Warning: Cute Chicks Ahead — Thanks to the Victorian Technology Institute for Help with a Broody Hen

We’ve had two of our hens going broody all spring, named Dolores O’Riordan and Billie Holiday. Most chickens today have had the instinct to sit on a clutch of eggs bred out of them. Broody hens don’t lay eggs, which isn’t great for industrial egg production. This leaves humans to take over the hatching process. … More Warning: Cute Chicks Ahead — Thanks to the Victorian Technology Institute for Help with a Broody Hen

Deep-Litter Method for Chicken Coops: Save and Repurpose! — From Contributor Eric McGlynn

Chickens are capable of producing a prodigious amount of manure. When concentrated into a confined area and trampled, this manure requires frequent removal. Additionally, chicken feet and plumage often carry remnants of manure. It is likely that the hobbyist and homesteader alike have lamented the smells, smears, and soiled conditions that can be common to … More Deep-Litter Method for Chicken Coops: Save and Repurpose! — From Contributor Eric McGlynn

New Video: No. 16 — Timer Frame Chicken Coop, Part II

This week’s video shows the second half of our timber-frame, chicken-coop build. The first half was put in out a video a few months ago and can be seen here. I discuss some ratios for plaster and daub, and you can find that information at two previous blog posts (here and here). Please remember to … More New Video: No. 16 — Timer Frame Chicken Coop, Part II

New Video: No. 13 — Timberframe Chicken Coop, Part I

I’ve been working on a chicken coop over the last year, first felling the trees and then hewing the timbers. In this video, I show the process through erection of the coop’s frame. In the next video, I’ll show the roofing and wall construction. Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube Channel! You can find … More New Video: No. 13 — Timberframe Chicken Coop, Part I

Chicken Coop Update

Many of you will remember that I’m building a timber-frame chicken coop from dying spruce trees downed on the institute grounds, shown in the video below. After felling, these trees were turned into timbers and put together into a boxy 6-×-6-ft coop. The roof was covered with scavenged cedar shingles. Right after getting the structure … More Chicken Coop Update