About the Author

Marissa Ames

Editor of Goat Journal and Backyard Poultry magazines, Marissa Ames runs a small homestead in Fallon, Nevada, where she focuses on saving and propagating rare breeds of goats and garden vegetables. She and her husband, Russ, travel to Africa where they serve as agricultural advisors for the nonprofit I Am Zambia. She spends her free time eating lunch.
Read More

Articles by Marissa Ames

Ask the Expert February/March 2020
December 24, 2019 · · Ask The Expert, Members Only

Ask our poultry experts about your flock’s health, feed, production, housing and more! Please note that although our team has dozens of years of experience, we are not licensed veterinarians. For serious life and death matters, we advise you to consult with your local veterinarian.

Read More
Backyard Poultry December 2019/January 2020
October 25, 2019 · · Magazine Previews

Backyard Poultry December 2019/January 2020 • 14/6 features stories on coccidiosis, selling eggs as a business, winter comfort food recipes made with eggs, PLUS a new fibromelanistic breed that may be available in 2020!

Read More
Ask the Expert December 2019/January 2020
October 25, 2019 · · Ask The Expert, Members Only

Ask our poultry experts about your flock’s health, feed, production, housing and more! Please note that although our team has dozens of years of experience, we are not licensed veterinarians. For serious life and death matters, we advise you to consult with your local veterinarian.

Read More
The Top 15 Best Brown Egg Layers
October 1, 2019 · · Flock Files

Brown egg laying hens consistently appear on best egg layer lists and can be the backbone of a productive backyard flock, many laying more than 200 eggs per year.

Read More
My Inexpensive, Low-Energy, Automatic Chicken Water Heater
October 1, 2019 · · Coops

With winter looming, I needed an inexpensive, worry-free way to keep my chickens’ water from freezing. Inspiration was hatched at the thrift store by a used curling iron that consumes only 13 watts of power.

Read More
Ask the Expert October/November 2019
September 29, 2019 · · Ask The Expert, Members Only

Ask our poultry experts about your flock’s health, feed, production, housing and more! Please note that although our team has dozens of years of experience, we are not licensed veterinarians. For serious life and death matters, we advise you to consult with your local veterinarian.

Read More
Backyard Poultry October/November 2019
September 10, 2019 · · Magazine Previews

The October/November 2019 issue is now available! Subscribe for stories on turkey processing, guinea-chicken hybrids, PLUS a new health feature co-written by a medical professional and a university poultry specialist.

Read More
Backyard Poultry August/September 2019
July 10, 2019 · · Magazine Previews

Backyard Poultry August/September 2019 • 14/4 is NOW AVAILABLE! Subscribe for stories on Coolest Coops, making a chicken swing, using the deep litter method, and the APA flock inspection program.

Read More
Top 10 Duck Raising Questions Answered
June 1, 2019 · · Flock Files

Whether you are a first-time homesteader on a journey to learn how to raise ducks or have hatched more flocks than you can count, here are 10 duck raising questions that both novices and experts often have.

Read More
How to Care for Ducklings
June 1, 2019 · · Flock Files, Kids' Corner

Learning how to care for ducklings is a little different than learning how to care for chicks. Though they have similar overall needs for food, water, warmth, and safety, ducklings require some important modifications to their environment.

Read More