HentopiaCreate a Hassle-Free Habitat for Happy Chickens; 21 Innovative ProjectsBy Frank Hyman Take your backyard flock to the next level with Hentopia, a creative and practical guide from gardener, designer, and chicken enthusiast Frank Hyman. This isn’t just another chicken-keeping manual — it’s a hands-on blueprint for building a beautiful, functional, and low-maintenance space where […]
Bringing chickens into your backyard should feel exciting — not overwhelming. In Chicken Keeping Pure + Simple, seasoned chicken keeper Nikki Husted delivers a warm, practical, and easy-to-follow guide designed especially for beginners and homesteaders who want to raise happy, healthy hens with confidence. Whether you’re dreaming of farm-fresh eggs, teaching your kids about responsibility, […]
Most backyard chickens do not lay an egg every day of the year. The average mature, healthy hen takes 25 to 26 hours to produce one egg. So a hen that lays at 6:00 in the morning today will likely lay between 7:00 and 8:00 tomorrow morning. Since a hen normally doesn’t lay after dark, […]
The American Bantam Association (ABA) is an organization of bantam chicken enthusiasts who enjoy breeding and showing bantams, as well as socializing with other people who share their interest. Here’s why you should join the American Bantam Association: ABA History The non-profit American Bantam Association was founded in 1914 to support the poultry fancy, and […]
Properly stored chicken feed keeps the nutrients from degrading and the feed safe to eat. A number of things can cause feed to go bad including rodents, insects, mold, moisture, and light. To ensure freshness, use up feed within 2 to 4 months. Meanwhile, store chicken feed in a durable container with a tight-fitting lid. […]
Choosing between heritage vs. broad breast turkeys can be confusing. Although they both come from the same genetic background, they differ in many ways. The former can mate naturally, is slower growing, and smaller in size. The latter grow more quickly and weigh more, but breeding them requires artificial insemination. Plus, largely because of differences […]
Woody breast, also called wooden breast, is a muscle condition in fast-growing Cornish Cross broilers that makes the breast meat tough and fibrous like wood. It’s safe to eat but the meat quality suffers, which can be mitigated by the cooking method. The main cause is rapid growth leading to poor oxygen supply in the […]
Exhibiting poultry can be fun, interesting, and educational. It’s also a great way to meet people of all ages from all walks of life who share a common interest. But it can be stressful, especially for the first time exhibitor. It can also be stressful for the birds. In his book Showing Poultry, veteran poultry […]
Chickens are endlessly entertaining. Many flock owners consider chicken watching to be therapeutic after a hectic day. But chicken bullying can spoil the fun for both you and your chickens. Here’s how to identify and prevent chicken bullying. What is chicken bullying? Chicken bullying occurs when one or a few chickens pick on, peck at, […]