Happy Mother’s Day: Bitchin’ Chickens Edition
I’ve got tons to say about broody hens, and have in a number of posts I’ve written about my ownContinue Reading
Everything You Need To Know About Backyard Chickens & More

Adjective: remarkably good, cool, excellent. “Look at that bitchin’ rooster”
Verb: to express displeasure; grumble, “Quit yer bitchin’, I’ll be out of the nest box in a minute.”
Anyone who’s had chickens knows how fun they are. They’re beautiful, entertaining, have personalities of their own and are just plain bitchin’.
You also know that chickens like to talk. My hens can go on and on, complaining about who got to the favourite nest box first, who’s in the best roost bar spot, who’s grabbed the best treat first. Roosters get a bum rap about their crowing, but I think hands down hens do a lot more bitchin’.
I am someone who doesn’t have a lot of material wants. I’m happy with what I’ve got, not constantly yearningContinue Reading
Amputation is the surgical or traumatic removal of part or all of a limb or body appendage. In chickens, amputationsContinue Reading
After three years of being dog-less, my partner and I recently adopted a six-year-old Standard Poodle. Knowing almost nothing aboutContinue Reading
Whether you hatch or buy chicks, sometimes there’s one who just doesn’t keep up – smaller, quieter, maybe not eatingContinue Reading
Carotene, the golden-orange pigment that gives carrots and marigolds their sunny glow, plays a surprisingly important role in chicken physiology.Continue Reading
I’m always curious about what my chickens like to eat or not – and why. Somehow they know before evenContinue Reading
Full disclosure: I hate the smell of chamomile. To me, it smells like cat urine, but I’ve put aside myContinue Reading
Lucy, Isbar x Black Copper Marans Hen, 22 months old When you have a flock of 30, it’s somewhat easyContinue Reading
It’s hard to keep up with all the things that might affect your flock. Keeping chickens healthy requires some on-goingContinue Reading
Crushed red chilli pepper, known for its spicy heat, comes from a variety of capsicum peppers, which start off green beforeContinue Reading
Loads of sites come up in my feed. Some I scroll through, others I block and a few catch myContinue Reading
And What Happens When They Don’t Get It
Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is one of those old-world herbs that never quite got the fame it deserves. Known for itsContinue Reading
Eye enucleation is the surgical removal of the entire eyeball and associated tissues within the orbit. In chickens, this procedureContinue Reading
If you keep chickens for a while you’ll eventually deal with wound care. Chickens can get injured in a myriadContinue Reading
Chickens can fracture their legs in any number of ways: being stepped on (by horse, goat or human); experiencing aContinue Reading
The growth of a chick begins in the small fertilized area at the top of the yolk. A network ofContinue Reading
Molasses, the dark, sticky byproduct of sugar refining, has been a staple in livestock care for centuries. It’s sweet, mineral-rich,Continue Reading
When a chicken starts sneezing, rattling or has swelling around the eyes, the trouble often starts in an overlooked placeContinue Reading
I’m an educator by trade, experienced with curriculum development and public speaking. I’ve learned over the years that as muchContinue Reading
If there’s one herb that’s earned a solid reputation in the poultry world, it’s oregano (Origanum vulgare). Beyond being aContinue Reading
Many of of us probably first became aware of vitiligo when rumours speculated that the singer Michael Jackson was bleachingContinue Reading
Every so often, a chicken loses a foot or leg from frostbite, predator attacks, infection, or congenital deformity. For manyContinue Reading
There are a number of respiratory issues that affect chickens, some bacterial that can be treated with antibiotics, others viralContinue Reading
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) might be best known as a kitchen herb, but it’s also a powerful natural medicine that’s beenContinue Reading