All babies are cute. Baby chickens, all fluffy and peeping, are especially cute. Raise baby chicks into adulthood, and they’ll teach you several life lessons.
Adrienne 
Nicole Christensen 
Terrie Coleman 
Rebecca 
Nancy Coppock 
Kim 
Janice K. 
Beverly Battaglia 
Beth Thomas 
Marietta Johnson 
Jo Ann 
Jill Kyvig 
Teresa Stephens 
Diana Henretty 
Pat 
Rose 
Lisa H 
Rae suba 
Laurie Dimino 
Sandy 
Cat Livingston 
Marcia 
Merrit LaRussa 
donnalee smith 
Irene Mele 
Carol Womelsdorf 
Joan 
Torben bagh 
JULIE 
Debra 
Terri 
Ulla Christensen 
Debbie Brozanic 
Kimberly Komar 
Doreenlee 
Claudia 
Karen Crabtree 
Maureen 
nameTina Stopa 
CR LaGroue 
Barb 
Nancy Bender 
Judy Lockhart 
Meredith 
Bonnie Ellis 
Mel 
Sharon 
Mary 
Naomi 
Denise Ross 
Alice - Farmgirl #12 
Mary Rauch 
Denise S 
Heather 
Chris 
Patti 
Anne 
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Debbie Bosworth
is a certified farmgirl at heart. She’s happily married to her beach bum Yankee husband of 20 years. She went from career gal to being a creative homeschooling mom for two of her biggest blessings and hasn’t looked back since. Debbie left her lifelong home in the high desert of Northern Nevada 10 years ago and washed up on the shore of America’s hometown, Plymouth, MA, where she and her family are now firmly planted. They spend part of each summer in a tiny, off–grid beach cottage named “The Sea Horse.”
“I found a piece of my farmgirl heart when I discovered MaryJanesFarm. Suddenly, everything I loved just made more sense! I enjoy unwinding at the beach, writing, gardening, and turning yard-sale furniture into ‘Painted Ladies’ I’m passionate about living a creative life and encouraging others to ‘make each day their masterpiece.’”
Rebekah Teal
is a “MaryJane Farmgirl” who lives in a large metropolitan area. She is a lawyer who has worked in both criminal defense and prosecution. She has been a judge, a business woman and a stay-at-home mom. In addition to her law degree, she has a Masters of Theological Studies.
“Mustering up the courage to do the things you dream about,” she says, “is the essence of being a MaryJane Farmgirl.” Learning to live more organically and closer to nature is Rebekah’s current pursuit. She finds strength and encouragement through MaryJane’s writings, life, and products. And MaryJane’s Farmgirl Connection provides her a wealth of knowledge from true-blue farmgirls.
Cathi Belcher
an old-fashioned farmgirl with a pioneer spirit, lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. As a “lifelong learner” in the “Live-Free-or-Die” state, she fiercely values self-reliance, independence, freedom, and fresh mountain air. Married to her childhood sweetheart of 40+ years (a few of them “uphill climbs”), she’s had plenty of time to reinvent herself. From museum curator, restaurant owner, homeschool mom/conference speaker, to post-and-beam house builder and entrepreneur, she’s also a multi-media artist, with an obsession for off-grid living and alternative housing. Cathi owns and operates a 32-room mountain lodge. Her specialty has evolved to include “hermit hospitality” at her rustic cabin in the mountains, where she offers weekend workshops of special interest to women.
“Mountains speak to my soul, and farming is an important part of my heritage. I want to pass on my love of these things to others through my writing. Living in the mountains has its own particular challenges, but I delight in turning them into opportunities from which we can all learn and grow.”
Dori Troutman
Dori Troutman is the daughter of second generation cattle ranchers in New Mexico. She grew up working and playing on the ranch that her grandparents homesteaded in 1928. That ranch, with the old adobe home, is still in the family today. Dori and her husband always yearned for a ranch of their own. That dream came true when they retired to the beautiful green rolling hills of Tennessee. Truly a cattleman’s paradise!
Dori loves all things farmgirl and actually has known no other life but that. She loves to cook, craft, garden, and help with any and all things on their cattle farm.
Mary Murray
describes herself as a goat charmer, chicken whisperer, bee maven, and farmers’ market baker renovating an 1864 farmhouse on an Ohio farm. With a degree in Design, Mary says small-town auctions and country road barn sales "always make my heart skip a beat thinking about what I could create or design out of what I’ve seen.”
Rooted in the countryside, she likes simple things and old ways … gardening, preserving the harvest, cooking, baking, and all things home. While you might find her selling baked goods from the farm’s milkhouse, teaching herself to play the fiddle, or sprucing up a vintage camper named Maizy, you will always find her in an apron!
Mary says, “I’m happiest with the simple country pleasures … an old farmhouse, too many animals, a crackling fire, books to read, and the sound of laughter … these make life just perfect.”
Alexandra Wilson
is a budding rural farmgirl living in Palmer, the agricultural seat of Alaska. Alex is a graduate student at Alaska Pacific University pursuing an M.S. in Outdoor and Environmental Education. She lives and works on the university’s 700 acre environmental education center, Spring Creek Farm. When Alex has time outside of school, she loves to rock climb, repurpose found objects, cross-country ski on the hay fields, travel, practice yoga, and cook with new-fangled ingredients.
Alex grew up near the Twin Cities and went to college in Madison, Wisconsin—both places where perfectly painted barns and rolling green farmland are just a short drive away. After college, she taught at a rural middle school in South Korea where she biked past verdant rice paddies and old women selling home-grown produce from sidewalk stoops. She was introduced to MaryJanesFarm after returning, and found in it what she’d been searching for—a group of incredible women living their lives in ways that benefit their families, their communities, and the greater environment. What an amazing group of farmgirls to be a part of!
Nicole Christensen
Suburban Farmgirl Nicole Christensen calls herself a “vintage enthusiast”. Born and raised in Texas, she has lived most of her life in the picturesque New England suburbs of Connecticut, just a stone’s throw from New York State. An Advanced Master Gardener, she has gardened since childhood, in several states and across numerous planting zones. In addition, she teaches knitting classes, loves to preserve, and raises backyard chickens.
Married over thirty years to her Danish-born sweetheart, Nicole has worked in various fields, been a world-traveler, an entrepreneur and a homemaker, but considers being mom to her now-adult daughter her greatest accomplishment. Loving all things creative, Nicole considers her life’s motto to be “Bloom where you are planted”.
Your post is sooooooo perfect for first-time chicken owners. You so nailed it. Thanks for putting a huge smile on my face this morning:)
Thanks, MaryJane! Glad you enjoyed my post. I am so glad I stuck it out with my flock, the eggs are amazing! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
I can so relate to your experience. We got our chicks the end of February. We are also first time owners. I was so excited. The chicks were purchased between my mom and my sister with the coop going to her house as she is the only one that can have them according to our zoning. For now they have been inside at my mom’s. The mess, the flying about and the many other experiences you shared have been experienced by us as well. Sadly though, our winter too has been so awful and so long that we have to give our chicks up. We can’t get the coop built yet because the space where it is going is still buried in snow! We have to be able to dig down and get fencing around the run buried because of all the critters in the area, including coyotes. My sister doesn’t live on Coyote Trail because it sounds neat. The ground was frozen more than five feet below the surface. We cannot wait that long to give our girls the space they need. Fortunately, I found someone that would take them. Note to self, don’t put the cart before the horse. Build the coop first THEN get the chicks. You know what they say, if you build it they will come. For now, our days of having our own chicks is on hold. Perhaps we will try again next spring IF the land ever thaws and we can get the coop built this fall. Enjoy your eggs. I’m so jealous!
Hi Lisa, Sorry to hear you had to give up your chicks. It was close for us, believe me. Yikes…Coyote Trail! I too, worry about my flock being outside, but it comes with the territory, I guess. It’s been such a hard winter all around, but there’s hope! We have had a nice thaw all of a sudden. At least you were able to find someone to take your chicks, and now you can better prepare. Perhaps you can get them later in the season…there is a farm/feed store in my area that sales fully-grown hens. Don’t fret…it took me a long time to get my chickens. So true though, don’t put the cart before the horse! Take care, and thanks for sharing. Hope spring finds you soon. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
To answer your question and the puzzler of all times, the chicken came first. The egg wouldn’t have been able to get on the ark on its own. Now you Noah. 😉
Laughing out loud…love it, Adrienne! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nicole, I love this blog about your chickens. It is funny and cute! Pictures are pretty of you and others of chickens are great. Very informative too.
Love you,
Mother
Hi Mom! So glad you enjoyed it. Can’t wait for you to “meet” the new additions to the family. Love you, Nicole
Oh Nicole,
So glad you are enjoying “all” aspects of being a backyard chicken farmer! Yes, there is definitely the good the bad and the ugly sometimes (as with all things!) but, in my opinion the good far outweighs the bad!
You have probably already experienced the roughest part- which is keeping chickens “indoors” when they get big! (and very messy!!!)
I bet before long you will be wanting MORE chickens, as they tend to be addictive!
I currently have 8 hens, but one of my girls is sitting on a clutch of 6 eggs, which if successful, are due to hatch out about April 12th or April 13th. Its very exciting to see this happen naturally right in my own backyard! Its a new experience for me, as the chicks I have gotten in the past came from a hatchery, so I have my fingers crossed that all goes well.
As always, I loved reading your story. Always exciting to see whats going on in your neck of the woods!
Hey farmsister! How fun to see your eggs become chickens! Mine are from my neighbor’s hen who built a nest in the woods! I’ve heard chickens are addictive! I saw some peeps and some hens at a local store, but was a good girl and didn’t get anymore, hee hee. Probably good mine were still indoors and I felt like I had my hands full! Take care, and keep me posted on your new babies! Good luck. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nicole, So fun to hear about your experiences! We’ve been keeping a small flock of chickens for about 15 years now and it’s my favorite ‘farm girl’ activity. Now that our boys are older and have many other things to do (besides helping with chicken chores), they want to get rid of them. My sweet husband, who knows how much I love them, tells the boys that, “Your mother loves these chickens and, even though it is more expensive to keep them than to just buy eggs, we are keeping them”. I was so touched upon hearing him say that, but its true; more expensive than just buying eggs AND a delight to me. The nice part is that you can get that fun chick experience again and again as you need new flock members! Currently we have a buff rock, speckled Sussex, golden laced Wyandotte, black australorp, and a partridge rock. So pretty just to see them walking around outside! Have fun with yours this summer!
Blessings, Dena
Hi Dena,
How pretty your flock sounds with all of the different breeds! I have a catalog I saved with all the different breeds…you have some of my favorites. Black australorps are popular in my area, too. Your hubby sounds like a great guy. Mine is the same way…I am sure on his days off he’d prefer to relax, but instead helps me build chicken coops or go to the feed store, things like that. Enjoy your flock, and thanks for sharing. -Nicole
Loved your post, I am going to print your advice and look at it often. I have wanted chickens for years, deciding I might wait until we retire. Those cute little peeps at the grain and feed store get me every time, thanks for reminding me how quickly they grow. Someday I will take the leap and squeal at our first egg but or now I will enjoy reading your tales.
Hi Diva, Thanks for commenting. Glad you enjoyed the post. We were shocked at how quickly the little sweet peeps don’t stay so little for very long!
Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Does this mean I get fresh bbq chicken next time I come visit?
Ha Ha.
Oh I can so relate!!! Enjoyed reading your post. Here’s a p.s. we had several roosters and they were the larger sized breed. One literally attacked my husband when he went in to check the coop. He ended up with a bruise and scratches on his face!! They were immediately taken care of. No…I cannot eat them…gave some away, made soup from a few and still have one left in the freezer…. any takers?!?!
Hi Amy…oh my goodness! That is exactly why I will not let my guard down with my rooster! So far so good…Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
I remember when I got my first chicks about five years ago. I got three chicks, a how-to backyard chicken book, and while they were brooding in a second bedroom (no basement here, or room in the garage), I built their tractor. This wasn’t the ideal way to go because of all the same lessons Nicole learned. No chickens in a bedroom again–and they were there for nine weeks because that’s what the book recommended. I live in a suburb of Portland, OR, and we have pretty moderate weather most of the time. But the day we finally put them outside in their new tractor, a thunder/hail/rain storm rolled in of nearly disaster-movie proportions. Their run was covered by a blue tarp (I’m smart, I’m smart–huh), which sagged in the middle under the weight of all the pouring rain and I could hear their terrified screeching out there. It was a rude transition from the comfort of a lamp-heated plastic tub in the house to the real world. I felt like the worst chicken mother in the world.
Those first three girls are gone now. The first died over night last summer, the second one got killed by a new dog (!!), and I knew the third one would pine away with no companion. So she went to live with a flock kept by a local meteorologist in the Columbia Gorge. This time I have started pullets coming in mid-May so I can skip the brooding portion of the show. Keeping chickens has been one of the best experiences of my life!
Hi Alexis, I am so glad to hear that after all that happened to you with your chickens, you still feel like it is such a great experience. It truly, truly is. Good luck with the new ones, and keep us posted. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Loved hearing about your chickens. I grew up on a farm and spring always meant
my mom bought a hundred chickens. Loved the little yellow balls. Helped my mom feed and water and make sure they were Ok in the bruder house they lived in. Also helped dress out chickens when they were ready. Never liked gathering eggs as chickens will pick your fingers when you try to gather eggs. Roosters are mean and not to be trusted. Thanks for sharing your experience. Good luck with the hens.
Marlene, Wow! A hundred chicks! I bet that was a sight to see. So far, so good with my rooster, but he’s got spurs now so I will not let my guard down. When I was a child, we’d drive through Tomball, Texas to go to my dad’s ranch. There was a (what now would be called free range) turkey farm. It had hundreds of turkeys. We’d stop the car in front of the fence on the dirt road and all the turkeys would come running. I was a child, so I thought it was hilarious to “gobble” at them, and have a crowd of turkeys answer me! Sounds like you have awesome memories of your childhood, too, Marlene. Thanks for sharing with me. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I think that your first egg being a double yolker is a sign. You will be a great chicken mom! I usually get 50 chickens each spring. I usually get a different breed each year so I know which ones need to “leave home” each year. Every few years I lose my entire flock to the various critters that visit in the night. This past fall was one of those years. I am starting fresh this spring, I love watching my new babies grow. I do sell eggs and sometimes the meat chickens. I still miss the girls in my very first flock from six years ago, so I don’t get quite as attached to them now. Enjoy. For me, there is nothing more relaxing than sitting in the shade in the evening and watching the girls browse the yard.
Hi! Thanks so much. 🙂 I keep telling myself I shouldn’t get too attached, but it is hard not to, and there is that magic of them being my first flock. I’m curious to know, since you get different breeds each time, do you have a favorite breed, and why? Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole