We were VERY impressed with the overall experience with these Rudd Rangers! I would definitely do it again! Over 11 weeks, they consumed about 8 50lb bags of feed (plus lots of grass and bugs. It is worth noting we…
Easter Egg Trees were a big deal when I was kid in Germany. All the German families I knew loved heading outside to find the perfect branches for their trees, and then they spent hours blowing out eggs, decorating the…
In the last post on raising winter chicks, we talked about the benefits of starting chicks in the winter. This post will touch on a few of the concerns people sometimes have about winter chicks: heating requirements, when you can…
With Easter fast approaching, many of us backyard chicken owners are ready with baskets full of fresh eggs! Hens really start laying on overdrive when the weather warms up and the sun decides to hang around later each evening. Those…
Have you ever stood in your yard and called your chickens? Have they ever come running like a herd of wildebeest across the plain? Have you ever possessed the sense you may be the most powerful human being on planet…
One of the most common questions a new chicken owner asks is, “what is the right bedding for my coop?” Although a common question, the answer might surprise you, even if you are an experienced chicken owner! Not much scientific…
Frostbite in poultry is a real concern during the winter. Chickens, like people, are susceptible to frostbite. When the temperatures plummet and the windchills pick up, we need to consider the chickens. Making a few small changes can help them…
Most people think of spring as the ideal time to raise chicks, but chicks are available all year from Hoover’s Hatchery. There are some good reasons you might want raise chicks in the winter and this post is the first…
Which came first… the egg or the chicken? That’s what comes to mind when someone asks me what they need to do if they want to start raising chickens. And for the record, the answer is the egg. (Today’s domestic…
Chickens are farm superstars. They produce eggs almost daily. Some chickens have even been known to lay multiple eggs per day. They don’t require much food in order to produce those eggs, either. One thing that many chicken owners quickly…
A Blog for Hoover’s Hatchery by Winding Pathways LLCFebruary 2021 When an unexpected storm shuts down the power grid people are lucky. We can put a comfy fleece jacket over long johns and snuggle under a toasty quilt. Baby chicks…
My grandfather used to swear everyone who had chickens, needed a rooster. He would say things like, “a rooster keeps all the hens in line,” or “the hens need a protector.” Today we know that although those statements are partially true, roosters…
The battle of the heat lamp has been a long-disputed topic for chicken enthusiasts. Some claim having a winter heat lamp in the coop not only keeps hens warm, but also increases egg production. Others deem heat lamps unnecessary and…
The girls and I have very exciting news to share with our faithful friends and followers and we wanted you to hear it here first! No, I didn’t get new chicks to add to my flock. YET! (winks) You all…
Hoover’s Hatchery™ recently produced a Facebook Live event at Etzel’s Sugar Grove Farm showing how Carl and Gavin Rosier have adapted modern technology to make managing their chicken flock easier. One viewer responded saying, “If I don’t visit my coop…
Carl and Gavin Rosier have found solutions to problems shared by many backyard flock owners. They are researching how to use chickens to reduce weeds and insect pests in corn and soybean fields. Sponsored by the Rodale Institute, their test…
Chickens reach maturity at around 6 months of age, and ours are officially 3 months old! It is time for them to learn the rules of the coop and change their address! That means lock down in the coop with…
During the past few years thousands of American families have started a backyard chicken flock. Bringing a breakfast’s worth of fresh eggs into the house is as prideful and delicious as growing and enjoying home grown vegetables. Gardening is legal…
By: Shannon Latham, Enchanted Acres Spring in Iowa is synonymous with chicks, bunnies, lambs, baby goats, daffodils and tulips. This year it also brought an early spring dusting of snow at Enchanted Acres. A set of twin kids was born right…
This week the chicks have officially moved outside! All 13 are now living in the chicken tractor with lots of extra space to run, play, and just be chickens. As they grew in size, they also grew in stink. Of…
Pop open a carton of grocery store eggs and all 12 of them look identical. Gleaming white and nutritious. Open a carton of eggs laid by a mixed backyard flock of hens and the eye is greeted with a delightful…
As a former agriculture teacher, FFA and 4-H hold a special place in my heart, so I’m excited to share with you how you can join both of these amazing organizations. FFA and 4-H are agricultural organizations that offer so…
You’ve been told that you need to set up a brooder for your chicks. But how do you set up a brooder when you aren’t even sure of what a brooder is? Don’t worry. Brooders are simple to set up…
Our Rudd Ranger chicks are turning from babies into teenagers right before our eyes! They are growing more “real” feathers, and just like true teenagers, love to act silly and play rough with each other. One of their favorite things…
A big question on backyard chicken keepers’ minds when the snow starts to fly and the temperature start to drop is to heat the coop or not to heat the coop. Some people emphatically say no way! And other chicken…
Let’s face the truth. Chickens are the gateway to multiple species of birds. Or was that only me? I started out with a flock of chickens, learned that it’s not that hard to keep backyard poultry, and then found myself…
This week marks the Rudd chicks’ 2nd week birthday. They are averaging 180 grams now and truly growing each day! The 13 chicks are thriving and starting to grow in some juvenile feathers. They still have lots of fluff, and…
Anyone who has tried to herd an escaped flock back into the coop quickly discovers that chickens have a mind of their own. Some run this way, while others go that way. Few un where their owner intends. The result…