In Part I of a two-part series, I am taking a look at the controversy around what to feed backyard chickens and providing some advice on how to evaluate the conflicting information you may find out there.
In these times of #BlackLivesMatter vs. #AllLivesMatter, Hillary… Continue reading
Getting your first backyard chickens is to embark on a fun new adventure. You will learn a lot along the way. And you will encounter some surprises.
I get a lot of questions from new chicken keepers about things they didn’t know or… Continue reading
You can call me Deborah Neyens, CCK.
Or maybe Deborah Neyens, CCCL.
Whether you regard me as a crazy chicken lady (CCL) or merely a chicken keeper (CK), I am now certified by the City of Cedar Rapids to do what I’m doing. I’ve completed a city-approved training course… Continue reading
It’s the time of year when going to Tractor Supply or Theisen’s can be an exercise in self discipline.
As you walk through the store on your way to the dog food, you hear the peeping. You can’t resist taking a peek into the tubs… Continue reading
The plight of the battery cage hen is no secret.
We’ve all seen the photos. Hens crammed into small pens, each afforded less space than a single sheet of paper. Unable to engage in natural chicken behaviors like scratching, perching, or nesting. No… Continue reading
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It’s a little disconcerting to open the chicken coop these days; it looks like a chicken has exploded inside. There are feathers everywhere – in the coop, in the pen, blowing around the yard.
It’s apparent… Continue reading
It’s been a glorious autumn in Iowa, but these photos from last winter provide a chilling reminder of what lies ahead. Where I live, negative double-digit temperatures are all too common during the winter months, along with blowing snow and ice… Continue reading
Did you know that heat is more stressful on chickens than cold?
That’s not to say I don’t worry about my chickens when the temperatures drop below zero during the long Iowa winter. But they have ways to stay warm. On the coldest of days, they stay inside… Continue reading
How would you like to be confined to a 6 x 20-foot pen for your entire life?
That’s the fate of my suburban chickens. And if you keep backyard chickens in the city or a suburban subdivision, lifetime confinement probably is a reality… Continue reading
I will be spending a bit more time counting my chickens from now on.
If you were watching the Chicken Cam over the weekend, you saw chicken math in operation. On Saturday, I brought home the newest additions to my flock. And now I’d like to introduce them to you.
Meet Marigold and… Continue reading