Ever wondered about raising some of your own meat? We find the chickens we raise taste so much better than the watery chicken we have bought at the grocery store. Once we started raising a few birds every year, we were convinced raising our own chicks for meat was the way to go. Filling the freezer is pretty easy and it only takes 8 weeks from start to finish. Now, almost … [Read more...]
The Modern Homesteader’s Guide to Keeping Geese
I've always been more of a chicken fan, and haven't tried raising geese. We find it easy to keep a bunch of hens here - they give us eggs and help keep the place more bug free. Plus, they like to work! Read here about how we put chickens to work so they earn their keep. But friends do keep quite a few geese on their property and they love them. They think geese are better bug eaters than … [Read more...]
The Difference Between Chickens and Pigs
Ever wondered the difference between being "involved" and being truly "committed? Look at the difference between chickens and pigs! What do you want to learn about raising chicks? Want a couple of pigs to raise for your own meat (buy as weaners in the spring and butcher in the fall) Want to learn about getting started on the path to growing healthy wholesome … [Read more...]
Fodder for the Laying Hens
Here's another thing I am adding to my list of goals - producing fodder for our chickens. I have been doing some research into sprouting grains and am finding some interesting stuff. I'd like to cut down the feed bill. During the growing season, our chickens (and pigs) have their own garden here. We set aside a large area and grow lots of different vegetables for all of them to … [Read more...]
Chicken Farming 101 (Chickens for Beginners)
An intro to chickens for beginners if you want to start keeping hens in the back yard. Chickens are hard workers in our backyard. Every animal we raise here has a job to do while they are with us. If you want to have chickens, here's some of what we've learned having our hens. Think of it as Chicken Farming 101! Raising Chickens for Beginners Our chickens are always … [Read more...]
Raising Heritage Chickens in the North
Here's something worth considering. If you're thinking of getting a flock of chickens, consider getting a heritage breed. Do some research as to your weather conditions, how harsh your winter is and how much natural vegetation you have in season. Then get some heritage breed chickens! They know how to forage and they're used to being outdoors. If you live in a northern climate … [Read more...]
Chicken Questions and Answers
Want to start raising chickens? Wondering how to get started? Here are a few chicken questions and answers to get things going. Chickens are a fantastic addition to your backyard or homestead. If your city doesn't yet allow backyard chickens, consider getting involved in the growing movement to change council's mind. While I can understand urban areas not allowing roosters, I … [Read more...]
The 10 Things I Love About Chickens
Chickens are often the first "livestock" people get when they are starting to become more self sufficient. There are a lot of benefits of raising chickens. They are easy to raise and are a low cost way to feed your family wonderfully fresh eggs. We wrote a book all about raising chicks. It's all about how we raise meat birds and called 8 Pounds in 8 Weeks: Raising Day Old Chicks for the … [Read more...]
Flowers & Laying Hens
Here are a few pictures of what's been blooming here in the Valley. It's so wonderful to sit on the porch and look out at the yard. When I have time, that is, to actually sit on the porch :) Everything looks so healthy right now. Here's the Irises and Poppy in full bloom. These perennials are in the Pathway garden, which leads to the barn. One of our apple trees. This year, … [Read more...]