10 Reasons Why Hens Stop Laying Eggsby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | Nov. 25, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. I expect most of my homestead animals to pay for their keep (although, there are certainly some exceptions!). Is it natural for...

How to Winterize the Chicken Coopby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | Nov. 12, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. For northern homesteaders, there seems to be an endless number of things to ‘winterize’ in the fall. So when it comes to winterizing...

Garlic 101: Is Garlic Good for Chickens?by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | Oct. 29, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. If you had to choose only one supplement to give to your chickens, what would it be? I know for me it...

Chicken Red Mites: Diagnosis, Treatment, & Preventionby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | October 1, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. External parasites are never fun to deal with in the homestead flock. However, red mites are especially annoying since they can live...

How to Treat Northern Fowl Mites on Chickensby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | Oct. 1, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Northern fowl mites are the dreaded chicken parasite of northern homesteaders. They live on a chicken’s warm body and don’t seem...

How to Prevent Disease & Death in Chickensby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | Sept. 3, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Preventing disease & death in the homestead flock is my number one priority every year! It seems like everything I do...

What is Avian Influenza & How to Prevent Itby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | July 23, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. The bird flu…. the news makes it sound rather scary, but a better understanding of this avian virus will help...

How To Do A Chicken Health Checkby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | May 28, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Chickens have a way of getting sick very suddenly. However, it’s probably not that they get sick very suddenly, it’s often they...

Benefits of Cinnamon for Chickensby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | April 2, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Cinnamon may seem like an ordinary spice since it is so widely used in baking, cooking, and flavoring foods. However, this ordinary spice has...

10 Chicken Keeping Myths to Ignoreby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | March 5, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. With a rise in chicken keeping and homesteading also comes an increase in information about keeping chickens on the homestead. And, as with...

How to Choose the Best Type of Chicken Feedby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | February 20, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Picking out a homestead poultry feed is probably one of the first things you should consider when you plan on...

SPECIAL POST: Elder Farms Products for Chickensby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | February 6, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Elderberries are a powerful holistic berry that has been used in ancient medicine for centuries. Elderberry supplements should certainly be a staple...

Benefits of Elderberries for Chickensby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | January 30, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Elderberries are an ancient holistic remedy that were used by the Native Americans to help treat both internal and external health issues. But… did...

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...

Should I Insulate the Chicken Coop?by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | December 19, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. When it comes to winter chicken keeping, questions like, ‘should I heat the chicken coop?’, ‘does the coop need to be insulated?’, and...

The Deep Litter Method for the Chicken Coopby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | December 5, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. If you’ve been a northern homesteader for any length of time, you’re probably pretty familiar with the term ‘deep litter method’....

How to Prevent Marek’s Disease in Chickensby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | November 21, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Marek’s disease is a prevalent virus that commonly infects young and growing chicks but can also infect mature birds as well. This...

Feeding Chickens a Homestead Diet: Grain, Treats, & Supplementsby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | November 7, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Feeding chickens a homestead diet is a great way to raise your flock in a sustainable and frugal way! Each...

What is Marek’s Disease in Chickens?by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | October 24, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Marek’s disease a common but little known poultry disease. It can take on many shapes and forms, so it is often a confusing...

Chicken Poop Problems: The Scoop on Poopby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | October 10, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Yup, it’s a gross topic, but it is helpful to discuss chicken poop problems that you might encounter in the homestead flock....