Chickens Magazine: History, Coverage and Contributors
Profile updated November 2026
Chickens magazine is a bimonthly title for backyard, urban and country poultry keepers, produced by the editors of Hobby Farms. It launched in February 2010, when the backyard chicken movement was taking off across American towns and suburbs, and it is now published by EG Media Investments LLC in print, by subscription and as a digital edition.
| Launched | February 2010 (on newsstands February 23, 2010) |
|---|---|
| Founding publisher | BowTie, Inc., Irvine, California |
| Current publisher | EG Media Investments LLC |
| Frequency | Bimonthly |
| Produced by | The editors of Hobby Farms |
| Launch editor | Roger Sipe |
| Official website | Chickens on Magzter |
History of Chickens
BowTie, Inc., of Irvine, California, then described as the world's largest publisher of pet, animal and lifestyle magazines, announced Chickens on February 10, 2010, and the premiere issue reached retailers such as Barnes and Noble, Borders and Hastings on February 23. Roger Sipe was named editor.
The magazine was produced by the editors of Hobby Farms, Hobby Farm Home and Urban Farm, BowTie's family of small-farm and homesteading titles. Its premiere issue covered brooder setup, the stages of egg development and protecting flocks from predators and bad weather, aiming at both novice and experienced keepers while also covering other poultry species.
Over the following years the Hobby Farms group of titles changed hands, and Chickens is now published by EG Media Investments LLC, which also holds the copyright on the Hobby Farms website.
Chickens Today
Chickens continues as a bimonthly sold on newsstands, by subscription and in digital editions. The January-February 2026 issue included a guide to bantams for beginners, an interview with poultry veterinarian Rebecca Gouranis about her career and her own flock, the annual Best of Cluck photo contest, and a profile of the Buckeye, a cold-hardy, dual-purpose breed with an all-American history.
Each issue mixes practical husbandry with the personal side of keeping birds, from keeper profiles to recipes for the eggs a healthy flock produces.
What Chickens Is Publishing Now
Breeds
Profiles of heritage, bantam and dual-purpose breeds, with advice on choosing birds for eggs, meat or temperament.
Health and husbandry
Nutrition, health care, predator prevention, and coop design and maintenance for backyard and larger flocks.
Keepers and kitchens
Profiles of chicken keepers, reader photo contests, recipes and poultry news.
Chickens Editors and Staff
Chickens is credited to the editors of Hobby Farms. People associated with the magazine include:
- Roger Sipe - Launch editor (2010)
- Erin Snyder - Contributor (January-February 2026 issue)
- Lesa Wilke - Contributor (January-February 2026 issue)
- Holly Callahan-Kasmala - Contributor (January-February 2026 issue)
- Chrisie Dicarlo - Contributor (January-February 2026 issue)
Current masthead editors were not named in the issue listings we reviewed.
Who Reads Chickens
Readers are hobby, urban and country poultry keepers, from first-time owners of three hens to small farmers selling eggs at the farm gate. That direct-to-consumer side of agriculture is significant: the 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 116,617 farms with direct sales totaling $3.3 billion, and 95 percent of U.S. farms are family farms.
Chickens magazine readers name their hens, photograph them for contests and know which one is laying in the wrong nest box. For a laugh between egg collections, farm.FM offers farm satire and farm humor in a deadpan rural voice, with ranch humor for anyone whose rooster thinks he is a cattle dog. Its farm jokes are free range, and some are even bantam-sized.
If the name is new to you, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site, with Tractor Tunes country music for farmers on the side. One of its regular writers keeps a whole archive of stories like that.
Chickens Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- PR Newswire: BowTie releases Chickens magazine - the 2010 launch announcement.
- Chickens, January-February 2026 - digital edition and issue contents.
- Hobby Farms - the sister magazine whose editors produce Chickens.
- USDA NASS: 2022 Census of Agriculture - family farms and direct-to-consumer sales.
- ATTRA (NCAT): Census insight - small and sustainable farm statistics.
Chickens FAQ
Who publishes Chickens magazine?
EG Media Investments LLC. It is produced by the editors of Hobby Farms.
When did Chickens magazine start?
BowTie, Inc. launched it in February 2010, with Roger Sipe as editor.
How often is Chickens magazine published?
Bimonthly, in print and digital editions.
What does Chickens magazine cover?
Breeds, health, nutrition, coop design, predator prevention, keeper profiles and recipes.
Sixteen years after its first issue, Chickens magazine is still a friendly guide for anyone with a coop out back.