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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

8 Natural Supplements for Chickensby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | August 15, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Natural supplements can boost flock health, improve production and help prevent against disease and parasites. However, have you ever heard the saying “too much...

When Do Chickens Start Laying Eggs?by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | July 25, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. While there are many reasons why you may choose to raise chickens on the homestead, one of the most beneficial additions chickens add...

How to Stop a Hen from Being Broodyby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | June 20, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. What causes your friendly, mischievous hen to turn into a lion in the nesting box!? Broodiness. A hen who has gone...

How to Care for a Sick Baby Chickby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | May 30, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Chicks are often hardier than we give them credit to be, but they are also small and dependant when they are...

How to Use Herbs for Chickens on the Homesteadby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | May 23, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. There are right ways and wrong ways to use herbs for chickens on the homestead, but don’t let that scare...

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,...

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...

I feel like spring is the both the most exciting time and the most frustrating time for raising chickens on the homestead. Spring means it’s time to hatch chicks, and it’s hard not to have a good day when you have chicks on the homestead! However, spring can also be...

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...

One of the biggest flock health issues northern homesteaders face is frostbite. Frostbite occurs when the flesh freezes and prevents blood flow from reaching the frozen appendages. Frostbite can happen suddenly and if not treated quickly, it can get infected and cause fatal health issues. It is thought that even...