I have often heard that things come in threes.  It was certainly true for us one cool March day. 

The day started with our sheltie/collie mix (we think) dogs running off.  They came back covered in greenbrier, duckweed, pond scum and “proud of ourselves” attitudes.  That evening after a 45 minute per dog clean-up we started a fire in the woodstove.  It was one of the first in quite some time.  We were enjoying its heat when our black cat, Mater, comes flying out of the bedroom not far in front of the dogs’ snouts.  He jumped to safety on the woodstove.  He had not expected it to be on.  One of the pads of his feet got burned.  After the shock of the moment, we raced after him.  We found him downstairs tending to his wound.  We covered it in ointment and wrapped it well.  Yeah, not cool for a cat.  He seemed more disturbed over the bandage than the burn, but it had to be done.

My husband and I got the kids to bed and sat down to relax.  We realized the chickens had not been put in yet.  We let them roam during the day and lock the coop at night when they return.  That night I presumed it would be an easy lockup.  What was I thinking?  I looked in before closing the door and what do you know, a raccoon looked back.  Are you kidding me?  I ran to the back door of our house and banged on the sliding glass door while yelling “there’s a coon in the coop!”  My husband jumped up and came out after only a few minutes.  He had his .22.  I said hey, “I can get him out.”  Apparently the day had taken a toll because getting a coon out of a coop without it scratching my eyes out is a joke.  Reluctantly I held the flashlight as my husband opened the coop window and sniped the masked mammal.  I could tell the chickens were relieved because they started moving again.  All except Snowball, the Polish top-hat male, who strutted around through the entire ordeal.  Once you see him it all makes sense.  His feathers stand up on his head as if he stuck a toe in a light socket. He is a far cry from the smooth, fluffy-feathered female.  Apparently his naiveté nature kept him safe.

Snowball, our Polish top-hat male, this is his typical look. 

We headed inside, locked the doors, and turned the lights out all without a word.  At that point there was nothing left to say.

When you have a bunch of kids around the hen house it’s bound to happen sooner or later.

One night when I came home from picking up my son from gymnastics, I was met by my husband, Marc who was telling me what a “bad Dad” he was. Okay… I did a quick assessment. Things couldn’t have been that bad, my youngest daughter, Emma was sitting in the dining room eating popcorn and daughter number two, Addy was at the sink washing off eggs.

Go on.

Apparently earlier in the evening, Marc and the girls had been putting the chickens away for the night, first they checked for eggs and, as it was starting to get dark, they then put the birds securely into the hen house. Making sure that all outside doors were locked up tight, Emma and Marc then went into the house, drank some water, and Emma proceeded to watch TV while Marc did the dishes.

It wasn’t until a bit later when Emma started wondering why Addy wasn’t watching TV with her that it occurred to Emma to look out the window.

“I saw Addy in the chicken coop with a red face” said Emma as she recounted the story to me.

Yup, that’s right.

My husband had accidentally locked our daughter in the coop. With all those chickens. At night.

Just for your information, if you ever decide to do this to your first born baby girl, this is what you will get:

Addy did have a red face because she was CRYING. I ask you – who wouldn’t be crying if left alone locked up with 34 birds – in the dark – where no one can hear you scream? If it sounds like the plot for a horror film, that’s because it is. Do you remember The Birds?  I personally know of one friend who would have just gone and had a heart attack right then and there and gotten it all over with.

Great. Now Addy’s going to have nightmares for the rest of her life about being left behind trapped in hell with a bunch of birds. Most parents mess their kids up by being too lenient, or by not paying enough attention, or by simply not knowing how to do the right thing.

Oh but not us, we mess up our kid by abandoning her with a flock of fowl.

Addy – feel free to send Daddy all your therapy bills when you get older. Sweetheart, on this account, I think “bad Dad” is going to be owing you. Big time.  

Wendy Thomas writes about the lessons learned while raising children and chickens in New Hampshire. Follow her adventures with the flock at www.simplethrift.wordpress.com and contact her at Wendy@SimpleThrift.com 

Sometimes when you order chickens, you are sent the wrong breed, variety, gender, or whatnot. So, when you order slow and steady Cornish Rock crossbred broiler chickens from an unnamed hatchery, instead you will receive some beautiful, flighty, and high strung purebred white-laced red heritage Cornish birds. While these birds are a lovely addition to your farm, you will find that they do not grow at the unnatural and alarming rate that the broilers do, thus leaving your farm market customers without fresh free-range chicken for a little while.

Because your customers are understanding, they are okay with missing a few weeks of chicken deliciousness, and the pretty Cornish’s lives are spared. Despite your parent’s concerns, you decide to keep these lovely young birds because, well, the current layers are approaching the age of old folk’s homes and may begin receiving their pensions soon, so replacement layers might be nice. Never mind that the websites all state that Cornish are not layers, ignore the fact that they are noted as being poor foragers, and forget the fact that these birds aren’t designed for cold weather habitation and your barn is not heated.

You embrace your new heritage chickens. You devise a business plan of hatching eggs from these rare birds and invest in a very cheap and unreliable incubator (it was on clearance, what can you do). After all, if you hatch enough of them, they might make nice meat birds for next year!

They grow. And grow. And grow. All of a sudden, they morph from adorable little half-grown widgets to three-quarters-grown monstrosities with long legs and teenager proportions. Worst of all, they have developed a habit of springing out of their brood box and racing across the floor, earning the name of “Crazies”. They will never be referred to as the Cornish again.

After a couple of months, the Crazies graduate from home living to the great outdoors. The young men grow into very handsome roosters. The most beautiful one is viciously murdered by the Nitwit Neighbor’s black standard poodle, so the second favorite remains as the superhot stud and the rest are sent away to a nice freezer somewhere. The young ladies are incorporated into layer pen to promptly enter womanhood.

Unfortunately, these birds will not enjoy womanhood. The sister wives band with their leader, Big Red, and literally fly the coop. A large pine tree in the yard becomes their new home. Night after night they roost in the tree. They are impossible to catch and begin to lay eggs, quite prolifically (take THAT Wikipedia), under the processing shed, right out of reach. Winter is approaching, and the months long outdoor party must soon end.

The most obvious approach would be to net them, but these are no ordinary birds. These chickens are masterminds of the art of evasion, like ninjas, or Taliban officials, or attractive men at the bar. They begin to recognize the net, and they flee at its approach, shimmying up the tree and squawking at the squirrels to get out of the way, the Reaper is approaching with her mesh gate to Hades.

There is only one solution. Call over the smallest sibling, Beans, and put her on the tallest sibling, Lars. Hand Beans the net, and line them up beside the tree. Brave your fear of heights and take your first steps into the chicken tree. You hear Big Red announcing your presence to the clan, which means you are getting close. When you see the hens, be sure to keep silent, for they will surely flee at your approach. Don’t even cry when you notice the pine sap on your pants, and please do not wet yourself when you glance at the flimsy branch holding the majority of your weight. Instead, creep closer to the branch holding most of the chickens. With a loud, “Woohoo!”, alerting the siblings below, shake that branch as hard as you can. Chickens will spring out of the tree like fireworks, and Beans will catch them in the netted gate to Hades as Lars tries desperately to stay upright. At least three birds will be caught today, most importantly, Big Red has been captured.

Cattle Cait – 1
Crazies – 0

Assorted Cornish hens, plotting their next escape out of the commune. 

There’s some very cold weather in the Northeast these days and we are consistently getting dangerous temperatures that dip below zero. When it’s freezing like this, we make sure our kids have all the proper winter clothing on when they go outdoors (yes, even the hat that “ruins” your hair style) and we kick ourselves for not bringing in the mail which we had absently mindedly left on the car seat after getting it yesterday on our way to the store. Now we have to boot and coat-up to go outside in the cold just to find out what bills need to be paid.

Those of us with chickens can feel a bit of guilt during these cold snaps. The poor things, we think as we periodically check in on the coop hoping that we don’t find birds that have frozen to death. They must be absolutely miserable.

It’s this feeling sorry for them that causes a few chicken owners to even put heating lamps in their coops. They think they’re creating a spot, like Bob Cratchit’s candle where the chickens can come over and warm their feathers, if only for a little while.  It worked when they were chicks, they remind themselves, why wouldn’t it work now?

But it just doesn’t work that way. In the typical coop, a heating lamp does more to assuage the guilt of the owner than it does to keep the birds warm. A typical lamp using a 150watt bulb is simply no match for temps below zero. And with chickens being chickens, there is a good chance that the light will get moved. I’ve heard of more than one coop fire starting from a heating lamp that had fallen over.

Instead of the lamp, the more effective move would be to inspect the henhouse for cracks in the walls, if you can provide protection from the wind (while still allowing ventilation at the top) you’ll do more for your birds than any lamp ever could.

And while I’m wouldn’t say that the chickens have a great time in the extreme cold, they do well on their own. Chickens handle the cold because they are supremely designed to keep themselves warm.

Take a good look at your flock. Doesn’t it look like the birds are a little “fuller” than usual? That’s because the hens know to fluff up their feathers when it gets cold. By fluffing up, they are creating small air pockets that trap the heat from their body. It’s literally how a down coat works.

Some night, go out to your coop and place your hand between two roosting birds. When you feel the heat that is generated from their bodies, you’ll probably feel a little better about leaving your birds in the cold. Honestly, with our old house, I think that on some nights, our flock stays warmer than we do.   As long as your hens have plenty of roosting bars and can roost together, they will huddle next to each other creating the same heat of your very best down blanket. In extreme cold, because they already know what to do, your flock will be just fine.

There are a few flock health considerations to keep in mind when the temperatures drop:

• Extreme cold can cause stress in a flock and with stress can come pecking behavior. Regularly inspect your flock to see if any birds have injuries or large amounts of skin exposed. Birds that have been compromised should be moved to a rehab area until they have healed.
• Even with feathers, creating heat requires energy. When it gets very cold, consider supplementing your chicken’s diet with seeds and some suet for added fat.
• Water freezes quickly, it is especially important during extreme cold to make sure your flock has a constant supply of water.

A “fluffed-up” chicken who knows how to keep herself warm. 

Our Nubian dairy goat Gretta  

I love to read the stories of how people started farming. Some were raised by farmers, and just as you inherit your Aunt Mildred’s green eyes, you get the farm gene. It’s in your blood, in your family, and many would never think to do anything else with their life.
 

Our heritage Black Spanish turkey  

Some of my favorite stories are the romantic ones, the fish out of water tales, where the city slicker throws caution to the winds, gives up the office with a window and moves to the country to raise cows, or chickens, or corn. I admire them; their bravery and gumption.  

A Connecticut Field Pumpkin from our heirloom pumpkin patch  

Our path to farming has been a different process. A series of baby steps directed towards our idea as to what life should look like, what food should look like, what success should look like; with a promise to trust ourselves, to see progress in perhaps a different light and chase it one system at a time.  

Our Angora Buckling Ichabod, his head is on his sister Beatrix’ back  

We’ve always been do-it-yourselfers. Some may say, to an extreme, but really it’s just walking backwards. It’s tracing back the steps of a skill to the source. If I could learn to knit, could I learn to make yarn, could I raise the animals that produce the fiber, could I grow the food that the fiber animals ate? And the path continues, walking backwards towards the source of sustenance. And surprisingly enough, it’s always simpler than we thought.  

Our Rhode Island Red chicken  

I’ve raised chickens since I was 14, a small victory with my father one Saturday afternoon at the feed store during Chick Days. A weekend errand to buy a bag of thistle for the cedar bird feeder on our deck, that turned into a box of chicks and a lifestyle that would carry through to my adulthood and eventually involve my husband Zach, who is just as addicted as I am.

 
Our pair of Pekin Ducks  

That box of chicks was the beginning of our journey, an inspiration that has brought us to our 14 acre farm where we now raise a herd of Angora goats for fiber; a herd of dairy goats that provide us with delicious milk, a flock of chickens, heritage turkeys and two bossy ducks. We also raise bees, hay our field, and grow a large organic garden and heirloom pumpkin patch.

The cross peen hammer with a hand forged tool to help make hand forged nails on the anvil 

My husband Zach chased his joy of working with metal back to the craft of blacksmithing, which he now enjoys in the traditional artisan manner: hammer, anvil and coal forge.

Our beehive showing the inner frames and some wayward comb building  

Here at Iron Oak Farm, we are still on a journey and I’m excited to have the opportunity to share that journey with the GRIT community. Our attempt at this process has led us to so many different adventures. Some successful, some, well…not so much. At times it feels as though we’re on a treadmill, stuck in one spot and other times, it feels as though  we’re running in a hundred different directions. But it doesn’t take long for the farm to remind us to slow down, to stroll, to cherish the small steps that add up to a beautiful set of goals and a satisfying lifestyle.

 As I sit at my computer on this cold winter's day, I seem to be making quite a few observations.  I thought I would share them with you! 

• We had a very merry Christmas here at Green Eggs & Goats!  We dodged a bullet last night by not being hit with the worst of the storms, and for that we are truly blessed!  We were even rewarded with a little snow this morning (a rare event indeed in Alabama!)

• Apparently, although, my goats run for the barn at the first raindrop, standing in the snow doesn't bother them!  We never got any snow last year for me to observe that!

• My ducks aren't as crazy as I thought!  Generally, although they have plenty of places to seek shelter, they prefer just to paddle around the pond at night, or at least any time we try to herd them toward the barn.  They also lay their eggs wherever they darn please.  Well, last night we had particularly stormy, nasty weather, and this morning, lo and behold, there were 2 ducks eggs in the nest boxes in the barn, exactly where they belong!  Score!  We'll see how long that lasts.

  

•   The mud pit is back.  Our pasture turned into an absolute mud pit last winter.  We purchased the house in the summer, so we had never really thought of what it might be like during other seasons.  Last winter, the pasture turned into an absolute mud pit!  We still had hope that the mud was due to excessive rain, and was an isolated event.  Well, it's winter again, a nd the mud is back.  On the bright side, our pond is completely filled again! 

• I need new rain boots!  My parents bought me some last Christmas and I just loved them, but apparently, I wore them just a tad more than the manufacturer intended.  By spring, they were no longer waterproof.  I am now looking at more heavy-duty options.  Maybe Muck Boots like these, what do you think?

 

 

• My chickens seem to have roundworm.  I am currently researching natural options for worming them. It is always something around here!

• My final observation of the day is that I need to fill our propane tank!  Our house has a propane fireplace insert in the living room, and a wall heater in my computer room. The tank was empty when we moved in, and we managed last winter without filling it, but this is shaping up to be a much colder winter here in Alabama, and I may just need some auxiliary heat!

That's all for now!  I hope you all had a very merry Christmas, I can hardly wait to see what 2013 holds for us.  It is already looking like it will be a year of fun and changes for us!

Thanks for stopping by!  If you liked what you saw, please visit the Green Eggs & Goats Blog and "like" us on Facebook !  

 

Gotta fix the fence.

Here at Green Eggs and Goats, it seems to always be feast or famine when it comes to eggs.  We never seem to just have a constant supply.  Over the weekend, we found 2 clutches of hidden eggs, so I have those in a bowl on the counter.  While I believe them to all be perfectly fine and they all sunk in water, I would not sell these.  I crack them into a separate cup before mixing them with others just in case one is older than I thought. 

 A bowl of Cayuga duck eggs 

(no they aren't dirty, they just lay grey, streaky eggs)  

At the same time, my ducks and hens seem to have decided that they want to pick back up their laying!  The current count on my counter is 33 eggs, and I'm completely out of egg cartons!  While I am ecstatic about the sudden influx of eggs, it can occasionally leave me feeling a little overwhelmed, so that is why I decided to make this list of possible uses for the eggs!

  

My Ceremic Egg Holder Overfloweth 

 

When you have eggs coming out your ears, you basically have 8 choices:

1. Sell them.  Research a fair price, don't try to undersell or oversell your market!
2. Eat them.  More about that in a minute.
3. Freeze them.  I'll admit that I've never done this, but I know others do it various ways.  You do have to crack them into something else first, but they say it works.  Google it.
4. Give them away.  Your friends and neighbors will love you forever!
5. Feed them back to your chickens.  Eggs are an excellent source of protein for your flock, just boil them up, crush them shell and all and take them too the birds.  They will love you forever too.
6. Hatch them.  OK, I don't currently hatch my own eggs, but this might be a great option for some, especially if you keep just one breed, or if you keep your chickens separated by breed.
7. Let them sit around and go bad.  BAD option.  Don't do this one!  Use those eggs!

Admittedly, some of those options are better than others.  Let's talk more about my favorite option, eating them!  Sometimes we have to be creative and use our eggs in meal after meal without feeling like we are in an eggs eating rut.  Here are some great food ideas that use up a lot of eggs, and an estimate of how many eggs it will use up, although I suppose it depends on how many people you are cooking for!

1. Quiche (5-6 eggs) 
2. Breakfast Casserole (6 eggs)
3. Egg Drop Soup (2 eggs)
4. Fried Rice  (3 eggs)
5. Pioneer Woman's Pot de Creme (4 eggs)
6. Pound Cake (3 eggs for a loaf pan, a bundt cake usually uses 6)
7. Eggnog (4 eggs)
8. Croque Madame (basically a ham & cheese sandwich with a fried egg on top - 1 egg per person)
9. Soft 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls (3 eggs)
10. Crepes (3 eggs)
11. Grits and Sausage Casserole (3 eggs)
12. Egg Salad (8 eggs)
13. Deviled Eggs (6 minimum for our family)
14. Boiled eggs (ok, this one seems obvious, but what about keeping some boiled eggs on hand for a quick breakfast or a healthy snack?)
15. Chocolate banana bread (2 eggs) Trust me, you want to make this bread!

 

 

Eggs, Eggs, Everywhere!  

They are even trying to take over my fruit bowl!

I'm sure there are a million other recipes for using up eggs, these are just some things I'm thinking about cooking.  What about you?  What do you like to cook with eggs?

Thanks for stopping by!  If you like what you read, please check out our Green Eggs and Goats blog and "like" us on Facebook !  

As a parent, teaching my daughters the significance of Christmas is a responsibility I take seriously. Competing with the commercial noise generated by the retail industry can be a challenge, but not one that intimidates me. This year, I was determined to find fun, age-appropriate ways to engage my children in dialogue about the true meaning of the holiday beginning with a nativity scene.

 In searching for the perfect nativity scene, I found myself gravitating towards handmade, simple sets the girls would be able to play with and rearrange while fabricating scripts to their versions of the Christmas pageant. Looking at several nativity sets that were egg-themed, it occurred to me that eggs are the perfect vehicle for conveying the message of Jesus' birth, the egg itself being a symbol of new life. 

 I have plenty of blown eggs on-hand, courtesy of my backyard chickens and got busy crafting a nativity scene for my children.

How-to details :Since the eggs already had holes in each end, I sealed up the bottoms with hot glue, immediately dipping them in sand. This gives the egg some weight on the bottom and seals the bottom hole. I next funneled some sand through the top hole to give the egg some stability.  

Using scraps of material I have around the house, I began folding, hot gluing and dressing the Magi.

You'd never guess that Disney played a role in clothing the Wisemen, would you? Don't tell my daughters that I upcycled their tattered, Snow White dress, it was for a worthy cause! 

I stained some scrap wood with the faux barnwood technique here. My husband then made the barn structure, manger and a simple tray for displaying the nativity scene.  

I filled the base of the tray using the sand we keep for replenishing our coop floors and runs. I decided that sand was going to be the only substrate that would keep the pageant participants standing.  

The star was made by my children from cinnamon, applesauce and glue. Joseph's belt is made from jute and his staff, paper-covered craft wire.

I finished the creche in the wee hours of the morning and was delightfully surprised to find that someone had added their own, special touch to it.  ♥

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• 10.  I never have to run to the store for eggs!

• 9.  My chickens love me!  They follow me around hoping that I will throw them some scratch grains or some meal worms!

• 8.  Speaking of worms, chickens provide excellent natural pest control!

• 7.  Pastured eggs are much more nutritious than factory-farm raised eggs.

• 6.  Baby chicks are SO CUTE!!

• 5.  Mean roosters still taste great!

• 4.  You feel a real connection with the food cycle.

• 3.  It is a wonderful learning experience to share with the children in your life!

• 2.  Chickens provide better entertainment than the television!

• 1.  With a flock of chickens, I am one step closer to food independence!  

I had the best of intentions to write this update several weeks ago. We had just returned from the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, PA and I was so excited to write all about it! Then life happened, as it usually does. For the last several weeks it seems we have just tried to keep up with all that has been going on. Add our entire family of five getting sick together and my laptop hard drive going out to our normal hectic lifestyle and … WHEW! So here I am, a month late but still excited to share our experience! It would take a book to describe our entire weekend, so here are a few of our favorite highlights!  

Andrew and I have wanted to go to the Mother Fair for several years. There has always been one reason or another why we couldn’t go. This year, the Seven Springs, PA fair fell on the same weekend as a very special event. Andrew and I both turned 30 the 3 ^rd week of September! What better way to celebrate than with a trip to the Mother Earth News Fair?   

Now don’t go thinking this was all just fun and games. We had another agenda. The last few weeks before the Fair, we reviewed all of the seminars and read the details about each segment including the speakers. As much as we were looking forward to having fun, we needed to learn as well! Andrew and I are planning to add bees to the farm next year. Beyond that, we want to construct a hydroponics green house complete with stocked fish tank. We are also raising a pair of young milk cows, with plans to make our own milk, butter, and cheese in the future. Many of the speakers attending this year’s Fair were speaking on these topics. Not to mention my farm hero, Joel Salatin was giving several seminars! I would have made the entire trip just to hear him once.   

So September 20 ^th rolled around. The day of my 30 ^th birthday! We spent nearly 14 hours in the truck driving up to PA. On the way through Abingdon, VA we just couldn’t resist a stop at the Heartwood Gallery. My Mom had told me about this place on her last visit through the area, and I am so glad I got the chance to view it myself!  

The Heartwood is a beautiful gallery full of many different types of art. Woodworking, quilts, paintings, weaving, and even musical instruments, it’s all there. Here are a few of my favorites.  

Our first full day in Pennsylvania was beautiful. Bright skies, warm weather, and lots to see and do! We arrived early so we could spend some time walking around to vendors before starting our seminar experience. There were around 220 vendors there that week, farther than the eye could see outside as well as inside the resort.  

Our first seminar was given by William Woys Weaver on heritage seeds. I was interested in hearing him speak, but I really did not expect to enjoy it so much. Instead of just a generic run down of heritage stock, he wove a wonderful history of food, people, and how “seeds are the common heritage of all Mankind. They are the hope of our shared destiny.” Mr. Weaver highlighted the many benefits of heritage stock. Such as the higher nutrient content, ability to reproduce like offspring, and multi-use crops like the sickle pea which can be used fresh or dried as well as having edible leaves.  

One of the things I appreciated most about Mr. Weaver’s speech was his attention to the difference in nutrients found in modern commercial vegetables vs. their heritage counterparts. He mentioned this could play a big part in our modern obesity problem. “You have to eat more of empty foods to feel full,” he said. Organically raised heirlooms have as much nutrients in one pound as one and a half pounds of the commercial option. This is not only important for your waistline, but your pocket book as well!  

Later in the evening Friday we had our first opportunity to hear Joel Salatin. In his “Can We Feed the World?” seminar he covered the major reasons why our current food system just isn’t working. I believe his major point he wanted to make was that we have broken the natural biological cycle. This began with the invention of cheap N,P,K chemical fertilizers in agriculture. Then evolved into cheaply produced commercial monoculture agriculture. While N,P,K chemical fertilizers were originally hailed as the solution to the problem of poor soils, they are actually making the problem worse. These fertilizers are temporary, chemical and non-renewable replacements for what we should be using; manure. Manure not only contains N,P and K but also an entire host of both macro and micro minerals required for healthy plants and healthy people. Unlike chemical fertilizers, manure also provides a layer of organic compost which builds the top soil.     

Joel went on to say that yes, it is possible for us to end hunger and feed the world. However the problem is not a shortage of food, but an issue of distribution. Until our mindset and behaviors change towards agriculture, we cannot feed the world. Here’s why… 50% of the food produced here is trashed. Why is all of that food trashed? For starters, consumers only want pretty food. All of that bruised or blemished produce goes to waste. Then there is the issue of transportation. When food has to travel 1500 miles before making it to your shopping cart, there is bound to be a substantial loss since fresh fruits and vegetables are perishable.  

“Commercial agriculture stands on the shoulders of devastation,” Joel said. If instead of contributing to this cycle of chemical fertilizers, mass production, transportation, and tasteless tomatoes more people would choose to eat local and eat sustainable we could change the world. He gave many examples of how to do this. Including pruning and fertilizing cropland with animals and their manure. Using electric fence to “mob graze” pastures was one way he suggested to keep pasture healthy, fertilized and productive. For this session, Joel ended with a quote which stuck with me “Nature responds to our touch and our care far more than to chemicals and corporations.”   

Now, somewhere between William Weaver and Joel Salatin we got hungry! In our search for food we ran across something we had never had before. A hempzel! Yes, a pretzel made with hemp. Who would have thought that would actually be good? 

Now Friday evening was busy, but it wasn’t extremely crowded. We managed to get to each of our seminars we were interested in. So back in our rooms Friday evening we laid out our plan for Saturday. Saturday morning arrived, not at all like Friday! Cool, wet, and overcast. Once we arrived to the grounds an hour early we were shocked at the crowd! Our first seminar for the day was “Pluck a Lotta Chicken” where standing room only was an understatement! There were people sitting in the floors with others standing over them.  

In this seminar with Joel and David Schafer from Featherman equipment there was an actual live demonstration of processing chickens. They literally did four chickens from kill cone to finished in less than five minutes. Amazing! What we wouldn’t give to have the featherman processing equipment! Ah, well. At least I came home with a new kill cone for our chickens. Here you can see Joel demonstrating the proper way to clean a chicken. He moved so quickly, I could not keep up with what his hands were doing. The man standing over him had a video camera that broadcast the whole process onto large screens at the front of the room.  

Now, I already mentioned how much more crowded Saturday was. It only took us a few hours to realize we had a problem! With so little time between seminars, it wasn’t possible to get from one location to the next and still get a seat. This wasn’t a problem on Friday, with a smaller crowd and pretty weather we could just stand around the edges of the outdoor tents and most of the rooms. However, once we got to the seminar outside on beekeeping with top bar hives, there were no seats and the standing room available was not sheltered. We decided to do some more walking around instead of braving the weather way in the back where it was hard to see and hear. We ran into this problem again later when it began to rain, hard! Of coarse when it started raining we were standing under the edge of a tent, right where the water was falling. So we did miss a few seminars that day where we just couldn’t arrive soon enough to get a seat. Even when we skipped one to get to the next in time, we couldn’t get seats together. Apparently everyone had that same idea at the same time! 

We split up some for the afternoon sessions. I was determined to see the Gardening with Chickens seminar outside, and by that time it was very wet and cool outside. So the others headed indoors where it was warm and dry. I am so glad I battled the weather! Though the blowing rain did prevent me from getting pictures of “Oprah Henfree” the gorgeous hen on display. The topic of using animal manure as compost and fertilizer was at the forefront here too. The point was again made that hybrids, GMO’s and factory meats actually cause nutritional hunger. They are developed for fast growth, looks, and easy growing instead of nutrient value. For instance, broccoli grown in 1950 had a calcium level of 13mg per serving, now that level is only 4.4 mg! But it sure looks pretty on the grocery store shelf.  

One of the easiest and most efficient ways to increase biomass in the soil, improve fertility, and grow bigger harvests is by incorporating chickens into your gardening program. This idea is not just an American one. In Flounders, Belgium the solid waste department had a serious issue with to much garbage. Regrettably, a large percentage of the waste being produced was scraps and edible waste. So the authorities began a program that gave any family who enrolled in the program three free chickens to use for garbage disposal! What a concept. Imagine, if the city of New York gave a pair of chickens to all of its citizens? How many tons of waste would be spared from the landfills daily? 

Another great example that was used is the Vermont Compost Company. They operate a waste pick up program for restaurants, prisons, and schools. They collect all edible wastes, and dump them by the truckloads onto a five-acre property. Here they have 1200 composting chickens and a handful of livestock guardian dogs. None of these animals have to be fed any additional feeds, because they consume the food waste. They are capable of consuming four TONS of waste in one year! There are three benefits to this:

• 1)Less garbage sitting in plastic bags in landfills
• 2)Compost produced as a by-product is available for farmers and gardeners
• 3)1,000 dozen (yes, 1000 dozen!) eggs are produced each month

Wow! How impressive is that? This program is something that every county, in every state of America could easily do. Imagine being able to create that many eggs in a month, and that much compost for FREE as by-products of a garbage collection system.  I also picked up several great ideas on how to use chickens to prepare raised beds as well as using them in traditional gardens for weed and pest control. 

We wound down our Saturday evening with another session with Joel Salatin. This one, “Folks This Ain’t Normal” was informative, funny, and spot on. Here he basically reviewed the topics covered in his book by the same name that I was actually reading at the time of the Fair. For anyone who hasn’t read the book, I would definitely recommend it!  

We did manage to catch a few other seminars, but these were my favorite of the weekend. Of coarse we didn’t just sit in seminars all day! There were so many vendors to see it took the entire weekend to explore them all! We came home with shitake mushroom logs, new angled hoes, kill cones, shirts, books, and magazines. It will take me until the New Year at least to read everything I came home with! I definitely see an entire blog update later on Joel Salatin’s books. He really has the same outlook on commercial agriculture as we do. 

While driving back to the hotel one evening, we ran across a really neat place called Fletchers Farm Market. This family ran market was established in 1949. They grow all sorts of seasonal produce, and at the time of our visit they were stocked full of a variety of pumpkins, gourds, apples, and peppers.

This is what actually drew our eye at first to them. The pumpkin on the bottom weighed in at 891 pounds. The big guy on top was 1050 pounds! And to think, I thought my 8-pound pie pumpkins were big this year!

We came home at the end of the weekend so tired, but also so excited! The knowledge we gained on this trip was definitely worth the 14-hour drive! I also came away with a sense of calm and contentment knowing that there are others out there just as crazy as we are! So many times we get that odd look or the question “why?” from those we know. Why bother with all this trouble? Why spend so much time on animals, grass, and gardening when we could be having fun? Why stay here instead of going out and taking vacations? This trip provided the encouragement I needed to know that we are on the right track for our family! 

We are really hoping to be able to attend again next year. There is a rumor that in 2013 Mother Earth is adding a new location that is a bit closer to us! Regardless of where it is, I know we will go back. Maybe not next year, but we will be back. It was just to great not to! 

Want to see more pictures of our trip? Check out our Facebook page at "Ans Farms."

    Behold, our half-completed chicken tractor! The Marans are getting a little big for their feathered britches, so my girlfriend and I worked up some new digs. I've got a pretty palatial doghouse (with a covered porch, even) that I got from some friends who needed to get rid of it (they built it from the plans that appeared in the first issue of GRIT Country), and some scrap cedar cutoffs I got from a fence contractor.   

 

 

    We'd love to have a dog, but because we're renting, fencing the property just isn't in the cards - and I'm not an indoor dog kind of guy, for the most part. The doghouse has sat vacant for several months, and surprisingly, none of the local critters or roaming canines have taken up residence. When we realized that it was time to give our feathered charges a new, outdoor home, it immediately came to mind. It's a little on the heavy side, the base having been constructed from 2x6, but that'll keep it stable, and help prevent predators from getting free helpings of my grass-fed eggs. 

    

    

    

I have never wormed any of our chickens with a commercial wormer. Many experts recommend 'proactive' worming with a wormer twice a year, but I don't believe in administering any medications unless absolutely necessary.

Instead I rely on holistic preventatives. I have never had any trouble with worms in my flock, and actually have had fecal samples taken and no sign of worms have ever been found.

I use pumpkin seeds (fall), garlic (year round) and nasturtium (spring/summer) to combat worms year round because all are perfectly healthy and natural, with no withdrawal period during which you can't eat the eggs.

PUMPKIN SEEDS

There are varying opinions on this subject and not much study has been done, but raw ground pumpkin seeds are thought to be a natural dewormer not only for chickens and ducks, but for sheep and goats as well. Twice a year, spring and fall, it is suggested that you feed your girls ground raw pumpkin seeds free-choice for a week.

The pumpkin seeds (as well as other squash in the cucurbitaceae family such as winter, butternut and crookneck squash) are coated with a substance called cucurbitacin that paralyzes the worms, and then the yogurt and molasses flush the worms out of the chickens' systems.  Although there isn't much information or scientific evidence out there to prove or disprove the effectiveness of pumpkin seeds to combat intestinal worms, our chickens love the pumpkin, so I figure it can't hurt.

Pumpkins also contain antioxidants, as well as high levels of Vitamin A, both of which strengthen immune systems and help our flock better combat illness. The beta carotene in the pumpkins contributes to vibrant orange egg yolks as well as bright orange duck bills and feet. Another substance in the pumpkin, phytosterol, is thought to lower cholesterol, so I believe it probably makes our eggs lower in cholesterol as well. 

Bottom line, the pumpkin and garlic, as well as the nasturtium, are nutritious, so I figure there's no harm....and besides, we've never had any problem with worms - so I'm a believer.

I also love to take it one step further and make our chickens Pumpkin Soup.

In the fall I save our Halloween pumpkins and grind up the seeds and pulp. In the spring I buy a bag of hulled plain pumpkin seeds and a can of pureed pumpkin and grind them up in my coffee grinder. Then I make soup.

Pumpkin Soup (serves 8-10 hens)

One entire bulb crushed fresh garlic
2 cups raw oatmeal
One shredded carrot
8 Tablespoons ground raw pumpkin seeds
1 Tablespoon blackstrap molasses
Pumpkin pulp in the fall from two small pumpkins (or one can of pumpkin puree in the spring)

Blend it all in the food processor and add enough plain unflavored yogurt to achieve a 'soupy' consistency.

Then pour some soup into each pumpkin half, garnish it with shredded carrot and serve it up ! Our chickens clearly love it! And when they are done with the soup they will eat the bowl!

References: For more information on using garlic and also nasturtium as well as the references for this information, please read my blog article Pumpkin Soup, Garlic & Nasturtium - Natural Wormers?

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We’re not accustomed to hurricanes here in the Northeast part of the United States and neither are our backyard chickens. With the forecast calling for Hurricane Irene to pay us a visit, I took a crash-course in hurricane preparedness while we waited and thought I would share what I learned. Take care and stay safe.

WHAT IS A HURRICANE AND WHAT ARE THE HAZARDS?   

A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone, which is a generic term for a low pressure system that generally forms in the tropics. The
cyclone is accompanied by thunderstorms and, in the Northern Hemisphere, a counter-clockwise circulation of winds near the earth's surface. The main hazards associated with hurricanes are storm surge, high winds, heavy rain, and flooding, as well as tornadoes.

A storm surge is a large dome of water, 50 to 100 miles wide, that sweeps across the coastline near where a hurricane makes landfall.
It can be more than 15 feet deep at its peak. The surge of high water topped by waves is devastating. Along the coast, storm surge is the greatest threat to life and property. 
 

Hurricane winds not only damage structures, but the barrage of debris they carry is quite dangerous to anyone caught out in them. Damaging winds begin well before the hurricane eye makes landfall. 

Tropical cyclones frequently produce huge amounts of rain, and flooding can be a significant problem, particularly for inland communities. A typical hurricane brings at least 6 to 12 inches of rainfall to the area it crosses.
 

Tornadoes spawned by land-falling hurricanes can cause enormous destruction. As a hurricane moves towards shore, tornadoes often develop on the fringes of the storm. 

excerpts taken from:http://hurricanes.noaa.gov/pdf/hurricanebook.pdf  

BASIC PROVISIONS FOR EVERYONE   

Regardless of where your flock rides-out the hurricane, there are basic preparations all of us should make.

Stock up on enough feed to last your flock at least one week.  

Buy extra feed in case it is not readily available following the hurricane.  

Store feed at least 2 feet above ground in a dry, flood-proof area. 

Stockpile enough water to last at least one week. Each chicken will require at least one gallon of water for every three days. If water becomes scarce, cut back on feed intake. 

Stock up your chicken first aid kit with basic veterinary supplies: bandages, Vetwrap, triple antibiotic ointments, etc.).

IF POSSIBLE, BRING YOUR FLOCK INSIDE  

If at all possible, evacuate your chickens to an indoor space like a garage or basement. Damage to the coop from high winds or a tornado can injure or kill them. 

Dog crates or rabbit hutches make great temporary quarters for small flocks. Wooden pallets can be used to create a makeshift
pen indoors. A tarp on the floor of a bathroom, covered with pine shavings can serve as a temporary holding area. Even cardboard boxes can be used as temporary crates. 

If you’ve got the time and basic sewing skills, here’s a YouTube video that shows how to make chicken diapers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm_-glNJlns  

PROTECTING YOUR FLOCK OUTSIDE   

If it is not possible to bring your chickens inside, there are measures you can take to heighten their safety during a hurricane. Most damage to coops, runs and flocks results from wind and flying objects, therefore, protecting them from these dangers ahead of the hurricane greatly reduces the risks. 

Trim dead wood and weak or overhanging branches from all trees around your coop.

Coops can be strapped down to ground ties as trailers are to reduce wind damage. 

Inspect your coop and run closely for loose boards, roofing, fencing, etc. Secure any found. 

Remove anything from inside the coop/run to reduce the risk of injury to your chickens by flying objects e.g.: loose boards, empty buckets, seats, decorative items, etc. 

Unplug or turn off all electrical power and water in the coop to prevent damage when power is restored.  

Do not put yourself at risk checking on chickens that remain outside but do check on them immediately following the hurricane.  

Securely close all doors and windows. Nail doors and windows shut, if possible. Nail ¾” thick plywood or boards over large windows.

Brace any weak walls. 

Check that roof rafters are securely fastened to the wall studs. 

Install hurricane straps or clips to help keep your roof attached to the walls.

AFTER THE STORM HAS PASSED   

Check for injured chickens and tend to any that need first-aid.

Separate any injured birds from the rest of the flock. Chickens will peck at the injuries of other chickens, creating further damage and possibly killing them. 

Most animals are accustomed to being outside in bad weather but will be stressed from the hurricane, Adding vitamins and electrolytes to the water can help those who have become dehydrated.

Ensure a clean supply feed and water.   

Do not use feed that has been in contact with flood waters.  

Check your outdoor area to make sure that the area is clear of hazards such as broken glass, downed wires and fallen trees
before letting your chickens out of the coop. 

Beware of displaced wildlife (predators). The homes of wild animals get damaged during hurricanes and they will be active
after the storm. Shore up any breaches in coop security that may have occurred during the storm.

This is not an exhaustive list of things that you can do to keep your flock safe, but I hope that you find it a good resource for getting
started. 

 
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What is the difference between an Araucana, Ameraucana and Easter Egger chicken? If you’re confused, you’re not alone. Even the experts disagree on some aspects of the histories of these chickens. I hope the following clears up a few of the basics for you.

 ARAUCANAS 

Araucana photo used with permission from http://www.hinkjcpoultry.com  

Araucanas were recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) as a breed in 1976. They are blue egg layers with yellow skin, no tails, no beards and no muffs. They possess ear tufts, which are feathers that grow from a slender, fleshy flap just below the ear. The APA recognizes five colors of Araucana: Black, Black Breasted Red, Golden Duckwing, Silver Duckwing and White.

“Araucanas were first bred in the United States in the 1930's. They came from a cross between two breeds from Northern Chile, Colloncas and Quetros. Colloncas have no ear tufts but are rumpless and lay blue eggs; Quetros have ear tufts and tails but do not lay blue eggs.”   http://www.araucana.net/images/ACA_Images/Araucana_Alan_Stanford_Article.pdf 

Araucanas are frequently confused with Ameraucanas and Easter Eggers, not only due to misinformation, but often knowingly by unscrupulous sellers. Araucanas are scarce in the United States, likely due to the genetic challenges in breeding. The tufted gene in Araucana is a lethal gene. Two copies of the gene cause nearly 100% mortality in offspring (usually between days 18-21 of incubation). Because no living Araucana possesses two copies of the tufted gene, breeding any two tufted birds leads to half of the resulting chicks being tufted with one copy of the gene, one quarter of the chicks being clean-faced with no copy of the gene, and one quarter of the embryos dead in the shell, having received two copies of the gene.

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/poultry/chickens/araucana/  

http://www.araucana.net/  

http://www.araucana.net/images/ACA_Images/Araucana_Alan_Stanford_Article.pdf  

http://www.araucana.com/index2.htm  

AMERAUCANAS  

Ameraucanas have been bred from different strains of Araucanas since at least 1960 in the United States. The American Poultry Association recognized Ameraucanas as a breed in 1984. For an extraordinarily thorough and fascinating history of Ameraucanas, please see http://www.ameraucana.org/history.html  

Ameraucanas lay blue eggs. Other traits include a pea comb, white skin, full tails, muffs and beards (always together), and slate or black legs; they have no ear tufts. The APA recognizes these colors: Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Sliver, Wheaten and White.

While Ameraucanas are more common in the United States than Araucanas, they are available only through reputable breeders, regardless of advertisements by hatcheries and other large-scale, distribution sources. If you are in the market for Ameraucanas and see an advertisement for "Americanas," be forewarned: there is no such breed. There is no "I" in Ameraucana.

http://www.ameraucana.org/history.html  http://www.ameraucana.org/history.html  http://www.ameraucana.org/scrapbook.html 

EASTER EGGERS  

Easter Eggers (EEs) are not an APA recognized breed, they are a mix of different breeds. They are sometimes referred to as 'Rainbow Layers.' Easter Eggers are essentially descendants of Araucanas and Ameraucanas on one side of the family, and any other breed on the other side of the family. Easter Eggers do not breed true. To 'breed true' means that purebred chicks resemble both parents.

According to the Easter Egg Club of America, EEs are "the most popular chicken in America today."*  Easter Eggers lay a wide range of egg colors, including: any hue of blue and green and even pink on occasion. Other common EE traits include pea combs and wattles that are either small or absent.  They often have greenish legs and beards and muffs, but not necessarily. They can have any skin color. Their leg color can range from green to slate and even yellow. They can be found in an infinite array of feather colors, which makes them a beautiful and unique.

   Eggs from an Olive Egger

OLIVE EGGER:   An Olive Egger is a specific type of Easter Egger, that is produced by crossing any dark brownegg-laying breed (Barnevelder, Empordanesa, Marans, Pendesenca or Welsummers) with ablue egg-laying breed (Ameraucanas, Araucanas, Easter Eggers). The hens of these pairings will produce a green egg.

  

      

 Olive Egger adolescents (except for the one Black Copper Marans as labelled)

 http://www.eastereggers.com/     

The photos of Ameraucanas and Easter Eggers on this page are from my own flock, except for the Araucanas, which are captioned accordingly.

 

Araucana hen

Araucana Rooster

Blue Ameraucana chicks (Bessie & Clarice)

Black Ameraucana chickens (approx. 9 weeks old. One Blue Ameraucana to the left of the bench)

Blue Ameraucana hen

Blue Ameraucana hen

Black Ameraucana hen

A sleepy Easter Egger chick (4 days old)

Easter Egger chick (2 weeks old)

Easter Eggers (approximately 12 weeks old)

Easter Egger Hen with scissor beak aka: crossed beak.

 Olive Egger hen.

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I’m a planner. I like to know what to expect when embarking on a new endeavor so that I can be as prepared as possible to handle situations as they arise. Before I got my first chickens, I bought every book and read every article and online forum I could find to research whether keeping  chickens was right for me. The majority of my research was extremely encouraging, however, each time I read the ‘external parasites’ and ‘diseases’ discussions, I promptly convinced myself that keeping chickens was for the insane. There were just too many diseases and nasty crawling things that I could not be any less interested in knowing how to identify, much less how to eradicate. Frankly, the long list of insects that could possibly live on my proposed pets made me itch.

I don’t know what it was that tilted the scales in favor of taking the plunge, perhaps it was the cute photos of baby chicks or the promise of a daily Easter egg hunt. Regardless, I’m here to tell you that most of the bad things that could go wrong with a chicken usually don’t and of the things that commonly do go wrong, they tend not to happen simultaneously. So, we handle them one at a time as they come up and maintain a general awareness of the possibilities. That is certainly true of external parasites. There are many types of external parasites, but being able to identify each is not as important as being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of an infestation
generally and how to treat it.

DETECTION  

Monthly or bi-monthly flock inspections of each chicken should be performed in order to identify and address parasites before an infestation worsens and birds begin exhibiting signs of parasites. Particular attention should be paid to brooding hens as they dust-bathe less frequently than usual and are especially vunerable to parasites.Some of the common signs of any type of mite or lice
infestation in a chicken are: decreased activity or listlessness, pale comb, changes in appetite, a drop in egg production, weight loss, feather-pulling, bald spots, redness or scabs on the skin, dull, ragged-looking feathers. 

SOME OF THE MOST COMMON EXTERNAL PARASITES :

The two most common categories of external parasites are mites and poultry lice. Poultry lice are NOT the same as human head lice and people cannot contract lice from chickens.  

MITES  

Northern fowl mites and Red Roost Mites are two of the most common poultry mites. These tiny, eight-legged insects can live both on the chicken and in the coop. They are partial to cracks and crevices in wood, roosts and inside nesting boxes.  

Mites can be grey, dark brown or reddish in color and can often be seen along feather shafts and underneath roosts after dark. Mites are active at night when they venture out to leech blood from chickens. With its moist, rich blood supply, the vent area is a favorite feeding ground of mites.

Typical signs of a mite infestation are scabs near the vent, eggs on the feathers and feather shafts and a light colored bird’s feathers may appear dirty in spots where the mites have left droppings and debris.A heavy mite infestation can lead to anemia and death of a chicken. Mites will bite humans, causing minor irritation in the affected area (and an urgent desire to take a gasoline shower).

POULTRY LICE  

Poultry lice are fast-moving, 6 legged, flat insects with round heads that live only on the chicken and its feathers. They are beige or straw colored and are typically found at the base of feather shafts near the vent. Poultry lice feed on dead skin and other debris such as feather quill casings. When parting the feathers near the vent to inspect for parasites, they can be seen briefly as they run away. The eggs laid by the female are seen at the bases of feather shafts.

PREVENTION  

In order to prevent infestations of lice and mites, the coop should be cleaned regularly with particular attention paid to disposing of loose feathers that can harbor hatching eggs (nits). Limit visits from fellow poultry-keepers who can transport the beasts on their clothes, footwear or equipment, (vehicles, shared farm equipment, etc.).  Keep poultry feed in a secure location so as not to attract wild birds, which can carry parasites and diseases. Always quarantine new birds for at least 14 days before introducing them to an existing flock to watch for parasites.

Provide adequate dusting areas for chickens to care for their own skin and feathers naturally. A dust bath is the chicken equivalent of a daily dirt shower. It helps them maintain their skin and feathers and controls parasites. Some claim that adding food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) to the dust bathing area combats external parasites. According to Gail Damerow in The Chicken Encyclopedia, adding diatomaceous earth, wood ashes or lime-and-sulfur garden powder to their dust bath is hazardous to their respiratory health and should be avoided unless they are "seriously infested" with parasites. Even in that case, she writes, "the benefit
may outweigh the danger of TEMPORARILY adding such materials." (p. 93 emphasis added)

I do not add diatomaceous earth to my chickens’ dust-bath areas due to their highly sensitive respiratory systems. I feel that good sanitation practices, frequent flock inspections and providing ample dusting areas are sufficient preventative measures for my flock.

TREATMENT  

Upon identification of lice or mites in any flock member, treatment should begin immediately. There are many different products employed to eradicate mites and lice with varying degrees of effectiveness, among them are: Poultry Protector, Pyrethrum, dog flea dips, flea shampoos, Poultry Protector, diatomaceous earth, Sevin Dust 5% (carbaryl powder) and ivermectin. When lice or mites are detected on one bird, the entire flock should be treated. Treating birds after dark when they have gone to roost is the easiest way to treat the entire flock.  I use Sevin Dust 5% to treat my chickens. While wearing a mask and with the help of another person to hold the bird, I dust underneath the wings and vent area of each bird sparingly but thoroughly. I also clean and treat the entire coop with particular attention paid to nests and roosts.

Treatment must be repeated twice after the initial application in 7 day increments, in order to kill the eggs (nits) that had not hatched at the time of the previous treatments.  

Further reading:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig140  

http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html  

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I believe that I ought to warn everyone who is reading this that this was transcribed by me, and dictated by a chicken. This chicken has been a prominent character in a number of my other stories, and goes by the name, Uffie. According to her, she has always wanted to write a blog post and because I was in a generous mood, I agreed. This is a verbatim translation of what Uffie wished to write herself, but since she is equipped with claws and I had no wish for my keyboard to get scratched up, I ended up typing it for her. My notes are written in brackets.

Hello, captive reader audience. [A very good start, I told myself, no harm in this.] There is a serious issue at hand. Being a chicken hen, I have witnessed this problem first hand. [Good job, Uffie, building some tension.] There is a need, a dire need, for more worms. We get cicadas and caterpillars, but this 'lack of rain' as my loyal subjects [*sigh*] have described it has made many earthworms shrivel up and die. [Is she really going to talk about worms?] I am a large supporter of the worm population, which is the current minority. [Looks like she is.] Worms are essential to the health and well-being of the garden and soil, besides being a tasty treat; although, of course, I would not eat one if it was willing to vote for me in the coming election. [The election for Farm Mascot is not for a while.] My campaign promises to always support worms in their efforts to cultivate the garden, as well as any other endeavors. [Is she giving a speech?] 

Now, I don't mean to be rude to the cicadas and caterpillars, but they are a number of them that are extremely annoying. The cicadas make buckets of noise, literally. [Noise isn't measured in mass, Uffie.] For some unknown reason the caterpillars cannot seem to participate in simple courtesy. They eat all the low hanging tomatoes when they can easily climb to munch on the taller ones. [So it wasn't the chickens eating those?] All of this behavior has led me to the conclusion that I do not want these sort of bugs voting for me, so they are not even allowed to vote. [I didn't know she had that much power.] However, I must make up for the lack of voter attendance so I am going to be letting the trees vote. The trees are very populous, and they think I am cool because I, unlike other chickens, do not perch on their branches. [Uffie, trees don't have opinions about chickens and you cannot fly to get into their branches.] 

Branching out, onto other topics, [A pun, really?] I think I should mention my growing popularity. Very recently, I received a wonderful piece of fan-mail. It was a beautiful, well written letter, which clearly shows that chickens are highly intelligent creatures. [A proven fact, I'm sure.] In fact, chickens are so intelligent that no one should ever think about voting for any other animal for a position of power. Only us chickens know how to establish a working pecking order, where one person has supreme executive power. [That would be Uffie.] We only ever think of using this power for good, such as good food, good perches, good grass, good bugs, etc. Ducks and goats often like to manipulate the little power already given them and do stupid things like escaping and dirtying their drinking water. [I agree whole-heartedly with Uffie here.] 

I wish to claim that if they had it their way, that there would be no, absolutely no clean water in the entire vicinity. [She's pulling out the big words now.] Us chickens would be treated unequally, because we are apparently stupid. They always say that, you know what I mean, 'chickens are the only animals more stupid than sheep'. It is sad isn't it? Sheep have feelings. Chickens have feelings too, but we do not cry every time someone says something mean about us. Sheep are not stupid. They are highly sensitive creatures who love people. [Awww... She is sticking up for a type of animal she has never seen. What a good strategy.]

I am an open, honest chicken. I am going to prove to you that I have nothing to hide. Just an average chicken with good ideas. [Average? My dear, you can give speeches!] Here is the type of hen I am. I like to sleep on the lowest roosting pole all by myself. I am the first to be out of the coops in the morning. My favorite drink is goat's milk that one of them has stepped in. [I thought she liked stale bread?] I am a kind mother. [When you remember that you have chicks.] I am not a vegetarian. [Bold and controversial. So bold.] I can talk well for a chicken. [You sure can.] My popularity is based on the fact that I am always right, because I am a hen. It is inconceivable that I should be wrong. [I do not think that word means what you think it means.] I have a diverse group of friends, and was even on friendly terms with the pigs, rest their bacon. [The bacon has been smoked, just not the hams.

Since I believe in a tyrant-dictatorship-democratic-republic, this is the most crucial part of my address, so please pay attention. [I am writing this very carefully, so as to not be in error.] As WKH populous, you are all required to act in a certain way. Never leave the coop without a strict sense of decorum and structure, being careful to avoid treading on the little ones. [Sure, that happens all the time.] If you are a rooster, it is mandatory that you hold the door open for the hens. [We prop the doors open so they don't close in the wind.] Always be as kind as you can to everybody, they might be having a bad day. [This doesn't apply to people, I guess.] Remember to do your duty to help in community service, because I just can't do everything myself. [When does Uffie do anything helpful?]

Thank you for giving me this opportunity. It means very much to me. [Will I live to regret this?] I hope that this answers all your questions on why we need more worms. [You lost me there, Uffie.]
  

It’s been an interesting few days to say the least.  There is never a dull moment around here even if the girls whine on occasion that they are bored out of their minds!!  

On a positive note the hens are laying like crazy. They are still obsessed with the first nesting box though.  A few of them use two and three but mostly they fight over one.  I think they are starting to take turns now that they are getting this laying thing down pat.  Henny Penny insists on laying her egg in the feed room though.  I may add Houdini to the end of her name considering that she manages to get out and back in without tearing anything down. We are up to a dozen eggs a day so far.  It seems like each day or so we add another egg to the daily count.  I even bought the girls one of the red wire baskets to collect the eggs in.  They are tickled pink and carry that basket faithfully even if they only bring in one egg during that particular egg checking run!!  Liza has become the egg warden.  She keeps track of how many eggs come in, inspects them, and then puts them in cartons and has them organized in the fridge by date.  It’s amazing that during school we struggle with math but when it comes to eggs both Eliza and Aurora can add in their heads without any hesitation.  The chickens may be of more help than just providing food!

So now I’ll move onto the not so positive yet enlightening happenings of the past few days.

Our beautiful garden looks like a train wreck.  I have absolutely no love for skunks or deer at the present moment.  Chad and the chickens are even in a little bit of hot water!  The skunks have been hanging around the house and have even so graciously sprayed the front door.  I would imagine Otis spooked them.  Yes, them. Plural.  Two to be exact.  For future reference you can throw fire crackers that only emit a seizure inducing light show out the door at them and they will run to the other side of the driveway while you grab the phone out of the rain that you left on the ledge…just saying.  We are going to battle out the rest of the gardening season but there will be some sort of fence put up around it next year.  We have also been battling a bit of blossom end rot.  I love the fact that we are learning so many new things that will only make our garden better next year.  Unless you have awesome, self-adjusting soil, it takes a little bit of effort to be able to grow a bountiful garden.  Calcium levels are important for preventing blossom end rot.  Too much or too little water can throw the levels off.  I have read that putting eggs shells in with the plants at planting time is a huge help.  We applied a commercial fertilizer that included calcium this year but next year the egg shells are going it.  We have also learned that while fertilizer is a good thing, it can also be a hindrance at the same time by producing huge plants with no yield.  Chad is a fertilizing maniac.  I’ve kept him at bay this year and I think it is helping a lot.  Over fertilizing can also affect the magnesium levels of pepper plants and keep them from producing.  So with those few tid bits in hand, it’s only August and I’m already planning for next spring!! 

Saving the worst for last, our pigs embraced the Chik-fil-A advertising campaign of Eat Mor Chikin.  Up until this past weekend the chickens have been confined to their coop and run.  Chad and I have discussed letting them out but we were concerned about Otis attacking them.  We finally said we would deal with Otis if it happened and left them out.  They were in bug eating heaven and Otis didn’t do a thing.  They were in the garden but the damage was already done.  Day 1 was awesome and we were so happy that we made the decision to let them out.  Day 2 went south.  The girls were staying with their Aunt and Uncle so Chad and I went out to do the chores and left the chickens out.  Then we headed down to the shed to change the oil in the big truck.  Chad forgot something up at the house so we ran back up.  He headed to the garage and I headed to the “barn.”  I could see two of the pigs dragging something and I thought maybe Chad had thrown in some weeds but then it hit me that he hadn’t. I ran over and sadly it was a dirt-laden barred rock.  I started screaming and ran for a stick and the pitch fork.  There was nothing that I could have done but I wanted to get it away from the pigs as quickly as possible.  I hopped the barbed wire fence and Chad came running with the shot gun.  After everything had settled down he said the way I was screaming he thought a coyote was after me!!  Needless to say, a pig will eat ANYTHING.  I did some research and they are classified as omnivores.  Under stress they will eat their young and feral hogs will eat the carcasses of dead animals.  The chicken was able to slip through the 4” x 4” squares of the pig fence.  We picked up some of the same fencing that we used on the chicken run and are going to put that around the pig fencing so that everyone can co-exist in harmony.  We stressed to the girls that it’s important not to be afraid of the pigs but at the same time they should not let their guard down.  An animal is an animal.  Same rules apply to the chickens and rabbits.

We’ve had some ups and downs but it’s all a learning experience.  I think that I say this in every closing but we love the choice that we made to have the animals and to get back to the basics.  The girls are learning so much about the animals, the garden, and life in general.  I had better get back to the kitchen.  There’s plenty of canning, freezing, and dehydrating to be done.  Until next time!!

It's late summer or early autumn and the floor of the chicken coop looks like a pillow fight broke out overnight. Assuming the flock is healthy with no parasites, they are most assuredly molting. What is molting, when does it occur and what can be done to help get chickens get through it? Molting is the shedding of old feathers and growth of new ones. Chickens molt in a predictable order beginning at the head and neck, proceeding down the back, breast, wings and tail. While molting occurs at fairly regular intervals for each chicken, it can occur at any time due to lack of water, food, normal lighting conditions. Broody hens tend to molt furiously after their eggs have hatched as they return to their normal eating and drinking routines. 

The photo above shows Phoebe, my bantam Frizzle Cochin, in October 2010. The photo that follows is Phoebe in September 2011. 
  

First Juvenile Molt ('mini-molt')  

There are actually two, juvenile or "mini molts" as I like to call them, before a chicken's first annual molt. The first mini molt begins at 6-8 days old and is complete by approximately 4 weeks when the chick's down is replaced by its first feathers. This is a 7 day old Olive Egger chick. She is losing her yellow down, which is being replaced by her first feathers. 

Second Juvenile Molt ('mini molt')  

The second mini molt occurs between 7-12 weeks old and the chicken's first feathers are replaced by its second feathers. It is at this
time that a rooster's distinguishing, ornamental feathers will appear.  These Black Copper Marans & Ameraucanas were 11 weeks old at the time of their second mini molt. 

There is little doubt when chickens are going through their juvenile molt as evidence abounds in the coop. 

ANNUAL MOLT    

All chickens will molt annually, their first occurs around 16-18 months of age. During a molt, chickens will lose their feathers and grow new ones. Molting occurs in response to decreased light as summer ends and winter approaches. Given that feathers consist of 85% protein, feather production places great demands on a chicken's energy and nutrient stores, as a result, egg production is likely to drop or cease completely until the molt is finished. On average, molting takes 7-8 weeks from start to finish but there is a wide range of normal from 4 to 12 weeks or more. 

Both molting and egg production are controlled internally in response to the number of hours of daylight. Left to natural lighting conditions, chickens will stop laying eggs during the fall and winter and when spring brings increased daylight and their new feathers have grown in, egg production will again resume. To encourage egg production,supplemental light may be added to the coop.

Molting can occur at any time due to lack of water, food, normal lighting conditions. Broody hens tend to molt furiously after their eggs have hatched as they return to their normal eating and drinking routines.

These are photos of a few of my chickens undergoing an typical molt:

This is Phoebe, my poster chicken for a rough molt. She has molted in this most undignified manner for the past two years. She's a trooper though, I have yet to hear her demand a sweater. 

Newly emerging feathers have a vein-filled shaft which will bleed if cut or injured. Pin feathers are very sensitive and chickens generally prefer not to be handled while molting as it can be quite painful. An injured shaft is visible in this photo as a black spot of dried blood on top of the feather shaft.

 Feathers emerging through the vein-filled shaft, which is covered by a waxy coating.

A waxy-type casing surrounds each new feather and either falls off or is removed by a preening chicken. The feather within then unfurls and the inner vein dries up (the shaft is then known as a quill). 

The shaft casings are visible on the droppings board in this photo:  

How to help chickens weather a molt & return to egg production 

There are a few things that can be done to help chickens get through a molt a little bit easier: 

1. Reduce their stress level as much as possible. Try not to move them to a new living quarters or introuduce any new flock members.

2. Increase their protein intake to 20-22%. This is easiest to manage with commercially prepared chicken feeds. (eg: switch from layer feed to meat bird feed for a month or so)

3. Supplement their daily diet with any of the following: black oil sunflower seeds, tuna fish, cooked eggs, soybean meal, cat food, (as it
contains animal proteins) peas, beans, fishmeal, cod liver oil.  

4. Limit handling to avoid inflicting pain and to keep stress to a minimum.

Remarkably, within a few weeks, dull and balding turns to shiny and voluminous within a matter of weeks. 

September 2011:

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So I have started writing this about a hundred times over the past 4 weeks and never get past the first paragraph.  I am bound and determined to finish today.  I need to become more disciplined and write every week so that it isn’t a small novel when I do.  I feel like when the girls come home from somewhere that they have been without us and their mouths are running a mile a minute trying to tell us everything that they did or saw!!!

The weather has been interesting; it pretty much goes in hand with the winter that we just had.  Last week it was almost 100 degrees and you felt like you were going to die and this week it’s in the high 70’s.  We also experienced what we are certain was a mini tornado.  It managed to blow all of the screens out of our windows, move a pipe hay wagon through the field and into the middle of the road, push the windows out of the Allis, and blow our wood pile down through the driveway.  Amazingly it didn’t touch the coop or pig pen, the garden, or even move two little tables the girls had in the front yard.  Chad was holding on to one of our windows and said if one of the girls would have been by the window he has no doubt they would have went out.  Luckily we didn’t have any major damage.

Our building projects for the past month have been the outside runs for the chickens and pigs.  Both were well overdue and were a great addition.  My great uncle had sent Chad a care package of old nails, hinges, and so forth which we were able to put to good use during this phase of “construction.”  The chickens made short work of the grass and congregate at the fence when Chad mows the yard because they know they are going to get some of the clippings.  They still enjoy being inside when it’s incredibly hot but everyone pours out as soon as it gets cooler and like clockwork, head back in when the sun is setting.  The pigs also enjoy being outside but unfortunately they can’t handle the sun and got sunburnt on day 2 of being out.  They have since learned to stay inside during the day and go out when it’s not so hot to play and even sleep under the stars now and then.

Just as with the chickens, the pigs have also been a huge learning experience.  I went to feed one evening and it wasn’t too horribly hot but one of the smaller pigs wouldn’t get up but was breathing.  Everything stopped and all of our attention went to this guy.  Liza jumped right in and started scooped cool water on his ears and snout.  Luckily the air temperature was cooling as well and by morning he was considerably better.  We have since put in another fan and keep a portion of their floor muddy so that they can cover themselves in mud and cool down. 

All’s quiet on the rabbit and broiler front.  No baby bunnies so apparently I separated them in time or they were too young.  That’s fine with me.  In the mix of things we didn’t need bunnies to contend with.  We butchered the second group of broilers on Sunday.  We decided that we would skin them this time since we don’t eat the skin anyway.   Everything went off without a hitch and we have a nice supply of vacuum sealed chicken in the freezer now.  I will probably get another batch in September when the weather is a little cooler.  The heat added about 2 weeks onto the time that we had to feed to broilers.  The heat also seemed to wreak havoc on their poop.  I added oregano to their diet and it cleared it up.  I think that an outdoor run will be put on the list of things to do for the future broilers as well.

I am happy to report that we are now collecting eggs from the four ladies that I purchased to replace the roosters that will be departing.  There aren’t enough words to describe the excitement when we found the first egg on the floor.  We quickly constructed the nesting boxes.  Chad had plans for, frankly I’m not sure how many, but a lot of nesting boxes. Thankfully I convinced him that they would pick probably one or two and only use them.  Of the four boxes, nesting box one is their favorite.  It won’t be too much longer and the rest of the hens should start to lay.  I hope they decide to utilize the rest of the boxes because I’m not sure one will hold 30+ eggs!!

Our garden is doing very well.  We have never had tomato or pepper plants grow like these.  This year Chad took a suggestion from an older gentleman to put peat moss in with the dirt when we planted plants and seeds.  He said that the peat moss would make the soil looser and allow the roots to grow and take a better hold.  If that is what made the difference it was a cheap way to have an awesome garden.  We have been enjoying lettuce, onions, and cucumbers so far.  I didn’t realize that the girls hadn’t eaten garden lettuce before since we have only planted tomatoes and peppers the past few years.  We have had creamed lettuce & onions every evening for supper and if Chad doesn’t pay attention he usually doesn’t get any!!  I think I’m going to venture into the world of pressure canning this year.  It’s a little intimidating but I think I can handle it.  I’m not sure what kind to get so if anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear your thoughts. 

We have also been up to our ears in hay which is another reason why I’m behind on writing.  Chad and I help his cousin as much as we can during the summer.  Last time I checked we were above 5000 bales but that has been awhile so it’s hard to tell now.  I do know that there will be about 5 wagons to unload this evening!!   Luckily his bales are short so they aren’t quite as hard for me to handle.  Listening to everyone tell stories about how they used to have to make hay makes me thankful for disc bines, hay tedders, & kick balers!!

Eliza and Jorja did get to pull one time this year at a local festival.  They did a great job!  Eliza took 1^st in the kids 850 class and a 2^nd in the kids 950 class.  Jorja took 5^th and 6^th in those classes as well.  Liza also pulled in the adult 850 and 950 and took 5^th in both of those.  As much as we love pulling we are still glad that we took a break from the traveling portion this year.  There are two more local pulls that the girls will pull at this year.  Both of them are evening pulls and the girls are excited because they will be able to run the blue LED lights that I Installed under their frame rails.

So that's what’s been happening around here in a nut shell.  Every day there are little things that happen that make us glad that we chose to venture down this path.  It isn’t a lifestyle that is for everyone but it is for us.  I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer and successfully battling the heat.  Hopefully by my next blog I will have convinced Chad that we need to enter the Farmer Olympics being held at the  Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs!  I'm really excited that something is finally close to home that we can go to.  Until next time!

At one time or another, most chicken-keepers have experienced the inconvenience of having to chase, coax, cajole or otherwise
escort a new flock member into the coop at dusk, which is no fun for us, or them. Chickens do not manage stress well and moving from one housing arrangement to another is extremely stressful for chickens, whether from a brooder to a coop or from one backyard to another. How they manage that stress will vary from chicken to chicken, but it often results in confusion about where ‘home’ is and where they should sleep at night.
 

There is a way to teach chickens to roost inside the coop- I refer to it as Coop Training. Coop Training can be done chickens of any age but the younger, the better. It is far easier to teach good habits from the beginning than it is to try to break bad habits later. For this reason, I always Coop Train young and new flock members.

THE COOP TRAINING METHOD  **An important safety note: Coop Training should never be done when the temperatures inside the coop exceed 70° F.** 

Confine chickens to the coop with no access to the run for at least a week. This reinforces the concept of ‘home’ and they have no choice but to roost inside the coop.

Week two, open the pop door and allow them to venture out into the run if they wish, but do not interfere if they would rather not. In
the unlikely event they do not return to the coop at dusk that first night, they need more time confined to the coop. In another week, try again. (I have never had to resort to adding on a second week.)

If allowing the flock to free-range, week three is the time to open the door to the run and let them explore the great outdoors. They will
likely remain in close proximity to the coop and run and will return to roost at night.
   

I discovered the concept of Coop Training quite by accident.The first dozen chickens to occupy my first coop never required chasing or
encouragement to roost inside the coop at night, but when I added my first of many subsequent flock members to the coop, I found myself coaxing chickens off the roof of the run or from underneath the coop at bedtime. 

In contemplating the differences between the two groups of chickens, I realized that that my first dozen chicks were not allowed into the run for several weeks after they took up residence in the big coop. The second group of chickens were stressed and disoriented by their new environment as they were given no time to adjust to their new accommodations. Lesson learned, problem solved within a week. 

Coop Re-Training  

There are times when chickens that have been residing in the coop for some time suddenly fail to return to the coop at dusk, which can be due to a predator scare or some other stressor, once the issue has been identified and resolved, coop re-training can begin. The solution to their apprehension is simply to re-train them for a week as outlined above. Again, the temperature inside the coop must not exceed 70°F and the underlying stressor must be resolved first.

Nest Box Training  

A related training opportunity is available while Coop Training new chicks in an empty coop is Nest Box Training. Whenever I put new chicks (not laying hens) in an empty coop, I always close off access to the nest boxes to prevent them from sleeping in them. Sometimes in the confusion of the move, they will hide in the nest boxes and develop the unwanted habit of sleeping and pooping
in them. That is a habit best discouraged from the beginning as it is quite difficult to break and unsanitary conditions create dirty eggs later on. When the chickens approach approximately 17 weeks of age, the nest boxes can be opened for business. 

Coop training also addresses the problem of hidden egg nests. Some free-ranging chickens will lay their eggs in hidden locations throughout the property, which is undesirable. Coop training gives them no choice but to lay their eggs in nest boxes and after a week or two of confinement to the coop and run, they will develop the habit of laying eggs where it is convenient for us, not them.

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Our farm was all alive and abuzz for Independence Day. The animals told us not to worry about entertainment and that they 'had it covered'. Not being entirely trusting we made ourselves food, just in case. We found out this was prudent of us, because none of us are particularly fond of chicken scratch or dried bugs. As we sat down to eat, our family was informed that Uffie (a chicken hen in case you don't remember) wished to make a speech. Since it was so amusing, I feel compelled to share it with everyone.

“ATT-HEN-TION! … I wish to begin the long awaited speech.” Uffie stated very matter-of-factly.

The crowd of animals gathered there who were contently munching on watermelon rinds, seemed to have some confusion about there being a speech as a part of the evenings proceedings. However, Uffie continued.

“As you all know, it is customary to give a speech about Tuppence Day, and this year I have been given the privilege to do so.”

“Uffie! It is 'Independence Day' not Tuppence Day.” my Dad, who is from England, corrected her.

“Yes, yes, quite right, 'swat I said.” Uffie said defensively.

“For all of you gathered here who are not familiar with the origin of Independence Day or of our proud American history, I wish to fill all of you in on your missing pieces of education.

Also, I wish to remind all of you loyal citizens that today is an important milestone in the history of our nation. Many many years ago, even before Cinnamon was a little egg, America gained their independence from Great Britain. Every year people across America and even to the far reaches of Mercury, commemorate this event. Therefore, I feel that it is my duty to give you some history of this great nation.

In the year of 1775 B.C. (Before Chickens), there was the world. And there was no America. But by the kindness of the mosquitos, our dear America began to take shape. It started out as just a little island where the passengers of the Aprilflower landed. The Aprilflower had a famous captain called Lewis Clark. When the humans from the Aprilflower landed they paid tribute to us kind chickens for our supplying them eggs during their voyage. Each person went and placed a pillbug or a cockroach or a spider or a moth on a special rock. Now it happened that moths were very easy to catch, because all you had to do was light a candle at night and they would all come flying. So the rock was often covered in dozens of moths giving it the name of FlyMoth Rock.

Then America grew a bit bigger, and people called Ative Mericans came about, and they helped the Aprilflowers, by giving them lots and lots of turkeys. The Aprilflowers liked turkeys and in turn gave the Ative Mericans cool hats. This is why every year we celebrate Thanksgiving with turkeys and cool hats. After a lot of time something similar to what we call America came to be. 

The people that came from the Aprilflower as well as those that came later (like those from the MayShower and JuneBug) were called the Colonists and there were those across the pond were called the British. After sometime the British and the Colonists disagreed about stuff.

To clear up any misunderstandings they had a friendly tea party on a boat. There were scones and crumpets, but I suppose the tea itself must have been terrible, because they ended up dumping it overboard. After a little while later they had a kindly war. It was over in a very short time, and only a loss of three chickens were reported. So then America was free to have its own rules regarding whether or not chickens are allowed to cross the road. The law states that if a chicken wants to cross the road, that they first must explain why. Hence the question 'why did the chicken cross the road?' Unlike England, America decided to have a President instead of a Queen or King. For our first President we chose George Washington, who liked chickens. He also was a great leader in our peaceful war.

Eventually, we in America had a civil war. All kinds of people sat around a table with civilware and civilly chatted to one another. They accomplished a good many things. All the people there agreed to not eat iguanas or camels, which up until this point had caused some contention.”

We noticed Uffie quickly look down at something that must have been her notes, then she looked up and sorrowfully said...

“Ohhh Nooo!! I forgot to mention the Coolisiana Purchase! Real quick, this won't take but a minute. The leaders of this country went to the world shopping mall and bought some land that was connected to the piece that we already had. So we expanded America to include places that had really cool air. At least in the winter, when summer rolled around it got pretty warm, just about as hot as it is right now [Uffie waved her wing for dramatic effect]. In these places that America bought there was good farm land, so lots of people moved out there. 

A long time later a bad thing happened. The world went into a world war. Being a chicken, as I am, I happen to know very little about it. Personally, I think it had something to do with catnip, because I have heard it can be very troublesome for certain types of domestic animals. But as I said, I am just a chicken, so I really don't know much about the whole situation.

Then something worse happened. Another world war got started. This is WWII, which I think stands for World War International & Intergalatical, because there was war everywhere. Somewhere I even saw that a telegraph arrived from the north pole asking our help to aid the penguins in their fight to conquer the puffins. Since I was not alive then, I really can't tell you who ended up winning, the puffins or penguins. At least the humans in America and those on their side ended up winning their war. 

Another important step for us Americans, was landing on the moon. Some smart people worked on making a ship that could go to the moon. They succeeded. Please forgive me for being short about this, but they haven't yet sent a chicken up there, so I don't really know what it was like. I can't read English. And I am not bilingual. I do not talk to monkeys or dogs. [hmmph]

As far as recent history goes, if you don't know it, pay more attention. My purpose of giving you a history of our beloved country is so that you can realize how great it is to live here. You see, on the moon there are no chickens. Since you all love chickens, you wouldn't want to live there. So be thankful you live in America where there are stores and farmers to buy our eggs from. 

Please never forget that Independence Day is about having the right to let chickens cross the road if they want to, people can eat with civilware if they choose to do so, and in America we like to be AWESOME!”

For those listening to her speech we were afraid to applaud lest it should not have finished, but when she just kind of stood there for fifteen seconds without moving or saying anything, we all started to cheer. The humans were mostly laughing at her account of the important events of this country, but we gave her credit for trying. Hope every one had a great Independence Day!

When it comes to hatching and raising baby chicks, there are a few different ways to go about it. 

The original method is to have hens sit on fertile eggs for about three weeks, hatch the eggs, and raise the chicks themselves. Modern-day alternatives include hatching eggs in incubators and purchasing chicks from hatcheries.

Most incubator and hatchery chicks are raised by people, in brooders outfitted with heat lamps to keep the chicks warm and dry. But another option is to introduce tiny chicks to broody hens and let the mamas do what comes naturally.

Two years ago we raised hatchery chicks in a brooder in the barn. Last year we used an incubator and had two hens hatch a few.eggs.

This year, three of our hens went broody in the same week. April was settled in her own nest, while Hedwig and Piggy brooded in tandem. A month later, none of their eggs had hatched. I was ready to order a batch of hatchery chicks anyway, so I thought I’d try to see if any of the broody hens would adopt the chicks. 

After a trip to the post office to fetch a box of day-old chicks, I got the little peep-peepers settled in an indoor brooder with heat lamp. All of the chicks looked healthy and active.

That night, when all was dark and quiet at the chicken coop, my hubby Jim and I put two chicks under each broody hen. We checked back and forth for a while and all seemed well—mamas clucking softly, babies snuggled underneath the hens.

The next morning three proud mothers were doting on their chicks. All was well.

So that night, we put the rest of the chicks in with the mothers. Over the next several days we watched as the hens capably cared for their chicks.

Four weeks later, it appears that our foster adoption worked like a charm. The hens have been contented, nurturing mamas; the chicks are healthy and strong. 

 
So what are some secrets to successful adoption? Of course every experience will be different, but here’s what worked for us.

1. Make sure the hens are actually broody, having sat devotedly on eggs for at least a couple of weeks. Most hens--even experienced mothers--will have no interest in raising chicks unless they are already broody. On the other hand, there are exceptions--some hens will readily adopt chicks anytime!

2. Get each broody hen (or brooding team, in Hedwig and Piggy’s case) settled in a private crate or nest box with her eggs and fresh bedding at least a few days before introducing the chicks. While it’s fine to just let broodies remain with the masses, many chicken owners say the hens are more relaxed if they have solitude.

3. Be prepared to get the chicks started in a brooder and to brood them completely if necessary. Set up your brooder and have it warm (95 degrees F.) when the chicks arrive. Have chick starter feed and a chick waterer waiting.

4. When you receive hatchery chicks or take chicks from the incubator, check for “pasty butts” (dried feces) and clean the little rear ends with a damp soft cloth if necessary. Show each chick how to drink by dipping its beak in water. Put the chicks in the warm brooder.

5. Put chick starter feed and a chick-accessible waterer in the mama’s pen. Remove any layer feed that the chicks could reach. It’s fine for the hen to eat starter feed—and the extra protein will do her good--but layer feed has too much calcium for young chicks. If you’re providing only a chick feeder, make sure the hen can get her beak inside the openings.

6. On the first night, well after dark when your hens should be drowsy or sound asleep, quietly place one or two chicks under each hen’s breast or snuggled under her wing. Remove an egg or two while you’re there.

7. Watch and listen. Good signs are the chick staying under the hen, the hen using her beak or wing to nudge the chick under her, and the hen clucking softly to the chick. If the hen seems aggravated or doesn’t know what to do, remove the chick and try again later.

8. Check first thing in the morning and throughout the day to make sure all is well. Hopefully you will not find a dead chick, but know that it is possible. Sometimes chick and hen don’t bond quickly enough; sometimes a hen will consider the chick an imposter.

9. If mama and chick seem to be bonding well, place the remaining chicks under her that night and remove the rest of the eggs. A standard hen can easily keep 12 or more chicks warm; a banty can cover several. Again, watch hen and chicks for a while till they are settled.

10. Repeat your visual checks the next day just to make sure the mama is handling all the chicks well and all the chicks are thriving in their new arrangement.

 
It’s possible that you may still need to raise chicks in a brooder if the hen will not care for the chicks or if you have more chicks than your hen(s) can handle. Be watchful, and take some or all of the chicks back to your indoor brooder if necessary.

If the chicks are more than a few days old they may not bond to the hen even if she is willing. If they won’t take refuge under the hen when the air is chilly, they may die of exposure. One solution for this is to keep a brooder lamp in the brooding area, preferably with a small accessible box under it. Chicks that don’t attach to the hen can huddle under the lamp as they would in an indoor brooder.

Having a hen raise chicks takes some of the workload from your shoulders. You’ll still need to provide plenty of feed and fresh water, but mama will keep the chicks warm and cozy. You can just sit back and enjoy watching her teach her little ones to scratch in the dirt and take a proper dust bath.

It's just another delightful adventure in rural living! 

Hear more about our Successful Hen and Chick Adoption story at our family blog, Rural Living Today.

Readers: Do you have other suggestions for hen and chick adoptions?

With the addition of quail to my backyard poultry collection recently, I found that they are particularly messy and that keeping the water clean was a constant challenge. This challenge inspired me to make some poultry nipple waterers (PNW) for them. It's not always easy to ensure a clean supply of water to chickens (or other poultry) with traditional waterers, even if the supply is changed several times daily. Chickens foul the water with droppings, dirt and bedding. 

We know that access to clean, fresh water is vital to chickens' health as well as their egg production. Depriving chickens of water for even a few hours can halt egg production for weeks. Self-contained watering systems have been used by the commercial poultry industry for years to eliminate the problems inherent to traditional waterers. Chickens simply tap the end of the nipple to activate the
release of water from the container directly into their mouths. PNW are inexpensive, simple to make and boast certain benefits over traditional waterers:

1) the water is always clean and cleaner water means less exposure to diseases like coccidiosis

2) can be kept inside the coop without spillage concerns (wet bedding creates an environment that fosters diseases and respiratory problems)

3) occupy no floor space,freeing up valuable square footage

4) facilitates drinking in scissor-beaked chickens  

The major limitation of poultry nipple waterers is that they will freeze in cold temperatures, necessitating the use of traditional waterers in the winter, which are easily kept liquid using a DIY cookie tin water heater.   

PNW can be made from a variety of containers from water bottles to 5 gallon buckets, PVC pipes to plastic juice bottles. Poultry nipples are available online from a wide variety of sources, very inexpensively. I purchased mine on BackyardChickens.com
from Mr Peeps for $1.00 each. 
 

 SUPPLIES & ASSEMBLYINSTRUCTIONS  

a plastic bottle, bucket or container (tops to buckets are optional)

stainless steel, screw-in poultry nipple (1 for every 2-3 birds) 

5/16" drill bit for thin plastic such as water bottles or 11/32" bit for thick plastics such as 5 gallon buckets

silicone sealant or thread tape

string, wire, etc. for hanging

STEP 1 : Using a drill on low RPMs with a 5/6" bit, make a hole in the cap or bottom of the container

 STEP 2: Apply silicone sealant or thread tape around the hole.

STEP 3 : Screw the poultry nipple into the hole.

This five nipple, PVC poultry waterer is gravity-fed from a five gallon bucket and will accommodate 10-15 birds. Plenty for everyone!  via Flickr, courtesy of kentbrew
  

 Nipple Waterers can be made to accommodate many chickens at the same time.  The design is limited to your imagination!

 STEP 4: Install a hangar. I drilled holes near the top of the PNW and threaded floral wire through both sides.  

The quail and baby Polish chicks adapted to the PNW immediately.

This was the first time these Polish Crested chicks had seen the PNW and they took to it naturally.
  

There is no training necessary when employing PNWs with young chicks, but there may be with older chickens who are accustomed to traditional waterers. Re-training should only be done in cooler temperatures as there is a learning curve involved.

PN training involves putting away all traditional waterers and showing the chickens how it works by tapping the PN with a finger. Their attention is drawn to the water droplet and as soon as one investigates and tests it, others follow.

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Bumblefoot is also known as “plantar pododermatitis” and is an infection found on the bottom of the feet of chickens and other poultry, which is typically identified by swelling and a dark scab, and/or  limping in more advanced cases. Left untreated, it can be fatal. 

This first photo illustrates a slightly more advanced case of bumblefoot than the photo below it. Note the redness, swelling and tell-tale scabs. This hen was not limping yet.
 

This is Phoebe, she's my bantam, Cochin Frizzle. As if it weren't enough to suffer the indignity of this horrific molt last year, she had
to endure bumblefoot surgery on top of it! All of the surgical photos below are of Phoebe's procedure.

We caught Phoebe's infection early. Note the swelling and redness in this first photo, but lack of a distinct, black scab in the photo
below it:
 

Causes : Bumblefoot can be caused by a cut, scrape or injury to the foot pad, commonly occurring from a splintered roost or repetitive, heavy landings from heights or poor litter management. The compromised skin allows an entry point for bacteria (eg: staphylococcus), which can then lead to a pus-filled abscess. A less common cause of bumblefoot is a vitamin A deficiency. Failure to treat bumblefoot timely can result in death.

Detection:  Regular inspection of your birds’ feet is recommended. The most common symptoms of bumblefoot include limping or lameness. Inspection of the foot pad may reveal redness, swelling and either a callous-looking lesion or a black scab. Once infection has set in, it can spread to the bones and joints, which can be fatal.

Prevention :
Provide your chickens with a good, balanced diet, (e.g.: layer pellets for egg-producing hens)  proper roosts that are splinter-free and less than 18” in height and properly maintained litter conditions.

Treatment :
The affected foot should be cleaned thoroughly with a Betadine solution. Mild cases can take a "wait and see" approach, but they tend to get worse. Some cases can be treated with the removal of the scab and the application of Vetericyn 2-3 times a day until healed. More advanced cases may need to be surgically treated and some cases may require a course of antibiotics. Failure to treat this infection can be fatal. If you can bring your chicken to an avian veterinarian for treatment, that is ideal, the following is the one I use for self-help.

****The following is not professional, veterinary or medical advice. It is my experience as a backyard chicken-keeper and is shared for others whose pets may otherwise perish from the inability to obtain professional veterinary care.**** 

BUMBLEFOOT SURGERY  

This procedure is horribly graphic and time-consuming. It generally takes about an hour to complete the procedure and while it can be done by one person, two makes it infinitely easier. I find that performing this procedure is best done at the kitchen sink where adequate lighting, counter space and a water source are available. See my YouTube video of bumblefoot surgery from start to finish HERE. 

I always keep a basic first-aid kit handy and I keep mine stocked it with: Vetericyn VF, Betadine, triple antibiotic ointment, vitamins & electrolytes, scalpels, non-stick gauze pads, Vetwrap, tweezers and gloves, Epsom salt, sterile scalpels, tweezers, scissors, Nutri-Drench and Duramycin. During an urgent, medical situation, acquiring supplies should not be the priority. 

PREPARATION & EQUIPMENT : These are the supplies that I use for performing bumblefoot surgery:  Betadine, 2 bath towels, gloves, Vetwrap, scalpel, paper towels, Vetericyn VF or antibiotic ointment & gauze (Epsom salt, optional).

I sanitize the sink with a bleach and water solution before and after the procedure.  Sanitizing cutting instruments and tweezers thoroughly is a critical component of avoiding infection.

Bandaging . I only use Vetwrap for bandaging after this procedure. Vetwrap is a self-sticking, stretchy bandage that is lightweight and needs no tape to stay secured. It is not sticky or gluey and it remains in place beautifully. It can be found at Tractor Supply Stores, feed stores and online. One, 5-6 inch strip of Vetwrap cut lengthwise into three or four smaller pieces.

Vetericyn VF OR Antibiotic ointment - I used to apply triple antibiotic ointment at the end of the procedure but instead of antibiotic ointment, I now exclusively apply Vetericyn VF to the wound, allowing it to sit untouched for 30 seconds, then apply a 2” x 2” square of non-stick gauze and wrap the foot.

Breathing is important. We take breathers in between steps and if  feeling lightheaded at all, take a break, sit down and regroup before returning to the job. We talk to the chicken while doing the procedure; I find that it helps everyone get through  it.

Soak- Fill sink with enough warm water to cover the foot. Add Betadine to the water. Soak the foot to soften up the foot pad and clean it well externally. Drain the sink and re-fill with a water and Betadine mix or with Epsom salt in water. Repeat soaking procedure. I next apply some Vetericyn VF.

Preparing the Chicken Wrapping the chicken so they can't see what is going on, calms and stills them.  I use a towel so that her head is covered and she can’t see but can breathe, then lay her on the counter, on her back with her foot facing up. It is helpful to have an assistant holding the chicken in place gently, but securely.  99.99% of the time the chicken  poops at some point or other, whether it's in the water or on the towel. She will wait until it is least convenient; I always consider it a sign of appreciation for my efforts and keep paper towels and a second bath towel handy. I next apply some Vetericyn VF to the foot.

We wrap securely so they can't see as it calms them.

THE PROCEDURE

OPTIONS: remove scab & apply Vetericyn  OR Remove Infection under scab and then apply Vetericyn  

I wear gloves- as it is messy work and some infections can be contracted by humans.  Next, taking a scalpel, Exacto knife or some type of extremely sharp razor instrument, I cut into the pad of the foot all around the outside circumference of the scab, straight down into the foot. There is usually some blood, but not ghastly amounts. I dab with paper towels or gauze so I can see where I'm going. The scab  is then removed with as much underlying dead tissue as can be grasped. It helps to use a paper towel or tweezers.

Removing the Scab: While cutting down, I'm looking for dead tissue and a “kernel” or “plug” that may be at the heart of the infection. It is often attached to the scab itself so I don't rush to remove the scab as it can help lift the infected tissue. The plug consists of dehydrated pus that has solidified. It actually looks like a waxy, dried kernel of corn. There is not always a kernel present but there will be stringy, slippery bits of thread-like, whitish/yellowish tissue.There's the kernel at the tip of the razor (we use only scalpels now as they come sterilized & are easier to control.)

At this point, I decide whether to continue trying to remove more of the infection or stopping, applying Vetericyn VF and bandaging the foot. It’s totally a judgment call every time based on severity of the infection, ease of access and whether the kernel is visible. This one was.

The kernel that was removed:

If I decide I’m going to continue with removal of the infection after the scab is removed, I re-soak the foot in clean Betadine water and gently squeeze and massage the foot pad from outside in, towards the wound to loosen up the gunk inside. The chicken is re-wrapped in the towel and the removal procedure continues. 

It often takes quite a while of digging, squeezing and soaking, alternately, to get to the infection. Once the kernel is visualized, if there is one, I use sterilized tweezers or paper towel to hold onto it and cut around it, trying to pull it out in one piece if possible. The kernel is distinguishable from foot pad as it is hard, waxy, yellowish material versus foot pad that is soft, pliable and pink.

FINISHING UP & BANDAGING:  Once I'm fairly satisfied that I have gotten most of the gunk out, I apply Vetericyn VF to the wound and place a piece of non-stick gauze on top. Antibiotic ointment may be used if Vetericyn is not available. Once the gauze is in place, fold each of the four corners in towards the center of the square, (creating a smaller square). This will create a little bit of pressure to the area to stem any residual bleeding and keep the Vetericyn or antibiotic ointment in place after wrapping it.

With the first strip of Vetwrap: I hold it at the top of the foot and weave it under the foot, over the gauze, then around and between the toes, securely, but not too tightly. I repeat with the remaining two strips, ending with the wrap going up, above the foot an inch or so. 

I made a brief YouTube video to demonstrate the wrapping technique here.

This is Oprah, on the right. She had double bumblefoot surgery recently as you can see from her bandaging. The bandages were removed after six days as she had healed beautifully by then.

OBSERVATION & FOLLOW-UP: The vet wrap remains on the foot until the next day when it is removed to assess the wound. If everything looks good, I re-apply  Vetericyn and the gauze with and secure with Vetwrap. At any sign of infection (redness, swelling, red streaks up the foot) I would call my vet for antibiotics.

I keep the bandage on the foot for about a week, changing it approximately every 24-48 hours. A new and improved scab will form and that’s a good thing. It will not be black with infection as the original scab was.  I have never found it necessary to administer antibiotics after bumblefoot surgery. 

This is how Phoebe's foot looked five days after her surgery, which is just how it should appear. 

My chicken tolerate this procedure well, the humans, less so. It is not complicated or technically challenging, but it is time consuming
and yucky. I always remind myself that I’m doing the right thing for my chickens, who, if not treated, will remain in pain, get worse and possibly die from infection.

This is Phoebe five weeks after her bumblefoot surgery, happily digging in the woods. Back to business as usual and molting hideously. 

This is an update on the bumblefoot surgery we did on our Silver Spangled Hamburg who was featured in my YouTube video. These photos were taken three days after her surgery. 

After the Vetwrap was removed, the gauze showed a little oozing, which is to be expected. The Vetwrap does a great job of keeping the area clean and dry. Stella has been in the coop with the rest of the flock since the surgery.  Since the gauze was a little stuck to the wound area, (we had run out of non-stick gauze. oops) we soaked it in Epsom salt water before attempting to remove it. 

This is exactly how the wound should look three days after the procedure. A new, healthy scab is forming, some of which came off with the removal of the gauze, but it looks healthy. We re-bandaged as described above.

Four days post-op and Stella is out-and-about with the rest of the flock, getting her scratch on!

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High heat is dangerous for chickens and measures must be taken by their caretakers to ensure their well-being, particularly when
temperatures increase suddenly. Heat stroke, heat-induced stress and death can result when a chicken is overheated.

I hose down areas around the coop in the heat of the day while replenishing waterers.

The normal body temperature of a chicken ranges between 104°-107° F; it regulates its body temperature by the amount it eats and by panting. In cold weather, a chicken will eat more to convert the energy in feed to body heat. In hot weather, a chicken will eat less to avoid increasing it body temperature. Since a chicken has no sweat glands to cool its skin, it depends on evaporation from panting for cooling. A panting chicken is cause for concern and immediate remedial action.

Since a chicken will eat less feed in the heat, a change in feed from layer feed, containing 16% protein, to grower feed, containing 18-20% protein, will help them get the protein they need. While layer feed contains the added calcium laying hens need, grower feeds do not, therefore oyster shell should be provided free-choice (as always). Oyster shell should never be added directly to feed. Each chicken has different calcium requirements and too much calcium can cause organ damage. Without adequate calcium, weak egg shells and brittle feathers can result. A chicken will eat the calcium it needs when it is made available to them free choice.

TIPS TO BEAT THE HEAT

It is critical to provide clean, cool water to chickens in hot weather. Supply additional water sources wherever possible and change them often throughout the day. 

Add electrolytes to the water to help with heat stress and replace those lost from panting. Provide additional shade wherever possible by using tarps, shade cloth, and reflective film on coop windows.

Freeze various sizes of water bottles and jugs. Add frozen water bottles or ice to waterers throughout the day. 

Place a plastic bucket or trash can on its side in a shady spot, adding frozen water bottles/jugs inside it for chickens to rest
alongside. 

Add fans to the coop and run. Place a frozen jug of water between the fan and nest boxes. Add frozen water bottles
to nest boxes, especially those containing broody hens. 

Reduce pine shavings to two inches or less and keep it as clean as possible as both retain heat. Replace deep litter in high-heat
conditions with clean, shallow bedding. Tuck frozen water bottles into bedding, particularly at night. 

Provide a wading area with a kiddie pool or shallow pan of water for chickens inclined to use it. For those not partial to wading, flood areas of high-traffic so they have to walk through it.  

Spray the run with water often throughout the day. Frequently spray the roof of the coop with water to cause evaporative cooling.

As a general rule, avoid giving chickens treats when it's hot outside so as not to encourage increased internal temps with the exception of frozen fruit and vegetables (blueberries, strawberries, corn, squash, etc.) that can help cool and hydrate them. Watermelon is particularly helpful towards this end.

Provide access to dust bathing areas. Chickens cool themselves by digging down to cooler spotsdigging down to cooler spots in the earth.

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Before my first flock members were old enough to lay eggs, some of them were using the nest boxes as bedrooms. Chickens poop a lot while they sleep and I knew that I had to put a stop to the nightly nest box occupations. I had read that hanging burlap in front of the nest boxes could deter these unwanted slumber parties and figured it was worth a try.
 
 Armed with my trusty staple gun, I headed to the coop to install a length of burlap in front of the nest boxes. Within a week of hanging these primitive nest box curtains, the young chickens began roosting like big girls.

 

 I do not recommend burlap as it frays and unravels, making an unsightly mess in the coop, tangling up with pine shavings and itself. I
couldn't bear the sight of it and, replaced it with vinyl tablecloth material. I found that the vinyl got messy looking too. Plan C.

  
The third nest box material choice was a charm: a colorful remnant of fabric from curtains in my old apartment.

Nest box curtains have additional benefits: 

 Laying Privacy  

Hens prefer to lay their eggs in a quiet, private place. If you've ever had a free-range hen and stumbled upon a hidden nest of eggs in the yard, you already know this. Nest box curtains provide hens with the privacy they appreciate when laying eggs. 

 Discouraging Egg-Eating 

Egg-eating is a horrible habit for a chicken to pick up and is extremely difficult, although not impossible, to break. It can also be a learned behavior from watching others engage in it. The less visible eggs are in a nest, the less likely chickens are to explore them with their beaks, break one open and discover what we already know- they're delicious! Nest box curtains keep eggs out of sight and out of mind. 

 Broody Hens  

A broody hen is a hen who is inspired (by decreased daylight conditions and sometimes by seeing a collection of eggs in a nest) to sit on a clutch of eggs and hatch chicks. Broody hens prefer dark, private places. Hens have been known to wander off for several weeks to make themselves a secret nest in a barn or under a porch, and return a few weeks later with chicks in tow! Nest box curtains provide the ambiance expectant mama hens seek.

 

 Broody Deterrence 

Broodies inspire other broodies. The power of maternal suggestion is strong and with some hens, the mere sight of another broody on a nest is all it takes to kick her hormones into overdrive. Nest box curtains keep broodies and eggs out of view, reducing the likelihood of ones laying flock turning into a sitting flock.

Nest box curtains can be made of lots of materials. I prefer fabric to others I have tried as it hangs well, wears well and can be washed (in theory, I'd rather just throw it out and change the decor in the coop!). Mine are a simple, no-sew curtain that I staple right onto the wood above the nest boxes.Easy in, easy out.

Matching window treatments are always nice too.

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It was the start of another story time on the farm. Just before the bedtime of the little goats and the baby chickens (because the mothers don't like them up too late). Farmer P. had started the fire with some old newspapers, and was attempting to smoke an opossum skin that the youngest farmer had prepared. The schedule for the evening began with a story from each of the animals species: Uffie was the designated storyteller for the chickens, Bubble had promised to tell a story on behalf of the pigs, Sunset (our heifer) was considering if she should participate, and Nutella was excited at the thought of telling a tale, and thus earning respect of her new herd. When the fire was just right, and the smell of slightly burnt opossum skin hung in the air the ceremony began.

Uffie clucked a couple times to clear her crop, then started:

“Once Upon a Time, there lived six guinea keets. Each one of these guineas had a special power. The first could fly into trees, the second could camouflage into any---”

Bubble then solemnly asked for silence, gave a speech about enjoying the quaint story Uffie told, and then decided to begin her story:

“In the dark days of winter, a heavy frost hung upon the ground. It was blistering cold, and the poor humans, in their thin skin had to continue to do chores. Even in the winter they had to feed the---”

“Is is over yet?” the baby chicken Snuffie asked.

“Yes, yes, I am sure that Bubble is done now.” Maybelle replied.

Sunset blushed, for it was her turn, and asked if she might go last. Supposedly, it was because she 'wasn't ready yet' (however, I think it is because Sunset knows that only the last animal ever gets to finish their story). Nutella was excited to tell her story and was alright going out of turn. This is the story she told:

“There once was a rabbit, that loved to run around the woods. And this rabbit loved trying to make friends. She liked to meet the ducks, and the deer, and the foxes, and one day---”

“I love it!” exclaimed little Meringue.

“But I haven't finished yet.” Nutella said, acting puzzled.

“Aw, that's alright, it was good anyway.” Passamaquoddy told her.

“Next week you can add a little more to it.” Squeak explained.

“You see, that way all the animals can say a bit before bedtime.” Bonnie finished for Squeak.

After Nutella had completed her story, Sunset thought that she would tell an action story, and because she has time to think while she chews her cud, it was rather elaborate (I have formatted it with Sunset's distinct accent, and took time to explain some of her actions while reciting):

“The mountain looooms
Above the pasture,
Holding it in a shadoooow
Keeping light fromoo entering
The stalls and rooooms.

(She lightly moo'd as reciting poetry without moo'ing is very difficult for her.)

The top of the hill,
Nooo one can glimpse.
It's height immooonse,
No one dare climb
Tooo face peril.

But a foooolish bison,
Dares a small
Cow to challenge
A mooonster huge,
The Lion. (This moo was more of a growl.)

[And the poem went on and on and on... (you can read the full text at the bottom of the page)]

Sunset finished her story, and looked around to see that most everyone was already headed to bed. But she wasn't upset, because the humans stuck around, and that is how she knew that she had told a good story. Before she headed to bed herself, she sneaked a midnight snack of Alfalfa, for talking had made her hungry. She spent the rest of the night contemplating about what sort of story she would tell next time the humans built a fire. Then she went to sleep, and dreamed about having an entire field of 'Alfoofa' to herself. Meanwhile, the humans went to bed themselves, thought about the morning when the alarms would go off, and it would be time to begin the chores.

[For those who don't know who all the characters listed in this story, they are:

Farmer P. - This is the head farmer, we like him because he moves hay.
Opossum – This is possibly the animal that hurt Drip's (another duck) foot a while back. Now a ghost.
“The youngest farmer” (a.k.a. Farmer T.) - This is the farmer that attempted to raise rabbits, we like him because he kills the predators (that would otherwise kill my chickens).
Uffie – This is the daftest chicken on our farm, and we love her.  She is also the WKH mascot.
Bubble – This is the pig that likes to make noise.
Sunset – She is a red dexter heifer. She thinks that Farmer E. is her best friend.
Nutella – This is our milking goat, and the newest addition to the farm.
Guineas – We had six, but now there are only five.
Snuffie – It's just 's not Uffie. But I like the little one anyway.
Cookie – This is a golden-laced cochin bantam chicken.
Maybelle – This is our high-maintenance queen goat. For reference: she doesn't like me much.
Meringue – The very first little princess goat born on our farm.
Passamaquoddy – A magpie drake. He is still on his quest to find a dragon.
Squeak – The best piggy friend of Bubbles. She likes people.
Bonnie – Our new farm puppy. She likes to find dead things.

Remember: These are quick summaries. You may see these animals featured in other stories.]

Below is the full poem that Sunset told [including the 'moo' accents]:

The Stoory of the Brave Moo-Moo

“The mountain looooms
Above the pasture,
Holding it in a shadoooow
Keeping light fromoo entering
The stalls and rooooms.

(She lightly moo'd as reciting poetry without moo'ing is very difficult for her.)

The top of the hill,
Nooo one can glimpse.
It's height immooonse,
No one dare climb
Tooo face peril.

But a foooolish bison,
Dares a small
Cow to challenge
A mooonster huge,
The Lion. (This moo was more of a growl.)

She takes a spear,
Her halter,
With hay,
Leaves her hooome
With many a tear.

In the cold
Of the mooountain
She shakes,
The sun she spies
So close to hooold.

It shines smoo bright
That for a moooinute
She is blinded.
The beast, hooodden
Strikes with all it's might.

Comes charging at our heroooooo,
The fearsome lion.
With claws flying,
And teeth clashing
Is an awful fooooe.

(She took a break, and caught her breath here. Moo'ing softly before continuing.)

But the brave hooofer
(With her halter)
Strikes back
Althooough strength
Is failing, she says

Moooooooooo.
Making a stooomp
Hits the flesh
Ooof the beast,
(Her halter askooow).

The lion falls
His yellooow coat
Is soaked in blooood
Of cooow and mooonster,
And lay with curled claws.

The heifer cannooot
Believe. She killed
The lion, that scared
All. She cooooked sooome
Hay on the spooot.

(Not sure if this was part of the poem, but a large, loud, elongated MOOOO was heard around WKH.)

Toooday, a farm-
Hooose is built
Where the
Dooel took place.
Here no animool is harmed.

There is now clover (She licked her nose thinking of delicious clover and Alfooofas.)
Here. Further oop
The hill, sooome goats
Have tooo,
Taken over.

The height of the
Mooontain is
Shrunk. The sun
Is seen frooom the
Town belooow.

Cooorn grows
In fields, for the
Sun shines.
In the distance
Yoooo can hear the
Rooooster's croooow.

And the sun
Sees the heifer
In the mooorning, and
Bestooows a kiss.
Mooooo.”

Sunset licking a salt block.

Things have been relatively quiet here but busy at the same time, kind of like organized chaos!  This evening the organization may go out the door! We will finally finish the coop and get move the chickens.  I’m excited for them and for me, I get my basement back!  Not that I haven’t enjoyed their stay but they have worn out their welcome! 

We opted to go with new steel for the roof but luckily the company that sells roofing steel has this nice little pile of seconds that are sold at a discounted price without a warranty.  Considering it is for the coop I wasn’t too concerned about the warranty.  With some help from one of our friends and Chad’s cousin, they put the roof on in no time.  It looks awesome!  It’s also water tight; no leaks appeared during the down pour last evening.  We put in divider walls that are about 3’ high and chicken wire to the top.  This evening we have to put the doors on the inside and the steel on the walls and we will be good to go!  Sorry the pictures are kind of awkward but it was dark.  The broilers will go in the smaller enclosure to the right and the hens will have the entire half to themselves. 

We did have a bit of a scare with one of the broilers.  He started limping on one leg and got run over by his hungry roomates.  I moved him to a separate box and then start freaking out after reading the symptoms of Marek’s on the internet.  Unfortunately everyone I called knew very little about it.  So we’ve been taking care of him and I’ve come to the conclusion that it isn’t Marek’s but instead a wing and leg injury.  The vet’s office was not much help so I’m winging it (no pun intended!).  I did give everyone some oregano after reading the Fresh Eggs Daily blog about nesting box herbs.  I’m adding an herb garden to my list of things to do.  It’s great to know there are alternatives available without having to add a bunch of chemicals to their diet.  Thanks Lisa!

We finally found pigs but only 2 so far.  They will be coming home in 2 weeks.  We were hoping to get more but pigs are very hard to find.  Well, normal pigs are hard to find.  The market is loaded with expensive show pigs for the fairs.  That is great for them but I’m just looking for a nice, normal pig that I can feed, grow, butcher, and eat. I doubt the chickens and bunnies will be concerned about whether or not his hair looks nice or if he has scars from his castration.  Things are still up in the air but if it is this hard to find pigs we may consider raising our own.  We have talked to several people that are running into the same problem however they don’t want to raise them. 

There have been no signs of bunnies arriving so I’m thinking that we may have separated them in time.  I’ve been reading up though just in case.  Since this would be her first litter I know she will be stressed and I want to make sure if its going to happen that we are able to do what we can for Thumper and the little ones. 

Turkey hunting has been unsuccessful thus far.  Eliza shot at 2 on Junior Hunt Day but missed.  I'm not sure who was more nervous her, Chad, or Chad's brother Chase.  I really would have loved to have been a fly on the wall of the blind!  I went out one day and had no luck.  It sounded like they were right below me but never came up to where I was.  Chad and Eliza went out again Saturday and heard several but were apparently the only 2 that believed in walking because there were 4 wheelers running around everywhere.  We'll see what happens this Saturday. She definitely has turkey fever!  Our house is filled with the sound of her practicing with the turkey call.   Aurora and Jorja are biting at the bit to go fishing.  Chad hears turkeys from side and fish from the other!

Chad and I were able to attend the Soil Conservation District annual dinner this week.  They had a slide presentation of what all the SCD has done and is responsible for.  I would imagine that there are plenty of people in our area as well as our many tourists that have no idea what goes on to help maintain and save our land and water.  The SCD handles everything from building sites to flood control to farming.  They showed pictures of a flood in our county seat that caused a lot of damage.  As a result flood control dams were constructed and there hasn’t been an issue since.  The thing I see popping up on more farms are the creek buffer zones.  Fencing is placed on either side and then trees are planted inside.  This keeps the cattle out of the running water.  It enhances the image and contributes to a cleaner water supply.  I’ll grab a picture next time I go up to my parents house.

I can’t wait to report on how the housing is working out and what’s happening with the pigs.  Hopefully the weather will start cooperating so that we can get even more things going.  Oh and one last, very important thing.  I want to wish our youngest , Jorja, a very happy 5^th birthday tomorrow!  She definitely helps to keep things very interesting to say the least.  Until next time!!

About 2 weeks have passed since I originally penned the opening blog so it’s only fitting that I catch everyone up!  Mother Nature can’t seem to make her mind up considering that I got sunburnt one day and pretty much froze to death last evening putting boards on the chicken coop.  She did offer a surprise for the girls this year though; they actually got a spring break.  Normally we have so many snow days that the teachers are contemplating working on lesson plans for the 4^th of July.  It’s all cyclical, we’ll probably end up with snow as high as the phone wires again next year.   Now for some updates.

The Chickens  

They are growing like crazy. I looked at their first pictures last night and couldn’t believe how much they have grown.  Their feathers are coming quickly right along with their urge to fly.  We had to build screens to cover their cages since one of the Speckled Sussex decided to fly up on the edge of the brooder.  Chad is convinced it was his favorite that he has named Harv.  Since they were straight run I asked him if it turns out to be a hen are we going to have to call her Harvina!!  I’m not sure he appreciated my humor!   We did have a few little poop incidents - diarrhea and some pasty butts.  Luckily the gentleman that I got them from is a great resource.  After adding in some baby grit and going to a medicated feed, things seem clearing up.  We had already been adding the electrolytes to their water and he said that helped out tremendously.  The chicks do have a treat that they absolutely love and that is their Baby Cake from Farmers’ Helper.  They go absolutely wild over it.

The broilers are doing well too.  I would pretty much compare putting their feed in the brooder to taking a case of chocolate bars in to Jorja’s Pre-K class at snack time.   They are also quite the creatures of habit.  I normally go to the right side of the brooder to put everything in.  One morning I walked down the steps and could see them peering out through the crack in the side so I snuck around to the other side.  I stood there and laughed because they stood there like “wait, where did she go, you have to be kidding me we are hungry.”

The Rabbits  

Oh yes, we have rabbits, three of them to be exact.  After a wink to the girls, a friend of ours bid on them and then each girl had a bunny in their arms.  For future sales I think we are going to have to keep Aaron and the girls separated or we will end up bringing home the goats the girls have been eyeing!  They are doing a great job taking care of Thumper (Eliza), Oscar (Aurora), & Abe Lincoln (Jorja)!  Aurora seems to be the rabbit girl though.  She just has a way with them.  Everyone’s comment though has been that we will end up with babies so I did some online research and we have 2 males and a female.  I’m pretty sure we didn’t separate them in time so I guess we will see what happens at the end of the month!

The Coop  

The coop, or The Mansion, is coming along great.  One more day of work on it and we will be able to start the inside.  It’s a 12’ x 12’ addition onto the shed that we raised our calves in.  I think it will be a good start but we may end up taking over the shed too.  The other addition is for the pigs anyway!  We’ve used rough cut hemlock and pine and have been able to recycle a good many of the nails.  It amazes me how Chad can straighten a nail.  I wonder how many pounds of nails are thrown away each year that could be used for something.  We are also going to be able to reuse some old windows and a door.  It has been a lot of work and splinters but all well worth it.  Chad’s cousin has been a great help too and has taught us along the way. There will definitely be an upcoming post solely about building this coop!

Well I think that’s about everything that has been happening around here.   We are on the lookout for pigs now and who knows what else!  Until next time!

For me one of the joys of rural life is watching animals. Sometimes I'm very touched by what I see; sometimes I have a good laugh. I’ve also made some interesting observations about how animals entertain themselves, interact with each other, and respond to humans.

Horses play together and fight with each other. They will watch out for each other. In the wild, one stallion will lead and defend a herd of mares and young horses. A lead mare will be his second in command, and they will work together to manage the herd.

This is often seen in domestic herds as well. A stallion will usually have superiority over geldings (neutered males) and mares. However, if no stallion is present, a mare is likely to be queen of the herd. Geldings can also take a leadership role though. We had one gelding who was so protective of his favorite mare that we had him tested to see if any testosterone had been left behind.

The roles of horses can change as the grouping changes. For instance, at our place, when Star was around, King was submissive. But when Star left, King would take over the lead. But passive Bucky was always on the bottom rung of the ladder.

"Just act nonchalant like we don't know they're watching us."

 
Cows don’t really appear to play together much, except as frisky calves. Cows will fight on occasion, which can be complicated if they have horns. Cows don’t communicate much or show a strong hierarchy. Or so I thought.

My eyes were opened by "The Backyard Cow," in which author Sue Weaver reveals the social order of cows. In a herd of cows there is usually a head honcho, who may not really lead per se but gets first dibs at everything. And then there might be a morning hike director who leads everyone out to the pasture. A different evening coordinator brings them back to the barn at dusk.

And cows have a language all their own. Mooese consists of five main syllables used in combination to form six main calls, each of which has a different meaning. Ethologist C.J.C. Phillips has studied bovine communication in detail. (I had to look up the meaning of “ethology,” a new word for me. In case you, too, are in the dark, it is the study of animal behavior.)

"Psst...can you keep a secret?"

 
Chickens don’t appear to play, thought they sure like their dust baths. They will fight over food, roosting space, or for "just because" reasons not obviously apparent. The term “pecking order” came from the hierarchy of chickens. If roosters are present, one of them usually rules the roost, sometimes with the help of another roo or the alpha hen. Where there's no rooster, an assertive hen will take charge. The pecking order can sometimes be tracked from the alpha right down the line to the most submissive chicken.

Roosters have a few different voices for calling their hens to snack time, herding them into a corner to avoid danger, or warning off an intruder. Some roosters let their authoritative status go to their heads and become cocky (another term that came from the poultry world). And even a docile roo can overreact if you wear different boots or carry an umbrella.

Surprisingly, chickens also can have touching relational interactions. We have a pair of banties that are practically inseparable. One, the tiniest breed of the whole flock, is at the bottom of the pecking order. Her best friend, only slightly larger, is at her side day and night protecting and defending her. I have also seen a slender 4 pound hen spread her wing over a much larger 10# hen to protect her from perceived danger.

"In case any of you had a question about who rules this roost..." 

 
Horses, cows, and chickens…that’s about the extent of my experience with farm animals. In the next few months, with a new species on our farm, I expect to make some observations about the social life and communication style of pigs.

Do they utter assorted snorts? Can they wag their curly little tails? Do they share their food?

I’m eager to find out.

Marie and her husband, Jim, are developing a farm in the Pacific Northwest with their adult children and grandchildren. At The Homesteader Kitchen Marie and her daughter review kitchen equipment and talk about preparing and preserving delicious food. Along with other family members, Marie shares glimpses of country life at Rural Living Today and teaches practical skills at The Homesteader School .   

When my kids were young, I was one of those moms that just loved doing all sorts of domestic and creative things. I have been called “June Cleaver,” though I am not fond of wearing high heels or pearls or even dresses for that matter. (In one episode, the dedicated June wore pearls even with her bathrobe! I saw it on a rerun!)

I always made a point of taking time for friends, church, and community. I had other pursuits, hobbies, and interests. But there’s no doubt that my family was my first focus. Caring for my kids and participating in their lives was a major part of my life.

When my oldest kids started leaving home, I knew I was in for a tumble down the empty nest syndrome spiral. I could see the writing on the wall: one day all of my children would be out on their own. So I took the bull by the horns and started preparing for that day far in the future when I really would be an empty nester.

I thought about things I’d like to do when all the kids were grown. I knew I’d relish more time to write and follow other creative pursuits. I could get a job in publishing. I could go back to school and finish my degree. And I expected to someday have grandkids to coddle, spoil, and enjoy.

My hubby, Jim, and I could do more traveling, take longer vacations, and make more weekend getaways. We’d continue to visit art galleries and enjoy community theater and music. I even told Jim I would learn to golf, but was secretly glad when he said he prefers to golf with “the guys.”

Jim and I sat down and wrote individual and combined 5-year and 10-year goals—what we’d like to do by then and where we’d like to see ourselves. I guess we were writing bucket lists before we knew what a bucket list was. As the years went by, we checked some things off, crossed out some that no longer seemed interesting, and repeatedly highlighted some that just hadn’t happened yet.

One thing on my list was to have chickens. I finally got my chickens shortly after Jim and I moved to the farm (checking one more thing off our lists). Guess what? It was just after our youngest child got married and began her own life outside my nest. And yes, I already had symptoms of the dreaded empty nest syndrome.

A week after we moved to the farm, our wonderful Maremma livestock guardian dogs came to live with us. But for a smooth transition, they needed some livestock to guard. So we got some chickens. Yay! At last!

I started with layer breed chicks…17 of them! A month later, I got meat chicks…26 of them! We had 43 chicks! And I thought, why not try raising turkeys for Thanksgiving? So I bought some turkey babies! We had…chicks and turkey poults galore.

I have to say I am surprised at how chickens have satisfied my maternal nurturing instincts. They don’t need a lot of care, but from the start, twice or more a day I was checking on them, feeding and watering them. Oh yes, and sometimes just watching them. And, okay--sometimes I even held and cuddled them.

I could tell you many wonderful things about chickens, but today I’m thinking about how they hopped into my empty nest and filled it pretty full.

I still miss my family when they’re not here. I enjoy doing little-kid things with my grandkids, and grownup stuff (okay, some childish stuff too) with my eight adult kids. I have been known to pamper Jim just a little eensy bit.

But those chickens, they let me lavish on them all the nurturing I have to spare. I’ve never once heard them complain!

Marie and her husband, Jim, are developing a farm in the Pacific Northwest with their adult children and grandchildren. At The Homesteader Kitchen Marie and her daughter review kitchen equipment and talk about preparing and preserving delicious food. Along with other family members, Marie shares glimpses of country life at Rural Living Today and teaches practical skills at The Homesteader School .

Every year at this time, I find myself a week or so into an impossible New Years Resoution.  Some fad diet or gym program that quickly grows tiresome and falls by the wayside.  This year I resolve to do something meaningful.  Something that will not only meet a goal for myself, but benefit my family as well.  I am choosing this year to make a list of the things I have always wanted to try, but never made the time for.  In my trial and error method of achieving a more self sufficient home, I am hoping a list (especially one put out for the world to read!) will hold me more accountable, so here goes:

Resolution One:  To cook more for my family.

I do "cook" everyday, but when I am rushed that might mean boiled pasta and canned sauce.  I can do better, and with some planning (and at the least some homemade sauce!) I plan to lean a little harder on fruits and vegetables and less on staples like store bought pasta.  Goal #1: make homemade bread more than a special occasion!

Resolution Two:  To fill my pantry with home canned foods.

For a few years now I have canned a few select items that I use the most;  green beans, tomatoes, peaches,  pickles, jelly, preserves, and apple butter.  This year I hope to expand my resume to include more vegetables, whole fruits, relishes, condiments, beans, and even meats like chili and chicken soup (I have to admit that I am a little scared!).  I hope this increase in both volume and variety rewards me with a wall of full mason jars by this fall.

Resolution Three:  To expand my flock.

I have so enjoyed raising my six little hens these past few months, and I want to keep things going with the addition of heritage turkeys.  I don't have any experience with them personally, so it will take some research, but I look forward to the challenge!

My son, Brady with one of our Barred Rock Hens 

Resolution Four:  To have a bigger, more practical garden.

My name is Kristina, and I'm a seed addict.  I will attempt to grow anything, especially if it is unusual, or even just pretty.  This makes for a lovely garden, and an interesting centerpiece, but when your family only tolerates your love for eggplant do you really need three different kinds?  In that light, I am committing to grow the things we get the most out of, tomatoes and bell peppers especially. Which means I will have to plan, and not just grab packets as they catch my interest.  I will try to restrain myself!

Resolution Five:  To grow some new herbs for medicinal use.

As friends share recipes for homemade bug-bite ointments and bath salts, I am always a little sad that my ingredients come from the store and not my own garden.  This year will be different!  I am planning on hibiscus for tea, calendula for salve, and a host of others for spices as well as soaps.

Wish me luck as I work hard this year to keep things closer to home! 

It has been two weeks since our livestock guard llama, Louise, passed away leaving her partner, Thelma, in charge of guarding the sheep. I’ve since come to realize, unlike Cagney and Lacy, the division of responsibility was never equal. Thelma isn’t security team material, she’s more like the bad teenage babysitter that is so concerned about what the young alpaca boys next door are doing she lets all her charges run wild. In an effort to pick up the slack, Willamina the Great Pyrenees has taken on the added responsibility and has been pulling a lot of double shifts.

Willa and I have had our differences over the years, but she does finally seem to be outgrowing her wild youth and maturing into a responsible adult. She still has the occasional outburst of energy. Now that she resides exclusively with the alpacas that are taller than her though, she doesn’t seem to want to play chase as much. It seems to only be the smaller animals that trigger that impulse, like the great chicken chase last summer. 

It happened during the routine nightly ritual of tucking all the animals in for the night. It was a complicated system; a certain order had to be followed to keep the peace amongst all the livestock residents. The goats needed to be tucked into their goat grotto first so that the sheep can cross the goat pasture to get to the barn. Only then could Willa be let out to start on her nightly patrol. The chickens had a pasture all to themselves so we didn’t have to worry about them. Chickens are smart enough to tuck themselves in at night so all a farmer has to do is shut the coop doors behind them. I had just finished shutting one of them that night when I heard the ruckus begin.

It seems Prius, a hybrid hen, had jumped the fence and landed in the goat pasture -- where Willa was. I hadn’t noticed her out there because of all the tall grass, and frankly wouldn’t have been looking for her back there because we’ve never had one of the large breed hens jump the fence before. I’m not sure who scared who first, but all of sudden the dog was jumping up and down barking, the chicken was squawking and feathers were flying everywhere. There were at least 200 yards and two fences between me and the mayhem. In my panic, I actually thought for a second I would jump one of the fences as I took off in a flat-out run to save Prius. Then, almost as if I could hear the screeching tires in my head, I remembered that I don’t have super human strength or the ability to fly, and so I had to resort to going all the way around and through the gates; a much less direct route.

I was screaming at Willa as I ran to “leave it,” a command the other dogs grasped easily in obedience class but Willa never did. Even when I reached them she still didn’t want to give up the now lifeless chicken. It didn’t seem like a good idea to reach my arm into the jaws of a Great Pyrenees and take away its new found snack but I was only armed with an empty plastic coffee can in my hand that probably only weighed an ounce. I threw it at her anyway; she didn’t even notice. I was more than a little hysterical by this point. In the end it was my hysteria that finally got her to let go. It was if she stopped to say, “What is your problem, lady?”

I scooped up the chicken and stumbled back through the tall grass and brush to the chicken pasture. Prius wasn’t moving. She was wet with slobber and half her feathers were missing. I couldn’t tell if she was breathing or not because I was actually hyperventilating myself. I had witnessed the 100 pound dog pounce on the 2 pound chicken, so she had to be dead. I was beyond furious, having difficulty breathing and it was getting dark. I still needed to finish locking up the chicken coop so I left the lifeless little body just inside the door and planned to bury her first thing in the morning. I stayed mad at Willa all night. Mad because she chases chickens. Mad because she wouldn’t “leave it.” Mad because she made me throw the can at her.

It was raining the next morning when I walked out with a shovel, still angry. I opened the chicken doors and out scampered the chickens. Once they passed by I looked in to get Prius only she wasn’t there. Then my brain caught up with my eyes and I nearly gave myself whiplash when I turned to see that Prius had just walked past me with all the other birds. I couldn’t believe my eyes. “She’s ALIVE!” I thought. “What in the world?” Apparently chickens know how to play dead. Or she was in shock. Or she came back to life as a zombie chicken.

 

No matter how much I wanted to, I couldn’t stay mad at Willa. She was just doing her job; if that 100-pound dog really wanted to kill that 2-pound chicken, it really would be dead. I now think she was trying to help catch it. Since then we’ve locked the chickens up first and conducted a beak count before releasing the hound. We are still working on that whole “leave it” thing.

Unlike Thelma, Willa absolutely earns her keep around here. Each evening of late just after I tuck everyone in for the night I hear the blood curdling howling start; there is a pack of coyotes camped out in the ravine behind the barn. I suppose they are using the spring-fed pond as their winter watering hole. It sounds as if they are coming within feet, not yards, of the perimeter fence. Willa makes it emphatically clear where the boundaries are in case they’ve forgotten, going so far as to have created a rut where she patrols back and forth.

We are bringing another rescue llama in to keep Thelma company and hopefully refocus her attention back to the sheep, but it is Willa who allows me to sleep at night. Bringing up a livestock guardian dog from a pup isn’t easy, they will try your patience, they will bark at harmless croaking frogs for hours and they might even try to eat a chicken or two. Waiting them out is worth it though, eventually you will wake up one day and suddenly realize they have quietly become worth their weight in gold.
 

The hatchery catalog arrived in January while the snow was piling up outside. It was perfect timing. The hubbub of the holidays was over and we had plenty of time to make plans for the coming spring. My Dad and I perused the catalog trying to decide which of the different breeds of poultry we would like to raise. He wanted the practical egg layers. I, being ten years old at the time, wanted the fancy chickens with the funky hairdos. We settled for a little of both and added a few of the green-egg-laying Easter Egger chickens just for fun.

The weeks passed and the weather warmed. One weekday morning, bright and early before the sun even came up, the telephone rang. “Hello?” I answered.

“Hi, this is Gladys at the post office,” she said.

“Hi Gladys.”

“Can you tell your Dad he has a package here?”

“Um, sure thing, I’ll have him stop on his way home from work."

“No honey, I think he’ll want to come now.”

“Why’s that, Gladys?”

“The package is peeping.”

And thus began our adventures of into the life of homesteading. We eventually would not only  have chickens but guineas, ducks, turkeys, ducks, geese, peacocks, rabbits, goats, pigs, a pony, a raccoon and a ferret just to name a few. It was always entertaining as
each animal had its own quirky personality.  It was like growing up in the middle of a petting zoo. In fact, I often noticed people driving by our place real slow checking to see what we might have added to the menagerie that week. We were a popular attraction. It was a lot of work, but Dad loved those animals and so did I.

Many moons passed, we kids grew up and moved on. Dad maintained the small farm for a while but eventually the old barn was torn down and the barn lot converted to part of the yard. Nothing remained of the animals but the memories.

In 2002, my father was diagnosed with cancer. Towards the end of that year it was starting to look like Dad might lose the uphill battle he had been fighting. We reminisced about a lot of things. Stories like the time Ol’ Tom Turkey refused to go inside during an ice storm, froze himself to the ground and we had to go out and dig him up to bring him inside to thaw. Defrosting a turkey while it was still alive just seemed wrong. Or the time we had visitors and the billy goat chased a child up and over the fence. The kid’s shoelace caught on top leaving her hanging upside down. It sounds horrible but, boy, was it ever funny to watch. We reminisced about how much we enjoyed sitting down and looking at that chicken catalog together. When we would talk about it, there was a sparkle in Dad’s eye that I hadn’t seen in a long time. He said, “We should order a catalog.” I figured, “Why not?” If that’s what he wants I’ll get it for him. I ordered it that same day.

The next time I visited he asked me, “Did you order that catalog?”

“Yes,” I said. 

“Well that’s good because I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I’d really like to have that catalog.”

“I ordered it right away, Dad; I’m surprised you haven’t received it yet. I’ll run out and check the mailbox to see if it is there.” It was. Needless to say I extended my stay that night and we enjoyed perusing the catalog and discussing the merits of our favorite breeds. I really enjoyed that evening and left very happy we were able to share those memories once more. 

During the next visit Dad sheepishly looked at me and said, “I ordered some chicks.”

“What?” I said. I had no idea he was actually planning to place an order. “I thought you just wanted to look at the catalog?”

“So did I but I just decided maybe I needed something to look forward to. I think if I get those chickens I can surely make it until spring.”

“Well then that is a great idea.”  If you could have seen the look in his eyes, you would understand why there was no way in the world I or anyone else was going to tell him he couldn't have them.

This time when the post office called about a peeping package my Dad was on hospice care. The Easter Egger bantam chicks he chose lived in a plastic swimming pool just next to his makeshift bed in the living room. They provided hours of entertainment when we
needed it most.

It wasn’t until after Dad passed away that my brother and I realized we had no earthly idea what we were going to do with twenty-five half-grown chicks. We were both living in the city. Luckily, my uncle was able to step in and care for them for a few years. Then, once I settled into my own place in the country, they moved in with me. Now that the bantam flock has dwindled over the years, I once again find myself perusing the catalog. This time with my son, choosing our favorite breeds and discussing the merits of each. Dominiques this year we’ve decided and a few of those with the funky hairdos. All that's left to do is wait for the phone call.

Christine Byrne lives on a small farm in rural Indiana where she takes care of chickens, sheep, alpacas, llamas and whatever else meanders through. You can read more about her farming adventures at www.frontporchindiana.blogspot.com.   

Last Saturday, thanks to the ALBC breed finder, we headed out to the home of GRIT and MOTHER EARTH NEWS reader Margaret Kramar to pick up a replacement hen for the wonderful layer we lost in the 113-degree heat this past summer.

Margaret and her family were a pleasure to talk to, and in this business you often don’t get the opportunity to interface directly with readers; it’s such a nice alternative to emailing and phone conversations.

Here’s our new little Hamburg hen (speckled, pretty, smaller bird on the left). She was just hatched this past spring, so I'm glad to get her in her first year. There was a little scuffling and establishing pecking order in the first few minutes, but when I went out later that first night with a flashlight, our two hens were roosted right next to one another in the coop on the same roosting bar. I think now it's safe to call them buds.

We’ve never named our hens, not for any other reason than we have two different breeds, so they are simply: the Hamburg and the Dorking. I really don’t buy into the if-you-name-it-you-won’t-want-to-eat-it philosophy, so maybe these girls end up with a name at some point.

Our chickens are laying hens, definitely, but a few years from now we will end up stewing them as well. I’ll probably have to take them away from the house and wife for the processing, since it’s not the most pleasant thing for anyone to process the animal they raise, but it’s completely necessary in my opinion.

By the time I got to our former Hamburg, rigor mortis had set in, so she was buried in the backyard instead of reaching the proverbial stew pot. Really, she should have been burned to prevent any chance of disease, I know, but we currently live in town and that’s just not possible.

Anyways, I strongly endorse the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy’s online directory and rare breed locator on their website. Type in the species or even specific breed you are looking for, your city or zip code, and proximity parameters, and you can locate a member of the ALBC closest to you. It’s a breeze.

One phone call to Margaret, and we had ourselves a replacement Hamburg that will be just as appreciated as her predecessor, and hopefully we can see her through to an older age. It certainly was an added bonus that the Kramars are dedicated to country living and rare-breed conservation – values that I think are probably widespread among the ALBC members by definition – not to mention good GRITty folks!

Now, just to convince Gwendolyn to add a couple of meat rabbits to the space we have, and between poultry, venison and rabbits, we’ll be doing about all of the home-meat processing that we can until we make our way out where the pavement ends.

 
I thought I would share a few tidbits from the farm, and catch you up on what's been going on. We've had a VERY busy spring, and keeping up on all the farm chores, our "regular day jobs", and every day routines leaves little time for anything else. But we love it, and welcome each new day. We've got five kittens on the farm, old enough now that they've started bravely exploring the area around the storage/feed shed they live under.
 
Oddly enough, the females are the friendliest of the bunch. Usually, it's the boys. When they're old enough, they'll visit the vet for a little snippity snip, and come back to the farm and take up residence in the barn.

 
The garden is growing, and just starting to produce edibles. We enjoyed our first picking of green beans on Friday, and we enjoyed our first zucchini on Saturday! We've got more zucchini ready for picking, as well as a patty pan squash, and a handful of beans. The cucumber vines are LOADED with flowers, but 99% of them seem to be male flowers. Hopefully the female flowers will be along soon. The tomatoes are doing well, and I'm starting to see a few hints of red!

The rattlesnake pole beans planted around the hackberry limb tee-pee trellis we built have sprouted! I can't wait to see the trellis filled with bean vines!

The Thumbelina Zinnias were the first flowers to bloom, and their bright cheery faces are a wonderful thing to see! I look forward to more zinnias, and lots of sunflowers, too!

 
In other critter news, we are patiently waiting for our red Dexter cow, Lucy, to deliver her 2011 calf. Come on, Lucy! We're READY when you are!! Looks like she'd rather be out in the pasture with the herd, but we've got her in the barnyard where she can deliver her baby under our watchful eye.

 
The other calves have all been weaned, and are enjoying the good life. Dexters for Sale, Dexters for Sale! 

 
We've got a few new chicks on the farm, too! I snapped this photo yesterday afternoon while making rounds with the camera. Looks like a great way to travel, when your legs are short!

 
The hens are enjoying daytime free-ranging. Lots and LOTS of bugs to eat! Lots and LOTS of yummy eggs to produce!

 
We continue to count our blessings on the farm, and hope you and your families enjoyed this Memorial Day weekend.  June is upon us, and it looks like summer is here to stay for a while.

Often times, I think, our first instinct is to think that the cold temperatures of winter are always a bad thing, at least when it comes to our animals. Generally speaking I would agree with that assessment, but I've actually noticed something else that I think is interesting with respect to my hens.

Last year I was very good about making sure that my chicken coop was covered and kept from most of the harsh winds of winter. I covered the bottom sides of the coops walking area with plastic sheeting to keep out the drafts, and taped closed the top to keep the bigger gusts of wind and snow from blowing in as well. It worked well for the most part but I did end up with one thing last winter that I hadn't expected... mites.

Now, fast forward to this winter. I didn't cover any of the coop with plastic, allowing full exposure to the elements for everything outside of the roost house. What I did do was to spend a bit of time at making myself a good water warmer for the girl's water dispenser and set my heat lamp and warmer up on individual timers to optimize the heat for the coldest parts of the day. Now, I didn't do this because I was intentionally testing something, but as it turns out I did learn something interesting in the process.

As I think back, I believe the main problem that caused my mite problem last year stems mainly from the fact that while in the summer months the chickens get to move around the yard, regularly on new ground, in the winter they are essentially stuck in one place because of the snow and the permafrost. Because of this, and with the higher temperatures of a well insulated hen house, I think the mites had a perfect place to take hold.

Now then, that being said, the interesting observation that I made recently was that I have had no problems nor even signs of any mites this year and in fact, my girls seem to be even healthier than they were last year despite my best efforts. They are all laying very regularly, I've seen no evident of mites at all and their feathers are much thicker than they were last year. The only significant difference I can see is that they have not been as sheltered from the cold this year as they were last year. From that I'm making the assumption that the cold has been enough to stimulate them to adapt as they are genetically programmed to do, while also being too cold to allow the natural pests to develop. In closing, I guess I would say that while the cold weather can bring a lot of challenges, it also can be less detrimental than we may be led to believe.

All seasons in nature are there for a reason and winter is no exception. While it may not bring us the excitement of spring, the lush growth of summer or the beautiful colors of fall, it allows the garden... and the livestock a time of renewal. Otherwise difficult to deter pests are laid bare to buy us some time before their annual assault on our gardens, livestock carry their young to be birthed just in time for a full season of feed and even the gardeners are given a few months off to mend achy backs and re-plan the garden for the next season.

Have you found any surprising benefits to winter where you are? I I'd love to hear about them.

Paul~

You can reach Paul Gardener by email, or check his personal blog at A posse ad esse. 

Read more: Growing Possibilities 

Since I last posted (sorry it took me so long) the chicken law needed to go to the planning commission to get it’s okay, then it would become law. Well things did not go so well with the planning commission –members thought it would ruin the image of Burton if they allowed chickens and one man said chickens just had so many diseases it would endanger the public if they allowed them. So with only me in the audience in favor of backyard chickens, the law was quickly turned down.

All hope was not lost, although believe me I felt that way, the city council could override the planning commission’s recommendation. So I was excited when I heard the council was having a meeting about the chicken ordinance on July 6.

As I sat in the council meeting trying to decide what to say Bat reached over and whispered in my ear that he would speak about the chickens if I wanted him to. You know I said yes – whew no worries about turning red! So when it came time for audience participation he got up to speak, and then a neighbor down the street spoke in favor of chickens. One lady spoke up and said she would like to have chickens for her grandchildren and another lady living here from Australia spoke up and said it would be a great experience for her children, and she would love to give a go. She spoke about a Chicken 101 class in Genesee County somewhere – wish I had gotten a chance to speak with her afterwards you know that would be a great class to take.

Then the council spoke – all except one were in favor of backyard chickens in the City of Burton. I’m sure he is a nice guy anyway. You can read more about it in this Flint Journal article.

Can you believe it? Chickens are legal in the city of Burton! Many thanks to city council member Paula Zelenko for her tremendous help in getting this law passed. Many thanks to the rest of the council for having open minds and thinking outside the box as Bat would say.

The law states you have to have a ½ acre of land, but you are able to go before the planning commission if you have less and ask to keep chickens. You can keep 6 chickens but no roosters. I just can’t imagine going out in my backyard and gathering fresh eggs. Just the thoughts of that connects you more to the land you live on. I’m not sure how many people will have chickens but the idea of backyard chickens is becoming more popular and I think it’s great the city I live in has given the okay for people to have the option.

Ahhh, finally Chickens!

Hello from Homeland Farm. It is proving to be an interesting summer here at the old place.

We just watched our farms history played out on national television. We were taped last February for the show My Ghost Story, which is on the Biography channel, and last Saturday night we made our TV debut. The segment was only about 8 minutes long but it was so interesting. This farm has been in our family for 5 generations, and we have always felt a few of those now gone relatives continue to visit us on occasion. We have a family cemetery in the corner of our hay field where many of our kinfolk are buried, and that was featured on the show as well. It was alot of fun, and thankfully I looked fairly intelligent as the narrator! It should be able to be viewed soon on Bio.com, look for my face in the playlist box. I think it will probably be listed on episode 8, although I am not sure about that. Hollywood hasn't come knocking since the show aired however, so the farm work continues!

Our garden has really kicked into high gear with the long stretch of hot weather and ample rain supply we have had this summer. We have gorgeous plants, and are starting to get an abundance of cukes. That of course means pickles of every variety. I have made bread and butter pickles and ripe cucumber pickles. Today I finish a batch of kosher dills as well. We have plenty more cukes coming on, so I think I will be able to try several other varieties. I have made three batches of strawberry jam and a couple batches of raspberry as well.

PLUS, I have made two batches of homemade root beer ... Oh my! It is so good. I love root beer, and the homemade, while not as sweet as commerically made rootbeer, is the best you can drink. It is made with yeast, and that makes it extra potent, so caution must be used once it gets fizzy. It can, and WILL blow up! How many of you out there can recall homemade root beer shattering glass bottles? I bet more then one! We  now use plastic soda bottles that I wash out, which makes it easier to tell when the soda is ready, as the  plastic sides start to bulge when it is ready to drink. Ya might want to open it very slowly, and over a sink ... just in case.

We have been very busy haying as well. We cut over 40 acres of hay, mostly to feed our own horses, but this year it looks like we will have some to sell as well. Gas and diesel is a bit cheaper this year, so that helps.

Now if we could figure out how to get our grain cheaper, we would be very happy. That was a big part of why we decided to forgo turkeys and meat birds this year. A 50 pound bag of meatbird crumbles here in Maine is over $15.00 a bag, and anyone that raises them knows how many bags they eat in their short life. I don't even dare to look at the organic grain, which is undoubtedly over 20 dollars a bag. It shouldn't cost that much to raise your own meat. Does anyone else find the cost of grain prohibitive in their area?

The horses don't need grain in summer, and they all look wonderfully fat and shiny.

My children have been very helpful this summer, as they are all getting older and pitch in more then ever with the work.

Cliff and I like that, as we are getting older as well! Nice to see the younger generations pitching in to get the work done here at Homeland Farm. Thanks for reading ... See ya next time!

Hi. Welcome to the Homeland Farm blog. It is shaping up to be a great summer here in Maine.

We had beautiful weather during May, which has jumped our hay quite a bit. We currently have 4 horses, and end up haying about 40 acres of mixed hay, mostly Timothy. Cliff has been busy since he returned from Nevada, hardly stopping to rest.

We have managed to get the garden all planted, and the flowers set out. Cliff has repaired the haying equipment, and we all just had a hand in painting the baler and hay rake. They look pretty spiffy with a new coat of paint.

I have just finished my spring housecleaning in time for a MASSIVE influx of Pine tree pollen … oh yay. My entire house has a nice green layer of greenish-yellow pollen on every surface. Time to get started cleaning again (insert heavy sigh here). We still need to do a lot of fencing and need to restack last years remaining hay in the back of the barn to use first in the fall. My daughter is moving home from Florida for the summer, and I feel certain this is a job she would NOT want to miss out on, so we will anxiously await her arrival next week.

The hens are laying great, for 2 year old birds. They took the winter off entirely, so they should be very well rested. I know you can use lights in the winter to increase pro-duction, but we don't. As the old saying goes, what’s a hen’s time worth anyway?

The garden is in and looks great. Let’s see if we can keep ahead of the weeds … always a challenge. Every year I can tomatoes, pickles (if the cukes do anything), and make jams and jelly. We make homemade rootbeer, and need to get that first batch underway. Ever had a homemade rootbeer? Ice cold? Oh myyyy … it is So much better then anything you can buy. Have to get on that soon. I know my daughter doesn’t want to miss out on that either … better wait for her. (I know what you’re thinking – she is gonna be one busy gal – and you’re raight!) We have four horses that need attention. She sent me a note on Facebook saying that "everyone needs worming when she gets home." I said I would hold Cliff by the tail while she does it!

We are still awaiting the date for our segment on My Ghost Stories to be sent to us. They said they will email it to us before the date so we will be sure to watch. I did a blogradio show the other night about our adventures here at the farm, paranormally speaking, and the host asked me if any activity had ever occurred in the kitchen. I said none that I was aware of. Two days later, we woke up and every cupboard door in the kitchen was WIDE OPEN … all of them. We didn’t do it. Question is …who did??

That’s it from Homeland Farm today. Got some serious dusting to do. Have a great week!

Hello Everyone! Usually I like to keep things light and fun, but sometimes life gets in the way.

All of you should be familiar with my 2 roosters; Chatty and Cashmere by now. For 17 months I have raised, loved and spoiled them daily. Chatty though, began to change when he got into the coop with his girls. This is normal as they become protectors instead of just the family pet. And Cashmere, as we all know has always been aggressive. Daily I have had to fight off one or the other when I go to let them and the girls out of the coop. I have been hurt so bad by the spurs that I have come close to passing out from the pain but being bull-headed I ignored it and continued on.

Well in January, I started getting sick and found a lump in my armpit that I watched. By May, it hurt and got big enough I went to the doctor. Come to find out, I had a bacterial infection, probably caused from all the daily spur and nail attacks. My 51-year-old body couldn’t handle the daily abuse and rebelled big time. Now, most people won’t think twice about getting rid of the cause, in this case 2 roosters, but for me it was very very hard just to even think about.

Finally one day, Chatty hit me so hard and fast I had to kick him across the run just to get away from him, and he still charged after me. I HAD to let them go. I have a wonderful food co-op lady, who let me bring them to her so she could get them to another woman for me. Yes, I cried the whole 30 minute drive there, with Chatty sitting next to me and Cashmere in a box in the backseat. It has been 4 days, and I still cry over what I had to do because the woman she was giving them to was going to kill them and eat them.

I tried Craigslist, but everyone wanted hens or roosters to kill. So, I was in a hard place mentally, but knew I had to give in and let it happen, though my heart was breaking. I would have not done it at all, but even separating Chatty from his girls to be in the house with me didn’t stop his attacking, whereas at one time he never attacked me away from them. Some of you will read this and think “good grief the woman is being stupid over some roosters,” but the ones who read my Blog know I raised these guys from day old chicks, spoiled them with treats and love. Chatty I had taught to walk on a lead, ride in the car with me and gave him his own chair in the dining room. So, for me, they weren’t “just” roosters, they were my pets who I adored.

Driving away and leaving them was very hard and all night I fought getting in the car and getting them back. But I also realize, I need to stay healthy for all my other pets who depend on me. I have 2 hens who live in the house because of deformities. I have a 14-year-old blind dog and a diabetic cat who all need daily care by me, and when I am sick it’s all I can do to get out of bed. So, yeah I had to make a grown-up choice, and I hated it every step of the way. I don’t see myself as someone who gives up or quits. When it comes to my animals, I will put up with a lot so they have a good safe life. Speaking of that, anyone interested in a 6-month-old biting pot belly pig?!

Until next time, have a wonderful chicken day.

Hello from Homeland Farm. This week brings a change in pace for us. Cliff is going to fly to Nevada for a few days to visit his son, daughter-in-law and their baby girl, so I will be head honcho here for the rest of the week. I look around and see a lot that needs to be done this spring.

The horses have stepped on a lot of wire to push it down so they can lean over it more conveniently, they like their comfort don’t ya know! We have 4 horses now – two Spotted Saddle Horse mares, and two Thoroughbred race horses we saved from an unpleasant future. We recently had a tremendous loss: We had to put down our old Belgian draft horse "Bill" to sleep after 5 years. We bought him from people that hadn't fed him in weeks ... skin and bones. They said he was 15 – turned out to be 35ish – but he was a great fella. I will put some videos of him on at a later date. We will miss him.

We also have 65 layers, and two guinea hens: Mr. and Mrs. Guinea. They are hot tickets and keep us amused with their travels. We have Rhode Island Reds, Araucanas, Buff Orpingtons, New Hampshire Reds and Barred Rocks, and one 5-year-old Araucana rooster, Mr. Rooster Cogburn.

We also have 2 dogs, Lacey the cheesedoodle poodle and Duchess a Golden Retriever, and we have 4 cats, Muffinhead, Stewbeef, Stink E Lewis, and Slippery Sue. We are going to be getting some turkey poults in June, for a very tasty Thanksgiving. We have plans to get our garden under way once Cliff gets back from Nevada, and of course lots of haying coming up this summer.

We have a big "thing" happening in July. This old house has had 5 generations of our family born here, living their lives here and also dying here. We have a family cemetery in the back hayfield and have come to realize over the years that we have some friendly "folks" that still hang out at the farm even though they have passed away. We are being featured on an upcoming series My Ghost Story which premiers in July. We had a Hollywood producer come visit and take footage and everything. It is very exciting and very big happenings for this small town and certainly this family. More about that in the future. Thanks for stopping by! I hope to hear from some of you in the future!

Part 1 of 3. You've been asking for it (or maybe I made that up); a tour of my office on wheels and a bit about the view. Join me for a quick tour of the office, the chicken house, one of the gardens, and a few surprise stars!

Despite a back that makes me feel like I'm 20 years older than I am, having had two May birthdays in our home plus mothers day, weather that just will not cooperate, a last minute visit from my parents on the one decent weekend we had and a firm deadline at work that kept me working weekends three weeks in a row,  we've managed to get quite a bit done in the last month (little over actually) that it's been since I last added my two cents around here. Shall we catch up?

In early April, we decided it was time to start the process of beginning a new flock of chickens for the backyard. They were indoors in one of my "Chicken Condo's" as I like to call them and reminded us all how darn cute the little guys really can be.

We decided on a few new varieties this time around. In addition to the prolific white egg layer breeds that we already have experience with, the White and Brown Leghorns, we also decided to try out a couple of Buff Orpingtons and some Rhode Island Reds. Both are brown egg layers and are supposed to be a little less flighty. So far it seems to hold true.

Just like all teenagers, they have to go through that gangly, "don't look at me, I'm having a bad feather day" period. Not as cute, but still fun to watch as they sort out their pecking order.

And speaking of cute teenagers, my wife and I spent a great Earth Day at a local educational nature center with our own "flock." We were appreciating the fine solar array here and thinking of the day we'll have our own. Don't yet know when that'll be, but it will be. My little alternative energy engineer in the green shirt there, already has his own small solar array in the backyard that he's using to charge an old car battery. He and I have plans to get my greenhouse "off the grid" this summer. We won't be able to heat it with this, but I will be able to handle small-scale lighting and air circulation. It will be fun to work on together.

And speaking of that greenhouse, it's been chock full! I did some major transplanting in mid April and was actually able to take the thinnings from the seedlings that I had and propagate them into fresh cell packs to have entirely new plants. I think all told I ended up with nearly 110 tomato starts for this year. Those extra propagated starts will be getting donated to a community garden that I'm going to be helping out with, but that is fodder for an entirely different post.

I should also mention that I started a YouTube Channel in April. A demo on how I went about thinning and propagating my tomatoes was one of the first things I added. I plan to add many more as the season progresses.

Tomatoes and peppers aren't the only things growing in there though. Because of my shorter growing season, I've started cantalopes, watermelons, cucumbers, zucchini and these pumpkin plants that are loving the heat among other things.

I mentioned the two birthdays in the house ... well, I guess I can admit one of them was mine. I slid into 39 this year and treated myself to one of the things that I've been really wanting for some time: a Meyer Lemon tree.

And that weather I complained about earlier. Well, this was what I got the other day, May 14th actually, as a warning that spring is still here and Mom Nature will do as she likes! One minute the day was beautiful with a few clouds over the mountains, the next I noticed them getting darker and it looked like rain. I had barely put the plants I had out of the greenhouse hardening off back inside before these started falling from the sky. Wacky!

All in all, I'd have to say things are going pretty well though. The garden beds are filling up, the days are longer, and even if the weather does leave a little bit of predictability to be desired, it's still been a pretty darn nice spring.

How's everything going in your necks of the woods? Hopefully Springing up nicely!

You can reach Paul Gardener by email, or learn more about his garden at A posse ad esse.

Many people think of cleaners, pesticides and medicine being toxic to animals, however, there are many foods and plants that are common in and around our homes toxic to our animal friends as well.  The following is in no way a complete list, but a list of those items most common.  Additionally, some of the items are toxic in larger doses than others, but it's safest to keep them away from your cats, dogs and chickens altogether.

Common Foods and Plants Toxic to Cats and Dogs

• avocado
• alcohol
• onions
• garlic
• grapes and raisins
• chocolate, coffee, tea, and any caffeine
• macadamia nuts
• mushrooms
• nutmeg
• salt
• yeast dough
• xylitol (artificial sweetener)
• hops
• apple seeds
• aloe vera
• amaryllis
• azalea
• begonia
• easter lilly
• hydrangea
• lily of the valley
• poinsettia
• christmas tree pine needles
• potato, eggplant, and tomato plant
• rhododendron
• rhubarb leaves

Common Foods and Plants Toxic to Chickens

• raw potatoes and peels
• avocado
• citrus fruits
• rhubarb leaves
• chocolate/caffeine
• apple seeds
• onions
• garlic
• mushrooms
• alcohol
• potato, eggplant, and tomato plants/leaves
• salt
• mistletoe or holly berries
• raw beans
• nutmeg
• sweet pea plant
• tobacco
• stone fruit pits
• asparagus

Check with your veterinarian if you have questions regarding any of these or other toxins. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your animal has ingested any of the items listed.

For more information about Cobble Hill Farm, visit our personal blog Life at Cobble Hill Farm.

It has been a rough and rocky start with the farm, but progress has been made. This little piece of land was once a bare cotton field. Now it is becoming a little farm with all the animals to go with it. Since it is a small two acres, every spot has to have a meaning and a purpose. Everything I am growing or building can be used in two to three different ways and most of the time creating a circle back to itself so no waste is involved.

I finished the barn this month and started to house it with chickens.

It is 1/16 scale to a real horse barn and as soon as it was completed, I found out is was to small. The plan has changed a little from having chickens on the right, goats in the middle and rabbits on the left. Now all three are full of chickens. I never wanted to be an egg salesman, but it seems everyone wants eggs, and at $2.00 a dozen my chickens cannot lay enough. So to supply the demand, we changed our plan a little. Now we are feeding over 30 layers for nothing more than egg production with several more in the brooders ready to come out in a week or so.

The left side is dedicated to the wife’s mini chickens. She is incubating Serama eggs as we speak.

I have not found one person around this area selling the Serama chickens. If they can pay for themselves, I do not mind giving them a shot.

The poor rabbits were shoved out back of the barn and I was forced to do the first add on for their housing.

I am raising Flemish Giants for three reasons. First is for their manure. Mixing rabbit manure with chicken manure makes for a perfect fertilizer. Rabbit manure used as a soil amendment is even higher in nitrogen than some poultry manures and it also contains a large amount of phosphorus – important for flower and fruit formation. It has an N-P-K ratio of 2.4-1.4-0.6. Also, rabbit manure, after it is cooked down, makes a great food for my worms which in turn feed the chickens and the fish.

Second, the FFA and 4-H in this area do not have much to chose from when it comes to show rabbits. If I can breed up to show quality, then the market for the Giants will expand. Thirdly, they are for food in case times get real bad.

The mini goats have taken a back seat for the time being. The way it looks I might have to build them their own barn.

Is it going as fast as I would like it to? No. But in just a few short months we have gone from a blank canvas cotton field to an almost working mini-farm. Future building plans include a brooder house, green house, above ground root cellar, solar shower and many more little things to turn this small piece of dirt into our dream.

You can watch it all being built on our personal blog Modern Day Redneck.

Vince and I moved to Missouri in December 2006 from Kentucky. We thought our residence in Kentucky was a bit rural but moving to Nevada, Missouri, has brought a whole new meaning to “rural.” Even though we’re currently living in the city limits, we’re looking for land where we can have the freedom to grow and build as we please, without restrictions, covenants, city ordinances and . . neighbors! We have fallen in love with southwest Missouri and hope to stay in this area.

Vince has never had much desire for living in the country, but with the current economic times, and the need to feel more in control of our own lives, he is coming around, and we’re looking for more land. He wants to have bees. I want a milk cow. Of course, there will always be chickens and a big garden.

I love to cook from scratch and will share recipes here. I can as much as possible, so I’ll share my canning experiences.

I grind wheat to make yummy and nutritious whole wheat bread, so you’ll hear some about wheat grinding and bread baking.

I quilt (a lot!), so no doubt, there’ll be some quilting stories here.

For now, we’ll be happy with our 9 hens and our little garden in town, but I hope that very soon, readers will be able to follow along in our journey as we find the perfect piece of land and prepare to live “the good life” as amateur rural farmers.

This is a small collection from many photos I have of our life on a rural Georgia farm that I wanted to share with you.

Grinding oats with the hammer mill. The hammer mill is a  Harvey Hammer Mill from the 1940s. It is old but is still works just fine. The hammer mill is powered by our 1953 Case Tractor.

Our 1953 Case tractor.  We bought it over 33 years ago. The first picture is right after we bought it when we were a young married couple and our oldest son was a toddler. It still cranks right up and is always ready to work.

The water wheel my husband built. We found out that over 100 years ago a water wheel was here on our farm. Now this one sits exactly where the one from long ago turned.

The rock bridge/dam that my husband also put back. After we cleared the brush and trees, we could see the outline of the old mill pond.  The pond is back now, also.

Brown Crowder Peas. One of my favorite vegetables to grow and freeze.

Crowder or cowpeas are probably native to the continent of Africa. They are thought to have been brought to the United States in early Colonial times. They became a staple food in the Southeastern U.S.A. Crowder peas are eaten as cooked fresh shelled green peas (boiled with usually some seasoning and meat like fatback or bacon) or left to dry on the vine for later use, either for seeds or cooked as dried beans.

Growing and pressure canning Roma green beans. Roma beans are long, wide, flat-podded Italian-style green beans. I like to can green beans. I just think they taste better than frozen ones.

This is a recipe for canning green beans that I have used for over 25 years.

Canned Green Beans

3 gallons of broken green beans.
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar
1/4 cup salt

Combine sugar, vinegar and salt. Add beans and enough water to cover the beans. Heat to boiling.

I usually cook the beans for about 15-20 minutes.

Pack loosely in hot jars. Cover the beans inside the jars with the liquid.

Follow directions for your pressure canner.

The instructions for my canner calls for 10 pounds of pressure for 25 minutes on quart jars. This could vary on different types of canners.

Tomato Horn Worm – How they  love to eat up tomatoes and vines. Chickens – How they love to eat up tomato worms!

The farm's sawmill. It has came in handy for sawing lumber as we need it around the farm. The oak hardwood floors in our kitchen came from trees on our farm and was sawed on the sawmill.

Embden Geese. We had 5 last summer. Now we are down to 1. Too many varmits love goose for a meal.

The kitchen sink. When we were building our house (ourselves), we found the sinks at a salvage store. We bought 2 just like this one. One side is very deep. They are a heavy porcelain sink. We were told they came from an old hotel that was torn down in Atlanta. The other sink like the kitchen sink we put in the downstairs bathroom. We also bought 2 heavy single sinks for the upstairs bathrooms. We paid $10 each for the larger sinks, $5 each for the single sinks. I love the view of the barn and animals from the window over the sink.

Hatching eggs in our homemade walk in incubator. We have hatched hundreds of baby chicks, quails, ducks, and guineas in it. Even though at first it was a trial and error experiment. It was the thermostat. When we replaced the old one, our hatch rate went up to at least 85% each hatch.

A few of the cows that have come and gone.

Our 1960 Ford F600 dump truck. It does all sort of jobs around the farm. It even has a working 8 track tape player!

I hope you enjoyed seeing just a little bit of the life I love here on our rural Georgia farm.

Our pup Papi hated lettuce, until we started feeding it to the chicks. Suddenly, it seems to be among his favorite snacks, when he can steal it from them. In the kitchen he still doesn’t like it. This makes me consider once again the nature of our natures, and I’m reminded of the parable about the frog and the scorpion.

I’ve always hated this tale, because while I feel I’m perpetually playing the frog, others mistake me often for the scorpion. Being convinced that I am the frog is not because I have delusions that we are not all self-interested beings. I know, for better or worse, it is what has allowed us to thrive – the dog, as much as the frog, or the man, or the plant. I know I’m the frog because I have always been gullible, the scurvy of the optimist.  I’ve always been over-ready to allow words or appearances to supersede actions and sometimes even common sense. I think I’m not the only one.

So, I’ve decided to update the frog and scorpion tale to suit my own life better. The frog will be a chick and the scorpion, a black lab pup. Instead of a trip across the river, the sweet and friendly lab pup begs the chick to play his provocative but seemingly innocent chasing game through the meadow. At long last his charming pants convince them it’s a beautiful day and he clearly means no harm.

That black lab, just look at that face, how could he possibly be the scorpion? Has he not so far obeyed orders, sometimes under great pressure to indulge his instincts? But just the flap of a wing and he is on high alert. It’s so very lucky for those chicks that he is well-supervised now, under constant surveillance. If only they knew, those poor little chicks, how their natural moves provoke him. He cannot help that at all. Any more than they can. He’s still playing the patient watch dog, for now.  I know he is surely not capable of strategically planning his next move, but just you wait, one of these times that seemingly innocent little flap will provoke a tragic end to their already shortly numbered days in the meadow.

The moral of my new twist to the story? A seemingly careless little misstep or two made out of innocence or ignorance are still missteps with fatal potential.

Spring is here, and as the seasons go, it doesn’t get much better than this. This particular season has been very exciting for my fiancé and me, as we have a couple of new spring projects that have commanded our attention on top of trying to plan a December wedding.

First and foremost – at least in prioritizing our obligation and energy – we’ll be getting chickens here in a week or two. It’ll be the first time we’ve kept chickens together, and after some painless and even fun convincing, my future wife is onboard with the project.

The key was getting our little coop and run set up; after she saw the nifty GardenEggs.com Little Egg Chicken Tractor, she was excited about the prospect of keeping chickens, and even wanted to raise them from day-old chicks so that we wouldn’t miss out on that part of the process. I think I picked a good one.

Once the basic construction was finished – a perfect 2-hour Saturday project, I might add, for me and a buddy with the grill going and a cold beverage – it was time to paint the coop for waterproofing reasons.

The Little Egg really is a thing of beauty. I had friends come over – they all thought I was crazy talking about raising chickens, one even asking, “Where does it stop, Caleb? Pigs are filthy creatures. I don’t want to live by pigs.” Just keep your dirty mitts off my eggs, Ryan. – who suddenly realized it wasn't so crazy, and this thing is perfect for an urban backyard. Enter for free and win one, as part of our May/June 2010 issue’s GRIT Gear Sweepstakes. Or you can buy the plans for $16 to make one yourself at GardenEggs.com.

I knew right away as we entered the hardware store after construction that she had elaborate plans well beyond my idea of a couple of coats of basic blue/grey paint. We’d talked a little about it. As I was picking out good paint for said coats, she wandered over to the isle where all the small brushes and bottles of red, blue, yellow, and green bottles of paint were.

Heading home, her knowing how to get my goat a little bit, she started talking of flowers and peace signs adorning our coop. Nothing against flowers and peace signs, they have their place and it’s all well and good, but that place is not on my chicken coop or any other piece of property for that matter; it’s just not my taste.

The feathers she drew around the bottom of the coop, and the mother hen and chicks walking along one side, amusingly brighten the coop (I'll provide a photo of the mother hen and chicks asap). I adore it.

Now, all that’s left is to come up with something clever to write on the door that shuts the coop off from the run. I suggested, “Girls Only,” “Beware of Dog,” and a couple others, but I don’t think my suggestions had that “that’s it” ring to them. We’ll see.

The other project was putting in our first garden. I’ve gardened for most of my life, but this was the first time I’ve started one from scratch, digging up the sod by hand and working the soil into what I thought was good enough shape to plant into; it’s the first time I could say any garden was truly mine. Hopefully, this will be the final year my lady and I rent, so next time I install a garden I hope it's permanent, and out where the pavement ends.

I did it all by hand, not for any reason other than I didn’t want to spend the $40 to rent a tiller for 2 hours just to till up such a small area (about 10 feet by 5 feet). As I worked the soil and the sweat accumulated in my hat, I couldn’t help but think of my great-grandfather doing this on a much larger scale by hand. A mule and plow may have been used for the big fields, but on some homesteads, a husband and wife surely worked a little garden into shape just to feed a few hungry mouths. Cool to think about and relate to, and I think I’ll probably take more pride out of what does come up – if anything – just knowing the work that went into it.

I went pretty small with the garden only because I’m not positively sure how much room I’ll need for our two laying hens to scratch around the yard. Giving a good quality of life to the animals, obviously, takes priority.

It took me a few hours, but after digging the sod out and hoeing up the soil to where it was fairly fine, I planted corn, tomatoes, onions, and one row of lettuce, with room for another in succession after a couple weeks. We'll also grow some basil and possibly a couple of other things in containers.

Both projects are a learning experience. I know I’ll have to make adjustments, and there’s still more work to be done – predators are my current big worry – but I’ll figure it out. If something happens, I’ll have to deal with it, make adjustments, and roll on. We’ll learn, and that’s always exciting. Also exciting is the thought of catching a mess of fish this summer, coming home and filleting them, and frying them with our own sweet corn and lettuce to go with it. Or making an omelet with ingredients entirely out of our garden; our first fully self-provided meal.

So my question to all of you – what is a clever line for the outside of the coop door? Any one-liner comedians out there much more clever than I?

Hello Everyone! Spring is in the air!

How do I know this? Mating attempts have picked up with my 2 very fine boys. Now, growing up on a farm I have witnessed this wonderful time when the animals are feeling the love. Well, I am telling you right now, I am greatly disappointed in the roosters attempt to love their hens!

Let me go back a ways and tell you about Cashmere. He, as you know is my very aggressive Welsummer, which can be a good thing. But when he was just learning he was a male he was like a male dog out of control. Oh no, not with the girls, he decided my stuffed fuzzy teddy bear just had to be loved and loved a lot! When he felt he had done his job he would run over to the dogs bed and love on the corner of it. I must admit in some sick way it was the funniest thing I had ever seen, and he was so proud. He would prance around when he was done just singing like he was the “Man.”

Chatty, on the other hand never found anything interesting unless it was breathing and looked like a hen. I got to witness his first attempts, and I would say he just didn’t seem to get what needed to be done. My hen would watch him as he did what we call the “Happy Dance” around her, his head and body leaning in towards her. Once he got closer, she kneeled down like she should, and he mounted. Good so far. Problem was he didn’t know her tail needed to be up and out of the way. He sprayed my floor. Yeah, go ahead and laugh, I sure did. After a few times of him doing this over the next few days, he finally figured it out. We cheered for the boy, and the hen ran away.

Seems the 2 boys finally figured out what and who they were suppose to be mating with, so I was pleased. Chatty, being a Buff Orpington is a very big heavy boy, and he loves his littlest girls. Poor Bowzer who is as small as a Silky caught his eye on day. She was smart and got down quick but as soon as he put one foot on her a egg shot out! It hadn’t formed its hard shell so it exploded as it hit the ground. Bowzer was not a happy camper, I can tell you that. She ran over to the egg and put up quite a fuss. She learned when he does his “Happy Dance” to run as far away as she can now. Well, until yesterday.

We finally went and did our taxes, and the weather was so nice, I put all the girls from the basement coop out into the run with Cashmere. Cashmere woudn’t stop crowing, so I had to bring him in. I thought this would be a good time for Chatty to say “Hi” to the girls again. While we were gone Bowzer must have forgotten to run. My poor little girl was limping, and he had put so much pressure on her that part of her vent lining was exposed. Normally I have Tucks for an old dog, but I couldn’t find them. But I have DMSO, which is used on horses for muscle swelling or damage. I first washed her back area, then put a warm wet washcloth on her vent area while I held her. She enjoyed this so much she fell asleep.

DMSO is very strong, so you need very little, and you do not want to touch it! Why, you ask? Any that gets on your skin will make you taste a strong garlic-like favor that takes forever to go away. I learned about this as a teen on our farm, we used it on our cows, sheep and dogs for sprains, muscle tension or swelling. This morning when I checked on Bowzer, her vent was back to normal, but to be on the safe side I fed her greek yogurt and very wet feed last night. I knew I could handle the diarrhea much easier than her having to strain and injure herself more. Now she is still limping, so will retreat the leg with the DMSO and keep her quiet in the bathroom. Chatty did this to Mae-Belle also, not the vent injury but the leg injury so bad she could no longer use it. Mae-Belle was bigger but didn’t know to get down as quick and suffered for it.

Cashmere, on the other hand, is still doing fine with his mating, no teddy bear for him now. Though he is very tall, he weighs next to nothing, so the girls handle him well. Plus some of the bigger girls just peck at him to chase him off if they are not in the mood. His poor crown area is always scabbed up from the bossy girls in his bunch. I have decided now that Chatty, though a sweet boy, has got to have the heavier girls who can handle him. If you have ever heard the term “Big Lug” that fits him to a T. So once Bowzer is better she will go back with Cashmere until I get my Silkie male, and any other little girls I have or get will be with him. I know chickens really don’t have expressions, but I swear when that egg shot out of Bowzer  she was in shock and her little face got this distressed look of “My baby!” You couldn’t help laughing, but I did pick her up and remove her from the area while I cleaned up the egg. She’d had enough stress for one day.

I never realized the roosters will mate with whatever size hen that gets in their way. There were 4 larger girls in there with Chatty, but he had to pick on Bowzer. Well, I have learned another chicken lesson, fit the hens to the size or weight of the rooster! Even though it’s entertaining I hate the fact they end up with bad leg injuries. So it’s another day, and I will be getting 5 new hens from my neighbor soon. These girls are about 2 yrs old and big enough to handle Chatty (I hope). But I am sure I will see more eggs fly across the run eventually. Too bad he doesn’t understand “Bad Boy!” Or is a tad bit pickier about who he mounts.

Until next time, have a great chicken day!

I finally got the mites under control, and then my rooster, Cashmere blocked the coop entrance and wouldn’t let one of my hens in. She was very quiet, slow and not quite right, so I brought her into the dining room ER playpen. She ate and drank her water, but just seemed a tad bit off.

For us chicken people, we know when one of our hens isn’t doing right. Two days passed when I had to start forcing food and water down her with a syringe and knew she may not make it. Well, she didn’t I am sad to say. Since I have done autopsies on some of my other hens, I decided I needed to find out what went wrong with her. I waited until the next morning after refrigerating her to do the actually autopsy. I grabbed both of my animal/chicken medical books and started.

Most of us eat chicken and never think about what they look like unless covered in BBQ sauce. But I find it interesting of how the inside of a bird looks. Everything is neatly organized, and so much of it in a small place.

Anyway, everything looked good and healthy, no dead spots, worms, tears, etc. Then I found her heart. Instead of the beautiful ruby red color and firm, it was pinkish, 2 to 3 times the size it should be, and mushy like warm jell-o. Sorry if I just made you hate jell-o, but that’s what it reminded me of. The poor girl didn’t have a chance with the heart she had been born with. It made me wonder if the hens my neighbor and I had bought as day old chicks were all of the same mother or coop. She had 3 die suddenly, and this was my second one from this batch. They were also either red sexlinks or Rhode Island Reds that we lost. None of the black sexlinks seem to have this genetic flaw that we have noticed. Sadly it is not something you can prepare for when you buy day old chicks or even hatch your own.

Though I personally do not like cutting up my chickens to see what is wrong with them, I am glad I have the ability (stomach) to do so. I have learned many things by doing this, such as a hen that was gizzard bound caused by long grass, one with a sinus infection that went to the brain and now this abnormal heart. One of my dear friends called me the Poultry CSI, in jest. She is right though because everything I learn helps me and may help others.

On a happier note, three of the new girls are laying soft brown colored eggs. All the other girls have yet to start laying, which may be a good thing, because 12 hens times 7 days is a lot of eggs for 2 people to eat! Thank goodness my neighbors love eggs, I will be keeping them well stocked. Well until next time, may you have a wonderful chicken day!

This year we’re really stepping up the gardening effort; tilling up more yard, thinking things through a little more. We have some definite goals when it comes to preservation, particularly of tomato products. Producing some amount of one’s own food is never insignificant. But I think that you really cross the line from gardener to backyard homesteader when you start adding livestock.

We started talking about chickens last fall. Since then I’ve done some research. I’ve joined a Yahoo forum. I’ve traveled to a nearby county to meet a nice lady and her chickens. And this past weekend I took a class in keeping backyard poultry.

I will say that I don’t feel exactly the same way about this whole enterprise as I did this past fall. When we first talked about getting chickens we were thinking only about eggs, and I certainly didn’t think that I could ever actually eat chickens that lived here. But after learning a little more, and knowing that because of zoning restrictions I can only keep 2 adult birds on the property, it’s really important to me that the two chickens we have are going to lay.

Plus, my research indicates that a chicken’s natural life span could be up to 15 years. Fifteen years is a serious commitment. It’s big. It’s like getting two more dogs.

Um ... NO.

I’ll be honest with you, I don’t want to make a 15-year commitment to an individual chicken – not when they’re only going to lay eggs for me for four or five years, tops. So these days I’ve been giving some serious consideration to the stewpot.

The stewpot came up a few times in Backyard Poultry Class. It could just be my somewhat privileged suburban upbringing – in which pets were not only coddled but allowed to live out their natural lifespan into some degree of infirmity with no thought to their “usefulness” or lack thereof – but I initially had trouble wrapping my head around the whole stewpot thing. And given that the man who led the class is a self-proclaimed chicken lover, it was somewhat surprising that he could speak so casually about it.

“What do you do with an incorrigibly dominant rooster who is attacking your family?”

“Stewpot.”

“What do you do with a bird that won’t lay?”

“Stewpot.”

Quite frankly, I think that the best thing I got out of that class was the information that you can take your birds to farmers in the local Amish community and they will slaughter them for you – returning them to you plucked and bagged a few hours later – for a mere $3. That’s a good thing to know.

Other things I learned there were kind of off-the-wall. Like that you can earn a little money raising chickens and selling them live to people of certain nationalities that practice Voodoo.

OK. That’s a little weird. Quite frankly, it’s really disconcerting.

I first began to realize in the garden when I was squashing potato beetles and cross-striped cabbage moth larvae that a more self-sufficient lifestyle – becoming more connected with one’s food – requires a certain pragmatism about nature, and a real willingness to accept the end of life as inevitable. Another story we heard in class was about a kid who had never seen a whole chicken, who had never made the connection between chicken the animal and those crunchy golden nuggets from fast food restaurants (tenuous though that particular connection may be).

I don’t want to be that family. Though I’ll admit I’ve been hesitant to put those pieces together for my own daughter that the animals she sees on the farm where we go to pick up our meat will eventually be, well, our meat. I got a little uncomfortable watching the movie Babe, and reluctant to explain to her what was going on when Babe learns that the rest of his family has been eaten, that pigs have no purpose on the farm except to be eaten. But we did tell her. And like most things she took it all in stride. And the kid has seen enough chickens and seen enough raw, whole chickens and eaten enough chickens to where it’s very likely she already has these pieces of the picture intact. It’s just not something that we talk about. Perhaps because it doesn’t bother her. I guess that remains to be seen.

Anyway, here are the top ten things that I learned at Backyard Poultry class that I did not know.

1. That chickens eat mice.
2. That chickens are cannibals.
3. That in the winter you don’t need to heat a coop. You keep a chicken warm from the inside out, by feeding it something that will keep its body warm. Our instructor told us to feed them corn in the winter.
4. That if you find an intact, dead, limp chicken, a weasel killed it by biting it and draining its blood. (Lovely.)
5. That black snakes are chicken predators. This could be a problem. We’ve been seeing black snakes here in the yard the past few years.
6. That it’s really hard to boil a really fresh egg. They just never seem to get all the way hard-boiled. I’ve actually noticed this about the eggs I get from a local farm. I just thought it was me.
7. That chickens only need a few square feet of coop space per bird.
8. That you only need one nest per four birds, though they each need their own place to roost.
9. That Joel Salatin collects old books about poultry. (Okay, that to me is just interesting gossip.)
10. That I already knew more about chickens than I thought I did.

I will say that raising chicks is a little more than I want to get into right now, and fortunately I won’t have to do that. I have made a deal with a local lady to tack onto her upcoming chick order this spring. When the chicks arrive I am going to let her keep and brood them for me along with hers – visiting them from time to time – until they’re about 18 weeks old, point of lay. I will then pick them up, pay her what it cost to feed them, and bring them back here to their new coop. I am excited about this arrangement, because:

1. It’s a good time frame. It gives me until about June or so to get the coop ready, and since we’re under construction around here, and trying to focus on one thing at a time, summer chickens will work out about right.

2. I don’t want to bite off more than I can chew the first time out, and I was a little concerned about having to raise the chicks. But they will be raised around lots of people, and socialized with people and other chickens, and I’ll get to visit them while they’re growing up, get to know them, etc.

They’re going to be Golden Comets, from Mt. Healthy Hatchery, a “quiet bird” that lays brown eggs.

Sounds good to me.

More to come on this subject as we continue to debate where to coop, how to coop, managing some aspect of free-ranging while making sure the dogs leave them the heck alone, etc.

Who would have thought that a farm couple in rural Georgia would have an online chicken nest box business?

Not us, the rural farm couple.

(Here’s a photo of us.)

It all started with my blog. Life on a Southern Farm.

I had started blogging as a hobby, sharing our farm life through pictures, stories, recipes and things my husband builds. My husband loves to build things. Lots of things. Plus he is good at it.

He had been building nest boxes for years to use here on the farm. The ones he made had the wooden front roost.

When I showed photos of those nest boxes on my blog, I had several e-mails and comments wanting to know if we had any nest boxes for sale.

FarmMan (as he is known on my blog) thought about ways to ship the nest boxes assembled, but that front roost was a problem. It would make the shipping boxes very wide, which would be much more expensive to ship.

He is used to overcoming obstacles, and he did again. He invented a wire fold up roost.

The wire roost is 1-inch-by-1-inch 14-gauge galvanized wire on 9-gauge rods complete with a wooden strip for the chickens to perch on.

Since I am his biggest fan and cheerleader, I agreed it was the best looking nest box and roost I had ever seen!

Now the roosts could fold up so we could ship the nest boxes completely built. No assembly required.

He even hand made the hooks for the nest boxes to hang on.

The nest boxes are made from 26-gauge galvalume (aluminum-zinc alloy coated sheet steel).

The are strong and sturdy – and pretty, too.

With the thicker metal it was hard to bend the metal around the holes. So FarmMan came up with the idea of using plastic strip guards around each hole opening. He wanted the boxes to be safe for people and hens.

All the nest boxes have removable nest bottoms for easy cleaning.

I didn’t have any idea how to set up an online store site. I looked on the Internet and found one that looked easy to set up, and I could try it for free.

It was a buyitsellit.com store site. Now changed to Highwire Commerce.

It was easy to set up and easy to add pictures of the nest boxes. We thought HenPals Chicken Nest Boxes was a catchy and simple name so we went with that.

I already used Paypal, and it was easy to set that up as a payment on the store site.

HenPals Chicken Nest Boxes was open for business!

In only 2 days we had our first sale. We were so excited! And we had feed back!

Happy to be your first customer for the Hen Nest! It feels so good to be able to buy from an individual who takes pride in building a quality product. Even considering the safety of its future occupants and their “people,” too!

We learned as we went along. We still are learning as we go along.

We started having a few more orders then more and more orders! UPS came to our farm and picked up the nest boxes.

FarmMan was very busy building nest boxes. I was busy on the computer.

Our youngest son helped out a few days last summer.

Last year we sold over 400 chicken nest boxes. We try to keep the prices of the nest boxes reasonable.

We certainly haven’t gotten rich, but it is our main way of making a living right now. With our farm’s property tax more than doubling in the last couple of years the business was right on time.

We are so grateful and thankful to have our HenPals Chicken Nest Box business that we can operate right here on our rural Georgia Farm!

Backyard chickens are never really far from the front of our minds here in the GRIT corral. Just recently, as part of an upcoming GRIT Gear Sweepstakes for the May/June issue, I received a Little Egg Chicken Tractor from GardenEggs.com, put it together, and am preparing my Lawrence, Kansas, urban yard to accommodate two free-ranging Catalana laying hens. More on that later. Our Community Chickens website, www.CommunityChickens.com, a GRIT-MOTHER EARTH NEWS joint production, also currently features a fantastic giveaway; this one a full-blown coop from Horizon Structures. 

The coop really is a thing of beauty. Valued at $2,195, it houses up to six chickens and has three nesting boxes. The run is built-in, and you can lock the coop up at night to prevent predators from getting to your flock. In short, we’re doing all we can here at GRIT and MOTHER EARTH NEWS to give you the chance to start a flock of your own. 

From quiches made with the extra vegetables in the fridge to fresh eggs sunny-side-up with your bacon on a Saturday morning, there is nothing like farm-fresh eggs. They’re healthier for you, are cost effective, and – most importantly to me – offer a person a sense of satisfaction from having a direct relationship with the food they consume. 

No matter your living arrangement, you’ve got nothing to lose. Visit CommunityChickens.com to enter the Community Chickens Win This Coop! Sweepstakes presented by Horizon Structures. 

Check out the May/June issue of GRIT to find out how to enter to win a GardenEggs.com chicken tractor. As GRIT Editor Hank Will wrote in his editorial for our bookazine, GRIT's Guide to Backyard Chickens, “Keep on cluckin’.”

Our newest addition is here!

Baby Renee (or Rene) arrived this week and the coop is in quite a stir!

Proud and protective Mama Claire is upset by her sudden move to the house.

We didn’t expect the eggs to actually hatch (actually, we didn’t believe that Clyde has been successful at doing his “job” with how clumsy he is), so we weren’t prepared for a baby chick in winter.

We moved Mama, Baby, and 1 un-hatched egg into the house (my craft room/multi-purpose room) in a dog crate. All seem to be doing well.

I am choosing to live in denial and state that the baby chick is a girl (Renee). Jay, on the other hand, insists on bursting my bubble with his “living in the real world” sense of reality and reminds me that it could be a boy (Rene). Actually, his words were “I think it’s a boy.” The chick is 24 hours old and impossible to sex by 2 rookie chicken farmers, so I’ll continue with my denial and call “her” Renee. Anyone had any experience with re-introducing a Mama and new Baby to the coop? I’d love some advice.

For more information on Cobble Hill Farm, please visit Life at Cobble Hill Farm.

Three days ago, my other Rooster Cashmere, would not let one of my red sex-link hens into the coop. Poor little girl was out in the run cold and scared, with Cashmere blocking the way into the coop. She let me pick her up, which let me know immediately she was not her normal self.

Into the ER playpen she went, after I checked her over. Besides white pasty poo, she seemed fine, but to be on the safe side I let her stay in the house with me so I could watch her. Nutmeg was not eating much or drinking water, so I finally found cream of wheat, oatmeal and strawberry Kefir that she showed much interest in. After two days of this, plus the syringes of baby vitamins and water, I had something crawl up my arm while I held her. WE had mites!

Since it was very late, I was not about to go out in the rain to clean out the coop right then and there. But being a concerned momma, I did make a kitty liter and wood ash tub for her. Well, did she use it like I had hoped to dust herself? No, she fell asleep in it.

The next day, after a trip to the vet for my cat Frankie’s rabies shot, it was time to strip and clean the coop. We had just had 24 hours of rain, but now it was nice enough with the sun out to not have to wear a coat. Oh by the way, I live in Massachusetts, bet you were wondering where this was all occurring . A full 20 feed bags full of old straw, poo and scattered feed came out and into the now visible gardens.

I am an earth mother of sorts and hate chemicals if I can keep away from them. I have used herbs for years and knew that marigolds have many benefits besides looking nice and keeping bugs out of your veggie garden. I just so happen to have a bag of dried marigold heads, so I cooked them up on the stove to make a very strong tea. Not the prettiest smell by any means, but I hoped it would be a good wash for all the wood in the coop.

My coop is a series of outdoor playhouses fixed together to create one large area plus its attached to a 3-by-4-foot wood coop box all inside my shop. Needless to say, my shop is covered in tons of dust now until the spring when I redo the coop.

Where was I ... oh yes mites. I washed down all the walls, branch perch, and door leading out into the run with the marigold wash. Then, because I have read they used to use old motor oil on the wood to deter mites, I grabbed a bunch of old marigold salve I had made a while back and coated the wood in the coop with this. In my mind, it’s safer and if the hens peck at it, it will not harm them. It’s lard based, so it will seal the wood some just like the motor oil did back when they used that. I also created a large wood ash and wood shavings dust bath for them that I put out in the run while I was cleaning the coop. The girls were in it before I could walk away, and Cashmere, being a gentleman, waited for them to bathe first before he got in. More on that boy in later blogs.

So, now I can just hear the old timers and experts saying “Why in the world would she use marigolds?” Well, my reply is this: One of the chemical washes used to clean coops with lists marigolds as one of its main ingredients. This plant is a mild antiseptic, it’s antibacterial and many bugs hate it. So, not only by washing the coop in it to scare off the bugs, if the chickens do peck at the wood it won’t hurt them. Plus by having their feet resting on the perch oiled in it, they are somewhat absorbing small amounts, which is good for them and it heals any bottom of the feet wounds.

Did you know a famous chicken company that advertizes on TV, feeds their chickens marigold blooms? Marigolds have benefits for your chickens so if you have never thought about it, plant some and give them the heads fresh or dried.

Back to the mites, Nutmeg has improved since I put in the dust bath, the girls and Cashmere are happy with their new clean home, and I am wondering ... if the mites left Nutmeg and my dining room has wood walls, do I need to wash my whole house in marigold tea because now they are at home in our house, instead of on the chicken?

“Everything old is new again.” That’s what the plaque my daughter gave me for Christmas read. She thought it fit me perfectly.

In order to live the sustainable life that I strive for, I’ve been finding out that everything old is new again, and it has been helping people lead a more enriching life. It is leading to people back to the land and to trying to be homesteaders again.

Not everyone can live in the country though and achieve homesteading to that degree. Some of us cannot afford to make the move or some of us just love living in the city. Believe it or not it’s not all bad living in the city. We love our neighbors, and the convenience just can’t be beat. That’s where the term urban homesteaders come in, which basically means that we are city dwellers who try to do as much for ourselves as possible in order to live a more sustainable life.

How to achieve this though, if you live on just a half acre like we do or an even a small city lot? A garden is a great way to start. It’s amazing how much you can grow on a small plot of land. In order to get as much from my garden as possible, I plant my seeds a lot closer than recommended, and I grow vertically as much as possible. I use techniques such as bean teepees and growing pole beans in the corn. We’ve recently expanded our garden space and this year we will be using even more of our backyard, putting it to good use growing food.

Of course, after the harvest you will need to know how to preserve the food by canning, freezing or drying. If you don’t know how to can, you can usually find a canning course at your local extension service or even at the library. Just imagine going to your pantry in January and eating green beans from your garden that you harvested in August. The taste is superior and you know where they came from and just how they were grown.

Remember though, there is nothing wrong with buying local if you can not grow it yourself – we love the Flint Farmers’ Market or going to the farm that’s close by us. For instance, last year after buying peaches from the store we came home and realized that they had been grown in China. It was at that moment that we decided to go to a peach orchard not too far from us and can our own.

Then start cooking your own meals. Get some cookbooks and begin trying out some recipes, believe me there will be some meals you choose not to make again, but after a while you’ll know what ingredients you like, and you’ll be able to know which recipe is good for you. Just so you don’t become too overwhelmed with making dinner everyday consider making a double batch of that lasagna, pizza, or casserole and freeze it for a busy day.

Raise some livestock, if your local government will allow it. Raising chickens on your lot is a great place to start, and you will have your own fresh eggs. If your city’s ordinances won’t allow raising chickens you might want to consider looking into how you can change the law, like I’m trying to do now.

The last city council meeting sounded positive. Of course there were a few chicken jokes cracked here and there, but overall I believe most of the questions were answered about raising backyard chickens, thanks to one of the council members. What types of questions were raised? One of the concerns was about the odor. To put that in perspective four to five chickens equal in the amount of waste to the average sized dog. Unlike cat and dog waste though, the great thing about chicken manure is that you can put it your compost, and it makes great fertilizer. The other question raised was about noise. There will be no roosters (you don’t need a rooster for eggs) and chickens only cluck when disturbed or they lay an egg.

A couple of days after the meeting a reporter from the Flint Journal called and asked some questions. We talked at length about the trend of keeping backyard chickens and my reasons for wanting them. I expected the article to be in the local Burton News, but believe it or not the article about the backyard chicken ordinance made the front page of Sunday edition of the Flint Journal, “Backyard chicken trend on the menu in Burton.” The reporter didn’t begin to cover everything I said, but overall, after I’ve gotten over the shock of my name being on the front page, I think it was a positive article.

Now just one more city council meeting to discuss regulations and if all goes well by the first of March we will be able to have chickens and then one more old thing will become new again. Not a bad thing to happen at all.

When I went to the city council meeting and I asked about having chickens I thought, Well, I will have my chickens by spring. Really, I thought my work was done. I mean, I got up my nerve and spoke and asked for the chickens, so that should be all I have to do, right? Wrong, nothing is ever quite that easy. When I went to the city council meeting last night, I found out that the next committee meeting that will be dealing with the chicken ordinance will be on February 1. There will be a total of two meetings to get the ordinance passed.

I pretty sure that the subject of having chickens in the backyard will be in the paper as there was a reporter in the audience. I have mixed feelings about this – I’m happy on one hand that the word will get out and more people that want chickens in their backyard will show up and give their support, and, on the other hand, I’m kind of nervous there will be people there also that don’t want their neighbors having chickens. Thanks to your helpful comments on a previous post I was able to get some answers to questions people might have. For instance, I’ve found out that four to five hens only produce as much waste as an average sized dog. Unlike dog and cat waste you are able to add chicken waste to your compost and reuse it in your garden. For even more information on changing city chicken ordinances there here are two websites that have been helpful to me, Chicken Revolution and Changing Your City's Chicken Laws.

About a week ago I was told it would be a good thing to contact my neighbors and find out if anyone else is interested in having chickens. So one bitter cold January evening I bundled up with my big coat, scarf, hat, gloves, and long johns underneath my jeans and walked to some of my neighbors to ask them if they are interested in owning chickens. Shaking from the cold, I started knocking on doors of the neighbors I knew. Most people generally were interested – they would say things like “what a neat idea,” but just as quickly add “but I don’t want to raise any.” Then I finally hit the jackpot, and I got one neighbor who was ready to go and said he would love to come to the meeting. Another neighbor across the street said she would love to have chickens for her granddaughter for educational purposes. The lady next to her said she didn’t want any chickens, but would come to the meeting, just to support me and see what a council meeting was all about. Now, she’s nice.

Have you ever been to a city council or town meeting before? To tell you the truth I haven’t, till I decided I wanted chickens. You might be like me and think, how boring. But they are truly interesting, and you find out all the things that are going on in your area. You get the information before any one else about what streets are going to be paved, rate increases, etc., and you get to have a voice. You get to go up front before the microphone and speak your mind and let the council members know how you feel. That is if you can gather up all your nerves. But you know, now that I’ve been to a couple, I think I might continue to go. I may not get to every one of them, but I am going to go to as many as possible and keep informed about my city. Something I should have done a long time ago.

Now, on to more neighbors, the ones I don’t know by name, and ask them if they would like to keep backyard chickens in the city. I have two weeks … and hopefully some warmer days for knocking on doors.

Something for reading by a nice fire:

I was quite surprised to find my first seed catalog and my first poultry products catalog of the season in the mail this week. This reminded me that even though its just mid-January, it’s time to prepare for spring. Hatcheries around the country are gearing up for another busy season. After seeing their chick orders get backlogged for six to eight weeks, and their rare breed chicks selling out by March of last year, they want to make sure that they are as prepared as possible for this year. Many hatcheries are requesting that their customers pre-order the chicks they want to ensure that they will be able to fulfill their orders. In fact, Mt. Healthy Hatchery is offering a 5-cent discount per chick if you pre-order before February 13th. Many magazine publishers are making room for all of the backyard poultry articles that will soon be written, and feed and seed stores are increasing their orders to meet the demands of this year’s backyard chicken frenzy.

Not unlike the hatcheries, magazine publishers, and feed and seed stores, we too need to get ready for spring. If you already have backyard poultry or are just getting started, there are a few things we all need to think about to make sure we are prepared. If you are getting started with chickens for the first time or want to expand your existing backyard flock, you first need to decide what breeds you would like. Many people choose the same breeds that their grandparents had on the family farm. Others might do extensive research on what chickens are cold hardy, lay the best, or lay the longest. Some may just choose based on which breed they think looks the prettiest. Whatever method you choose there are many resources available that can help you pick out your new breeds. Many hatcheries have their own color catalogs loaded with information about the breeds they carry. Online websites like www.MyPetChicken.com, www.FeatherSite.com, and www.BackYardChickens.com, can also be very helpful. Remember that rare breeds sell out quickly so you may want to go ahead and place your order as soon as possible.

Once you have your breeds chosen, you need to determine what method you are going to use to get your chicks or chickens. Some of you may choose to incubate fertile eggs while others may choose to order chicks or started birds from a local or national hatchery. Either way, you need to be prepared. Here is a short list of things to think about.

1. Are you practicing correct biosecurity? You can get a lot of free information about practicing correct biosecurity here: www.APHIS.USDA.gov/animal_health/birdbiosecurity 

2. Is your incubator working properly? I recommend running your incubator for at least 24 hours before setting your fertile eggs.

3. Is your brooder working properly? Make sure there is enough room for the baby chicks to move closer to and further away from the heat source based on their comfort level and never use cedar shavings.

4. Do you have all the waterers, feeders, and starter feed needed for your new arrivals? I almost always recommend purchasing the largest waterers and feeders you can afford. Owning chickens is addictive and you will be getting more! You will also be able to go away for a long weekend if you get larger feeders and waterers.

5. How are you going to incorporate your new birds with your existing birds and when? New birds need to be quarantined for about three weeks to make sure they are free from illness and disease. You can read more about this at the bio-security website listed above. I recommend waiting until the chickens are all about the same size before putting them in the same area. After the quarantine process, I like to keep my new birds in the pen next to my current flock so they can communicate and get use to each other before joining them together. I will let them all free range together in the morning but put them back into the separate but adjoining pens for the rest of the day. After about ten to fourteen days of this routine, I will corral them back into the same pen and let the fun (pecking order) begin. Establishing a new pecking order may look like a knockdown drag-out fight, but it must me done. Watch your flock closely, but accept the fact that there will be low birds on the totem pole.

Just like you, I will be getting ready for spring and asking myself these same questions. I don’t intend on expanding my backyard flock this year, but I will be setting some fertile eggs in the incubator and ordering a few baby chicks for my new “How To” video series about keeping backyard poultry.

Thanks,

Chicken Whisperer

Listen to the “Backyard Poultry with the Chicken Whisperer” radio show here: www.blogtalkradio.com/backyardpoultry 
Watch the Backyard Poultry with the Chicken Whisperer “How To” video series here: www.youtube.com/backyardpoultryvideo 
Visit the Backyard Poultry with the Chicken Whisperer website here: www.chickenwhisperer.net 

If everything goes alright and the city I live in passes a chicken ordinance, I could have chickens by the spring. I’m excited at that prospect, but lately just a little nagging question has crept in to my thoughts and keeping me up at night, repeating itself over and over again, What on earth do I know about raising chickens? Then the answer comes just a bit more softly but not by much, Not a thing, absolutely nothing. I’m a city girl who wants to raise chickens so I can have fresh eggs, and frankly I don’t know a thing about how to raise them. Spring will be here sooner than I think and I’d better get some answers quick.

So, what are the questions I want to know the answers to? Since I first started writing this I found out the answers to a few but still there are a lot. Well here they are (try not to laugh too hard):

How many eggs do they lay a day? Well, that was easy look up on the Internet most places said one a day, but one site said something about resting here and there and you might get 5 eggs a week from one hen. What do they need to rest for? Oh no, another question.

Are they loud? Another look on the Internet, and I found out that roosters are the ones that are loud, but apparently chickens just cluck and make louder noises when bothered. Okay, what or who is going to bother my chickens. Sheesh, another question.

What kind of coop do I need and how much will it cost? At first a portable one seemed like the answer until I considered our harsh winters and then decided a more permanent one will be the best choice. The price of chicken coops can be sky high but I’m looking for a cheap chicken coop now on craigslist – I’m just holding off until I make sure the ordinance passes.

A portable one still sounds appealing for the summer months, maybe my husband Bat can figure out how to make us one later this spring.

More questions racing through my head included:

What kind of chicken do I want? Which leads to the question, do I want brown or white eggs?

At what age do they lay their eggs?

Will I get any eggs in the winter?

How long will an egg stay good in the nest?

How long are eggs good once they are in the refrigerator? (Mine come stamped with the date on the carton.)

What on earth do you feed them? This apparently is one loaded question – everyone has different ideas.

Do they need shots?

So many questions, but I have a few months – hopefully I’ll know the basics by the time the chicken ordinance is passed.

Times are always busy on a farm and "pre-winter" is no exception. In the last two months, Andrew and I have been swamped with projects. This explains our noticeable absence from this blog and for that I do apologize. However, I'd like to fill you in on what's been eating up our time!

In September, we threw in the towel with our pumpkin patch and grabbed every last pumpkin that showed orange or the promise of orange out of that field. Weeds, cucumber beetles and squash bugs had decimated our crop and left us with about a couple hundred various sized pumpkins and a metric ton of gourds. To put into perspective, we had planted about a half acre of plants. We should have been up to our elbows in pumpkin splendor. Now, though, we have learned a lot about the business of chemical free gardening and not reaching for pesticide even when the going is tough. We'll plant smarter next year.

We put together a lovely sign and organized the pumpkins onto a nice wagon in the front yard.

All we really wanted to do was make back our money on pumpkin seeds from the spring. The first week, there were no customers. That was understandable since it was not even October. However, as the days and weeks progressed, people from the area came trickling in to see what we had. "Organically Grown Pumpkins and Gourds" is not a sign readily seen in this area of Wisconsin, so the people that came in our drive were very interested in hearing about our other potential operations. Plus, it was a great way to meet the extended neighborhood! Most of our pumpkin customers this year were folks and families from the 10-mile area who normally passed our home en route to work or school. We were able to talk to them about our future plans and get the word out about our more sustainable farming practices. Hopefully, these people will stop in again. And, we were able to make our money back and then some!

During this time, we were wrapping up the garden produce. Mostly we had tomatoes, but we also brought in carrots, potatoes, broccoli, and a few herbs. We would have had squash, but in letting the sheep graze the pumpkin patch, we discovered that those animals love that fruit far more than we ever could. Honestly, we went to check our squashes (butternut and acorn) and couldn't even find the vines that the fruits were growing on! It was disappointing to be sure, but one of those experiences where all you can do is laugh.

In order to store all the fresh produce, we turned mostly to canning. Andy is an experienced canner, and we worked together preparing various recipes to utilize the many tomatoes we brought in. We now have a stocked root cellar complete with pear butter, homemade catsup, pizza sauce, stewed tomatoes, BBQ sauce, pickles, pickled veggies (Bloody Mary fixin's!) and homemade Bloody Mary mix. (Our winter indulgence!)

In researching ways to be more energy conscious and sustainable, we came across a preservation technique called lacto-fermentation. Lacto-fermentation is a process whereby good bacteria transform sugar and starches into beneficial acids. We have learned that this is an ancient technique in preserving that very much predates canning and freezing. The starches and sugars naturally found in fruits and veggies are transformed into lactic acid by lactobaccilli. Lactobaccilli are found on the surface of all living things and especially on plants growing near the ground. There are a number of benefits of preserving in this manner. Digestibility is enhanced and vitamin levels are actually increased! The bacteria produce helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anti-carcinogenic substances. The main product, lactic acid, keeps fruits and veggies in a state of perfect preservation (if done correctly) and promotes healthy bacterial growth in the intestine. On top of that, the whole process requires NO BOILING! That saves a lot on our propane stove and much with time. We decided to start small and make a lacto-fermented sauerkraut and lacto-fermented salsa. We busted open one of our sauerkrauts this past week and it was AMAZING. I never liked sauerkraut in the past; too vinegary and harsh on the tongue. But this stuff, well, it was great. I'll post another blog on our recipes and the whole process. Needless to say, though, we are hopeful to use this easy technique for future preserving endeavors.

As the last few jars of canned goods were being sealed, we embarked on our chicken adventures, of which you are already well-versed. To take over where Andrew left off a couple weeks ago, we have had much learning and success with the new laying hens. After about a week of leaving them in the hen house to acclimate, we let them outside into a small fenced enclosure. For about three more days, we allowed them "free range" outside, but not enough that they would get lost.

Finally, last Monday, we let them loose for real and they were all over that acre field in about 25 minutes! It was a beautiful sight. Groups of hens led by one rooster would wander here and there, pecking and scratching as they went. Each day, they explored a little farther and by the end of the week, those perky birds had the run of the whole farm. They mingled with the ewes next door and the rams in the barnyard. They "raked" leaves in our apple orchard and picked beetles off our front porch. Reinhold, our chief rooster from before, had worked his way up the rooster ranks and is clearly the head of this entire chicken household. (It's odd, but we're more than a little proud of the big guy.)

In the meantime, we have been keeping track of the number of eggs we collect each day. The numbers have dipped and rose a few times, but are hovering at about 55 eggs per day. That's about a 50% average for the flock. It's not conventional standards at all (80%) but we are happy that the hens are happy. Recently, Andy put his sales background into practice and hooked us up with a local fast food chain. We get all their day old bread FREE whenever we want it! This is a chain that makes delicious sub sandwiches and they were more than happy to have a place to dump all the completely edible, but corporately sanctioned bread. (It's so good that we even partake on pick up days). Finally, we have a friend in the woodworking business who has offered all his wood shavings to us for free as well. That will be a boon this winter as we strive to keep the chickens' litter clean and thick.

And, the eggs are SO good! Just by word of mouth, we have been able to sell every last dozen. We are so thankful and blessed.

The farm has been in a state of fall clean-up. Andrew and his father hauled over five hay wagon loads of combustibles to the pasture burn pile in one day. His mother has been continuing the effort to clean up the old dairy barn in preparation for milking cows and my father, Dave, has been tuning up machinery and concluding the fall crop harvest. The animals are looking shaggier and are concluding their time on pasture. And the rams are eyeing the ewes with much fondness lately... We plan on breeding the ewes this November.

Today, we pick up a pair of twin Jersey heifers calves from a farmer friend named Lennie. He and his wife are giving us the two month old babies as our very own cows as an investment in our future. In return, Andy will work with him to build buffalo fencing and other farm chores at a generous rate in order to "pay off" the heifers. But the knowledge Andy will gain and the promise of milk in our future is more than payment enough.

With chickens pecking at our doorstep and calves nuzzling our palms, we really feel like things are starting to take off here at the farm. Harvest time is usually a season of winding down and settling in; saying farewell to the year and bracing for the cold. To us this year, we feel like the hope of spring has just entered our household and warmed us to the bone.

Yesterday we had the pleasure of completing a major goal in our business plan. We are now the proud owners of about 125 chickens (116 hens and 9 roosters). We acquired them from a wonderful homesteading family near Milwaukee. They are raising a new flock for themselves, and we were able to get a hold of their former flock through Craigslist.

The flock is mostly made up of Sunnyside Browns (similar to a Rhode Island Red) and Sunnyside Blacks (similar to a Black Australorp) from the Sunnyside Hatchery in Beaver Dam. We also have several striking roosters: 1 Americauna, 2 Barred Rock and a couple more Rhode Island Reds.

Before we could accomodate the chickens, we had to do some work on the brooder house in which they would live. My father and mother have been doing extensive work rebuilding the window frames and replacing the windows. Here, my mother is putting the finishing touches on one of the windows.

One of the main things that we want to do for our flock is to free-range them. In our eyes, this is what God intended for the animals. As a benefit to our allowing the "chickens to be chickens" as we say, we in turn receive wonderfully healthy chickens that produce fantastically wholesome and oh-so-delicious vibrant eggs.

We had the brooder house on the original transport frame that we used to get it to the farm and it was too far off the ground to be used in the way that we wanted. We decided to replace the skids on the bottom of the house and drag it around on them like two giant skis.

While Me'n the Girls were off getting the new flock. Dave worked on finishing the nesting boxes (where the hens will lay their eggs) as well as dropping the house off the transport onto its new railroad tie skids.

We arrived in Milwaukee a little after 10:00 in the morning. We spent a great time with the family. They were operating a homestead with many elements that we are going to initiate, and they were able to answer many of the questions that we had. I was especially impressed with their daughter, Tara, a lovely and intelligent 19-year-old woman who couldn't have weighed more than 105 lbs and matched me in terms of strength. Very cool.

We were all packed up at about noon and were able to get right on the road. The drive home on 41 was uneventful (thankfully) and we arrived home a little after 2:00. I must add here that having a pickup truck bed full of chickens poking their heads up at every stop did create quite the commotion from passersby and other drivers. We got lots of stares and even a few laughs. Dave and I began unloading the chickens into their new home. We were saddened (though not unprepared) for a few losses: 4 hens were injured during the trip, and the other chickens had nipped at them to a point of fatal contusion. Two hens were still walking about but their injuries were too severe and their fate was sealed. We were forced to provide them with a quick and painless solution. I will be detailing our forays into home butchering soon.

While I was attending to our ailing friends, Becky and Dave spent time attending to the furnishing of the brooder house. They installed the first of four sets of nesting boxes as well as using wooden pallets that we had for temporary roosts. (Great idea Becky!)

By 6:00 we were all finished. We added our current chickens to the flock and our patron rooster, Reinhold, was deep in a challenge fight for dominance with the other roosters. Other than that things seemed rather peaceful.

Our next goal is to finish all of the interior additions and get the house out on grass for the chickens (they need a couple days to acclimate to their new home) and selling eggs off the farm.

Andy

Where are we gonna park this thing?

After we sat in the driveway for about a half an hour, one of us suggested moving the brooder house into the ailing pumpkin patch. The thought was that the chickens would eat the cucumber beetles and squash bugs that are plaguing our pumpkins and gourds. Brilliant!

Dad pulled the wagon into the north end of the field and worked on securing the four corners of the chicken house. You see, though it is safely lying upon the reinforced wagon structure, the edges hang completely off. Anyone inside walking too far to the edge would possibly tip the whole thing off the wagon! A temporary solution was to drill four sturdy 2-by-4s at each corner and brace them into the ground. Next Steve found some old lath and a broad plank and created a run for the chickens; sort of a "wheelchair accessible" ramp to the little chicken door. Then the day was over.

About five days later, Andy's folks came back up to help finalize the chicken house for chickens. Andy took excess straw from the barn and loaded it into the brooder house for bedding. Steve busied himself with building a perch for the hens at night. The design is actually quite clever; it's based off of a design from my grandparents' hen raising days and modified a little by Andy. Basically, it is a rectangular frame about 5 ft wide and 2 ft high that is fastened to the wall with two hinges.

On the front are two legs, also on hinges. When the time comes for cleaning underneath, the entire structure can be raised flush with the ceiling, fastened by an eye hook. The two hinged legs fold flat with the base allowing for easy access. Elly and I visited Steve during his progress and Elly decided to give her grandpa a hand with building.

During this time, Andy and his mother Julie were out in the pumpkin patch busily harvesting any and all viable pumpkins and gourds for sale. As I mentioned before, we had a rough first season growing organic pumpkins. First, the spring was too wet and we lost a lot of seedlings over the month of June. Then, because the earth was so saturated, we couldn't get in the field for much weeding and the water-logged plants were stressed out by scores of weeds and grasses. That brought on the first wave of cucumber beetles. They were only doing what Nature designed them to do: attack ailing plants, but since most of ours were ailing, it made things quite ugly. In July, we tried some diatomacious earth (an organic bug killer) and that seemed to help. We weeded as best we could and then got busy with lots of other farm activities. At the end of August we noticed the plants prematurely dying off. Upon closer inspection, we saw the field teaming with squash bugs. Now they were attacking the ripening fruit and making it scarred or worse. We had to get them out of there.

So, while Steve drilled away in the brooder house, Andy and Julie carried bucket load after bucket load of ripe and half ripe pumpkins out of that field. In the afternoon, Elly and I stopped in to help gather the gourds, which are much more fun to discover with little hands. The Bobcat saved a tremendous amount of energy!

At the end of the day, we had a good sized pile of pumpkins and a brand new, made from recycled farm wood, hen roost!

Do you remember our sheep? Well, they have a role in this whole parade as well. The next day, Andy built new sheep fence around the whole pumpkin-less patch and let the sheep in. See, chickens don't really like to wander through tall weeds or grasses and that is exactly what our patch has. The sheep are our fuel-free lawn mowers and they do a good job. So far, they have "weeded" about a third of the field and are moved daily onto new grass. That's a part of the management intensive grazing that our farm subscribes to. That way, the field isn't worn out and the animals always have fresh feed.

Finally, the brooder house is in position and ready to go. The new chicken yard is mowed neatly to the ground and they even have a custom-made roost! The next step, logically, is to move them in.

But wait ... we only have 4 chickens. Total. That brooder house could hold 50 comfortably. And for winter, they need chicken body heat to survive (besides the straw bales we'll use to line the place). So really, the next step is to acquire more layers!

To be continued ...

Something that I have never experienced in my young days is seeing an entire building being moved. I come from a generation that has never heard of recycling old buildings. But that's not how it used to be. We attended an estate sale down the road about a month ago and the elderly owner was telling how her home of 60+ years had originally been built 10 miles away in another township. She spoke of horse drawn vehicles capable of moving an entire house down unpaved country roads and then transplanting the house where it currently sat. To illustrate the efficiency of this once ordinary practice, she retrieved a mint condition kerosene lamp that had apparently survived the entire journey perched on a kitchen shelf.

I thought at the time that I would have loved to see something like that! Well, God must have been amused by me, because last Wednesday, he showed me building moving first hand.

Our happy flock of chickens (I should call it a flock-ette; there are only three hens and a rooster named Reinhold) have been spending the last year in our old dairy barn. My father and a friend built a make-shift coop last fall when we acquired the chickens from a neighbor. Now, however, we are diligently cleaning out a decade of non-use in order to prepare for ... gasp! ... milking cows! (That is for another blog post or twelve.) We need the three stanchions that the coop takes up and the chickens need a winter home.

Last year, my Dad purchased an old brooder house from a relative who happens to be a neighbor and a farmer without chickens. It's been sitting patiently at the neighbor's property for a year, awaiting our pick-up. With the push from Andrew's parents, who are really interested in our future plans for fresh eggs and free-range poultry, we decided to come together and move a house. A chicken house.

The first step after arriving at the neighbor's place was to manuever two sets of rounded wood fence posts under the building. That required our trusty skid-steer to lift one corner and then the other, until Dad and Andrew's father (Steve) could shove the posts in place. The house was sitting on railroad-tie skids, so the fence posts would (ideally) allow the building to roll across them quite efficiently. Next, Dad took the big Ford tractor and began pushing the brooder house backward, to get it out of the deep ground it had sunk into. That took some patience and several tries, but eventually the house was sitting on green grass.

The next phase was to lift the whole building onto a hay wagon frame. This frame had a sturdy metal body, but just to be sure, we slipped two very long, very thick railroad ties across the length of the wagon to fully support the brooder house. All in all, the wagon stood about three feet off the ground. Still, three feet is like three stories when one isn't sure how to lift a building! The first idea was to lift both sides at once; the Ford and its bucket on the left, the small skidsteer on the right. All went well until about one foot off the ground. The skidsteer couldn't lift any higher; its hydraulics were maxed out.

Ok, plan B. Dave drove home and picked up two hefty metal barrels that stood about four feet off the ground. The plan this time was to lift one end of the building with the Ford and have Andy and Steve shove the two barrels under it at the lifted end. Once those were securely placed, Dave would drive the Ford to the other side and Andy would hop in the skidsteer and together lift the rest of the building level with the barrels. At that point, Steve would push and direct the waiting wagon under the brooder house and center it. Finally, the two tractors could gently relax the house onto the wagon and remove the barrels.

Did plan B work? You bet it did! I thought those barrels would push out and the whole building would drop, but they stayed like anchors. After a few more tweaks and shifting, the brooder house was our very own mobile chicken coop!

Dave hooked up with the tractor to the wagon and slowly plodded through the neighbor's yard and headed home. Andy drove the skid, Steve followed Dave in the pickup, and Elly and I hopped back onto our bike ensemble. Elly and I had very important roles, too! I took the photos and logged this event into my memory. Elly made sure the men-folk kept a sense of humor when frustrations began to build.

We got home before Dad did, so I was able to capture the "mobile home" on film. It was a novel sight to see a bird house nearly floating over the road behind a noisy tractor. But it made me smile.

I got to catch a glimpse of yesteryear and felt sure that my grandparents would have been smiling too. As Dad pulled into the driveway and passed the house, he stopped the parade and a single question came over all of us at once:

Where are we gonna park this thing?!

To be continued...