Should I Insulate the Chicken Coop?by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | December 19, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. When it comes to winter chicken keeping, questions like, ‘should I heat the chicken coop?’, ‘does the coop need to be insulated?’, and...
The Deep Litter Method for the Chicken Coopby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | December 5, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. If you’ve been a northern homesteader for any length of time, you’re probably pretty familiar with the term ‘deep litter method’....
5 Tips to Vacation-Proof the Chicken Coopby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | August 29, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Maybe you are a modern pioneer who likes to travel (like me). Or you just need your homestead chicken coop to be...
How to Design a Chicken Coopby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | July 18, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. When building a homestead chicken coop, there are guidelines to keep in mind and there are also essentials that must be included. If...
Ever get tired of a muddy, dirty, and stinky chicken coop enclosure on the homestead? I know I sure did! Then I figured out these secrets to chicken coop enclosure maintenance and it has made all the difference for my flock! I don’t need to be a clean freak, I...
Let’s face it, chicken is on the menu for a lot of animals! Chicken is a favorite meal option for just about every predator out there, big or small. It may seem discouraging to raise a homestead animal that so many predators have on their meal list, but with some...
Want to overcome one of the toughest winter chicken keeping problems on the homestead? Figure out how to keep your flock’s water from freezing during the winter! These 20 ways to keep your chickens’ water from freezing will be helpful for conquering this winter chicken keeping problem! Having electricity out...
Your homestead flock may not be the only ones who think their coop is a safe, warm place to live. Other animals, especially those in the rodent family, may also see the chicken coop as a protected place to build a nest with an ample supply of food nearby. Mice...
Homesteaders have been using old school chicken coop doors for years and years. However, there is now a new option on the market for modern pioneers and homesteaders: the automatic chicken door. After investing in an automatic chicken coop door for my first chicken coop, I knew when I built...
Cleaning the chicken coop is emphasized a lot for raising a happy, healthy flock of backyard chickens, but cleaning the chicken coop enclosure is just as important. No matter how big or small your chicken coop enclosure is, giving it a brief touch up every once in a while can...
A clean chicken coop is essential to raising healthy backyard chickens. As any chicken keeper may tell you, keeping the chicken coop looking brand new is nearly impossible! However, there are ways you can keep your coop clean. No more smelly coops, no more dirty coops, and no more sick...
No homestead chicken raiser likes to think that the litter they have in the chicken coop can actually be harmful to the their flock. However, no matter what coop litter you choose there is always a health hazard that needs to be addressed. Coop litter dangers can pose a threat...
Before you even get chicks, you should be planning out your chicken coop! It gives your flock a safe, dry, and clean area to sleep, eat, and get away from inclement weather. A chicken coop needs to have a few key elements in order for it to be functional and...
Chickens are such adaptable creatures. However, caring for chickens can vary depending on your regional zone. Weather patterns, different seasons, and availability of resources can all have an effect on how you care for your homestead flock. Care practices that work for one flock may not be the best for...
How fancy is your coop? Or maybe a more practical question for homestead chicken raisers is, how fancy does my coop need to be? There is a difference between frivolous and functional when it comes to amenities in the coop. With winter almost here, it’s time to think about how...
Chickens handle cold weather better then hot weather, but that doesn’t seem to make winter chicken keeping any easier. I still fret and worry over my feathered friends staying warm and providing them with their basic needs of food and water. However, I can help my flock winter smoothly by...
Raising chickens on the homestead means using what resources and materials you have available to keep your flock happy, healthy, and safe. These 9 diy projects for the chicken coop are functional items you can make for the coop. Not only do these projects help spruce up the coop, but...
One of the most important decisions you will make when building your chicken coop is deciding what coop litter to use. Choosing the right coop litter can make all the difference for the health and well-being of your flock as well as make cleaning and maintaining the coop easier. There...