Why are Roosters Needed on the Homestead?by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | August 6, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Roosters are not needed for hens to lay eggs, they are often thought of as being rough on the hens, and they...

Why the Poultry Pecking Order is Importantby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | July 9, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. A chicken’s social life is quite complex and ever changing. Chickens are smart and can remember many different individuals as well as...

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...

What is Cold Stress in Poultry?by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | January 2, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. What is cold stress in poultry? Cold stress is the response a chicken’s body has to staying warm in cold weather. It is...

What to do with an Aggressive Roosterby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | July 11, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Any rooster can be protective and assertive, so knowing how to deal with an aggressive rooster is important for raising a safe...

Egg eating can become a real bahviour problem once a hen aquires a taste for her own eggs. While egg eating shouldn’t be too big of a problem in the homestead flock, you should know about some management practices you can use to prevent egg eating in your flock. It...

I love diving into a new poultry book and seeing what helpful nuggets I can dig out to apply to my homestead flock. Reading about other chicken keepers’ experiences and learning the general facts about poultry will help you raise your homestead flock better. I have acquired many different chicken...

Whether you are starting off with your first homestead flock or you have been raising chickens on the homestead for years, we all find ourselves asking, what is my chicken doing? Chickens are entertaining to watch, but knowing what their different behaviors, sounds, and body language means makes watching them...

Chickens form a dynamic flock that is run by their own set of rules and codes. Each bird has a place in the flock and knows its limits. When a flock’s dynamics are interrupted, havoc can break out! Knowing how to properly introduce new birds into your flock can prevent...