How to Care for Chickens During the Holidaysby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | Dec. 19, 2024This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. Our homestead livestock need care all year round, there is no ‘Christmas break’ from homestead chores. But, your homestead flock chores...

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...

8 Most Cold Hardy Chicken Breedsby Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | May 2, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information. You know the saying, “gotta’ have the right tool for the job”. Well it’s the same logic when it comes to choosing chicken...

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’....

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...

Deciphering between fact and fiction when it comes to using holistic remedies or natural supplements for your homestead flock can be difficult. Cayenne pepper is often touted as a supplement that will help your chickens lay better during the winter and will help prevent frostbite. However, are those benefits true?...

Cold hardy chicken breeds are the way to go for northern homesteads! While chickens can naturally handle cooler weather better than hot weather, when it comes to brutal and severe winter weather… having a few extra features to help conserve body heat can help. This guide to cold hardy chicken...

For northern homesteaders, the winter months can often bring that fluffy white stuff that you either love or you hate. As for your homestead flock, they probably have a low tolerance for snow. Snow not only brings a new element to caring for your flock during the winter, but it...

Cold stress is an often overlooked condition that is nearly unavoidable for most northern homestead flocks. Learning how to help chickens deal with cold stress will keep them healthier and productive through the winter months. Cold stress can cause illness and even death, so it is important to make sure...

Many foods that we raise and grow on the homestead are considered seasonal crops, meaning they can only be grown during a certain season of the year. A lot of times we forget that eggs are actually a seasonal food too. Birds of any species naturally don’t lay eggs every...

Chores are a never-ending task on the homestead, but that’s not always a bad thing! I actually enjoy the different chores associated with each month of raising chickens on the homestead. Seasonal chores will vary depending on what region you live in and what your seasonal weather patterns are for...

One question that many northern homesteaders may find themselves asking is: how can I help my homestead flock stay warm when the temperatures never get above freezing? First, let me tell you that it is a legitimate question to ask. Chickens can handle cold weather better then warm weather, and...

Boredom can become an issue for homestead flock’s that have to be cooped up due to inclement weather. The winter months are an especially hard time to keep your flock entertained and active. Preventing boredom not only makes for a happy flock, but it also prevents issues like feather pulling,...

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...

Fall is over and with it the fall molt is nearly finished, which means you might expect egg production to kick back into gear again, right? Well… it’s not quite like that unfortunately. Why do hens stop laying during the winter? Winter egg production on the homestead can be affected...

Cold stress is often an overlooked aspect of winter chicken keeping due to the fact that chickens generally handle cold weather better than warm weather. However, cold stress is almost always present in the flock during the winter, it’s just a matter of determining when that stress becomes detrimental to...