The Coop

Common Chicken Diseases Everyrypted Backyard Owner Should Know (And How to Treat Them)

(Estimated reading time: 7 minutes) Raising a vibrant, productive backyard flock is one of the most rewarding adventures a homesteader c...

DIY Chicken Feeder & Waterer Projects That Save Money and Last

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes Welcome back to the farmstead, neighbor! If you’ve raised backyard poultry for more than five minutes...

Chicken Egg Laying Cycles: When to Expect Eggs and When to Worry

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes Welcome back to the farmyard, neighbor! 🐔 There is truly nothing quite like walking out to the coop o...

Raising Chickens with Kids: A Family-Friendly Guide to Backyard Flocks

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes Welcome to the wonderful world of backyard poultry! If you are thinking about bringing home a feather...

Rooster 101: Do You Need One, and How to Introduce One Peacefully

Reading Time: 7 minutes Welcome back to the farm, fellow flock enthusiasts! Whether you are dreaming of a stately guardian strutting ac...

Free-Ranging vs. Confined: Which Setup is Right for Your Backyard?

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes Whether you are dreaming of a vibrant flock of Barred Rocks roaming across your lawn or planning a se...

Crop Obstructions in Chickens: How to Spot a Blocked Crop and What to Do

Reading time: 8 minutes Meta description: Learn how to identify crop obstructions, crop impaction, and sour crop in chickens. Discover ...

Canker in Poultry: What It Is, How It Spreads, and What to Do About It

Reading time: 8 minutes Meta description: Learn how canker spreads in backyard poultry, recognize yellow mouth plaques and other sympto...

Chicken Nutrition 101: What to Feed Your Flock at Every Life Stage

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes Welcome to the neighborhood, fellow flock enthusiasts! Whether you are eagerly awaiting your very fir...

Electrolytes, Probiotics & ACV: What Your Chickens Actually Need to Beat the Heat

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes When the Texas mercury climbs past 100°F and the humidity rolls in thick enough to chew, keeping your...

The Ultimate Guide to Chicken Breeds That Thrive in Texas Heat

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes Welcome to the Lone Star State, where summer temperatures regularly soar past 100°F and the sun beats...

Hydration Hacks: Keeping Your Flock Watered and Cool When the Heat Hits 100°F

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes When the Texas thermometer climbs into the triple digits, keeping your backyard flock hydrated become...

Chicken Coop Ventilation: Why Airflow is the Most Important Thing in a Texas Summer

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes Welcome back to the farm, fellow flock owners! If you've lived through even one scorcher here in the ...

Top 10 Best Egg Laying Filled Chickens for Texas Heat

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes Welcome, fellow homesteaders and backyard flock enthusiasts! If you have ever stepped outside in the ...

Predator-Proofing Your Coop

Reading Time: 8 minutes Protecting your backyard flock in Texas is about more than just a sturdy fence; it’s about outsmarting some of ...

Our Second Chance Rooster Program: Because Every Rooster Deserves a Flock

Wise County Chicken Farm proudly supports Second Chance Roosters, a dedicated rooster placement program helping unwanted and displaced ro...

Bumblefoot in Chickens: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention

(Estimated reading time: 6 minutes) If you’ve ever noticed one of your prized hens limping around the run or spending an unusual amount ...

Dealing with Broody Hens

Reading time: 6 minutes If you’ve walked into your coop lately only to be met with a hissing, puffed-up feather-ball that refuses to mo...

Chicken Behavior Decoded: What Your Birds Are Actually Trying to Tell You

Reading Time: 8 minutes Ever looked out your window and seen a hen lying flat on her side, wing extended, looking for all the world lik...

The Molt is Coming: How to Support Your Hens When the Feathers Start Flying

Reading Time: 8 minutes It happens every year like clockwork: the days get shorter, the air gets a bit crisper, and suddenly your backy...

Tap Water vs. Well Water for Chickens

Reading Time: 8 minutes Deciding between tap water and well water for your chickens? Whether you're dealing with North Texas hard water...

Composting Gold: Turning Chicken Poop into Your Garden’s Best Friend

⏱️ Reading Time: 7 minutes In this guide, we explore the transformative power of chicken manure, often called "black gold" by experience...

Flock Dynamics 101: How to Safely Introduce New Birds Without the Drama

Reading Time: 8 minutes Bringing home new feathered friends is always an exciting day at the farm, but for your existing flock, it can ...

Creative Chicken Run Ideas

Reading Time: 7 minutes Creating a backyard chicken run isn’t just about putting up a fence; it’s about building a safe, stimulating, a...

The "Chicken Moat": How to Use Your Flock to Guard Your Garden

Reading Time: 6 minutes If you're a homesteader or a backyard gardener, you know the heartbreak of finding your prize-winning tomatoes ...

Predator-Proofing Like a Pro: Beyond Just Hardware Cloth

Reading Time: 7 minutes In this guide, we’re moving past the "Chicken Wire 101" and diving into the heavy-duty strategies that keep you...

Transporting Chickens in the Summer: What Every Flock Owner Needs to Know

Reading Time: 8 minutes Transporting chickens during a Texas summer isn't just a matter of getting from Point A to Point B; it is a hig...

Summer Fly Control for Backyard Flocks

Reading Time: 8 minutes Howdy, neighbors! If you’ve spent more than five minutes outside in the Texas sun lately, you know that summer ...

Heritage Chicken Breeds vs. High-Production Hybrids: Which Is Better For Your Farm?

Reading Time: 7 minutes Choosing the right birds for your flock is one of the most exciting: and sometimes overwhelming: parts of start...

Chicken Keeping 101: Your Roadmap to a Happy, Healthy Flock

⏱️ Reading Time: 9 minutes Welcome to the wonderful world of backyard poultry! Whether you are dreaming of vibrant, farm-fresh eggs eve...

Mites and Lice: Shielding Your Flock from Tiny Terrorists

Reading Time: 8 minutes If you’ve been raising chickens for more than a few months, you know that keeping a flock isn’t all sunshine an...

Don't Let Them Gasp: Identifying and Treating Gapeworm in Your Flock

⏱️ Reading Time: 8 minutes If you’ve spent any time around chickens, you know there is nothing quite as peaceful as the sound of a happ...

The Probiotic Power-Up: Why Your Chickens Need Good Gut Health

Reading Time: ~8 minutes If you’ve spent any time around the coop lately, you’ve probably heard the word "probiotics" tossed around lik...

The Golden Rule of Chicken Treats: Keeping Your Flock Balanced

⏱️ Reading Time: 7 minutes We all know the sound. You step out onto the porch with a leftover crust of bread or a bowl of watermelon sc...

Back to Basics: The 5 Essential Needs of Your Poultry

⏱️ Reading Time: 9 minutes Starting your journey with backyard chickens is one of the most rewarding things you can do for your family....

Why Every Aspiring Homesteader Needs a Chicken Workshop

Reading Time: 8 minutes Summary: Diving into the world of homesteading often starts with a few backyard birds, but the leap from readin...

Beating the Texas Heat: How to Choose the Best Egg Laying Chickens for Our Blistering Summers

⏱️ Reading time: 9 minutes If you’ve spent even one summer here in Wise County, you know that the Texas sun doesn't play around. When t...

Safe and Fresh: The Beginner’s Guide to Collecting and Storing Your Backyard Eggs Like a Pro

Reading Time: 9 minutes There is nothing quite like the feeling of walking out to your coop and finding a warm, smooth egg waiting for ...

Looking to Raise Chickens in Texas? 10 Things You Should Know About HOAs and Local Laws

Reading Time: ~9 minutes Thinking about trading your manicured lawn for a few vibrant hens and a steady supply of farm-fresh eggs? You ...

Texas Predator Proofing: How to Avoid the Biggest Pitfalls and Keep Your Hens Safe at Night

Protecting your flock starts long before a predator shows up. In this guide, you'll learn which predators are most common in North Texas,...

Biosecurity 2.0: The New High-Tech Tools Keeping Texas Flocks Safe from Bird Flu

Reading Time: 9 minutes Protecting your flock in 2026 requires more than just a pair of dedicated "coop boots" and a locked gate. With ...

Bringing Home Your Chicks: Quick Start Guide

Preparing for new chicks? This quick-start guide covers everything you need to know before pickup, including transportation tips, brooder...

The Future of Fodder: Could High-Tech Hydroponics Be the Secret to Lower Feed Costs in Texas?

⏱️ Reading Time: 6 minutes In this post, we’re digging into the high-tech world of hydroponic fodder: a game-changer for Texas homestea...

Listen Closely: How AI Sound Tech is Helping Farmers "Hear" Sick Chickens Before They See Them

  Reading Time: 8 minutes Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn't just for writing emails or generating art anymore; it’s officially moved int...

Smart Coops & Robot Nannies: Is 2026 the Year Your Chickens Go High-Tech?

Reading Time: ~9 minutes Welcome to 2026, where the "future of farming" has officially landed in our own backyards. If you had told me ...

Internal Health Matters: Why Regular Deworming is a Must for Your Flock

Reading Time: 8 minutes Keeping a backyard flock is one of the most rewarding parts of country life. There is nothing quite like the so...

Chicken Coop Basics 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Mastering a Predator-Proof Run

⏱️ Reading Time: 9 minutes In this deep dive into chicken coop basics, you will learn how to transform your backyard setup into a fortr...

Do You Really Save Money Raising Chickens for Eggs? Here’s the Truth About the Real Costs

⏱️ Reading Time: 8 minutes If you’ve spent any time at the grocery store lately, you’ve probably experienced a bit of "sticker shock" i...

Heritage Breeds Vs. Modern Layers: Which Is Better For Your Texas Backyard?

Reading Time: 7 minutes ⏱️ Deciding between heritage chicken breeds and modern high-production layers is one of the biggest choices a n...

Chicken Coop Basics 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Mastering the Perfect Setup

Reading Time: 9 minutes Starting your own backyard flock is one of the most rewarding journeys you can take as a Texas homeowner. There...

Vent Gleet in Chickens: What It Is, What to Look For, and How to Manage It

Vent gleet in chickens is a common but treatable yeast infection that affects a hen’s vent and digestive health. Learn the early signs to...

Chick Care 101: From Pickup Day to Moving Out of the Brooder

Bringing home baby chicks is exciting, but proper care during the first few weeks is critical to their long-term health and success. This...

How to Treat Mites in Chickens – A Complete Guide

Mites are one of the most frustrating pests for chicken keepers, but with the right plan you can get rid of them for good. In this guide,...

Lash Eggs in Chickens – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Lash eggs in hens are warning signs of salpingitis, a serious reproductive infection often caused by E. coli or viral disease. Discover t...

Why a “Healthy” New Bird Can Make Your Whole Flock Sick

Bringing home a healthy-looking chicken doesn’t always mean trouble-free. Stress from moving, hidden carrier diseases, and incubation per...

Egg Bound Chickens: What You Need to Know

Egg binding (egg bound) is a serious condition that can affect hens of all ages, especially high-production layers and ornamental breeds ...

Is It Sour Crop? How to Tell and What to Do

Is your chicken making strange gurgling sounds or waking up with a full, squishy crop? You might be dealing with sour crop—a common yet o...

Bumblefoot in Chickens: What It Is, How to Manage It, and How to Prevent It

Bumblefoot is a common foot infection in chickens that can turn serious if left untreated. Learn how to spot the signs early, treat it sa...

Fowl Pox in Chickens: What It Is, What to Do, and How to Prevent It.

Fowl Pox can look alarming, but it’s usually manageable with the right care. This blog explains how to recognize both dry and wet forms, ...

Poultry Electrolyte & Probiotic: Recovery and Resilience in One Packet

Merrick’s Blue Ribbon Poultry Electrolyte & Probiotic is a trusted go-to for helping flocks recover from stress, illness, and extreme...

Acidified Copper Sulfate: A Powerful Ally in Poultry Health

Acidified Copper Sulfate is a simple but powerful supplement for supporting poultry health. In this blog, we explore how it helps prevent...

Coccidia in Chicks and Chickens: What You Need to Know

Coccidiosis is one of the most common and dangerous threats to young chicks and backyard flocks. In this blog, we break down what coccidi...