Feed sacks on the chicken coop!

You read that right. Feed sacks on the chicken coop. Now, these don’t still have feed in them, of course. I actually save empties to use for projects like this. I tack them up on the outside walls of the coop to help stop the cold wind and wet weather from getting to the chickens. It’s not a perfect solution but it does keep their coop dry, which means they are warmer.

I leave a bit of an opening at the top and bottom to allow for ventilation, but since the coop is south facing with solid wood on the top 2/3 of the south facing opening, and the north side is also solid wood with a way for us to open to check eggs, add water to the bucket, and let them out in the late afternoons, they do need some ventilation on the east and west sides. Their roost pole is up high enough so that the solid wood portions of the coop block wet weather from them and their nest box and water bucket are down low, next to the north wall, to keep them from pooping in it. It’s across the “room” from the roost pole.

We’ll also tack feed sacks and whatever else up to the hog house, add hay to the stalls, and keep those guys cozy. The goat shelters, though, need more substantial siding. Crazy goats will chew on plastic feed sacks! So, we’ll be putting up whatever scrap lumber, plywood, or hard plastic paneling we can find to keep the wind out of their shelters. Might even disassemble pallets to use for hard-siding the goat shelters.

Technorati Tags: Homesteading,chickens

Potential homestead land!

I really shouldn't get my hopes up, I know, but I came across a parcel of land on Craigslist and the land isn't far from where I live now. It is 5 acres with pond, some fencing (probably barbed wire - no good for goats), and a seasonal creek. Open areas and some woods.

I heard back by email from the man who's selling it as owner financed. The terms are well within my budget. I'm hoping we can go take an in-person look at it in just a day or two. If it really does seem right, then I'll sign for it and we can get started soon on setting up our new homestead. This time it's all ours!

Please pray I'll have discernment where this is concerned, and that if it's not right, I'll know. If this is "our" place on this earth, then we've really got a lot of work to do to get ready to move, including tearing down fences here and putting them up there, selecting a spot for our tiny house, solar panels, barn, chicken coop, and whatever else we'll be needing before winter comes. I'm sure it will be a summer-long job to get ready for winter!

Here's an edited picture of the Craigslist ad, so no one's info is revealed.

Just chores on the homestead

Ever have one of those days when you seem to be busy the whole day, but it doesn't seem like a lot got done? That was today. I'm tired enough now that I FEEL like I've dug ditches all day. I haven't. Didn't even work on gardening.

We started off slowly, then around lunch time we headed into town to run some errands. I'm talking about Big Town, not the little town where our mail comes from. Some things can only be accomplished in Big Town. One of the errands was to go by Office Depot to pick up some tiny price tags with strings on them. I'll be using those to price the knitted and crocheted items I plan to sell this weekend at a craft/yard sale in the town where my Mother and Sister live. I'll plan to be up there a few days early and celebrate Mom's birthday, then deal with the sale, then head back home on Sunday, which is one of my sons' birthday.

While we were out, we went to our favorite Chinese buffet to eat a late lunch. When we were done with errands, we headed back to our town where I stopped in at a discount store for some needfuls, then we headed home. Stopped at the feed store that's up the road, on our way, to get a bale of hay, came home, and I fixed a pot of coffee. By then it was around 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

Our septic line was stopped up, so we got to work on that and I think it's fixed now. Son did most of the hard work while I went back and forth to check if the toilet was flushing, fetch tools, and just generally be a "gopher". We thought we had it fixed a couple of days ago, but it stopped up again. This is one of those times when a composting toilet would come in handy!

After that, we fed and watered the animals, dispensed hay to the goats, and temporarily patched a hole in the chicken run where the ladies all got out today and free ranged. I don't mind them free ranging, but prefer it to be on my schedule, not theirs. I got them all rounded back up and in their yard, collected a very welcomed 4 eggs today, and filled their waterers. Thank you, hens!

We're pretty sure the hole got in the fence because one of the little piggies keeps getting out. It sure looked like it was pushed up and in, just like a pig would do it to go under the fence.

Then we (I say that as if I actually did anything) worked on the truck. It's old. It's ugly. But it's paid for so a few dollars now and then for repairs doesn't really hurt. We already went through and replaced some vital parts last summer - new belt, new rotor and cap, new battery, new radiator, new alternator - plus the usuals such as oil changes, fuel filter change, and air filter change. This past weekend we put new spark plugs in it. This time there was a rigid little airline that was broken and making the "Check Engine" light come on. It goes to the EGR (is that right?) and might be one of the reasons why it's been running rougher than usual. I'm thinking that air line got broke when the plugs were being changed since it's right over the top of one of them.

I also have front and back brakes I ordered that need to be put on. That will be an all day adventure of it's own, I'm sure.

So, no gardening. Also, I had wanted to move the tote that has the battery bank for our solar setup closer to the house, readjust the solar panels, and start running wires for having off-grid lights inside. I guess that's for another day, and it's supposed to rain tomorrow.

Hens and eggs

I only have 6 laying hens, which is plenty for us. We don't even eat all the eggs they give us, when they are in the mood to do so. However, I'm always disappointed when we don't get any eggs at all.

When they go into moult, the egg production goes down and sometimes stops completely. Also, shorter winter days will slow them down. We don't add light to the coop for them. We figure they need the break to rejuvenate, grow feathers and fat, and gain new strength for the next go 'round of egg laying. So, while they are laying well, I put eggs in the freezer. These eggs are good for baking, cooking scrambled, or making egg-based casseroles. I use single portion cups for this that I get at the large chain store you're all familiar with, or I order them online.

I break an egg into a white coffee cup first, to check and make sure it's a good egg. Then, I add a pinch of salt and use a fork to very gently break the yolk and stir it a bit into the white. This method helps prevent the yolks from turning gummy. Then I put the egg into the portion cup (these are 2 ounce cups), put on the lid, and stack them in the freezer. Here's a picture of them, ready to freeze.


Even when thawed, they are very appetizing.

After a short winter hiatus, the hens are again laying. Even the very old one that lays green eggs gave us a lovely green egg yesterday, so I hope we get one today, too. I was out there this morning and gathered 3 eggs from 2 nests.



In a few weeks I'll be saving a few to see if one of the hens will set the eggs so we can have a few more chickens for egg laying and for meat. I'll update when we get that project started. I do have a couple of hens who love to hatch eggs and take care of babies.

Check back often for other updates on the Mini Homestead!

Another rooster dispatching delay

Today was very windy and cold. That makes me a bit sad because I had hoped we could get out and dispatch the rest of the roosters. However, I can't keep a fire going when using one of the butane e-stoves so we can scald them for plucking.

Right now we have 7 big roosters, plus 2 grown turkeys, that need to be butchered. They are getting too old to be fryers so we'll probably wind up deboning them and grinding them up for poultry burger. I'll can some of that and freeze the rest. Might even try making a small batch of sausage from it. We'll see.

A couple of weeks ago we did get one rooster dispatched. Then, the weather got cold and windy again. By the time it was nicer weather it was time to start planting garden beds. I still need to get some seeds started, but first, those roosters need to go! Especially the one that bit my hand hard enough to make it bleed. He's first! He got hold of the skin on my hand and shook his head like a dog while he had it!

Here's a short video of when we dispatched the first one. There's no gore so you don't have to worry about that, and it's a slide show. There are enough folks online who demonstrate killing chickens already, and they do it very well, that I feel no need to go into all that.