Gifts for the Chicken Lady

71SfN95y2VL._SY355_There are probably more gifts that are chicken themed for women than any other category. I think that women have a soft spot in their hearts for their chickens and like to wear items that reflect that love.  If you know someone who loves chickens, this is a great place to get gift ideas for them.

Lets start with shoes. We have some lace up chicken boots for working outside. They also have high top sneakers with the same pattern.  Maybe you prefer flip flops for the beach, or canvas slip ons.  You may want some cool chicken socks to go with your shoes.  Purple rooster socks are fun as well.

Boots for working in the garden or out in the chicken coop are necessity.  Short boots or tall boots  will get the job done.  After working all day, slip into some soft chicken slippers to give your feet a rest.

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Scarves with a chicken theme are nice way to dress up an outfit. There are many different scarves to choose from. A chicken hat is a nice addition as well.

The I Love My Chickens hoodie is a fun way to keep warm. There are so many chicken inspired T-shirts that there is no way to list them all. Mother of Chickens makes me think of Game of Thrones. I love my Ladies just about sums up how I feel on this T-Shirt.

There is also a nice silkie t-shirt.

We will finish off the clothing part by showing a night shirt and a couple of dresses. If I have to dress up, I want a dress with a chicken on it.

 

Purses with chickens on them are interesting. You can get totes for grocery shopping or small wallet sized pouches.  Single shoulder back packs work well too.

Speaking of bags there are also makeup pouches with chicken themes.  I love these chicken feet sponge holders for your make up table.  Chicken poop lip balm is always good for a laugh and great for your lips.

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What can I say about chicken jewelry? Have a look at some of these items. We have a rooster necklace and a rooster brooch for your sweater.  A chicken charm bracelet for your wrist and some stud earrings for the ears.

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As I am looking at these rooster wine stoppers, I am thinking of having a glass of wine myself. How about a set of wine glasses to go with it. This is a cute fat chicken to hold all of your wine corks.

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I like to keep a journal and notes on all of my birds. This journal looks like a good one for keeping individual records on bird.

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Lastly, I am going to show you some cute iphone cases. Here is one for the iphone 8.   They also have the 7plus and 8 plus cases. I really liked this phone case as well. There are also Samsung and Galaxy phone cases if you hunt around.

If you would like to see other chicken gift ideas check out Chicken Lover’s Gifts for the Home and Gifts for Kids Who Love Chickens . If you are interested in a gift for your silkie chicken check out our blog.    We also have Gifts for Guys Who Like Chickens.  and Gifts For Silkie Chicken Lovers.

For tips and tricks for raising outstanding silkies check out our Chicken Learning Center at VJPPoultry.com .  VJP Poultry is an NPIP and state inspected hatchery located 30 miles north of St. Paul.  We hatch out silkies all year long so we always have stock available.  Like us on Facebook to get weekly updates on what we currently have for sale.

Victoria J. Peterson

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Silkies For Sale – 12/1/17

Chicken Lover’s Gifts for the Home

41LSWgwSWSLThere is no end to the amount of chicken themed items you can find for your home.  The amount of people who keep backyard flocks is increasing every year and I have gathered a few things a true chicken lover might want to have in their home or as a gift to give to others.

61hajTx1i7L._SY450_How about a chicken bedroom set? Chicken Family bedspread and Blue Rooster and Hen . How about throwing a rooster runner down the floor?

Now we move on to the bathroom. A chicken themed shower curtain is just the thing to liven up that bathroom and show your chicken spirit. Here is a great toilet roll holder that looks like chicken wire.  There is also a matching towel rack made from the  a similar chicken wire look. We also have a vintage chicken  toilet roll holder.51xynFPQBRL._AC_US160_

The kitchen has many chicken gift ideas. There are many rugs with the chicken theme. These can also be used as bath mats. How about some kitchen dish towel sets? There are many to choose from. I found four different sets of chicken themed dishes.  If you are in the mood for making cookies, here is a rooster cookie cutter.  You will need an oven mitt to get those cookies out and not burn yourself. Decorative tiles to use as trivets abound in chicken designs.  Cute art glass chickens to put on your window sill can let the sun shine through. Get up in the morning with a Love Chickens coffee cup to start your day in the coop.81JfINWatCL._SL1500_

If your chicken math is like mine, you may want to add a life sized chicken statue in the backyard. A way to increase your flock in case you don’t have the space for more chickens.  If you are interested in gifts for kids that love chickens or in gifts for chickens themselves, or maybe Gifts for the Chicken Lady check out these blog posts. We also have Gifts for Guys Who Like Chickens.  and Gifts For Silkie Chicken Lovers.

For tips and tricks for raising outstanding silkies check out our Chicken Learning Center at VJPPoultry.com .  VJP Poultry is an NPIP and state inspected hatchery located 30 miles north of St. Paul.  We hatch out silkies all year long so we always have stock available.  Like us on Facebook to get weekly updates on what we currently have for sale.

Victoria J. Peterson

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Silkies For Sale – 11/21/17

Tips For Winterizing Your Chicken Run

20171107_103708Now that it is colder outside, you may find that your chickens are spending more of their time inside the coop. If you do not have a chicken run that is set up for colder temperatures, they may be choosing to snuggle up where it is warmer. The problem with that is that chickens need fresh air and exercise. They will be hardier and healthier if they spend part of their day outside in the run.

Here in Minnesota it can get quite cold in the winter. Always start with a hardy breed of chicken. It should be one that has small combs and wattles. Silkies are ideal for cold areas. Not only do they have small walnut combs and almost nonexistent wattles, they also have feathering on their feet to help keep their legs warmer.

Silkies are tolerant of the cold but they must be protected from wet and wind. Enclosing your run with plastic wrap or a tarp can help to block wind and prevent snow and rain from entering the run. Most chickens do not like walking in snow. The plastic will keep the snow from entering the run. Then you will not need to spend time shoveling out the run every time it snows.

We are trying a new kind of plastic this year Instead of using plastic that comes on a roll, we ordered clear tarps  that have built in grommet holes.  The tarp also has lines running through it to keep the tarp stronger and to keep it from ripping in the wind.

We placed eye hooks in the wood along the bottom of the run.  The grommet holes fit into the hooks and secure the tarp.  We then use ball bungee cords at the top to fasten the tarp down. Hopefully this clear tarp can be easily taken down and put up for many years to come. We also use zip ties where needed to keep the tarps secure.

You do not need to cover the entire run.  The North and West sides are the most important to cover as this will provide the best wind and snow block. You need some holes for ventilation. I leave the doors uncovered so that air can move in and out.

A spacious run gives chickens personal space and exercise opportunities.  Boredom can be a problem in the wintertime.  This can lead to behavior problems such as feather picking and egg eating.

You can use plywood, tarps or even bales of hay or straw to block the wind, but clear plastic is best.  This lets the sun shine through and keeps the run bright.  It will warm the inside of it just like a greenhouse would.  In the Spring, just take it down, fold it up and store it out of the way until next year.

You could provide an outside shelter in your run such as a small dog house. Use straw inside of it to keep your chickens warm. Straw hold more warmth because it traps warm air in its shaft.  Use some of that straw to create paths for chickens to walk on.  Laying down straw is often easier than trying to shovel the snow out of the run.  The straw will make it warmer on their feet.

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I like to provide something for them to perch on inside the run. We have pea rock in our run which can become cold on their feet in the winter. Silkies do not need very high perches. We just lay a few 2 X 4 boards down for them. They love to perch on these boards when it is cold.  You could also use logs or stumps for them to stand on.

Set up a dust bathing area for them in the wintertime. Since most of their regular dusting areas are now under snow, you could make a new spot by purchasing some dust bathing materials and putting them in a kitty litter box.

Provide energy treats for your birds that they can only get if they venture outside in the run. These could be BOSS sunflower seeds or cracked corn.  The more time that they spend outside, the less messy the inside of your coop will be.

It is important to remember that birds are not mammals.  They can tolerate much colder temperatures than humans.  You just need to keep them dry and out of drafts or wind. Do not overheat your chickens based on how you feel.  I keep the windows and doors to the coops open all winter long. If your coop is one temperature and your run another, this can lead to sickness as birds go back and forth from hot to cold temperatures.

For tips and tricks for raising outstanding silkies check out our Chicken Learning Center at VJPPoultry.com .  VJP Poultry is an NPIP and state inspected hatchery located 30 miles north of St. Paul.  We hatch out silkies all year long so we always have stock available.  Like us on Facebook to get weekly updates on what we currently have for sale.

Victoria J. Peterson

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