4-H Steps for Showing Chickens in Showmanshipby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | June 25, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Showing chickens in 4-H was my life for 8 years. Being homeschooled, 4-H was my extra-curricular activity that I devoted all my...

Svart Hona Chicken Breed Profileby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | May 14, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. What’s so special about the Svart Hona? Well, aside from its stunning looks, there is so much more to love about this breed! In...

8 Most Cold Hardy Chicken Breedsby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | May 2, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. You know the saying, “gotta’ have the right tool for the job”. Well it’s the same logic when it comes to choosing chicken...

How to Prep a Chicken for a Poultry Showby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | July 5, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Poultry shows are actually significant to us as modern pioneer homesteaders. They encourage the maintenance and preservation of heritage chicken...

Hot weather is dangerous for chickens. Unlike us who can take layers on and off, chickens are stuck with their feathers during hot weather. Chickens naturally have a high body temperature and thrive in temperate to slightly cool weather conditions. If you live in a region that regularly experiences hot...

These homestead chicken breed reviews for 4-H showmanship are perfect for homestead youth who are trying to decided what breed will be best for showmanship but still be helpful on the homestead! Throughout my 7 years of raising and showing chickens through 4-H I have had experience with a variety...

Cold hardy chicken breeds are the way to go for northern homesteads! While chickens can naturally handle cooler weather better than hot weather, when it comes to brutal and severe winter weather… having a few extra features to help conserve body heat can help. This guide to cold hardy chicken...

While chickens may be the gateway animal to homesteading, there are also plenty of other poultry species to consider adding to your homestead! Raising poultry on the homestead can be fun, educational, challenging, and even rewarding. My goal is to raise every species of domesticated poultry, and so far I...

Chicken knowledge is my specialty, and I love reading and learning anything I can about these unique homestead creatures! Over the years, I have come across some facts that simply blew my mind. Chickens are amazing creatures that have been proven to be smart and emotionally sensitive. If you have...

There are literally hundreds of chicken breeds to choose from! When it comes to choosing the best chicken breeds for the homestead, there are a few factors to consider in order for your flock to be productive and fulfill the role as a homestead flock. While many of these breeds...

I love showing and exhibiting my chickens! The spring show season is here and the summer show season is right around the corner! For 8 years I raised and showed chickens in my local county fair through 4-H. I have also made it a goal each year to attend at...

My chicken is smarter than your dog! Did you know that cognitive research has actually proven that chickens can be smarter than dogs, cats, and even 4-year old toddlers!? Chickens are entertaining in and of themselves, but training them can be both fun and functional. These 7 things to train...

Chickens are intelligent creatures. They can recognize up to 100 different individuals and have the ability to compare themselves to other flock members in relation to ability, experiences and gender. When I first had the idea to train one of my chickens, I didn’t realize how easy it was going...