Farm & Flock— presented by Chicken Whisperer Magazine Sponsored Content from Purina Farms
How Curiosity Can Lead to a Backyard Coop Adventure With Noah Young of Shiloh Farm
Spring has a way of planting ideas, and inspiration has a funny way of showing up when you least expect it. A social media post that sticks with you can quickly turn into a home improvement project. A trip to the farmand-ranch store can spark plans for a backyard chicken coop. With spring comes the excitement of a fresh start, and with that excitement often comes hesitation.
The idea of building something new can be thrilling, but it also can be intimidating. Many people are drawn to the idea of raising their own chickens, only to pause when they wonder if they know enough to do it exactly right.
For Noah Young, that moment of possibility was met with curiosity rather than fear.
Out in Kearney, Nebraska, Noah and his wife are building a five-acre homestead filled with animals, gardens and their four kids learning alongside them. As first-generation producers, they did not inherit a system. They are learning through curiosity, making mistakes and shared experiences.
Noah’ s curiosity started long before Shiloh Farm, when he spent his teenage years working on his future wife’ s family farm. Those early days taught him how stewardship, soil and livestock all work together, and they planted a belief that learning happens best by doing.
“ I like to learn new things,” Noah says.“ And the best way for me to learn is through experience.”
That mindset eventually led him to raise chickens, not as an expert but as a parent looking for a meaningful way to teach responsibility, slow down as a family and better understand the land for which they care.
Start Small and Pay Attention
Noah did not begin with a master plan. Chickens felt approachable. They were manageable, forgiving and something his kids could help care for from the very beginning.
“ They are a great place to begin,” Noah explains.“ You do not have to know everything. You just have to pay attention.” One of the most important habits Noah has developed is
not something you will find on a checklist.“ Flip a bucket,” he says.“ Sit and observe your flock.” That quiet time, watching how birds eat, move and interact, helps Noah catch small changes before they become bigger problems. It also reinforces something many people are searching for when they consider raising chickens: a slower pace and a deeper connection to what they are building.
“ This lifestyle asks you to be present,” Noah says.“ That is not a chore. That is the point.”
Observation becomes especially important in spring, when birds are growing, routines are changing and new keepers are still learning what‘ normal’ looks like. Having simple systems in place helps those learning moments feel less overwhelming.
Keeping it Simple With a System
For new chicken owners, feeding is often where excitement turns into hesitation. Labels, supplements and conflicting advice can make feeding feel complicated, and that uncertainty can stop people from ever taking the first step.
“ I like to do my research,” Noah says,“ but I am not going to get a degree in animal nutrition.”
This is why he values a stage-based approach, like the Purina ® Farm to Flock 1-2-3 system, which is formulated
12 AcreageLife April 2026 AcreageLife. com