Do you have a chicken coop? Whether you have been keeping chickens for years or are just getting started, most people will say yes. (This is definitely the case in urban settings where municipal codes require predator-proof coops as part of their chicken ordinance.) But if you ask them if they have a chicken […]
Urban chickens
Quick Guide to Crushing Eggshells for Chickens
Eggshells. We have them. Anyone who eats eggs (not the pour-from-the-carton-type-of-egg) has them. And if you eat eggs regularly, they can add up in a hurry. And sure, there are sources that cite “10 Best Ways to Use Eggshells” or “Save those Shells for Projects”, but have you ever seen the process on ‘how-to- crush’ […]
A Beginner's Guide to Getting Chicks
Winter is the time of year, when a person’s mind begins to wander. Sure, there are the usual distractions: chocolate, seed catalogs, French press coffee, gardening tools, and the newest mold-ripened cheese at the local deli. But for some people, their minds can only find rest once they place their chick order. Whether you are […]
Dogs: An Urban Threat to your Backyard Chickens
Backyard chickens are one of the simple pleasures of urban homestead living. We check local city ordinance so we comply with code. We take the time to select which breed(s) to keep. We select how many to raise. We give them names. And lastly, we provide a secure coop. We got it covered, right? Chicken […]
Urban Chickens: Should we Worry about Salmonella?
We love their eggs, the sometimes larger-than-life personalities, and antics of backyard chickens. It turns out, that many people share this attitude as keeping urban chickens is a growing trend according to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) which is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) whose duties include, but […]
Small Scale Egg Sale Regulations
One of the joys of raising chickens is savoring the eggs they produce. Imagine, you are getting fresh eggs from your own hens. And as most chicken keepers I know, you probably have multiple hens. I tend to think of them like I do potato chips. I just can’t stop at having one. That’s great, […]