When a mama hen can’t be used to raise your chicks, that means you are responsible for providing them with a safe and protected area in which to grow for the first few weeks of their life. A brooder can provide the perfect oasis if it is set up in...

An external heat source is critical for raising young chicks since they can’t control their own body temperature for the first few days of their life. Their fluffy down feathers do not help trap body heat which makes it difficult for chicks to maintain a stable body temperature on their...

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...

Chickens are often considered the gateway animal to homesteading. However, just because they are one of the smallest livestock animals to start raising doesn’t mean they are the easiest! Your modern pioneer journey can start even without any livestock animals, but maybe this year you are considering adding a flock...

A nutritionally complete and balanced diet for your flock should help prevent a majority of dietary issues, however, sometimes dietary imbalances can be caused by factors that we can’t control or are unaware of. Dietary imbalances can result in a chicken not getting the nutrition it needs to stay healthy....

Bullying is a behavior issue in the homestead flock. Sometimes bullying can be the result of the dominant personality characteristic of certain breeds. However, more often than not bullying is usually a sign of boredom, stress, a pecking order change, or overcrowding of the flock. The good news is that...

Chickens and dust bathing go together like peanut butter and jelly. If you don’t provide a dust bath spot, your flock will make their own. Even if you do make a DIY dust bath for your chickens, they may still choose their own location! Whether you make your flock a...

Why do chickens dust bathe? Chickens dust bathe for several reasons. The primary ones being because it seems to be enjoyable for them and it provides natural health benefits that would be important for a flock’s survival in the wild. It seems contradictory, but dust bathing is one way that...

Chicks can be resilient, but given their small size, they are more vulnerable to health issues and disease. Keeping your homestead brood healthy will be a full-time job! These 8 ways to keep your chicks healthy is the perfect solution to help you feel confident that you are giving your...

Chicks need supplemental heat to stay warm, healthy, and to mature into strong adults. Supplemental heat is most crucial for the first 4 weeks of a chick’s life. However, the supplemental heat will need to be weaned off starting at 1 week of age. Once the chicks are old enough,...

Chicken knowledge is my specialty, and I love reading and learning anything I can about these unique homestead creatures! Over the years, I have come across some facts that simply blew my mind. Chickens are amazing creatures that have been proven to be smart and emotionally sensitive. If you have...

Just like chickens are the gateway animal for raising homestead livestock, I feel like herbs are the gateway plants for homestead gardening. So, it only makes since that chickens and herbs go together! Using herbs for your homestead flock is a great way to help them stay healthy naturally. Herbs...

If you have done your research at all on hatching chicks, you will know that most sources tell you not to help a chick hatch. And I totally agree! Healthy chicks don’t need help hatching. However, I do believe there are circumstances in which you can help a chick hatch...

Raising a healthy homestead brood means knowing what to feed chicks as they grow and mature. Chicks can eat just about any food from a very young age, however, it’s important that we monitor what foods they eat, how much they eat of any given food, and how frequently we...

Once you start raising chicks, pasty butt becomes a part of everyday lingo. And yes, pasty butt is just as gross as it sounds. Knowing how to identify, and most importantly, how to treat pasty butt in baby chicks is essential to raising a healthy brood. However, you should also...

Should I buy chicks from breeders or hatcheries? As a homesteader, you may find yourself asking this question. Even if you haven’t asked yourself this question, it is a good question to consider when deciding where to source your homestead flock from. While both sources have their advantages, there are...

Spring on the homestead often leads to a major case of chick fever! Whether you are looking to start your first homestead flock or wanting to add to your existing homestead flock, there are some things to consider before getting chicks this spring for the homestead! These 6 tips for...

If you’ve ever aspired to raise your homestead flock naturally, then I am sure you have contemplated all the variety of useful ways you can use herbs on the homestead for your flock. However, there are several different types of herbs for the homestead flock. Each type of herb has...

It’s the dilemma that every homesteader will face at some point in their chicken raising experience… how to tell if a chick is a pullet or a cockerel? Knowing how to sex chicks and chickens is a helpful skill to have on the homestead. Being able to tell male chicks...

You may have a good start on knowing how to raise baby chicks, and you probably already have a plan for when those chicks are mature, but what about while they are growing? Learning how to manage growing chickens is important for the health and well being of your future...