Let’s get real: raising chickens is always a little chaotic. But when you raise landrace birds—the kind bred for survival, not show points—you get a whole different level of “surprise.”
We’ve learned a lot over the years (sometimes by mistake). So in the spirit of honest chicken keeping, here are five things we wish someone had told us sooner.
1. Egg Laying Isn’t a Promise—It’s a Vibe.
Landrace hens lay on their schedule. Not yours.
They’re seasonal, moody, daylight-sensitive, and possibly influenced by cosmic forces (jury’s still out).
💡 What we learned: Don’t panic. Track trends, not daily counts. Freeze eggs when they’re laying strong—you’ll thank yourself during their next “meh” phase.
2. Broody Poop Is Real—And It’s a Thing of Legend.
It’s huge. It’s hot. It’s horrifying. But it’s normal.
Broody hens hold it in for 24+ hours. When they finally get off the nest? Run. (And maybe light a candle.)
🧻 Tip: Give her space and keep the nest clean. Just don’t clean the coop right after she’s taken her walk of terror.
3. Even With Great Nest Boxes, There’s Always One Rebel.
We use the same nest boxes we sell on our farm—and most of our hens use them.
Most.
There’s always one laying behind the feed barrels. In a pine shavings bin. On top of a closed feed sack.
We call it the Chaos Egg Protocol: if a hen disappears, check the corners—and maybe wear gloves.
🪺 Tip: A solid setup helps, but there’s no out-planning a determined rebel.
4. Landrace Breeds Don’t Obey. They Adapt.
These aren’t show birds. They’re problem-solvers with personality.
They’ll go over fences, change roosting spots mid-week, and give you side-eye for offering the wrong snacks.
But they’re also sharp, sturdy, and built to thrive in real-life conditions—not climate-controlled coops.
🧠 Lesson: Work with their instincts, not against them. They’ll teach you more than a chicken book ever will.
5. You’ll Fall in Love With the Weirdest One. Guaranteed.
Not the prettiest. Not the friendliest. The weird one.
For us, that was Chet.
Chet didn’t ask for attention. She commanded it.
Scrappy. Bossy. Smart as hell. She’s the reason The HEN PICKED logo looked the way it did—and the reason we breed the way we do. She survived stuff she shouldn’t have and kept going like it was just another Tuesday.
If you haven’t met her yet, read her story here. You’ll understand.
🖤 Lesson: Don’t be surprised when the hen you almost didn’t keep becomes your favorite bird of all time.
Final Thoughts:
You’re going to mess things up.
So did we.
You’ll build nest boxes they ignore. Panic over poop. Wonder if you accidentally adopted feral birds.
But every time you get it wrong, you learn something that makes your flock stronger.
And with landrace chickens? That’s the whole point.
They don’t need perfect. They need you to keep showing up.
🐓 Clancy Crowed It:
“You’re not failing. You’re flocking. Big difference.”
