Farm to Table

Feeding Chickens, From Chick Starter to Egg Layers Read more

Which Chicken Breed(s) Should I Choose? Read more

Chickens are one of the most enjoyable farm animals to raise and, fortunately, you don’t need much space to do just that. In fact, the popularity of urban/backyard chicken farming is now a movement, with owners of small flocks gaining the nutritional benefits of independently grown and farm-fresh eggs. In addition, raising backyard chickens teaches your family—especially kids—personal responsibility and the value of a job well done. Bonus: Your kids will love their backyard chickens. Whether you have 40 acres at your disposal, or just a small yard in the city, our How To Raise Chickens section explains how to build a successful flock. Feel free to “scratch around.”   Marek’s disease is a contagious disease found among chickens worldwide. That’s why vaccination is so important. But did you k... Read more

Why Use Crumble vs Pellets when Feeding Chickens? Read more

Good quality feed, daylight, and adequate water supply are just some of the factors that help with egg production. For instance, did you know that chicken eggs are about 70% water? Watch and learn as we share this and other helpful tips to help you better understand what helps chickens lay eggs? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTfCUMuFb_I Video Transcription What is of High Importance When Taking Care of your Hens? Hi. I'm Jenny and I'm from North 40 Outfitters and I'm here to talk to you about the feed and care of your chickens. A good quality feed, daylight, adequate water supply and different supplements are what are going to get you the best egg production. Chickens eggs are about 70% water, so a lot of water is important. Never let your chicken waters run empty. Always keep a good supply of wa... Read more

Startup Costs ($60-$90) Picking up your chicks at a farm store is an exciting day when starting your own home flock, whether that’s in your backyard, in an urban setting, or on a farm. Before that day arrives, however, you need to get your brooder set up and running. The brooder serves as home to your young birds for four-to six weeks and it’s important to get it right because the brooder keeps chicks warm and safe. Inexpensive chick home starter kits are available for around $25, but large boxes and bins, which you might find around the house, work as well. A heat lamp with a bulb and a spare bulb—in case one burns out—sets you back another $25. Chick feeders and a one-gallon waterer add another $10. A 40-to 50 pound bag of start and grow feed, plus electrolytes you add to the water, costs between $15 and $20 ... Read more

Chickens are one of the most enjoyable farm animals to raise and, fortunately, you don’t need much space to do just that. In fact, the popularity of urban/backyard chicken farming is now a movement, with owners of small flocks gaining the nutritional benefits of independently grown and farm-fresh eggs. In addition, raising backyard chickens teaches your family—especially kids—personal responsibility and the value of a job well done. Bonus: Your kids will love their backyard chickens. Whether you have 40 acres at your disposal, or just a small yard in the city, our How To Raise Chickens section explains how to build a successful flock. Feel free to “scratch around.”   Marek’s disease is a contagious disease found among chickens worldwide. It has no cure and that’s why vaccination is so impor... Read more

What Should I Feed My New Chicks and Chickens? Read more

What To Consider When Building A Chicken Coop Read more

By Nutrena Poultry Experts Chickens, unsurprisingly, are near the bottom of the food chain. Predators that live on the ground and in the sky find chickens to be the perfect meal. When we decide to raise poultry, we also make a commitment to ensure their safety to the best of our ability. We’ve gathered some helpful tips to keep predators away from your flock. To start the effort, you need to think like a predator. Is there anywhere an unwelcome visitor could dig under to get into the coop? Could an animal get the coop door open? Is the top of the coop secure? After asking those questions, take a look at the chicken run and ask yourself the same questions. Could a fox dig under the fence? Could a hawk swoop in from above? Obviously, there are considerations for free-range chickens, too, and these can be more problematic than dea... Read more

By North 40 Outfitters and Thomas Hopkins Whether you’re looking to increase the robustness of your garden or you’re harvesting the honey flow, when you’re dealing with thousands of bees, you have to pay attention. Bees are sophisticated. (One glance into the core of a nest and you can see the layers of organization and the strategy it takes to build it.) At the same time, however, with some planning and research, bees are also really manageable. Have more questions about beekeeping? Get started here. Keeping that in mind, did you know that there are nearly 20,000 known species of bees and that honey bees make up only a small portion of that number? Here at North 40, we exclusively carry Italian Carniolan hybrid honey bees because these bees feature the best traits of both Italian and Carniolan bees. What are Itali... Read more

Keeping Chickens Warm when it gets ColdWhen the seasons turn cooler, bedding in your chicken coop is important. Plus, chickens, even free range, need something to scratch for and giving them something like Purina Flock Block helps. Watch and learn as we share our best tips for getting your chicken flock ready for cooler temperatures.Video TranscriptionHi, I'm Jennie and I'm from North 40 Outfitters and I'm here to talk to you about the feed and care of your chickens. One of the things we want to do in the winter time is keeps the flock fresh or pine shavings or straw or something like that for bedding in your coop. And it gives the chicken something to kind of scratch through. Standlee Flock Fresh has alfalfa also in their product and that gives the chicken something to nourishment as well. This also keeps you ammonia down in your coop i... Read more