Category: Homestead – Chickens and Plants (Page 1 of 4)
The “Homestead” category was created in spring 2017 when our family first started volunteering at a farm not too far from our house. We meant to get our kids some exposure to farm animals and learn skills about responsibility and selflessness; we did not anticipate falling in love with a simple, down-to-earth lifestyle!
Now we have added some backyard chickens, who live in Jurasschic Park, and we daydream of having a small homestead. Our chickens bring love and laughter to our little home, and have moved the hearts of all of us!
We also have a passion for gardening, growing our own food, starting plants from seeds, and houseplants!
Honestly, I don’t see us ever having the money to abandon grocery stores and Target to go live off of the land on a real compound somewhere. And that’s ok, because little by little we will make our place into a “homestead in the city.” Right now our little home in the suburbs may have to do, but our family is really a homestead family at heart!
RSM has a Vertplanter 2.0 to review with you! This is an indoor, tabletop vertical planter made out of manufactured terra cotta. Get RSM’s honest opinion as well as stats, instructions, and a video tour. Enjoy and happy planting!
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Backyard chickens are so great, aren’t they? But while they live outside, dig holes and poop all over everything, they still need us to help them have a quality life. (And hey, if your backyard flock is providing food for your family, it all comes back to benefit you anyway, right?) So why not look into low-risk, cheap and easy ways to improve their overall health? Read on for a quick article – including the list, of course! – of herbs for your chickens.
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Pollinator Garden Tour 2023 USDA Zone 8b
Welcome to Real Simple Mama’s butterfly garden! This pollinator garden was started in spring 2020 (because what else can you do during a pandemic shut down other than dig in the dirt?!) and is now flourishing here in the Texas heat. Read on for a few quick tips and the list of residents in this certified pollinator garden.
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Hi! I am Sarah, the Real Simple Mama, and I’ve been a chicken tender for six years now. (No this isn’t the beginning of a Chicken Addicts Anonymous meeting!) I’m actually to here to talk about how to buy a coop kit for your flock.
My family and I got chickens six years ago in a semi urban Texas neighborhood; while we’ve moved quite a few times in this six years, we’ve almost always had a “coop kit.” I define this as a coop that comes in a box with instructions, pre-measured materials, and a plan. You’re paying for the convenience and the work it took for someone to design and package a coop – just build the kit and you’re ready for chickens!
But coop kits are sometimes less-than-easy to shop for, and I’ve had my share of bad experiences. Read on for all of my recommendations – what to look for in a coop kit for backyard chickens!
And hey for your shopping convenience, click on the free downloadable printable towards the end – it’s a short-and-sweet copy of my list so you can take it with you when you go to buy your own coop kit! Plus check out the video tour on YouTube, linked at the very bottom of this article.
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I see you. Yes, you. The one who’s looking for names for your backyard chickens. Let’s get right to it – I have a list of over 300 names for chickens! We’ve got clever, delicious, cute, punny, adorable and everything in between. Read on to get your free downloadable printable list, and add your own great ideas in the comments below for chicken name ideas!
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Hi there! I’m Sarah, the Real Simple Mama, and I love chickens. But it’s heartbreaking when one of our feather babies is molting, or has been bullied, or is feather picking. Losing feathers is an annoying, often painful process for our sweet birds. So I’m here to give you some suggestions of how to help your chickens grow feathers back. Read through the article, and check out the YouTube video of the same name, found at the end of the article!
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I love having backyard chickens. They are so hilarious and beautiful, and they really improve my quality of life. But being a chicken tender means that inevitably you will have to deal with your pets aging. Here is my list for how to care for your aging flock, so you can give them the quality life that they deserve.
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It’s 2022, and backyard chickens need something to do! I know this sounds a bit ridiculous maybe, but it’s true. A flock of chickens will start to bully each other or become otherwise destructive, so if possible you should give them some things to keep them entertained. That’s why I have my Diversions for Backyard Chickens list – this article has all of my best ideas for diversions in the chicken run so everyone stays bright and happy.
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Chickens can really be the most wonderful pets. They have a fantastic and individual personality, they’re absolutely beautiful, they’re hilarious and sweet and even feed your family! But what happens if the flock harmony turns into a disaster? Get my tips here for how to stop bullying in backyard chicken flocks so that everyone is safe, happy, and healthy.
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