BackYard Chickens

4 Tips for raising chickens and children in one happy backyard. Peanut butter and jelly. Milk and cookies. Macaroni and cheese. Some things are just better together. The same holds true for kids and their pets. Pets provide unforgettable memories – from greetings at the front door to backyard adventures. Today, these family moments are made with an unconventional pet: backyard chickens. “Chickens are popular urban and rural pets, providing benefits for the entire family,” says Patrick...

So... a couple months ago, after we lost a hen, we got two new pullets and an older hen to introduce to our last bird. They've gotten accustomed to each other at this point, but our first hen was a little show-offy at first, jumping up onto several spots she'd never jumped onto before and more or less crowing her displeasure at the situation. One of the things she jumped onto was our side gate, and shortly after, she realized that a whole new world of scratchable things exists in our...

Pic by @Just4u2c Perches are a coop essential, as chickens instinctively fly up to a high place to roost at night, to keep them safe from predators while they sleep. And it's also nice for them to have a place to perch on during the day, should they feel like it. There are many options, designs, ideas etc floating around when it comes to perches and what can be used, so this week I would like to hear and see you all's thoughts and practices when it comes to these coop essentials....

So, about 6 weeks ago my Sussex hen went broody on me. I've never gone through this, so with much excitement I set her with the days eggs. I wasn't sure anything would really happen, but 3 weeks later we have 3 of the cutest little fluff balls! To my surprise though, just a couple of days before my Sussex hens eggs were due to hatch I had another hen go broody. So, after a few days we set her with some eggs. Her eggs should be hatching any time now. So last night I go out to...