Backyard Chickens & Roosters

Please learn from this list of what I wish I knew before getting chickens. I started with stories about predators wiping out my friends’ chickens. Keeping your chickens safe has to be a priority… even experienced owners make mistakes. I hope by learning what to expect you can decide if getting chickens is right for your situation. There’s lots to love about raising chickens. Each has its own personality, and all in all, it’s a fun … Read more

Keeping chickens for farm-fresh eggs can be a rewarding and fun experience, but it requires effort. Understanding what to anticipate will help you determine if it’s a fit for you at this time. Chickens aren’t terribly high maintenance but there is work involved. Here are the things to consider before raising chickens. It’s exciting thinking of raising a backyard flock… Getting back to the basics, enjoying fresh eggs, and becoming more sustainable, etc. It all … Read more

Sebastopol geese are a domesticated, medium-sized breed. They are very social and do well in a flock. Depending on your needs, they may be a good addition to your farm or homestead. Known for their unique, curled feathers — I think they look like a skirt on the geese — they stand out as an elegant option for exhibitions, as pets, and for weed control. They have attributes not typically found in all breeds of … Read more

The largest chicken breeds command attention with their notable size and stature. Many of these sizeable birds are dual-purpose, prized for both their meat and egg-laying abilities. The Jersey Giant, true to its name, tips the scale at a substantial 15 pounds for the males. Compare that to a medium-sized chicken that weighs 6 – 7 pounds.  The title for the tallest chicken breed is held by the mighty Malay chicken. It stands tall at … Read more

It’s common to wonder: Can you eat roosters? Yes, roosters are edible. Roosters are male chickens. Their meat is a bit tougher and stringer than meat from hens but when slow-cooked on low in stews, etc., it’s tasty. Most people who raise chickens prefer raising hens because of their eggs and meat. When flock owners hatch chicks, they usually hope for females. When there are male chicks, it’s decision time: raise them among their flock; … Read more

Naked Neck chickens, also known as Turken or Transylvanian Naked Neck, have gained popularity as a dual-purpose chicken breed. Renowned for their distinctive resemblance to turkeys and their remarkable features, such as a featherless neck, they are valued for their hardiness, efficient feed conversion, and agreeable temperament. As a true dual-purpose breed, Naked Neck chickens excel in both egg production and meat quality, making them a versatile choice for backyard flock owners. They display remarkable … Read more

Chicken bedding is used to manage chicken waste. It helps support a clean, comfortable, and healthy chicken coop. It provides comfort and safety. From providing a cozy nesting spot for your hens to absorbing odors and moisture, poultry bedding plays a crucial role in creating an optimal living area for your feathered flock. Bedding keeps your chickens dry and warm with minimal unpleasant smells and damp conditions. By choosing the right chicken litter, you can … Read more

The California White chicken, robust and resilient, is an ideal choice for first-time chicken owners who want lots of eggs. Ideal for backyards and practical for those residing in urban settings, these friendly, prolific layers are sure to win your heart.   California Whites are a fitting choice if you are looking for a small or medium flock. I say this because with just a few hens, you can enjoy an abundance of eggs. With four … Read more

Can chickens eat bananas? Yes, they can. Chickens can also eat banana peels. In moderation, bananas are safe for your flock. Before feeding chickens bananas for the first time, there are a few different things you can do. The first time you give them a banana, you may want to peel it, set the banana down, and see what happens. You can leave it whole or chop it into pieces. It is fun to watch. … Read more

Quack up with a good laugh. This gaggle of funny duck names was plucked from our wildest imaginations. Nothing brightens a day quite like a duck waddling around with a hilariously punny name. We’re all familiar with those classic ducky names like “Donald” or “Daffy,” but what if we ventured further into the pond of creativity? These witty duck names are full of puns and play on words. They relate everything from quacking to feathers … Read more

Icelandic chickens, also known as landrace fowl, are one of the most genetically robust chickens in the world. As the name suggests, Icelandic birds were developed in the Nordic islands. Because they were isolated and there was limited land mass for the chickens to roam, Norse breeders took the time to select chickens with nothing but the most resilient traits to come up with this breed. As a result, the hardy Icelandic chicken is capable … Read more

Originally bred as a fighting chicken, the Shamo chicken is an Asiatic game fowl from Japan. It isn’t a native of Japan; it was only developed there. Its ancestors were mostly found in Thailand, known as Siam at the time. Shamo chickens are tall, hard-feathered, and mostly bred as fighting birds. It’s for this reason that the Shamo chicken has grown in popularity across the globe. Even though there are many different game chickens in … Read more

Use this ultimate list of chicken names to find the perfect ones for your lovable flock. There are names that are cute, funny, and unique. Some are based on the chicken’s size, whether they are chicks or full grown, color, breed, temperament, personality, how many are in the flock, hen and rooster duos, and more. A chicken’s name can reflect its personality and appearance. For example, if you have a hen who is always strutting … Read more

The California Tan chicken is very closely associated with the California White chicken. In fact, it’s not uncommon for novice farmers to confuse the two. However, they are not the same breed of chicken. The California Tan chicken is technically not a breed of chicken but a hybrid. It crosses two other breeds—a Production Red (similar to Rhode Island Reds) and a White Leghorn. One of the main reasons breeders worldwide endeavor to come up … Read more

How long do roosters live? What factors affect a rooster’s lifespan, and does breed have anything to do with a rooster’s longevity? What is a rooster’s lifespan in captivity vs in the wild? These are all questions that any budding chicken owner would have-rightly so. Chicken keepers and chicken enthusiasts alike know that when left to their own devices, chickens can live for 5 to 10 years. However, due to one thing or another, this … Read more

Here’s what to know about raising an Olive Egger chicken. Hens begin laying when they are around 5 months old, and each hen can lay 175 eggs in a year. Olive Egger chickens are a cross between a brown egg layer and a blue egg layer. They are medium in size. At the end, I discuss sexing Olive Egger chicks. Olive Egger chickens are hybrids that mix Legbars, Ameraucana, and Maran chicken breeds. While mixed-breed … Read more

The Prairie Bluebell Egger is a generally active bird capable of incredible egg production. A single hen can lay up to 280 eggs annually. One of the main standout features of this chicken breed is that it lays large powdery blue eggs that are cherished in most markets.  Developed to be excellent foragers and hardy, these birds can be a wonderful addition to any backyard chicken farm interested in raising more than just the typical … Read more

Gold Star chickens go by several names. They are typically referred to as the Golden Sex Link, Red Sex Link, or the Gold Star, among many other similar names. This type of chicken is a breed hybrid designed for increased egg production. It has many positive characteristics, chief among them being that its cold hardy. As a chicken keeper, the Gold Star chicken would make a wonderful addition to your backyard flock if you are … Read more

Do chickens need a rooster to lay eggs? No, hens don’t need a rooster to lay eggs. Female chickens will lay regardless. However, hens need a rooster to lay fertile eggs. If you want to hatch chicks from the eggs, your chickens need a rooster. If your goal in raising chickens is for eggs and/or meat, a rooster isn’t necessary. Without roosters, chickens lay unfertilized eggs.  While the answer is simple, many other factors come … Read more

Technically speaking, chickens are cold-hardy animals that can tolerate temperatures just below freezing. However, just because they are cold-hardy doesn’t mean they don’t get cold. Learning how cold is too cold for chickens will help you learn how to keep your chickens warm in winter. As a chicken owner in an area that sees harsh freezing temperatures during winter, you must learn how to keep your chickens warm through the colder temperatures. In some cases, … Read more