Chicken Education Articles

Barred Rock hen, molting in November. The question I get asked the most this time of year is “why have my chickens stopped laying?” So today, we’re going to talk about molting.  Molting is the process of losing old and damaged feathers, and growing new ones .  When does molting occur? Soft molts happen several times in a chicken's life; between 1 and six weeks after hatching, again at 7 to 9 weeks, at 12 to 13 weeks, then finally at 20 to 22 weeks.  These molts are not so ext

It’s my preference to hatch chicks in the late summer/early fall and grow them out through the winter.  While this process comes with its own challenges, the benefit is pullets that reach laying age right around the time the days are long enough for laying season to kick in. Regardless of the time of year you choose to grow out chicks, they still need a brooder setup that will provide them with adequate heat, proper temperature gradients, clean bedding, and fresh food and wat

The amount of space your flock needs depends on the size of your flock. Feathered Fortress Coops are meant for roosting at night, and are...

I’ve thought a lot about what advice I would give to someone thinking about keeping chickens, or just getting started, and the first...