Brew Fresh Herbal Tea in your Coffee Maker

I am most definitely a morning coffee drinker, but in the summer especially, I enjoy drinking iced tea throughout the day. I also offer brewed herbal teas to our chickens as an added health booster. Not a fan of black tea, I enjoy herbal teas, so instead of using commercial tea bags, I have started brewing my own herbal tea - in our coffee maker - using cut herbs from our garden.

Giveaway: Vetericyn Wound & Skin Care

As you probably know by now, we only use natural products in our chicken keeping.  We shy away from chemicals or anything that could harm our animals.  So I was thrilled when several years ago, I discovered a company/product called Vetericyn. All natural and non-toxic, their sprays and gels treat cuts, abrasions and wounds and can be used on all of our animals from our dogs and cat to our horses and chickens and ducks, Vetericyn is a must-have for the all-natural first aid kit that we keep down at the barn.  

Interview: Heather Bullard from Country Living Magazine talks about her Chickens and Chez Poulet

Several years ago, when we got our first chicks and I started researching chicken coop designs, I immediately fell in love with this coop I found on Google (this was before the days of Pinterest where I now have my dream coop pinned !).  I still have coop envy.

Product Review: Duluth Trading Co. Armachillo Shirt

Someone at the Duluth Trading Co. clearly follows my Facebook page because they contacted me several weeks ago and offered to send me one of the shirts in their new Armachillo clothing line. They explained how the new line is specially designed to keep the wearer cool in the summer, and thought I would be interested in 'farm-testing' it since we're here in Virginia and I'm outside for a good part of each day. 

A Week in Farm Photos June 9th - 15th

Don't you just love this time of year? Everything is so green and pretty.  Please enjoy these photos from our farm this past week...

From the Farm Blog Hop #37

Hello again and welcome to From the Farm Blog Hop! We are so happy you are with us again this week!

Chicken Herb Garden Video Tour

Each year, the space I devote to herbs became larger and larger in our vegetable garden, so finally I resigned myself that I need to just concentrate on growing herbs.  I now grow a wide variety of culinary herbs to use fresh and dried in cooking, and I also use herbs in lots of ways with our chickens. Come along with me on a tour of this year's herb garden.

Dealing with the Loss of a Flock Member

~Some of our original flock - Summer 2009~

If you raise chickens long enough, you will end up losing one - and eventually all - to old age, if nothing else. But realistically, old age won't be the cause of their demise. Shockingly, your loss will be quick, unexpected and heartbreaking.  As my grandmother who raised chickens nearly her whole life used to say "if they can get hung up on it, tangled in it, electrocuted by it, choke on it, drown in it, fall into it, fall off of it, or be eaten by it - they will." And it's the sad truth that the pitfalls and dangers that present themselves to backyard chickens are wide-ranging and often unpredictable.

The Benefits of Yarrow for your Chickens

~Common yarrow offers numerous health benefits to humans AND chickens~

Yarrow is a flowering plant that grows wild in much of the United States and has many, many health benefits for both humans and chickens. In ancient times, it was used mainly to stop bleeding and heal wounds. In fact, according to mythology, Achilles used yarrow to treat fallen comrades. Alternate names for yarrow include 'soldier's woundwort' and 'nosebleed plant'.

A Week in Farm Photos - June 2nd -- 8th

In addition to our Fresh Eggs Daily Facebook page, I also host Ducks Too for duck lovers and A Farm Girl and Her Chickens where I post updates about my new book (due out in October!) plus life at home and around the garden. I hope you will visit me on Facebook at all three locations.  Enjoy this week's photos!