Reviews by staceyj

This is a very informative article about not only choosing a rooster, but what subtle cues to look for, and criteria to examine when evaluating roosters you might have when looking at the big picture of your total flock and how to achieve your goals of harmony and safety within it.

Serious review: Thank you for this quick, humane and un-messy method of culling a hopelessly sick or injured chick.
It seems very effective and easy to remember.





Funny review: Also not nearly as cold blooded as doing it while having to look that little peep bunny in the eye while culling him.
Bonus points for your teaching us what color a peep bunny bleeds.

When the weather gets a little nicer I’m going to look for signs of this in my flock.

What a great learning journal!
Thanks for taking the time to document this challenging experience with Scout.
His spirit and your determination and dedication made me smile.
I so appreciate the photographs throughout, Blooie, even though your writing is excellent and descriptive, I always need to see things to fully understand them.
Example: the blueish-green of the bottoms of his feet.
And the comparison of the way the swelling went down in his toes.
How you fashioned the mama heating pad.
Even what KIND of candle jar lid!
All so very helpful.
Thank you for putting the time into this article so others could learn.
Rest In Peace Scout.

Congratulations on a fantastic finished product.
You guys really made your coop a lovely piece of yard art. Everything about it is esthetically pleasing and there is a general welcoming vibe in the overall look. Plus it’s completely functional as well, so great balance there!
I always appreciate plenty of photos that explain the process. Thanks for those.
*I especially admire the workmanship of the bottle feature on the front wall and think the the built in brooder inside is a good idea.

I recently solved a bullying situation in this manner by default.

I wish I’d seen this article when my problem first started. I would have saved myself a lot of time and effort!

Excellent, clear no-nonsense instructional.
Especially for a new chicken owner who’s never had the pleasure of cutting nails on other pets or a squirming two year old child!

This article is always my go-to reference for egg issues!
Great photos !

Very good article and great representational illustrations.
I wish you’d expand more on that last section about flopped over and paralyzed combs however.
Such as why do either of these things happen or what could it mean if it has.

Great article.
Thoughtful points.


I’ve paid much closer attention this spring and summer as I’ve reduced the size of my chickens free range area.
They still have a large area and plenty of hiding spots, and a clear path to their covered run and coop, but any time you reduce their area it can also increase their chances of getting run down, cornered, or caught by predators.

I’ve had crows and ravens raising their young nearby and they’ve been fascinating to observe collaborating to keep the hawks away.
The fuss and noise they make alert my chickens and they respond fast.

Beautiful setting. Breezy coop. Lucky to not have to worry about predators.
Maybe you could add an interior photo of your run and nesting roosting area at some time to make people happy.
Yes. Difficult to navigate. Frustrating.
My photos never posted in the correct order either.
Lovely job.

I think I left my comments on your media page. I’ll try to summarize.
You did a nice job on this coop. Good use of hardware cloth all around.
You have plenty of room for Mabel to have a few friends.
Chickens are flock animals and don’t thrive very well in solitude so I hope you add to your flock as soon as possible.

Wow! Fantastic job.
It is very a substantial looking coop.
I like the cheerful color.
Nice placement in your yard too, chickens need shade.

I appreciate that you told the part of the story about having to take it apart to get it outside.
I’m certain you aren’t the only person who’s ever had to do that either.

Aesthetically pleasing coop and appreciate the features that make it kid friendly. I love the name of your “urban farm”.
Very nice design and colors as well .
I especially like the idea of your water collection system.

I like that you have “future plans”. I don’t think any chicken coop construction is complete right off the bat. There are always modifications and tweaks that reveal themselves as necessary down the road once a set-up is up and running.
Great job repurposing that shed into your vision. I hope you are still getting enjoyment from your birds!
Well done!