Farm Animals
Animals are the heart of any homestead or small farm. Learn the basics of caring for chickens, sheep, goats, and more. Put on your chore boots and let's begin.
Poultry Predators - Protect Your Chickens From Predators
It seems that more animals are after chickens and poultry than any other farm animal - so learn what predators put your chickens at risk and how to best protect them.
It seems that more animals are after chickens and poultry than any other farm animal - so learn what predators put your chickens at risk and how to best protect them.
How to Keep Chickens
Ready to raise your own chickens on your small farm for delicious eggs, meat, or just for pets? Everything you need to know to raise and keep chickens on your small farm or homestead is right here.
Ready to raise your own chickens on your small farm for delicious eggs, meat, or just for pets? Everything you need to know to raise and keep chickens on your small farm or homestead is right here.
Should You Raise Chickens?
Wondering whether laying hens or chickens are the right choice for your small farm or homestead? Learn what's involved and what you should consider as you make your decision.
Wondering whether laying hens or chickens are the right choice for your small farm or homestead? Learn what's involved and what you should consider as you make your decision.
How to Raise Chickens from Day-Old Chicks
Want to raise baby chicks on your small farm or homestead? Learn how to take care of and raise happy chickens.
Want to raise baby chicks on your small farm or homestead? Learn how to take care of and raise happy chickens.
Maintaining Your Flock of Laying Hens
Learn the basics of how to keep up with your flock of laying hens or meat chickens. Collecting eggs, refilling feed and water, and maintaining a clean chicken coop.
Learn the basics of how to keep up with your flock of laying hens or meat chickens. Collecting eggs, refilling feed and water, and maintaining a clean chicken coop.
Pick a Management Method for Your Chickens
When it comes to housing your chickens, you have several different options for containment - everything from allowing them to range or roam freely, to having them contained within movable electric net fencing, to a traditional coop and run.
When it comes to housing your chickens, you have several different options for containment - everything from allowing them to range or roam freely, to having them contained within movable electric net fencing, to a traditional coop and run.
How to Collect, Clean and Store Chicken Eggs
Are your chickens laying so many eggs you don't know what to do with them? Learn how to properly collect, clean and store your laying hens' eggs.
Are your chickens laying so many eggs you don't know what to do with them? Learn how to properly collect, clean and store your laying hens' eggs.
Supplies You Need for Keeping Chickens
Chickens don't need much to keep them happy and healthy. Learn what you need to buy to get started keeping chickens.
Chickens don't need much to keep them happy and healthy. Learn what you need to buy to get started keeping chickens.
How to Choose a Chicken Coop: Before you Build or Buy a Chicken Coop
Ready to bring those baby chicks home, but need to build or buy them a chicken coop before they feather in? Never fear. I will help you figure out what you need to know so you can give your chicks a healthy, durable home.
Ready to bring those baby chicks home, but need to build or buy them a chicken coop before they feather in? Never fear. I will help you figure out what you need to know so you can give your chicks a healthy, durable home.
How to Raise Pastured Poultry: Electronet and Chicken Tractors
Why keep your lovely hens confined to a coop and fixed run, when they can roam over fresh green grass and eat bugs and grubs to their hearts' content? Learn about the options for pasturing poultry, especially chickens, on the small farm or homestead.
Why keep your lovely hens confined to a coop and fixed run, when they can roam over fresh green grass and eat bugs and grubs to their hearts' content? Learn about the options for pasturing poultry, especially chickens, on the small farm or homestead.
How to Build a Movable Chicken Coop or Chicken Tractor
Learn how to build a simple chicken tractor or movable coop for your laying hens' needs. What are the essential elements of a design?
Learn how to build a simple chicken tractor or movable coop for your laying hens' needs. What are the essential elements of a design?
Build Your Flock: How to Select Chickens to Raise on the Small Farm or Homestead
Torn between Buff Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds? Wondering just what a "dual-purpose" bird is? I'll help you choose the best chickens for your small farm or homestead.
Torn between Buff Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds? Wondering just what a "dual-purpose" bird is? I'll help you choose the best chickens for your small farm or homestead.
How to Set Up and Move Electric Net Fencing
Learn how to set up and move electric net fencing on your small farm or homestead without getting it into a tangled mess!
Learn how to set up and move electric net fencing on your small farm or homestead without getting it into a tangled mess!
Chicken Litter Management - Deep Litter Method
The deep litter method of litter management is used to keep chickens healthy and happy in their coop on small farms and homesteads. Laying hens are particularly suited for this method of litter management.
The deep litter method of litter management is used to keep chickens healthy and happy in their coop on small farms and homesteads. Laying hens are particularly suited for this method of litter management.
Egg Eating - Why Chickens Do It and How to Stop It
Have a problem with egg eating among your laying hens? Learn these crucial tips to stop your chickens from eating their own eggs. Your investment in those hens will pay off with fresh, delicious eggs that you get to eat instead of your hens!
Have a problem with egg eating among your laying hens? Learn these crucial tips to stop your chickens from eating their own eggs. Your investment in those hens will pay off with fresh, delicious eggs that you get to eat instead of your hens!
How to Process Chickens for Meat
Learn how to slaughter and process chickens and other poultry for meat.
Learn how to slaughter and process chickens and other poultry for meat.
Winter in the Chicken Coop
It's getting chilly outside. But that doesn't have to mean frozen combs and wattles, painful toes, and unhappy hens. Keeping chickens happy through the winter just takes a little bit of extra attention.
It's getting chilly outside. But that doesn't have to mean frozen combs and wattles, painful toes, and unhappy hens. Keeping chickens happy through the winter just takes a little bit of extra attention.
5 Tips for Getting Hens to Lay Eggs in Nest Boxes
Do your chickens lay their eggs everywhere but in the nest boxes? These tips will have you collecting fresh, clean eggs out of the nest boxes in no time.
Do your chickens lay their eggs everywhere but in the nest boxes? These tips will have you collecting fresh, clean eggs out of the nest boxes in no time.
Managing Poultry on Pasture With Electronet
This detailed article goes over the basics of managing a poultry flock with electronet, or electrified net fencing. Includes information on energizers, how to set up and move the net, maintaining the charge in the net, and storing the net.
This detailed article goes over the basics of managing a poultry flock with electronet, or electrified net fencing. Includes information on energizers, how to set up and move the net, maintaining the charge in the net, and storing the net.
Thinking of Raising Sheep?
This helpful article from the University of Maine Extension Service is full of information on raising sheep. While some of it is specific to New England, there's a lot here that can be applied to any small farmer considering sheep.
This helpful article from the University of Maine Extension Service is full of information on raising sheep. While some of it is specific to New England, there's a lot here that can be applied to any small farmer considering sheep.
Why Should You Raise Meat Goats?
This article has information on the basic breeds of meat goats and explains the growing niche market for goat meat.
This article has information on the basic breeds of meat goats and explains the growing niche market for goat meat.
Benefits of Raising Highland Cattle
Learn basic information about the care and feeding of Highland cattle and what makes them different from other types of cattle.
Learn basic information about the care and feeding of Highland cattle and what makes them different from other types of cattle.