My poultry’s housing has evolved over the years. First we went from a tiny, unworkable coop for two birds to a spacious, well-designed, and attractive coop that can comfortably house 8 to 12 hens. Experience drove multiple experiments to increase the efficiency and cleanliness of the coop. Backyard free-ranging was tried (it really was!) but…
Homestead Animals
How To Combine Rabbits and Chickens for Homestead Animal Synergy
Regular guest poster David walks us through the magic that happens when you combine rabbits and chickens, and how he implemented this synergistic pairing on his own urban homestead. One of the easiest to understand tenets of permaculture is the goal to use “stacking functions” wherever possible. Simply put, functions are “stacked” when you can…
The Post-Poultry Homestead: A Tale of Urban Chickens
This guest post comes from my friend Sarah. She’s wonderful, you’ll love her. XO, Erica Once upon a time, I wanted backyard chickens. Fresh eggs, active composters, pseudo-pets. What’s not to love? I was an early 30-something DINK with a corporate job, a 1⁄4 acre plot just outside Seattle city limits and dreams of independent…
Herbs To Boost Immunity in Rabbits
Sick rabbits, by and large, are dead rabbits in my experience. Dead rabbits – when they die before you harvest them for meat – are a waste of your precious time, resources, and wear you down psychologically. I detailed my struggles with meat rabbits in 2017. My research indicates that herbs, more than anything, are…
Homesteading at Rock Bottom
Have you ever hit rock bottom with your homestead? Guest poster David experienced huge losses in his meat rabbit set-up. Here’s how he confronted the feeling that maybe homesteading just wasn’t worth it anymore.
Meat Rabbits: Truths No Homesteading Article Tells You
Homesteading articles like to claim meat rabbits are an almost effortless way to produce hundreds of pounds of meat in a small space. But there are a lot of challenges that come with raising meat rabbits. Here’s what you need to know before you start raising meat rabbits.
The One Livestock Animal I'm Obsessed With
If I could make the impossible happen on my one-third of an acre, this is the one livestock animal I’d really want to have.
Honest Reasons You Shouldn't Get Ducks
True talk – ducks aren’t for everyone. These are some of the reasons why they might not be right for you.
Duckling Cam!
We decided to bring in some fresh genetics for our micro flock of Ancona ducks. Our three new baby ducklings (a male and two females, if the people who check these things are correct) arrived this morning at the local post office. They’d had a long, 2-and-a-half-day trip in a cardboard box from Cackle Hatchery…
Goodbye Duck Pond
I’m downsizing. I think I’ve gone as far as I want to go with my homesteading right now, and I’m walking back certain decisions; remolding my tiny slice of earth (once again) to best suit our needs. This is an interesting feeling for me – a reversal after 12 years now, of working towards ever-greater…
Duckling Drama
Ducklings have basically taken over my life. Our story starts about two weeks ago, when we find one of our female Ancona ducks killed and, separately, a freshly hatched baby duckling hanging out under the other broody female. The next day, new mama duck Minkie takes the single duckling on a grand tour of the yard, quacking all…
The Life and Death of Ducks
Death Monday was pretty rough. My daughter came in from her normal morning check of the chickens and ducks and said, “I think Frances was attacked.” Out I rushed, and my daughter led me to the trail of feathers, the splatters of blood, the slaughtered but uneaten carcass of our female duck, Frances. Her neck…