Chicken predators—domestic and wild
Our chickens have succumbed to a menagerie of species over the years—fox, mink, raccoon, skunk, hawk and, most recently, a … Continue reading Chicken predators—domestic and wild
Up close and personal with Louis’ wattle
Our oldest child, Mackenzie, and nephew Torger visited over the weekend. After lengthy conversations about the Achilles tendon, Portland real … Continue reading Up close and personal with Louis’ wattle
The art of hen-naming: Your creativity for a cool one dozen
The very first day my father-in-law introduced chicks to our hen house, our middle child, Eiley, began to name them. … Continue reading The art of hen-naming: Your creativity for a cool one dozen
5 reasonably good reasons roosters crow
The world expects roosters to begin crowing at dawn. Ours always have. But the truth is, roosters crow whenever they … Continue reading 5 reasonably good reasons roosters crow
When chicken tending becomes a zero-sum game
We currently have 16 hens. Each one lays on average four eggs each week. We currently have one paying customer … Continue reading When chicken tending becomes a zero-sum game
Still life with chicken: Art by accident
The story of our life with chickens would be incomplete without evidence. We have taken countless photos and videos over … Continue reading Still life with chicken: Art by accident
Free-ranging chickens: The case for and against
Whenever possible, we allow our chickens to roam freely around our three-acre parcel. They seem to enjoy their freedom and … Continue reading Free-ranging chickens: The case for and against
Pecking order: Real, not at all imagined, in the hen house
Pecking order is a real thing and on display every day within our flock of 16. It essentially determines the … Continue reading Pecking order: Real, not at all imagined, in the hen house
Bonding with our backyard brood
See those hens perched on our lounge chair above? Those are free-range chickens. Yes, they have a coop, but on … Continue reading Bonding with our backyard brood
Respecting the elderly: Allowing hens to simply fade away
We’re often asked what we do with our chickens once they stop laying. The assumption is that we toss them … Continue reading Respecting the elderly: Allowing hens to simply fade away
Chicken Tenders 