dog, it was a family of raccoons for my flock. You have a full house one day and the next you may have half a flock or less. Maybe it was an illness that came … Read more
If you’re a homesteader, or about to become one, chances are you’re itching to buy a small flock of chickens really bad. In fact, it really doesn’t seem like you are even a homesteader at all until you have your own flock, right? But before you take the plunge, you should do some research… This … Read more
When you are homesteading in your backyard in the suburbs or even in a small town, there is only one thing as important as egg quality when deciding what breed of chickens to raise – how much noise they make. Quiet chicken breeds do exist, and you do not have to sacrifice egg quality to … Read more
Our experience raising Freedom Ranger chickens for meat, and why I would recommend them for your homestead.
