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5 Acre Farm

Located in the beautiful wheat country of South Central Kansas. 5 Acre Farm is the home and business of Luke and Caitlin Laha.
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Like our page to follow our journey of converting our 1880 dairy farm into our forever home and poultry farm!

12/07/2024

✨FINALLY, CAN CHICKENS STAY OUTSIDE IN THE WINTER?✨

As long as you have a warm, secure, and dry coop for them to get away from the elements, then, by all means, yes, they can.

Chickens can be very hardy if given the chance to adapt to weather changes gradually.

Allow them to have continuous daily access to the outdoors year-round so they can adapt to any weather changes slowly. This will help hardy them up as well and acclimate them so they can withstand the frigid nights of winter. As the weather changes so will their feathers, and it’s those feathers that will help them the most.
I hope you found the help you need to encourage your hens to better handle the colder temps. Be sure that you always check your flock every day so you can more quickly catch when things are off.

It’s those little cues that will help you to raise chickens that are healthy all year long.

12/06/2024

✨HOW TO KEEP EGGS FROM FREEZING IN THE WINTER✨

If you are new to raising chickens, this might just be a bit surprising to hear. Yes, eggs can and will freeze if it is cold enough outside. And a frozen egg is probably not an edible egg. To prevent this from happening, collect eggs several times throughout the day. You can also add extra straw to your nesting boxes to help keep the eggs warm until you collect them.

❄️CAN I EAT A FROZEN EGG?
Sometimes you can, and sometimes you can’t. I know, not what you were hoping to hear. No worries…let’s go over things a bit to clear it up.
If the egg is frozen and not cracked, then you can place it in the refrigerator so it will thaw slowly. Once thawed, it should be fine to eat, but inspect it thoroughly for any cracks.

If the egg is frozen and just cracked (meaning nothing is oozing out), then thaw it again in the fridge and be sure to use it right away. If you notice the membrane is dirty, you may want to be safe and toss it.

If the egg is frozen, cracked, and oozing, then to be safe, I would toss it. If you have pigs, you can always give the eggs to them!

12/05/2024

✨Keeping Chickens Warm in the Winter✨

❄️KEEP CHICKENS WARM IN THE SNOW
No matter what the weather is doing, you may find your chickens still wanting to be outside. This means you will want to do a few things to ensure your hens are not at risk of frostbite on their feet.

The best way to help your chickens to deal with the cold of the snow is to create a covered walkway of sorts for them while they are outside. This can be done either by scattering wood chips or straw onto the ground, placing logs for them to perch on or sprinkling sawdust in a few areas.

To set up a safe space outside for your chickens, begin by shoveling an area in your coop that is free of snow. Lay some straw or other material down on the ground for a safe place for them to walk on. If you find your hens staying at the door and not coming out, you can also sprinkle some scratch onto the straw to encourage them.

❄️WHY DO YOU WANT YOUR CHICKENS AND DUCKS TO COME OUTSIDE IN THE WINTER?

Fresh air can be so good for hens as it will clean out their lungs. Also, a chicken coop, no matter how well it is kept, is still a dusty environment. By giving your chickens a safe place outdoors, you will allow them to stretch out and clean out their feathers.
Once your hens are used to a pathway outdoors, they will use it more and more. Getting your hens used to the winter weather will get them out of the coop and in the fresh air, which is huge for promoting overall good health and weather durability.
With that being said, if you have a chicken that is acting off, coughing, has loose stools, or is not eating/drinking, do not encourage them to go outside. Instead, take them to a warm area and do a health check to ensure they are okay.

12/04/2024

✨Keeping Chickens Warm in Winter✨

❄️OFFER CONTINUOUS FEED
Just like goats, chickens warm up when they digest their food. For that reason, when looking to keep chickens warm in winter without electricity, it is better to have a continuous feeder going at all times.

Not sure about using a continuous feeder?

They will eat more in the winter because they burn more calories trying to stay warm and there’s no grass or bugs to eat to supplement their diet.

You can use a plastic feeder if you are on a tighter budget. These are less expensive and will work well but they may not last as long as a metal feeder will.

Sure, you are spending a bit more on feed doing things this way, but our job is to give the best care to our animals, and a healthy chicken is worth the money of the additional feed, especially if you want eggs all winter long.

You can also sprinkle a little chicken scratch before closing them up for the night. Scratch takes a bit longer to digest and will help to keep them warm while they sleep.

❄️REARRANGE THE LAYOUT OF THE COOP
Be sure your nesting boxes are in a warm area of the coop and stuff them full with warm bedding.

If you cannot move your roost add in extra insulation along the nearby wall for added warmth.

Keep water and feeders to the center of the coop where it tends to be warmer as well!

12/03/2024

✨Winter Roosting✨

❄️HOW TO KEEP CHICKENS WARM AT NIGHT
The worry we have about our chickens staying warm throughout the night can bring us the most stress. Please remember as long as you allow your hens to acclimate to the cooler temperatures naturally. Then you will only need two things to keep your hens warm at night.

First, a good sturdy chicken coop with little to no drafts. As we talked about above, you will want to inspect things in the fall so you have time to button up the hatches before winter.

Second, a good sturdy roost that allows for plenty of room for your entire flock to get up off the ground at night while they are sleeping. Hens prefer to be flat-footed when they sleep and even more so in the cold season. When they are sitting flat-footed, they can sit down completely, which will allow them to cover their unprotected legs and feet with those warm downy feathers.

❄️WHAT IS A GOOD SIZE FOR A CHICKEN ROOST?
A good rule of thumb is to build a roost that is at least 2 inches wide. This will allow your hens to perch flat-footed and cover their legs and feet with their warm feathers.

11/30/2024

✨Food and Water in Winter✨

❄️WATERING CHICKENS IN THE WINTER
When the mornings are really cold, our chicken’s water is usually frozen solid and needs to be broken up and removed. We like to give hot water in the morning and this helps the water to keep from freezing until we return for afternoon chores.
Please know that I do not recommend giving your chickens hot water to drink, be sure it is cooled off before you allow them to drink it.

TIP: If you live in a cold climate, I would not suggest a chicken waterer. They tend not to withstand the cold elements and the abuse repeated frozen water can cause. Instead, try these rubber feed/water bowls. They are durable, inexpensive, and can be used for feed, water, or even mash.

I know repeated water trips sound like a lot of work, but it actually isn’t. All you need is a cleaned-out empty milk jug, and each time you go out to the chicken coop, bring a fresh batch of warm along with you. If you are going out anyhow, it is really no extra effort on your part, and your hens will love you for it!

Another bonus of frequent daily water runs is you can monitor your flock more often and, in turn, catch anyone not adapting well to any weather changes. Knowing your birds and how they each act is incredibly beneficial because you will more readily see when they are not acting normally. If you know a bird acting “off”, this will be your first sign that something is wrong.

❄️WARM MASH
You can also like to give warm mash on those particularly cold mornings. This not only encourages hens to eat but also gets more water into them as well.
To make a warm mash for your chickens, pour some hot water into a rubber feed bowl and add a scoop or two of leftover veggies or vegetable ends and peelings. We love to use rubber feed bowls and use them all over the homestead. They work perfectly for making warm chicken mash and are super easy for the chickens to eat from.

The best part about warm mash is there is no need for mixing. The hens will do it as they are eating it.

11/30/2024

✨Keeping your Chickens Warm in the Winter✨

❄️DO CHICKENS LAY EGGS IN WINTER?
Yes, chickens will lay eggs in the winter, but the frequency will slow. This is due to the shortened days and the cooler temperatures.

A few hens will stop laying eggs during the winter months, but many will slow down egg production. It is essential to know that eggs can freeze in the winter, so you will want to check for fresh eggs a few times a day so you do not lose any to the cold temperatures. If you do get frozen eggs, don’t throw them out, you can still use them to feed other livestock on your homestead.

Yes, you can feed eggs to your chickens. I know that may sound gruesome, but they are a great source of protein which can be super helpful at times of stress.

11/30/2024

✨Keeping your Chickens Warm in the Winter✨

❄️SET UP A BARRIER
Idea: put a few bales of straw inside the coop (do not use hay) around the perimeter to help keep that cold wind from getting inside. This gives the chickens a nice cocoon and really does warm things up. It helps them to eat and drink more comfortably as well.

They also like to roost on the bales, and this will help them to stay off of the cold ground if your coop does not have a floor.
As the winter progresses, those bales tend to get a bit beat up but don’t worry. If you used straw and not hay, you can add those partially composted bales to your garden come spring. Not sure of the difference? Let’s go over it quickly.

❄️WHAT IS A STRAW BALE?
A straw bale is made of up stalks which is the waste product of wheat and is used as bedding for livestock. It contains no seed heads or seeds, so it can be safely used in gardens as mulch or as a winter cover.

❄️WHAT IS A HAY BALE?
A hay bale is cut grass or alfalfa and used to feed livestock. It contains every part of the plant, including the seeds. If you use this in your garden beds, you will be adding a load of seeds to your beds, including w**d seeds. Trust me on this, I have done the legwork. Hay in a garden is a no-no and will only cause you to have to w**d more than you ever imagined.

The final word to remember is this: Hay is for feeding and straw is for bedding.

11/29/2024

✨Keeping your Chickens Warm in the Winter✨

❄️LAY DOWN SUFFICIENT BEDDING
Before winter hits, you will want to lay down a good layer of bedding for your hens. Wood chips, sawdust, and straw are all great to use.

We suggest laying down a good foot deep of bedding, especially if you live in a really cold climate and even more if your chicken coop does not have a separate floor to the ground. When looking to purchase wood chips, you will want to purchase them locally as it will be much more cost-effective. Tractor Supply or your local feed mill are great options to consider.

❄️WHY DO YOU NEED BEDDING ON THE FLOOR OF A CHICKEN COOP?
Chickens do not have feathers on their legs or feet, so standing on the constant frigid ground can be not only cold but can risk frostbite. By providing them with a good thick layer of ground cover, you will keep them warmer and, in turn, healthier.

Because chickens do not have feathers on their feet, and frostbite can happen if we are not careful. By providing them a place to stand in the cold, you will help to keep their feet healthy and strong. Ample bedding or a few straw bales will work well, along with a good and sturdy roost.

11/28/2024

Warmest wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

There's always something to be thankful for. The small things, the big things, and everything in between!

Have a blessed day friends 🫶

11/28/2024

✨Keeping Chickens warm in Winter✨

❄INSPECT YOUR CHICKEN COOP❄
If you clean out your chicken coop each fall before the winter hits, that is the perfect time to do a chicken coop inspection. Check for any holes in the walls or floors that may let in drafts, rain, or snow. Another reason to inspect for holes is to deter predators from accessing your coop, which can happen often in the winter.

Seal those cracks up and help to keep the frigid air out on those cold winter nights. You can do this by nailing on a scrap piece of wood, metal, or other material.
No matter what time of year it is, now is the best time to ensure you have a good winter coop design that will keep your hens warm and safe during those long cold months. We house our flock in an old barn that we converted into a chicken coop. Our barn has its own flooring, and that means it keeps the hens off of the cold ground.

Yes, there is a difference between airflow and drafts. Drafts are bad, whereas ventilation is good. Drafts are cold and piercing and can harm your flock. Ventilation is filtered so it enters the coop slowly and steadily and keeps the coop filled with fresh, clean air while venting out stale air. Most air vents are high up in the coop, away from your hens, so it is not blowing on them.

The final work on this is: you do not want drafts, but you do want ventilation.

11/27/2024

✨Keeping Chickens Warm in the Winter✨

❄️ What are downy feathers?❄️
Downy feathers are soft feathers found under the tough outer feathers of a chicken. They help to lock their natural body heat in, providing a protective layer from the elements.

The chickens will fluff up their feathers to keep warm, and whenever you see this, you can relax, knowing they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do. If you are a person who puts chicken sweaters on your hens to help them keep warm, we would suggest you stop, as these sweaters can flatten down those downy feathers, and your chickens will lose that ability to warm up naturally.

Disclaimer: Do not make a change in the middle of winter. It is best to allow your hens to adapt to the cold naturally, which takes time.

There are other things you can do to help your hens stay warm even in the coldest of temperatures, even if you do not have electricity in your chicken coop.

11/26/2024

✨Keeping Chickens Warm in the Winter ✨
If you are looking for help on keeping your chickens safe in the winter, this list of tips for how to keep chickens warm in the winter without electricity is a great place to start.

Raising chickens in the winter is easy when you know how a chicken keeps warm. And the warmer the chicken the more eggs you will get even when it’s really cold out!

When you look at a chicken, the words hardy and durable may not be what comes to mind. And for that reason, we tend to go a bit overboard when it comes to their care. Even if you live in the blistering cold of the north, keeping chickens is pretty easy.
More often than not, chickens can tolerate the cold pretty well, but with a few tips, I can show you how to keep chickens warm in winter without electricity.
Heat lamps are a big buzzword for the new chicken owner, and most will purchase several when starting out. Other than using them to keep your baby chicks warm, I would refrain from using them in an established coop.

I tried heat lamps for the first few years we had chickens, and let me say it did more harm than good. When you have an artificially heated coop, your hens become dependent on that heat, which means they do not naturally develop the durability to withstand cold temperatures.

Heat lamps are fire hazards. A few years ago, a devastating coop fire was started with a heat lamp in our backyard. Not once but TWICE! Luckily, we were hope both times and could get our girls out. It was at that time we decided not to use them anymore.
When that next winter came, I noticed something pretty shocking. Our hens were actually HEALTHIER without the artificial heat. For them to adapt to the cold, they grew thicker downy feathers. Instead of sick chickens with dull combs, I had chickens with combs that were a deep rich red, and they laid eggs like nobody’s business.
This was proof we were on the right track!

11/25/2024

Holiday Meat Bundle Time!!!
$150 each
Very limited quantity available
Locally raised beef
Heritage hog pork
Pasture raised chicken

1-ham steaks (2 per pack)
1- Pork chops (4 per pack)
1- Bacon (1 lb)
4- Breakfest sausage (1 lb packs)
4- Ground beef (1 lb packs)
1- All Beef Hot Dogs (1 lb pack)
2- Chickens (4-5lb each)
1- Chicken livers (1 lb pack)
1-Chicken gizzards (1 lb pack)
1-Beef hamburger patties (1 lb pack of 4 patties)
1- Beef roast (sirloin or chuck)

11/24/2024

✨Soil 101✨

Some Last Thoughts
P E R M A C U L T U R E A S A S T A T E O F M I N D

You made it to the end! At this point, if you're totally overwhelmed with all of this info, please remember that you absolutely do not need to do everything all at once. This is everything I have learned about soil health, but it has taken me YEARS and countless mistakes to get to the point of being able to even share on this topic.

I hope this will help you set up your garden beds (or containers) in such a way that you will grow even more food right in your home. There are so many other methods to increase your harvest yields, so don't give up if it doesn't work the first year!

11/23/2024

✨Soil 101✨

CROP ROTATION
The final permaculture method we will be looking at in this chapter is crop rotation. This method pertains to your garden planning and in which garden beds you'll be planting different plants. Why is this a good system to implement?

Different plants take different key nutrients out of the soil, while feeding in certain nutrients as they grow. Garden pests remember where they found food in the previous year, so they will return to the same spot. However, if in the next year they find a plant that repels them, they won't have the chance to thrive.

This is why crop rotation is a very good system to incorporate into your garden.

Legume -> Root -> Fruit -> Leafy -> Repeat

11/23/2024

✨Soil 101✨

MULCHING
Here's why I think every gardener should cover their top soil with a layer of mulch, such as organic straw: leaving your soil uncovered is like leaving a wound exposed to the elements. It allows for pests and disease to spread much easily to the root of the plant. Mulching has the added benefit of locking in moisture (which means you don't have to water as much) and keeping w**ds down. This no-till permaculture method ALSO adds nutrients to your soil as it begins to break down. Make sure to add several inches of mulch for maximum efficiency. In my garden beds, I like to add the straw from my chicken coops after cleaning it out. This straw is not only otherwise trash, but since it is also full of manure, it also acts as weekly fertilizer for my garden beds.

COMPOST
Did you know that Americans create over 250 million tons of trash every year? And did you know that more than half of that ends up in landfills and incinerators?
That's a pretty horrifying set of numbers from the EPA. What's worse is the fact that about half of most household trash could be composted? Imagine reducing your household waste by about 50%. Imagine every American doing that!
Compost is hugely beneficial to our soil. There's a reason that gardeners call it "Black Gold" - it is a zero-waste, organic method of adding nutrients to the soil, without spending a penny! All you need is to properly dispose of your kitchen scraps and paper products. Not everything from your trash can be composted. There are two types of compostable materials: brown materials and green materials.

BROWN COMPOST: aged hay, sawdust, wood chips, straw, boxes, newspaper, carboard egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, cotton, woodash, dryer lint, paper towels.
GREEN COMPOST: Veggie trimmings, green leaves, grass clippings, old flower bouquets, coffee grounds, tea bags, aquarium water, algae, seaw**d.

This ratio between brown and green materials is ideal for creating compost. Brown materials add carbon to your soil; green materials add Nitrogen. Too much brown would take forever to break down, while too much green would make your compost super stinky. Your compost shouldn't smell at all.

Compost also needs a decent amount of moisture, so don't forget to add water.
Let it breathe.

The bacteria and microbes that break down your compost need all of these conditions to thrive!

11/23/2024

✨Soil 101✨

Hügelkultur Raised Garden Beds, from here on out we will refer to them as just raised garden beds. It's easier that way. 😉

Filling your garden beds with the Hügelkultur method will not only save you tons of money. This zero-waste method will reduce your workload, too, because the soil will regenerate the nutrients that the plants use WHILE the plant is growing. The top soil is covered up with straw, which will lock moisture in and prevent w**ds from growing. Let me walk you through this method step by step!

🌱Layer 1: Drainage
Once you have your empty garden boxes set up, you can get started with the first layer. For better drainage, add pebbles or broken terra cotta pieces at the very bottom. You can collect these on a nature walk or you could check your backyard (and ask your neighbors if they have any broken terra cotta pots.) These aren't a must but do help with this process.

🌱Layer 2: Logs and Branches
Next, add some logs and branches as your main decomposition material. The thicker your logs and branches are, the longer it will take to break down. Be mindful of the depth of your planter though.

🌱Layer 3: Yard Debris
Fill the spaces and a layer on top of your logs and branches with yard debris: leaves, pine cones, old mulch, etc, are all really great for this layer.

🌱Layer 4: Compost
Before filling my garden beds, I deep-cleaned my chicken coop and added all of the pine shavings mixed with chicken manure as a layer to my garden beds. You can also use rabbit manure. If you have access to these materials, I highly recommend you add them.

🌱Layer 5: Top Soil
This is the only layer that will cost you money. Add 6-12 inches of top soil and water it well. Let it settle for at least 24 hours before planting.

This soil is going to be RICH! You can thank me later for this advice, it's going to change your garden. 👏

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✨Soil 101✨ Is there anything better than going to the backyard to pick the ingredients for dinner? Grocery shopping has always been my least favorite chore, but going to the garden to harvest fruits and vegetables that I have spent all season tending to is so rewarding. Not to mention, they’re much tastier than the produce at the grocery store! Most people we speak to want to learn to grow their own food, but when asked why they don’t, we usually get the same answer: “I can’t even keep a houseplant alive - there’s no way I could grow my own food!” Does that sound familiar? It does for us! The first time we tried to grow anything, we harvested exactly NOTHING. It was such a disappointment, especially after building planters, spending loads of money filling them with soil, and tending to the plants. I couldn’t understand why my plants suddenly seemed to plateau in their growth and why their leaves were turning yellow. We have learned a lot since then. Our biggest lesson? There is no such thing as being bad at gardening - there’s only bad soil! 🌱SOIL HEALTH🌱 It really is quite simple: the health of your soil is the determining factor of your plant’s strength and productivity. This means that if you have amazing soil, your plants will grow large and juicy fruits and vegetables for you to harvest. The richer your soil is, the more nutritious your harvest will be. The plants will be able to grow stronger and bigger fruits. Think of the soil as your plants’ food: if your soil has the bare minimum amount of nutrients, how can you possibly expect a good harvest? Similarly, nutritious food will help your plants to grow strong and produce large yields. Let’s dive in…

One of our favorite TikTok’s we’ve made!

✨Butchering Process✨ Here’s a quick example of how we process chickens here on our farm! If you’re interested in joining our list for the spring butcher weekend please let us know. This is a skill that will last you a lifetime! It’s well worth it. ..And now you know where your food comes from! 😉

✨The Top 3 Meat Chicken Breeds✨ ((In Our Opinion)) Broiler and meat chickens are birds that are raised primarily for meat production. There are many different chicken breeds to choose from for your broiler flock. It is important to lay out your unique needs so that you can make the best choice for your homestead. Here is a list of the best meat chicken breeds, and a few dual purpose breeds: 1. Cornish Cross Chickens Cornish Cross birds are the most well-known of the broiler breeds. Chicken sold in the grocery store most often comes from Cornish Crosses. This breed is a hybrid of the Cornish x White Plymouth Rock breeds. They are poor layers that are bred specifically for meat purposes. Cornish Cross broilers grow very quickly and can be harvested between 8-10 weeks of age. If you choose to raise the Cornish Cross, it is best to raise them on pasture with an enclosure. They don’t do well as free range chickens because they cannot move quickly enough to evade predators, and if they are confined they will require much more feed to be productive. Age at Maturity: 8-10 weeks Avg. Mature Weight: 9-12 lbs (with about a 5-10 lb processed weight) ✅Pros: Fast growth rate Heavy meat production Profitable Good disposition 🛑Cons: Health problems (like heart problems and leg issues) Not recommended for reproduction Require a lot of feed Not sustainable for the long term 2. Freedom Rangers Freedom Rangers are a broiler chicken, created to forage and survive pasture-fed. Those who focus on truly organic meat chicken breeds often pick these ones because they are excellent at foraging. Freedom Rangers thrive on bugs, corn feed, and whatever else they find on their daily searching. While some birds, especially meat chickens, won’t survive from foraging, these ones will. Age at Maturity: 12 weeks Avg. Mature Weight: 9-12 lbs (with about a 5-7 lb processed weight, depending on the bird gender) ✅Pros: Excellent at Free Ranging Easy to Keep Low Feed Costs Great Tas

✨Time to Market Weight✨ Are you in a rush to get meat in your freezer or do you want to take your time the old-fashioned way? While the old-fashioned way is a nice thing to consider, a slower-growing bird eats more feed, requires care for a longer period, and with a longer period comes an increased risk of something happening along the way (illness, predators, etc.). On the other hand, a slower-growing chicken results in more time on pasture. And more time on pasture means more opportunity for nutrient-dense meat (vitamins D and E, plus a better omega 6:3 ratio). How long does it take? Fast: Dual Purpose breeds (16-24 weeks) Faster: Ranger broilers (12-16 weeks) Fastest: Cornish Cross broilers (6-8 weeks) *Note, broilers need to wait until they are 3ish weeks old to move to the outdoors, weather permitting. Therefore, if you’re raising the freaky fast Cornish Cross broilers, that means there are only a few weeks left for them to obtain those vital nutrients from the grass, bugs, sunshine, etc. before harvest day. Personally we shoot for 8-9 weeks old when we process!

It’s butcher week on the farm! This week our educational post will be focused on all things butchering chickens, so stay tuned for some great content! 🍽️🍗

✨Small Scale Livestock✨ Raising coturnix quail can be joyful and rewarding. As a bonus, they REQUIRE a small living space in order to thrive. When quail are in too large of an enclosure, they are prone to jump which may lead to injury such as a broken neck or broken legs. Cages range from wire to plastic, some people go as far as building an aviary. If you have the means, then this is a beautiful and functional way to keep quail. But it is not a necessity. The necessities are as follows: 🪶Quail must always have access to food and water 🪶Quail require a high protein food source for them 🪶There needs to be some form of shelter if they are kept outside. To help protect against elements like too much sun, rainfall, or snow. In most cases this can be a piece of cardboard or plastic. Otherwise, quail are low maintenance. They are for the most part quiet, however males crow and females can have a morning call. Keep this in mind when assessing your space for quail. Rabbits are a wonderful addition to the homestead, providing an excellent turnaround for meat and fur. Upkeep and dispatch is cleaner than poultry; ultimately low maintenance. The initial investment can be slightly more than with quail. A pair of does can bring in over 115lbs of meat per year with a low-to-moderate breeding schedule. They can be very valuable as an asset for your family! The necessities are as follows: 🐰Rabbits must always have access to food and water 🐰Rabbits require alfalfa pellets for food as well as "Timothy hay" 🐰There needs to be some form of shelter if they are kept outside. To help protect against elements like too much sun, rainfall, or snow. 🐰Compared to other livestock, rabbits are easy to keep indoors. 🐰Rabbits should be kept separately to prevent fighting or breeding. 🐰Provide wood or other chewing sources to keep rabbits teeth filed. If you're interested in rabbits and are located in South Central Kansas, we encourage you to contact Jorge with

We don’t want to leave out the creatures that got us started in this craziness of homesteading along our introduction! 🐓🐥 The birds! We could say chickens but that would be a lie. 😂 if you’ve made the drive to the farm you will be greeted but many birds! We have 14 breeds of chickens, 2 breeds of ducks, 2 breeds of geese, 2 breeds of quail, turkeys, guineas, and pigeons. Our chicken breeds change yearly as we’re always evolving and changing with the demands of chicken world. We raise several thousand birds every year and sell to people like you! We enjoy hatching chicks in the late winter-early summer. During the heat of the summer we raise out any chicks that don’t sell and then sell them when they are laying age. We have owned chickens for 8 years now and if you’re lucky enough when you’re here you might see our 2 oldest hens (Karen & Pretty Girl) wondering around. Karen thinks she owns the place, but after moving multiple times with us she can think what she wants 😉 We will start hatching again for the 2025 season in February! Stay tuned for our price sheet after the first of the year.

Up next on our introduction is the American Guinea Hogs! 🐽 They are some of our favorite animals here on the farm, they are so sweet and love lots of attention! They will follow you around like a dog whenever you’re in their pen. We have 5 sows and 1 boar (Wilbur) and have had many piglets over the years of having them. We are the first to admit these girls are the BEST mothers and we have very low death rates when they have litters. A quick overview of why we picked AGH for our homestead 🫶🏼 •temperament •size- weighing max of 250# •lard hog •good foragers but don’t root •the most amazing flavored pork 🤤 •mothering- easy to manage and farrow easily Here’s a sort clip of “Mama” living her best life! 🤩

We love posting content for you all, but sometimes we need a break from social media. We are checking out for a couple weeks, but we will return October 1st with a refreshed mind! 🫶 THANK YOU for your continued support, we appreciate you all!

Check out our breeder pen set up here on our farm!

Little man is growing like a weed as well! He’s not so sure about us though. It’s interesting to see the different in personalities of these two calves born days apart. He’s for sure a mamas boy and doesn’t seem too interested in us yet. Hopefully he will be eating treats out of our hands before too long! He’s going to be a handsome boy, his coloring is simple but stunning 😍💙