homesteading Archives - Backyard Poultry

Raising Baby Chicks: A Beginner’s Guide

February 20, 2026 · Marissa Ames · Chickens 101, Kids' Corner

Here’s what you need to know about raising baby chicks before you bring them home.

Tips for Raising Runner Ducks

August 15, 2022 · Kenny Coogan · Poultry 101

Keeping Runner ducks combines the benefits of raising poultry with the entertainment of watching penguin-like bowling pins forage around the yard. After dabbling in call ducks, I increased my flock to include Fawn and White Runner ducks.

Chicken Fencing: Chicken Wire Vs. Hardware Cloth

June 16, 2022 · Janet Garman · Coops

If it’s called chicken wire, it must be for chickens, right? Chicken wire is widely recognized as the hexagon shaped welded wire, commonly used on farms for various fencing needs, including for chicken fences.

How Much Do Chickens Cost?

March 30, 2022 · mfox · Chickens 101

Everyone is looking for a bargain, and raising chickens for eggs is the second rung on the homesteading ladder. The first is growing your own veggies.

Raising Meat on the Farm for the Holidays and Beyond

December 10, 2021 · Jeremy Chartier · Poultry 101

Raising poultry for meat is a cost-effective means of growing meat, and the turnaround time is quicker than other farm animals.

Training Domestic Guinea Fowl 101

November 9, 2021 · Backyard Poultry Contributor · Poultry 101

Guineas are always an adventure. So if you’re up for some farm fun and have your patience cap on, go ahead and give keeping domestic guinea fowl a try!

How to Compost Chicken Manure

August 23, 2021 · Janet Garman · Feed & Health

Chickens provide us with hours of companionship, fresh eggs, and manure! Lots of manure. About one cubic foot of manure is produced by each chicken in approximately six months.

How to Raise Free Range Chickens

May 6, 2021 · Rhonda Crank · Chickens 101

In the discussion of raising chickens, there have been two traditional schools of thought. The first is total free range. Usually, an evening feeding of grain or other treat is used to lure the flock back to the chicken coop for roosting.