Beginner Guides
New to chickens? Start here. Cost, sizing, getting started, and what to expect in year one.
Chicken Brooder Setup: The Complete Guide for Baby Chicks
Set up a chicken brooder the right way: box options, brooder plate vs heat lamp, temperature chart, bedding, and space requirements for baby chicks.
How Much Money Can You Make Selling Eggs? Real 2026 Math
Real profit numbers for selling backyard eggs: revenue and costs at 6 to 50 hens, 2026 prices by sales channel, and what actually eats your margin.
How to Candle Eggs: A Day-by-Day Hatching Guide
Learn how to candle chicken eggs step by step. What to look for on day 7, 14, and 18, how to spot a quitter, and the gear you need. Beginner friendly.
Chickens: Hobby or Business? IRS Rules Explained (2026)
How the IRS decides if your chicken flock is a hobby or business. The 9-factor test, profit motive evidence, and how to qualify for Schedule F deductions.
How to Sell Eggs Legally (Permits, Pricing, Taxes) 2026
Selling backyard chicken eggs legally: state permit rules, labeling, pricing, tax reporting, and the records you need to keep. Updated for 2026.
Are Chickens a Tax Write-Off? IRS Rules for 2026
Can you write off chickens on your taxes? IRS hobby-vs-farm rules, Schedule F deductions, and when a backyard flock qualifies as a business.
Fall Chicken Care: 12 Steps to Prepare Your Flock for Winter
Complete fall chicken care checklist with 12 steps. Covers molting, coop prep, predator-proofing, feeding changes, and getting ready for cold weather.
Summer Chicken Care: How to Keep Your Flock Cool and Healthy
10 proven ways to keep chickens cool in summer heat. Covers water tips, shade, ventilation, frozen treats, and signs of heat stress to watch for.
Do You Need a Rooster? Pros, Cons, and What to Expect
Wondering if you need a rooster for your backyard chickens? Here are 7 pros and 6 cons to help you decide, plus tips on rooster-to-hen ratio.
Free-Range Chickens: Complete Guide to Roaming
Should you free-range your backyard chickens? Covers pros, cons, safety tips, garden protection, and how to train chickens to come back to the coop.
How to Hatch Chicken Eggs: Complete 21-Day Incubation Guide
Hatch chicken eggs at home with this day-by-day incubation guide. Covers temperature, humidity, turning, candling, and what to do on hatch day.
How to Introduce New Chickens to Your Flock
Step-by-step guide to introducing new chickens to an existing flock. Covers quarantine, the see-but-don't-touch method, and 7 tips to reduce pecking.
Spring Chicken Care: 10-Step Checklist
Get your backyard chickens ready for spring with this 10-step care checklist. Covers coop cleaning, parasite checks, feeding tips, and adding new chicks.
Complete Beginner's Guide to Raising Backyard Chickens
Everything you need to know before getting your first flock. Covers laws, coops, breeds, feeding, health, and what to expect in your first year.
How Many Chickens Should a Beginner Start With?
Find the right flock size for your yard, budget, and egg goals. Most beginners do best starting with 3 to 6 hens.
How Much Does It Cost to Raise Chickens?
A no-BS look at what you'll actually spend raising backyard chickens. From coop costs to monthly feed bills, here's what the first year really looks like.
Raising Chickens for Eggs: From Hatching to Your First Egg
Everything you need to raise chickens for eggs: breeds, incubation, brooding, and getting the most production from your laying flock.
Raising Chickens for Meat: A Complete Beginner's Guide
Everything you need to know about raising meat chickens at home. Covers breeds, timelines, feed requirements, processing basics, and real cost breakdowns.
Raising Chicks: Week-by-Week Guide to Coop Day
Raising baby chicks week by week: brooder setup, temperature charts, feeding tips, and milestones through their first 8 weeks.