Signup

About the Author

Patrice Lewis

Patrice Lewis is a wife, mother, homesteader, homeschooler, author, blogger, columnist, and speaker. An advocate of simple living and self-sufficiency, she has practiced and written about self-reliance and preparedness for almost 30 years. She is experienced in homestead animal husbandry and small-scale dairy production, food preservation and canning, country relocation, home-based businesses, homeschooling, personal money management, and food self-sufficiency. Follow her website patricelewis.com or blog rural-revolution.com.

Is Chicken Rental a Trend or Viable Business?

July 26, 2022 · Patrice Lewis · Chickens 101

Chicken rental programs allow you to “try before you buy.” Is it just a trend? Or a brilliant way to avoid neglected and abandoned hens?

Sudden Death in Chickens

June 29, 2022 · Patrice Lewis · Feed & Health, Members Only

There’s nothing more horrifying than having your seemingly healthy chickens suddenly die with no warning. How can sudden death be prevented?

Summer Pests in Chickens

June 29, 2022 · Patrice Lewis · Feed & Health, Members Only

Some of the most dangerous enemies of chickens aren’t predators. Here are some summer pests you should know about and what to do about them.

Rooster vs. Hen: Know Before They Crow

May 5, 2022 · Patrice Lewis · Chickens 101

How do you tell apart a baby rooster vs baby hen? Several methods can determine rooster vs hen traits (including some which are breed-specific).

Chicken Planning

December 1, 2021 · Patrice Lewis · Coops

We’ve raised chickens for decades, but this is the first time we’ll have a chance to build infrastructure from the ground up and avoid repeating past mistakes. Our goal is to maximize what chickens can do for us above and beyond eggs.

Oviducts and Salpingitis

October 4, 2021 · Patrice Lewis · Feed & Health

Chickens are the original egg assembly factories. Inside those fluffy bodies are conveyer belts where eggs are “built” through assembly-line techniques.

How Permaculture Chickens Improve Sustainability

September 20, 2021 · Patrice Lewis · Feed & Health

Chickens are one of the most versatile livestock for the small farmer, lending themselves to nearly any venture, from backyard to commercial. They also play a unique role in the exciting world of permaculture.

Closed-Loop Farming

August 23, 2021 · Patrice Lewis · Chickens 101

In closed-loop farming, the farmer never has to leave home. He or she can grow, raise, and produce everything needed for a comfortable lifestyle, and every component is recycled continuously.

Covid Coops: Making Lemonade out of Lemons

June 22, 2021 · Patrice Lewis · Coops

When Drake Clifton of Cleburne, Texas, lost his job early in 2020 due to COVID-19 shutdowns, it was a mixed blessing at best. “I was stuck in an office going nowhere working a dead-end job for a company I didn’t care for, drafting 3-D blueprints of commercial plumbing systems,” he says.

Chickens and Compost: A Match Made in Heaven

May 6, 2021 · Patrice Lewis · Feed & Health

While compost piles aren’t a critical element for healthy hens, it is certainly a match made in heaven. It’s not just the extra protein the birds get from their foraging.

Make the Most of Your Flock with Backyard Poultry!

Your best source for information on all things chicken, quail, turkey, guinea, duck, and beyond. Whether you raise a backyard flock for eggs, meat, show, or just for fun. Backyard Poultry is an essential guide for a diverse community of poultry lovers, accessible to those who live on a farm, in a suburban neighborhood, or are raising poultry in an urban environment. You will find research-based stories and actionable guidance, helping newbies and experts alike avoid costly and tragic mistakes.

Gift Orders

Canadian Subscribers • International Subscribers

Canadian subscriptions: 1 year (includes postage & GST)