10 Tips for Hatching Svart Hona Chicksby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | April 30, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. I specialize in breeding, hatching, developing, and selling the rare Svart Hona chicken breed on my homestead. Over the years, this breed...

10 Helpful Facts for Raising Chicks on the Homesteadby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | March 12, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Whether it’s your first time brooding chicks on the homestead or not… there’s always new tips and tricks to learn...

When to Remove Chicks from the Incubatorby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | June 27, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. If everything goes as planned during a hatch, you shouldn’t have a problem with knowing when to take the fluffy youngsters out...

How to Treat Crooked Toes in Chicksby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | May 16, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. So, the chicks have hatched and are now running around the brooder like wild things… all except one, who seems to hop,...

Homestead Chick Growth Guide (with pictures)by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | May 9, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Your homestead brood’s needs will change rapidly as they grow. In order for chicks to mature into healthy, productive adults, each crucial milestone...

Splay leg is a condition that will cause a chick to not be able to stand and walk properly. It is an unhealthy condition that can even lead to death if the splay leg is not addressed quickly. However, splay leg can be fixed in young chicks, and chicks who...

Coccidiosis is a very common chicken disease that is most prevalent in young chicks and chickens. It is a protozoal disease that destroys the intestinal lining in a chicken’s gut. Acute coccidiosis can lead to death. The coccidia protozoa are found nearly everywhere there are chickens present. It naturally exists...

What is coccidiosis? Coccidiosis is one of the most common chicken ailments to affect young chicks. Coccidiosis is a protozoal disease that destroys the intestinal lining, causing malnutrition and sometimes unrepairable damage to the instestines. Since coccidiosis is so common, it is one of the biggest health concerns when raising...

When a mama hen can’t be used to raise your chicks, that means you are responsible for providing them with a safe and protected area in which to grow for the first few weeks of their life. A brooder can provide the perfect oasis if it is set up in...

Chicks can be resilient, but given their small size, they are more vulnerable to health issues and disease. Keeping your homestead brood healthy will be a full-time job! These 8 ways to keep your chicks healthy is the perfect solution to help you feel confident that you are giving your...

Just like chickens are the gateway animal for raising homestead livestock, I feel like herbs are the gateway plants for homestead gardening. So, it only makes since that chickens and herbs go together! Using herbs for your homestead flock is a great way to help them stay healthy naturally. Herbs...

Once you start raising chicks, pasty butt becomes a part of everyday lingo. And yes, pasty butt is just as gross as it sounds. Knowing how to identify, and most importantly, how to treat pasty butt in baby chicks is essential to raising a healthy brood. However, you should also...

Should I buy chicks from breeders or hatcheries? As a homesteader, you may find yourself asking this question. Even if you haven’t asked yourself this question, it is a good question to consider when deciding where to source your homestead flock from. While both sources have their advantages, there are...

The brooder supplies a chick’s three basic survival needs: heat, food, and water. Knowing how to properly set up the brooder is essential before you get chicks. However, you may know what you should include in the brooder, but do you know about some of the things you should not...