🔑 🐓 Finding a chicken-keeping routine that works for you is one of the most important things you can do to care for your feathered babies.
I choose to clean and remove waste daily. This, combined with the right substrate, lessens the chance of mold, fungus, and bacteria growth, creating a healthy environment for your chickens.
These habits and routines also make life (and chicken keeping) more enjoyable ☺️
Does this sound like something you want to do too?
I want to help!
📖 I put together a guide as a gift for our community of coop builders. It has daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal tips, tools, materials and substrates to help make coop maintenance easier 👌🏼
I would love for you to have a copy too!
✨🐓 Comment “Clean Coop” for our coop cleaning checklist!
#cleancoop #chickenkeeping #backyardchickens #cleaningroutine #coopmaintenance #chickenkeepingroutine #dailychickenkeeping #chickenkeepingtips #chickenkeeper #dayinthelife #diycoop #beejeweledcoop
🐓🪺 How to tell if your chicken is broody and what to do about it!
First, what does it mean to have a broody hen?
A broody hen is a hen that has decided to sit on her eggs to hatch them. This natural instinct causes her to stop laying eggs and spend most of her time in the nest.
These are the tell-tale signs of broodiness:
👉🏼 Refuses to leave the nest
👉🏼 Fluffs up feathers, growls and makes clucking noises
👉🏼 Aggressive or protective behavior
There are 2 things you can do:
1. If you have a rooster and want chicks, let her do her thing!
2. If not, you’ll probably want to broody break her.
Broody breaking a hen is important because it helps protect her health by ensuring she eats and drinks regularly, preventing weight loss and dehydration.
Steps for broody breaking:
💚 Set up a small cage for her to live in for the day.
💚 Provide plenty of food and fresh water for her.
💚 Shield her from the sun!
💚 Make sure she stays cool. Broody hens’ temperatures will rise, and a quick way to break the broodiness is to lower their temp.
💚 Block off the nesting boxes and move her to the roosts at night.
💚 Try to collect eggs asap — eggs in the nesting box will trigger broodiness.
Do this for 1-3 days while watching for signs of broodiness to go away. I like to keep an eye on her in the morning after I remove the nesting box cover. If she still has the broody cluck and wants to lay in the nesting box, back to the broody cage she goes.
If you have a stubborn broody hen, try these things:
✨Keep her in the broody cage a little longer.
✨Use frozen water bottles around the cage to help cool her down.
✨Elevate the cage so she can not sit.
Questions about broody hens?
Or perhaps you have other broody breaking tips to share?
Let me know in the comments!
#broodyhen #backyardchickens #chickenkeeping #broodychicken #chickenkeepingtips #broodybreaker #chickenkeeper #petchickens #chickensofinstagram #chickencare #chicke
🏠🐓 Here is the video you all have been asking for! It’s finally time for an official COOP TOUR.
As a busy mom with multiple careers, our coop has always been a work in progress. It’s taken 2 years to finish all the little details in the coop (like the wallpaper!) which is why it’s taken so long for me to put this together! All good things come with time.
Now, here we are! I’m highlighting all the cool features in our coop, accessories that make chicken-keeping easier, and touring the outdoor fenced setup as well.
This coop is where our Bee Jeweled Coop journey started. Sharing this journey of mine, connecting with all of you, and my desire to help people made me realize that we could support so many people in their own chicken-keeping journey.
🏠 You asked for building plans, and we created them for you!
🎤 Your questions in my comments are making more how-to videos
💙 Your request for tools to clean your coops led me to design our new Coop Scoop™
Thank you for being here on this journey with me!
If this inspires you to create your own coop, or if you spotted something in this video that could make your life easier, I want to help.
👉🏼 I curated a list of all the accessories, bedding, and tools I use in my coop + the coop building plans to help you build it!
✨ Comment “COOP TOUR” and I will send it over to you!
#cooptour #diychickencoop #chickencoop #buildingplans #chickenkeeping #backyardchickens #chickenkeeper #coopessentials #chickencoopplans #chickencoopideas #petchickens #beejeweledcoop #chickencoopsofinstagram
The perfect chicken coop scoop doesn’t exi… ✨👀
Introducing The Coop Scoop™️ 🐓
Say goodbye to tools meant for other animals 🐱 and ‘hello’ to a tool made just for CHICKENS! 🎉🐓
This new lightweight scoop is perfect for cleaning 💩 from the floor of your chicken coop and run.
Ergonomically designed at the ideal angle with a long handle, it makes waste removal easy and eliminates back-breaking work.
Engineered with perfectly sized holes, it easily sifts waste from sand, coffee bedding, and coconut litter.
You can even use The Coop Scoop™️ to spot clean your hemp bedding AND your lawn!
The short, durable tines are ideal for raking, especially during molting season when feathers are everywhere 🪶
And just when you thought it couldn’t get better…
🇺🇸♻️ The Coop Scoop™️ is made in the USA with post-industrial recycled plastics.
Countless hours went into ensuring this tool will make your chicken coop cleaning a breeze. Now we’re ready to share it with the world 🫶🏼
Are you ready to transform your coop cleaning routine? Join our Kickstarter campaign today and be among the first to own a Coop Scoop™️!
🌟Comment “COOP SCOOP” and I’ll send you all the details ✨🐓
#coopscoop #backyardchickens #chickenkeeping #chickencoop #coopcleaning #cleancoop #chickenkeeper #beejeweledcoop #coopmaintenance #chickenkeeper #petchickens #chickenshovel #cooptools #sandshovel #sandscoop
I finally wallpapered my chicken coop! 🐓
It’s been almost 2 years and I’m still working on the final details of our coop. I may never be finished 😅
But, after seeing so many of your gorgeous Bee Jeweled Coop builds with wallpaper, I knew I had to decorate mine too 😍 It just took finding the right easy-to-apply wallpaper that fit the vibe 👌🏼💫🐓
I worked with a wonderful artist @depiano_belus to customize this magical forest print with chickens. If you’re inspired to create this look too, the print is available on Spoonflower!
🌟Drop a comment with the words “COOP WALLPAPER” and I’ll share it with you. #notanad
#chickencoop #beejeweledcoop #backyardchickens #chickencoopsofinstagram #coopdecor #chickenkeeping #chickencoopdesign #crazychickenlady #chickenwallpaper #wallpaperdesign #diychickencoop #diywallpaper
It’s been exactly a year since I posted this video. Little did I know it would go viral and introduce me to so many people! I’m so so thankful that you are here, enjoying this chicken keeping journey with me 🥰🐓🏠
So here’s the backstory — I just did a coop clean-out and replaced the old bedding with coffee bedding. My chickens were not so happy about the change. Even though they had walked into the coop the night before, they were afraid of jumping down from the roosts in the morning.
I can still hear my son laughing and saying “They think the floor is lava!”
Chickens love routine and predictability. If you change something, they will surely let you know how they feel about it 🤣
#chickencoop #backyardchickens #chickenkeeper #chickencoopsofinstagram #chickenkeeping #raisingchickens #chickenhouse #goodmorning
Stay tuned for a tutorial on how to trim your chicken’s flight feathers! 😑
Honestly, I don’t love to clip flight feathers. It can reduce your chicken’s ability to escape predators. But, there is a time and need to do so. If your chickens are jumping the fence and putting themselves in danger, it might be time to clip their wings.
In Daisy’s case, she could have been taken by a predator before I got home. I’ve caught a large opossum on camera going under the coop in the same space I found her. We have coyotes, raccoons and foxes all living in the woods behind our property.
I also have to do some work to seal up that space under the chicken coop. I haven’t done it yet because that space was once a life saver (when my chickens had to escape a dog) but it’s also a welcoming space for critters we DON’T want around our coop.
Here’s to keeping our chickens happy and safe! 🐓💗
#backyardchickens #chickenkeeper #chickenkeeping #chickendrama #chickenfriends #chickensafety #runawaychicken #dayinthelife #chickentroublemaker
Navigating the space needs for backyard chickens, especially for those in suburbs or cities! 🏡🐓
My 4x8ft coop serves as a comfy home for my flock and houses up to 12 chickens (but could hold more!) It’s not just about square footage. Consider roosting space (10-12” per chicken) and nesting boxes (1 for every 3-4 chickens).
But here’s the thing: RUN SPACE is crucial and often overlooked. Cramped pre-made coops can lead to unhappy and unhealthy chickens.
Give your chickens at least 10 sq ft each in their run. Opt for a secure, covered run to keep them safe from predators and the elements.
Ensuring these minimum space requirement is key to happy chickens (and neighbors)! 🌿🏠
#chickencoop #diychickencoop #chickenkeeping #newchickenowners #backyardchickens #happychickens #chickencoopplans #chickencoopneeds #spacerequirements #thingsyouneedtoknow
Here is the biggest coop clean out of the year 🐓🧹 It’s really not that bad, right?
This weekend, the weather was perfect for diving into our annual coop deep-clean.
Late winter or early spring is my go-to time to thoroughly clean the chicken coop. My goal is to get into those hidden spots, removing everything for a full reset, and even using an air compressor to blast away those pesky cobwebs.
This major cleanup sets the tone for the entire year, making our regular coop maintenance and seasonal cleaning easier. Now, all that’s left is to freshen up the bedding and litter as needed and enjoy quality time in the coop with our chickens.
Questions? I’m here for it! Let me know what’s coming up for you in the comments 💬
Here’s to a clean coop and happy chickens! 🐓
#backyardchickens #chickencoop #chickencoopsofinstagram #coopcleaning #chickenkeeping #keepingchickens #chickentips #chickenkeepingroutine #chickencare #petchickens
🚫🐭 Here are my top tips to rodent-proof your chicken coop!
1️⃣ Fortify the Foundation: Bury hardware cloth around the coop’s base to block burrowing critters.
2️⃣ Walls & Floors Matter: Seal any gaps with sturdy mesh or spray foam (just make sure the chickens can’t reach the foam or they might eat it!)
3️⃣ Doors & Windows: Secure them with tight frames and wire mesh, for fresh air minus unwanted guests.
4️⃣ Smart Feed Storage: Use metal bins with snug lids to store feed
5️⃣ Clean the coop: Regular coop clean-ups mean less allure for tiny intruders.
6️⃣ Regular Checks: Stay vigilant for any signs of rodents.
7️⃣ Natural Guardians: Feline friends and dogs can be great rodent deterrents (chicken-friendly, of course!)
8️⃣ Clear the Clutter: No hidey-holes around the coop. Stacked wood is their favorite place to hide!
9️⃣ Vegetation: Keep the greenery groomed and short around your chicken coop.
🌱 Creating a safe, rodent-free space means happier, healthier chickens!
Questions? Drop them in the comments 😎
#rodentcontrol #chickencoop #backyardchickens #petchickens #chickenkeeping #chickenkeepingtips #petchickens #chickenkeepingforbeginners #howtokeepchickens
Here is what you need to know about the game-changing chicken run substrate: SAND!
✅ Sand is great at draining and not retaining moisture.
✅ Lower moisture levels lead to lower bacteria and mold loads compared to other materials like shavings or straw.
✅ Bye-bye, insects! Sand isn’t their thing.
✅ Super easy to clean.
✅ It’s a natural spa & digestion aid for your chickens – dust baths & grit all in one!
Wondering which sand to choose and where to find it? 🤔
👉🏼 Sand can vary, so it’s best to see it yourself. Visit a local landscape company and look for:
• Medium grit, not too fine.
• Smooth, not sharp (like pebbly river sand).
• NOT play sand (it can be harmful to the chickens respiratory systems)
• Washed sand is a great choice as it cuts down on dust!
(Tip: take a screenshot of the sand in this reel so you know what to look for!)
For smaller needs, try medium grade, washed construction sand from stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot. It works wonders!
Have you tried sand in your chicken run, or are you thinking about it? Drop your experiences or questions in the comments!
#backyardchickens #chickensubstrate #chickencoop #chickenrun #chickenkeeping #tipsandtricks #sandforchickens #cleancoop #happychickens #dustbath
🐓🚫🐭 Finally took the plunge and got this amazing treadle feeder for our chicken coop! It was the ever-growing mouse village under our run that really did it for me. 😅
I’ll share the entirety of the mouse story soon. For now, I’m loving this new addition and I wanted to share.
Love that it’s spill-proof too 🫶🏼
Have you faced challenges with mice or other critters? Drop your success stories or rodent encounters in the comments!
Treadle Feeder from @rentacoop
💌 comment ‘FEEDER INFO’ and I’ll send it over to you!
#chickenfeed #chickenfeeder #rentacoop #chickencoop #backyardchickens #chickenkeeper #chickenkeeping #coopaccessories
Here’s one of my coop cleaning secrets… ✨🍊
This super easy-to-make cleaner is not just safe for our chickens, but also a staple cleaner in our home. Here’s the recipe for you to save and try:
• 1-2 sprigs of rosemary, lavender, thyme, and/or mint
• A handful of orange peels (stuff that jar!)
• White Vinegar
Mix and let it infuse in a dark place for a week. Then strain the solids and add an equal amount of water to the vinegar for a perfect 1:1 ratio.
I’ve found this to be super helpful on a deeper clean day. It’s also my go-to all-purpose cleaner at home. 🧡
Try it and share your experience or any personal tweaks you make. Happy coop cleaning!
#cleancoop #cleaningspray #backyardchickens #chickencoopsofinstagram #coopcleaning #chickencoop #coopmaintenance #healthychickens
