This year I did something I swore I’d never do… I ordered 25 Cornish Cross chicks. If you’re not familiar with Cornish Cross, this is as close as you can get to the breed of chicken you buy at the grocery store. Why did I swear I’d never raise Cornish Cross? Cornish Cross just seems… Read more »
I really like to free range my chickens every day when it’s possible, but sometimes keeping them cooped up for a short time is unavoidable. When I have to do that, it helps to have a source of green foods in the coop and things to keep the flock occupied. Without green foods, the eggs can become… Read more »
Well, you might have seen my Facebook posts about the Big Spring Cleaning and minor Coop Renovations that have been happening over here lately. I thought I’d show you how our coop has changed over the last year. Building this coop was an experiment in extreme budget coop construction. I am blessed to have my… Read more »
If you have chosen to have roosters in your flock, you will probably have to deal with an aggressive rooster at some point. This is my aggressive rooster. I call him RooRoo (the most sissy name possible for the macho man who wants to take me down!) You have to remember that being aggressive is in… Read more »
This week I finally got around to planting some fall flowers in my flower bed. It was looking rather sad after our severe Oklahoma drought wiped out everything (even my well-established perennials). I’m glad that I was able to save some of my Nanny’s flowers at least. If you have chickens that free range even part-time,… Read more »
I’m going to be hatching eggs again soon, and that reminds me that I need to think about housing for the new chicks and when to attempt to introduce them to my existing flock. I’ve done this before with no serious problems, but I expect a rougher time since there will be roosters this time…. Read more »
I’ve mentioned before that I had several extra roosters, and I was trying to find someone to buy them. I haven’t had any luck, and this weekend I decided it was time to remove them from the large coop. It won’t be long until they are breeding age and nine breeding age roosters in one… Read more »
Here are some of the things you can use as chicken treats (and a few things that you shouldn’t): Fruit: No banana peels, No grape seeds, Just about anything else is ok, Cold watermelon is great during extreme summer heat! Veggies: No uncooked potato, Most others are ok cooked or raw, Leftover corn and green… Read more »
Some new chicken keepers get worried about their chickens when temperatures turn colder. I’ve even heard of people heating their coops. The first and primary thing you need to know about winter chicken care is this… Chickens can handle cold weather much better than you can! Chickens have a much easier time in the winter… Read more »
If you are new to chicken keeping you may not have heard of the Deep Litter Method, or you may have heard the term but not really understood what it was all about. The deep litter method is a great way to maintain your coop with minimal cleaning required. It will also keep your chickens… Read more »
Hi! My name is Becky.
Thank you for taking the time to Read My Chicken Scratch.
When I was a little girl, my
grandma (who I called Nanny) would give me something
she’d written – a grocery list, a phone message, a letter –
and she’d say, “Here it is, if you can read my chicken
scratch.” She’s the one who encouraged me to get started with chickens, and by extension, is the inspiration behind this blog.
