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...

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 Grit for Chickens?by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | September 26, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Did you know that chickens eat stones? That’s essentially what chicken grit it. Chicken’s need grit in their diet to aid digestion of other...

The Importance of Calcium for Laying Hensby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | September 12, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. The homestead flock needs to have a balanced and nutritious diet in order to stay healthy and productive. One of the most...

What’s your biggest on-going chicken keeping expense? If I could hazard a guess, I would say it’s buying feed for your homestead flock. Many homesteaders grab at the chance to feed their flock free food. In fact, there are now many suggestions and ideas for how you can feed your...

The winter months can be a time of increased food consumption and strain on a chicken’s daily energy needs. Cold weather and exposure can all increase a chicken’s need for energy in order to stay warm, keep the circulatory system working good, and ensure all other body functions remain healthy...

It’s getting cold outside as winter sets in and one way to help your flock deal with the cold temperatures is by giving them warm treats! Oatmeal is a common treat that comes to mind since chickens love oats and it is an easy thing for you to make for...

What treats can I give my chickens daily? Should I even give my chickens daily treats? These are all great questions that relate to your flock’s homestead diet! Chickens are natural scavengers, and they will at least try just about any food you give them. It can also be fun...

Pumpkins are a fall staple on the homestead. Not only for cooking, baking, decorating, and carving… but also for the homestead flock! I love pumpkins, and my homestead flock does too! While I like cooking and baking with pumpkins, the chickens prefer to just chow down into a raw pumpkin....

An imbalance in a chicken’s diet can cause the chicken to not receive the proper nutrition it needs, either by having an excess of a dietary element or a deficiency in a dietary element. Dietary imbalances can occur when a chicken’s diet is not balanced or when a chicken’s dietary...

A nutritionally complete and balanced diet for your flock should help prevent a majority of dietary issues, however, sometimes dietary imbalances can be caused by factors that we can’t control or are unaware of. Dietary imbalances can result in a chicken not getting the nutrition it needs to stay healthy....

Making these high protein quinoa cakes as a DIY treat for chickens is a great way to sustainably spoil your homestead flock and still keep them healthy! Chickens love special treats and snacks, and spoiling your flock can be fun and entertaining. However, you don’t want the treats to take...

Whether you have one rooster on the homestead or multiple roosters in the homestead flock, knowing how to care for a rooster is important for the health and happiness of your homestead flock! Roosters have different dietary needs than hens. They exhibit different behaviors and play specific roles within the...

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...

I know you have probably heard me say this over and over in my articles, or at least something like this: your flock’s diet is their life blood. It’s what gives them energy and keeps them healthy. And it must change and adapt based on the seasons. What your flock...

A chicken’s diet is essential for keeping it healthy and productive. Sudden diet changes can be hard for your homestead flock to adjust to, and feed switches can even cause health problems if they are not done properly. While complete diet changes should be avoided as much as possible, there...

Learning how to make fermented chicken feed is a great cost effective, nutritious, and easy way to feed your homestead flock! Fermented chicken feed helps you get the most out of your feed bags while still providing nutritious food for your chickens. My flock loves their fermented feed and I...

A balanced diet is important year round to keep your flock healthy. During the winter, your flock’s dietary needs change slightly due to weather changes, decreased activity, and the increased need to stay warm. If these changes are not met, your flock could suffer from a deficiency or surplus in...

Protein is needed for a chicken to survive. It is required for nearly all the body functions to work properly. Balancing protein in a flock’s diet is important because many factors play a role in the protein needs of individual chickens. The standard protein content in commercial chicken feeds may...