New articles
Welcome to our first special edition of Chick Quicks... Hot Wings! Hot Wings will cover subjective topics through my own personal opinion, meaning some (or many) readers may disagree with what's said. Will there be "hot takes", or will it be bland and flavorless?
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I'm already offended. How...
If you keep chickens long enough, you eventually hear the words bird flu and feel a little knot form in your stomach. It pops up in the news, spreads through social media, and suddenly every chicken keeper starts wondering the same thing.
“Could this affect my flock?”
The truth is, avian...
Welcome to Chick Quicks, a series that chronicles the lessons I've learned as a chicken keeper — all in 5 minutes or less! Topics are mostly geared towards novices and smaller flocks, with links included for additional reading.
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2025 was a crash course in pasty butt mitigation. Of the 11...
Come on in! Sorry for the mess. This page will be updated regularly as I publish new episodes, preview the topics ahead, and expand Chick Quicks Headquarters into a legitimate member page. Also, hi! I'm Cat, aka @thecatumbrella. Chick Quicks is a pet project meant to stretch my writing muscles...
Think of an egg like a tiny, fragile spaceship with a developing chick inside. That little embryo doesn’t float around by itself—it’s surrounded by yolk, membranes, and a delicate shell. When you turn the egg, you’re helping the embryo stay centered, ensuring it gets the nutrients it needs...
If you have spent any time around backyard chickens, you probably already know something funny about roosters. Size does not always match attitude.
A big rooster might stroll around like a calm bodyguard, while a tiny one struts like he owns the entire farm. That brings us to one of the most...
Let me ask you something. Have you ever walked outside in the morning, coffee in hand, ready to greet your chickens… and felt that awful pit in your stomach before you even opened the coop?
If you keep chickens long enough, you know that feeling. Predators are smart. They are patient. And they...
Have you ever cracked open a fresh backyard egg, ready for a perfect sunny side up breakfast, and instead watched it spread across the pan like it was trying to escape? The white runs everywhere. The yolk looks lonely in the middle. And you just stand there thinking, “Well… that’s not what I...
The Scenario Unfolds:
It's another day, everything is going as it usually does, and you go out to check on your flock like your normally do, but something's off. You notice some of your birds grooming and scratching more than normal, a few are shaking their heads like they're trying to get...
For most, incubating and hatching eggs is one of the most enjoyable (and addictive) aspects of chicken keeping. Nothing beats watching those little ones fight their way out of the eggs, after 3 weeks of fretting and fussing and watching the incubator, wondering what is going on in there.
When...
If you’ve ever collected eggs from your backyard flock and noticed one that felt a little squishy or soft, you probably had a mini panic moment. “Oh no, what did I do wrong?” you might have whispered to yourself while carefully setting it aside. Don’t worry; you’re not alone. Soft-shelled eggs...
Have you noticed grocery prices lately? Eggs go up. Feed goes up. Even a simple carton of milk feels like a small splurge. When the economy gets tight, we all start looking at our backyards a little differently. We ask ourselves, “What can I grow? What can I raise? How can I stretch my dollars...
Ducks are supposed to be the “easy” poultry, right? They do not need nesting boxes. They rarely fight. They handle rain like little feathered champions. And they look so calm and happy splashing in a tub of water that you start to think, “This is simple. I’ve got this.”
But here is the thing...
Let me say this right up front. I love chickens. They are dependable. They are productive. They have personality for days. But after observing friends who've raised ducks alongside chickens, I've noticed something interesting.
Ducks quietly outperform chickens in a few areas.
Not everything...
Posting this in case anyone is wanting to build nest boxes regardless of the reason and want some ideas. Also suppose this could also be a bookshelf tutorial as well 😂
These nest boxes are massive lol and generally not necessary for folks who have chickens that understand personal space lol you...
Have you ever stood in your kitchen holding a bottle of apple cider vinegar and thought, “I wonder if my chickens could use this too?”
If you keep backyard chickens long enough, you will hear about apple cider vinegar, usually called ACV in chicken circles. Someone will swear by it. Someone...
When most people think about backyard poultry, chickens steal the spotlight. Ducks tend to waddle quietly in the background. But if you have ever raised ducks, you know something important.
They are not just cute. They are surprisingly helpful.
At first glance, ducks look like messy little...
Welcome to Chick Quicks, a series that chronicles the lessons I've learned as a chicken keeper — all in 5 minutes or less! Topics are mostly geared towards novices and smaller flocks, with links included for additional reading.
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Today, we're looking at an odd problem with an even odder...
Let me guess how it started for you. You said, “I’ll just get three or four hens for fresh eggs.” That was the plan. Simple. Sensible. Responsible.
Fast forward a few months and somehow you are standing in the yard counting twelve birds, googling coop extensions, and telling your family, “Well…...
