Tag: Homesteading

Practical Chicken Coop Bedding Choices

Bedding Choices to Keep your Coop Clean, and your Life Easier

Written by a real person!

When it comes to chicken coop bedding, new options and creative combinations are gaining popularity as chicken keepers look for better choices.
Hemp bedding is becoming especially popular. It’s highly absorbent, some sources say it can hold up to four times its own weight in moisture, and it naturally helps control odors better than shavings. It also breaks down easier when composting. However, consider the fact that Hemp is pricier and may be hard to source.
I don’t have any personal experience with Pelletized Bedding but I have heard of other chicken keepers using it and are happy with its performance. It’s often made from recycled paper or other natural materials. These pellets produce less dust, and can sometimes outperform traditional options when it comes to odor control. But in my opinion it sounds like it’s a product you are going to be replacing often… that means an expense and a chore you may not want.
The Deep Litter Method continues to be a favorite for its practicality and sustainability. Instead of frequent full clean-outs, fresh bedding layers are added over time while the old material decomposes in place. This system helps manage odor, generates warmth, and reduces labor. However, success depends on good ventilation, regular stirring or turning, and careful moisture control, otherwise, issues like ammonia, mold, and pests will most definitely become a problem. This method is most popular in colder climates.
Pine Shavings are probably the most popular product used in coops, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. I won’t deny they’re soft, absorbent, help control odors, and smell wonderful. Not to mention they’re affordable, widely available, compost well, and a good choice for the deep litter method. But there is a downside, pine shavings are super dusty which can be a respiratory irritant to chickens as well as their keepers. They break down quickly, need regular refreshing, and when they get damp, trap bacteria and ammonia. Shavings need to be replaced often, a chore that is time consuming and messy. Which brings me to why I don’t use them, and what I highly recommend instead….

Sand

Sand has become a very popular growing trend. Sand dries quickly, doesn’t decompose or get moldy like other bedding, and provides great drainage. Coarse sand (I use construction grade) is the best choice (fine play sand should be avoided.) The coop is easy to clean using a sifting rake. You can have sand delivered from a local landscape center, take the afternoon and spread it yourself (or hire someone,) and you are good to go for literally years.

If you feel the need to mix or blend bedding materials, this is okay too. This is a great way to take advantage of the different individual strengths of various beddings. It makes good sense to adjust bedding seasonally, especially in winter. 
More info: Sand types / Sifting shovels

Back to HOME PAGE

Starting a Backyard Flock: Pros, Cons, and Practical Tips

Backyard chickens bring fresh nutritious eggs and fun, but also work. Explore the pros, cons, and tips for starting your own flock.

Thinking about starting a backyard flock? Chickens aren’t just about eggs, they bring personality, entertainment, and yeah… a little work too, but it’s rewarding work. Within the flock, a pecking order governs who gets first dibs on everything, the food, best perch, even the nest boxes. Watching them sort it out can be entertaining, or maybe better described as… a soap opera. Their verbal chatter is constant, clucks, cackles, and gossip-like conversations that only they understand. Some hens announce their egg-laying achievement with a noisy “cackle song” that lets you know they’ve laid. I have one hen ( Nugget, a 4 y/o Mille Fleur) who never lays an egg but has made it her job to inform me with her repetitive cackle that another hen has.
Depending on the breeds you keep, your nest boxes could be filled with white, chocolate-brown, brown, pale blue, mossy green, and even speckled eggs. Whatever the color of the egg, when you crack one open, you’ll see the difference instantly, bright golden yolks and firm whites, a freshness that store-bought eggs can’t match.

FYI: By the time you buy store eggs, they’re usually 2–3 (or more) weeks old. Farm-fresh eggs are not only more nutritious, but feel like both a gift and a reward for the time and commitment of chicken keeping.

Each chicken comes with a unique personality. Some may follow you around curiously, some are aloof, and the bold leaders just seem interested in being just that. Sometimes there’s that special one who might jump in your lap for extra attention. One thing is for sure, spend some time with your chickens and you’ll see plenty of antics accompanied by endless drama. Over time, your chickens will come to know you, greeting you at the gate, especially if you have treats or kitchen scraps.
Chickens live by a sense of rhythm. As the sun goes down, they all march into the coop and put themselves to bed. In the winter, their egg-laying slows, reminding us to respect the natural cycles of rest and renewal. 
Is keeping chickens cost-effective? Well… no, not really. Fresh eggs come at a price. A spacious, predator-safe coop and run can be expensive to set up, and feeding a small flock of 6–8 birds usually runs about $30+ a month, substantially more if you choose organic feed. That’s enough to buy a lot of store-bought eggs. So what’s the bottom line? It all comes down to whether the expense and commitment are worth it to you.

Back to HOME PAGE

Marek’s Disease: What Every Chicken Keeper Should Know

Marek’s Disease: Symptoms, Management, Prevention, Biosecurity, Commonality, and Vaccines.

Written by a real person and flock owner.

About Marek’s Disease

Marek’s Disease is one of the most common and serious illnesses affecting backyard chickens. Caused by a highly contagious herpesvirus, Marek’s attacks the nervous system, internal organs, eyes, and skin. It spreads quickly through feather dander and dust, and once it’s in your flock or environment, it can be difficult to eliminate. However, with the right prevention strategies, backyard keepers can protect their birds and maintain a healthy flock.
The best protection against Marek’s is vaccination. Most large hatcheries offer Marek’s vaccination as an optional add-on when you order day old chicks. This is the simplest and most reliable method for small flock owners. If you hatch your own chicks at home, you can order the Marek’s vaccine online and administer it yourself, but the process is fairly complex and often impractical for small backyard flocks. (More info on this below.)
In addition to vaccination, maintaining good biosecurity is important. Always quarantine new birds for at least 2 to 4 weeks before introducing them to your flock. Clean and disinfect feeders, waterers, tools, and footwear, especially if you’ve visited other poultry farms. Marek’s virus can survive in dust and bedding for months, or longer in some regions, so reducing dust buildup in the coop is critical. Ensure good ventilation, regularly turn bedding, and avoid letting feather dander accumulate.

Symptoms of Marek’s Disease

Symptoms vary depending on the form of the disease. Not all birds show the same signs.
Nervous Form (Classic Marek’s)
Paralysis of legs, wings, or neck (often one leg forward, one back)
Drooping wings
Head tilt
Loss of balance or coordination

Visceral Form (Tumor Form)
Weight loss/emaciation
Labored breathing
Diarrhea
Enlarged internal organs (detected at necropsy)

Ocular Form (Eye Marek’s)
Gray or cloudy eye (loss of iris pigmentation)
Irregular pupil shape
Blindness

Cutaneous Form
Rough, raised skin lesions, especially at feather follicles

Once a chicken begins showing symptoms of Marek’s disease, its survival time is usually limited, and the outcome is almost always fatal.

Prevention of Marek’s Disease

There is no cure for Marek’s disease once symptoms appear, so prevention is critical. The most effective prevention is to vaccinate with 24 hours of hatch.
Many hatcheries offer Marek’s vaccination at hatch for an extra SMALL fee.
Ask for it when ordering chicks online, and when buying chicks from a feed store make sure they are vaccinated.
Vaccine doesn’t totally prevent infection, but it can reduce symptoms and spread.
Note: It takes about 7-14 days for immunity to develop after vaccination.

Biosecurity Practices

Never introduce new birds without quarantine (2-4 weeks).
Minimize visitor access to your flock.
Clean and disinfect equipment, boots, and hands.
Avoid mixing vaccinated and unvaccinated birds.
Do not raise vaccinated and unvaccinated birds together.
Keep dust levels down; the virus spreads via feather dander and dust.

How Common Is Marek’s Disease?

Marek’s disease is VERY common worldwide, especially in backyard and small-scale flocks. Marek’s disease tends to affect birds between 3 weeks and 6 months old, but older birds can carry and spread it. Unfortunately, the virus is extremely hardy and can remain infectious in dust and dander for months, some say years, especially in arid climates.
Note: Infected birds may appear to recover, but they can still be carriers.

Marek’s Can be More Problematic in the Southwest U.S.

A combination of climate, management styles, and exposure risks favor the spread of the disease. Here’s why it may be more prevalent or persistent in places like Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and surrounding areas:
Warm, Dusty Conditions: The virus spreads in dander and dust, which can stay airborne and infect other birds.
The dry, dusty climate of the Southwest makes it easier for the virus to linger in the environment and be inhaled.

Where to Get Marek’s Vaccine When Hatching Your Own Chicks

Backyard chicken keepers can buy and administer the Marek’s vaccine. It’s more complex, requires practice or guidance if you’re new to injections, but doable if hatching your own chicks.
Check with online livestock supply stores like Jeffers Pet or Valley Vet.
Vaccine only available in 1,000-dose vials ($40-$50)
Needs to be kept cold.
Must be used within 2 hours of mixing.
Administered under the skin at the back of the neck (subcutaneous injection)
Only effective if given on day 1.

Jeffers Pet
Back to HOME PAGE