Nesting boxes are a recent addition to my vintage 1920’s era chicken coop. Tired of retrieving eggs from plastic-totes-turned-nesting-boxes (which had a tendency to migrate across the floor of the coop!), I mounted permanent nesting boxes that could be accessed without climbing into the coop. Along the way, I used a few cheats to…
Chickens are hardy birds that adapt well to a wide range of temperatures if given the resources needed to keep themselves warm. In this article we’ll talk about a few basic ways to winterize your chicken coop, a few unique ideas to help your birds stay toasty through the coldest months, and how to keep…
When we decorate for Christmas, we usually just decorate typical things: putting up a Christmas tree, placing a wreath on the door, and perhaps putting outdoor lights on our house. But the chicken house in your yard can be a fun spot to add cheer and decorate for the holidays too. As Americans rediscover backyard…
Hatching chicks from your own eggs- or convincing a motherly hen to raise a batch of hatchery chicks- is a fun way to experience a less popular side of modern chicken keeping: Watching a line of chicks trail behind a mama hen as she teaches them to scratch and forage is a delightful scene for…
Last Updated: Good chicken-coop landscaping includes a balance of well-chosen vegetation with foliage-friendly coop management practices. In this article, I’ll be reviewing the creative planting methods we use at Hawk Hill as well as the trial-and-error-proven plants we’ve come to use in and around our coop year after year. List of Recommended Plants for In…
Since I published my post a few months ago showing the exterior of my restored 1920’s chicken coop, I’ve received several comments requesting a look at the interior of my coop. The interior is a bit less charming than the whitewashed exterior, but is functional, clean, and spacious. About half of the upgrades I have…
Last Updated: Our farm has long been home to chickens. Often they spend daylight hours free-ranging, but for various reasons, many days the chickens stay confined to their 100 year old coop and a 10 foot by 12 foot fenced run. Early in my experience chicken keeping, I was frustrated by chickens pulling up and…
