10 Chicken Keeping Myths to Ignoreby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | March 5, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. With a rise in chicken keeping and homesteading also comes an increase in information about keeping chickens on the homestead. And, as with...

SPECIAL POST: Elder Farms Products for Chickensby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | February 6, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Elderberries are a powerful holistic berry that has been used in ancient medicine for centuries. Elderberry supplements should certainly be a staple...

8 Most Cold Hardy Chicken Breedsby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | May 2, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. You know the saying, “gotta’ have the right tool for the job”. Well it’s the same logic when it comes to choosing chicken...

What is Cold Stress in Poultry?by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | January 2, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. What is cold stress in poultry? Cold stress is the response a chicken’s body has to staying warm in cold weather. It is...

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’....

What is Grit for Chickens?by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | September 26, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Did you know that chickens eat stones? That’s essentially what chicken grit it. Chicken’s need grit in their diet to aid digestion of other...

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...

What to do with an Aggressive Roosterby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | July 11, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Any rooster can be protective and assertive, so knowing how to deal with an aggressive rooster is important for raising a safe...

How to Prep a Chicken for a Poultry Showby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | July 5, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Poultry shows are actually significant to us as modern pioneer homesteaders. They encourage the maintenance and preservation of heritage chicken...

How to Stop a Hen from Being Broodyby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | June 20, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. What causes your friendly, mischievous hen to turn into a lion in the nesting box!? Broodiness. A hen who has gone...

Broody Hen 101: Troubleshooting a Broody Henby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | June 13, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. A broody hen can be a great asset to the homestead flock! When a hen goes broody, she wants to set on...

8 Ways to Get Rid of Roosters on the Homesteadby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | June 6, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Roosters… do you find them cute? Annoying? Beautiful? A problem? Chickens have a 50/50 gender ratio, meaning that in...

I feel like spring is the both the most exciting time and the most frustrating time for raising chickens on the homestead. Spring means it’s time to hatch chicks, and it’s hard not to have a good day when you have chicks on the homestead! However, spring can also be...

Coccidiosis is a very common chicken disease that is most prevalent in young chicks and chickens. It is a protozoal disease that destroys the intestinal lining in a chicken’s gut. Acute coccidiosis can lead to death. The coccidia protozoa are found nearly everywhere there are chickens present. It naturally exists...

One of the biggest flock health issues northern homesteaders face is frostbite. Frostbite occurs when the flesh freezes and prevents blood flow from reaching the frozen appendages. Frostbite can happen suddenly and if not treated quickly, it can get infected and cause fatal health issues. It is thought that even...

Hot weather is dangerous for chickens. Unlike us who can take layers on and off, chickens are stuck with their feathers during hot weather. Chickens naturally have a high body temperature and thrive in temperate to slightly cool weather conditions. If you live in a region that regularly experiences hot...

These homestead chicken breed reviews for 4-H showmanship are perfect for homestead youth who are trying to decided what breed will be best for showmanship but still be helpful on the homestead! Throughout my 7 years of raising and showing chickens through 4-H I have had experience with a variety...

Cold hardy chicken breeds are the way to go for northern homesteads! While chickens can naturally handle cooler weather better than hot weather, when it comes to brutal and severe winter weather… having a few extra features to help conserve body heat can help. This guide to cold hardy chicken...