Backyard Chickens
The Best Ways to Shade a Chicken Run Before Summer Hits
The best ways to shade a chicken run before the heat hits — shade cloth, natural shade, shaded water, and the cooling tricks that keep my…
Backyard Chickens
How to Make a DIY Chicken Bucket Waterer (Step by Step)
A DIY chicken bucket waterer keeps water clean for days and costs next to nothing. Here's exactly how I build mine, the leak trap to avoid,…
Backyard Chickens
Best Chicken Waterers to Keep Your Flock Cool in Summer
The best chicken waterers for summer — the three I trust to keep cool, clean water in front of my flock when a Tennessee July turns…
Backyard Chickens
How to Stop Your Hens From Eating Their Own Eggs
Egg-eating is a learned habit that spreads fast. Here's how I stopped it in my own flock — roll-away boxes, washable nest pads, dummy eggs, and…
Backyard Chickens
Predator-Proofing the Run: Why Chicken Wire Almost Cost Me My Flock
Chicken wire keeps chickens in, not predators out. Here's how I predator-proofed my run after a raccoon got in — hardware cloth, real latches, and a…
Backyard Chickens
Setting Up Your First Chick Brooder: My Day-One Checklist
My day-one chick brooder setup checklist from six years and a lot of mistakes — heat plate, thermometer, feeder, the right starter feed, and bedding that…
Backyard Chickens
The No-Waste Chicken Feeders I’ve Actually Used
Three no-waste chicken feeders I've actually run in my own coop — a port feeder, a treadle feeder, and a hanging feeder — with the honest…
Backyard Chickens
5 Signs Your Hens Are Overheating (and How to Cool Them Down Fast)
Tennessee summers are hard on a flock. Here are the five signs your hens are overheating — and the fast, practical ways I cool the girls…