Start here · Essential guide
Best Beginner Chickens
Which chickens suit a first flock? Compare calm, hardy, reliable breeds, learn what to avoid at first, and get basic advice on buying and caring for your birds.
Backyard poultry
Keep happy hens, ducks and small livestock.
Practical guides to keeping backyard chickens, ducks and pigs: breeds, eggs, health and care.
55 in-depth guides
12 topics
Oct 2026 latest guide
Featured guides
Guides to start with
Each one links on to more specific articles in its topic.
Best Chickens for Backyard Eggs
Compare the best chickens for backyard eggs: production hybrids versus heritage breeds, realistic yearly egg numbers, flock size, and cost.
American Heritage Chicken Breeds
What counts as a heritage chicken, which American breeds are worth knowing, and how to choose a dual-purpose heritage breed for eggs, meat, and a backyard flock.
Types of Bantam Chicken Breeds
A guide to the types of bantam chicken breeds: true, miniature and developed bantams, popular breeds, temperament, eggs and how to choose for your flock.
Copper Maran Chickens: Complete Breed Guide
A practical guide to Copper Marans: appearance, dark brown eggs, temperament, feeding, housing, health, buying tips, and honest pros and cons for backyard keepers.
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Chickens
Keeping chickens, breeds and eggs.
Chicken Keeping Basics 8 guides, starting with Best Beginner Chickens. 8 guides Egg Laying Hybrids 8 guides, starting with Best Chickens for Backyard Eggs. 8 guides Heritage Dual Purpose Breeds 7 guides, starting with American Heritage Chicken Breeds. 7 guides Bantam Small Breeds 3 guides, starting with Types of Bantam Chicken Breeds. 3 guides Orpington Maran Egg Colors 5 guides, starting with Copper Maran Chickens: Complete Breed Guide. 5 guides Meat & Pasture Poultry 2 guides, starting with Pasture Raised Chicken Breeds. 2 guides
Health
Digestive, skin, foot and respiratory problems.
Ducks & Other Livestock
Ducks, pigs and small livestock.