Nesting boxes are a recent addition to my vintage 1920’s era chicken coop. Tired of retrieving eggs from plastic-totes-turned-nesting-boxes (that 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 make installation and…
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, or letting a broody hen 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 any chicken keeper. Often, when…
My chickens have a 12×12 foot outdoor run behind my 100 year old Chicken Coop, and in the course of nearly a decade of chicken keeping I’ve experimented with various landscaping in and around the coop. In this article, I’m sharing a few of the planting methods I use to keep my chicken coop and…
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…
At any given time, I keep 5-10 hens at Hawk Hill. Often times they free range during the day, but with dogs and a somewhat urban backyard, they spend many days confined to their 80 year old coop and a 10 foot by 12 foot fenced run. I was frustrated by the fact that chickens…
