Chickens are fascinating, aren’t they? They’re unique and hilarious, they just need some shelter and love and they make you breakfast! If you’re looking for some weird foods and snacks that your backyard chickens can eat, check out RSM’s list below!
Continue readingCategory: Homestead – Chickens and Plants (Page 2 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!
Let’s get right to it: Chickens are dirty. They dig around in the dirt all day and with that comes a certain amount of, well, mess. So bumblefoot happens. It’s sometimes possible to have a non-invasive bumblefoot treatment where you don’t have to cut into your chicken’s foot but can heal the bumblefoot with soaking and topical medications. Read on, and know that I’m here to help!
Continue readingWe love chickens! And we love cheap! Get our quick list of some of the best dollar finds for the chicken run.
Continue readingSpring has sprung! And after the Insane Winter Storm of February 2021, I welcome spring this year more than ever. I love my backyard chickens, and I love plants and gardening. As I work to create perfect harmony in my chicken run, I’ve found some hardy perennials and trees that go beautifully with my little flock. Here’s my spring 2021 list of the plants in my chicken run.
Continue readingThe winter season is kinda lame. To be honest, I call it the “Season of Waiting” because that’s largely what we do: we wait. Wait for the plants to come alive again, wait for animals to wake up and be active… and if you’re a chicken tender, you’re probably also waiting for eggs! Here’s my winter checklist for backyard chickens (and chicken chores) so that you can be ahead of the game when the weather warms up again.
Continue readingWhen you become a chicken tender, you learn that having a backyard flock is a lot like having feathered kids who poop in the grass: they get hurt, they get sick, and you are their caregiver so it’s on you to take care of them. In the three years of having chickens, I’ve started to build an arsenal of what to have in your chicken medical kit. Here’s what I have, how I use it, and how you can be prepared!
Continue readingYou’ve got backyard chickens, huh? Congratulations! Whether you have baby chicks or a gigantic flock, our feather babies are hilarious and unique individuals. So that means they need names that fit their little personalities, doesn’t it? Check out my various categories for the best chicken names, and feel free to add your own ideas in the comments!
Continue readingWell, there you go. You’re here because you’re looking to cool down your chicken coop, right? Especially at night when everyone is roosting with their feathery body heat? Or maybe when they’re laying eggs for your family in a sweltering box? Have no fear, we’ve done the work and put together how to do a solar fan build for your chicken coop… and why you should, too.
Continue readingWe made a backyard pond! It’s been a great project for our little nature-loving family, especially during the shelter-in-place period. It’s an affordable and fun way to add some interest to your yard, and to attract more wildlife. But how do you get started? Check out my review and project build here, including a video tour!
Continue readingI love chickens! And I love plants! But how do you successfully combine the two? No one wants to spend time and money at a nursery only to have their backyard flock consume everything, but we also don’t want our chickens to be in an ugly dirt wasteland (or even worse, get poisoned). In this extensive article, get my suggestions on how to research and pick plants, and keep them in with your chickens! And of course check out the video at the end which shows you what can I plant in my chicken run!
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