Feed and Treats

Maybe it's the heat. High today was 97 - again! I don't know for sure, but something's going on. I've noticed lately the girls just don't like their layer pellets any longer. It doesn't seem like they are eating much of it and scarf down the afternoon treats of scratch, oats/mealworms, and birdseed mixture I give them.

I've tried hand feeding them the layer pellets. Nope. Nada. They want something "special". The 50lb bag is half empty. Did the heat cause it to spoil? When I first changed them from chick feed to the layer pellets, they seemed to enjoy it and ate without issue.

Yesterday, our neighbor/friend checked on things while we were away. He collected the five normal eggs we've been getting from our five girls. Today I collected only two.

Yesterday afternoon I wasn't here to give them afternoon treats. Were they pouting? Missing the attention?

Until I can get back to the feed store, I may give them some peanut butter... just a tad... mixed with some meal worm/oats treats. And, I'll scramble their eggs and shells for an afternoon treat of protein! They love that!

Their eggs and shells scrambled with a bit of garlic! They LOVE it!

I'm going to change to crumbles. Maybe they'll like that better.

But, if it is a spoilage issue, what do I do? How do I keep it from spoiling? It's stored in a metal trash can with a tight fitting lid, inside the Garden House. Should I move their feed inside the house? (Not that it's any cooler inside the house when we are out of town!)

I'm doing research on what chickens like (and should) eat. Since our girls cannot free range, I do try to provide them with some things they would find outside their run, like grass clippings, grasshoppers I'm able to catch, and I move the logs inside the run around where they discover BUGS! These girls are FAST! They even catch crickets!!!

I thoroughly enjoy Lisa Steele's article "Healthy Treats for Chickens" and reference it quite often. I'm grateful for her list of Toxic items that can/will harm the girls.

What do you give your girls, crumbles or pellets? What treats do you give them?

 A newbie here, learning as I go!

It's been a while!

Oh. My. Goodness!

So much has happened since January!

Our babies arrived!

We got the coop and run built! It’s sort of finished… need to finish up the painting!

 Run is done and the girls are in!

They have grown so fast!

Momma got the courage to go inside & hold "Millie"

 

The girls are now laying!

 It's a good day in the Yolk Yard!

It's a Short List!

We recently completed an inventory of the materials and supplies we have on hand to build the chicken house! I’m thrilled our “need to buy” list is very short!!!

What we need to buy:

Deck blocks (6) like this:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Common-7-in-x-11-in-x-11-in-Actual-7-125-in-x-10-375-in-x-10-375-in-Concrete-Deck-Block/50113084

Linoleum to cover a 6’ x 4’ floor (the size of coop we’ve determined we need/want), something like this:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Armstrong-Flooring-Royelle-12-ft-W-x-Cut-to-Length-Rock-Hill-Stone-High-Gloss-Finish-Sheet-Vinyl/999978374

And the glue to hold it down… maybe liquid nail?

Exterior Paint

I haven’t 100% decided on its color. I guess I should make a decision soon! I’m looking at a soft yellow, trimmed in white. Yet there are so many different shades of yellow!!!

I must keep my focus on the upcoming chicken keeping! I’ve failed miserably and have let things outside my control get to me!

Fly By

Spring IS coming! 

This is the year to begin keeping chickens! That’s the game plan anyway. I never “count my chickens” but I do continue to learn what I can while I’m waiting for March’s arrival, and the baby chicks!

While spending time in Dallas with Momma over the holidays, we met my cousin and his wife at our favorite restaurant ~ El Fenix. They have been chicken keepers for about 10 years now. I felt like a sponge, soaking up all the suggestions and advice and tips they offered! I appreciated the first time sit-down face-to-face discussion tremendously!

Shirlene highly recommended reading anything by the “Chicken Chick” lady, Kathy Shea Mormino. I found her website and Facebook page, then went by two brick and mortar stores to buy one of her books. Nada. Thank goodness for one-day shipping through Amazon! I didn’t have to wait any longer. I was thrilled when it arrived on New Year’s Eve!

What an informative book!

Today or tomorrow, I hope Bud and I will sit down together and create the supply list of building materials for our chicken house and static run. I still want to base it on the design I wrote about last time, with only a few modifications to fit our needs.

I hope to seize a few sunny days in the 60’s here and there to make a run over to Home Depot (45 miles one way), then to get it started!!! Time will fly by if I’m not careful!

February is usually our hard winter month. (Yes. We usually have only ONE month of hard winter!) I’m hoping since it arrived early, it will move out early as well!

In the meantime, I’m working on a few weaving projects that will eventually be yard art. I’m also mulling over how to incorporate macramé items in the yard! We’ll need a lot more trees!

I’ll share photos next week of the new yard art!

Found it!

After all the videos I’ve watched about building a chicken house and run, I was still stumped how to even begin! A panic feeling began to simmer because over the next few weeks I need to capture all the “nice” days we will have before our “real” winter sets in during February.

Oh. My. Then I discovered native Texan April Wilkerson’s 3 part video series detailing the step-by-step process! I have NO IDEA how I came across her YouTube channel, but I’m so thankful I did!

  

With only a few modifications to fit our needs, this will be it!
 

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Now I can put that issue to rest!

(Oh, I loved the bloopers she shows at the end of the videos!)

Her website is also very informative with other woodworking projects!

Happy Samhain!

Since 2009, when I visited… I came back stating, if I ever live any where but Texas, it will be in Ireland. However, that’s when we win the lottery!

In the meantime, I’ll live vicariously through watching videos of Bealtaine Cottage. During times of extreme stress with “life” - her soothing Irish accent is what I need to hear!

And, she’s doing my plan! This is what I dream ~ my goal is ~ for our west yard!

Oh, and I found her on Facebook as well! The Goddess Gardens!

Not until today, had I ever heard of Samhain!

Goddess Gardens

(I am NOT wiccan, but I do believe in fairies!)

 

Anyhoo...

Update on the planting…

I failed miserably not checking first what deer apparently love! A disastrous waste of money and time and energy planting two Indian Hawthorns…

Since the culprits only chewed on the leaves, I’ll keep it where it is, to see what happens in the spring! Maybe a planting of rosemary or lavender around it will “hide” its smell!

So much to learn about…

The earth, nature, going Back to Eden.

And, bringing in chickens…

Over the past few months, and after spending numerous hours watching YouTube videos and reading websites/blogs about keeping chickens, Lisa Steele at Fresh Eggs Daily has the most informative guides to raising chickens naturally! Her array of articles on Chicken Keeping Guide is quite impressive! As I’ve mentioned in a previous post – Still Learning – I love her two books I purchased/read …. great resources!

Okay…

It’s time to get busy!

Mimic Nature

While researching the permaculture gardening concept (and the Back to Eden method), I had the “aha” moment! To “Mimic Nature” is now my goal!

This area, the “west” yard, I’ve claimed to begin the Back to Eden permaculture garden! It’s where the chickens will be next year!

Once was pasture - Oak Tree planted about 20 years ago.

Anna helps me tremendously

Wish I'd known about the "no-dig" method earlier!

 I was so impressed when I heard Paul Gautschi’s interview! 

Our One Acre Farm’s article on Permaculture Principles for Practical Gardeners and Farmers is one of my top favorites I found!

The Timber Press blog lists (and details) the 12 Principles of Permaculture! I would encourage anyone interested to read their full article

1. Observe and interact

2. Catch and store energy

3. Obtain a yield

4. Apply self-regulation and respond to feedback

5. Use renewable resources

6. Produce no waste

7. Design from pattern to details

8. Integrate rather than segregate

9. Use small and slow solutions

10. Use and value diversity

11. Use the edges

12. Creatively use and respond to change

At A Return to Simplicity, she explains (with photos!) “Preparing The Ground For A Permaculture Garden”.  I just need to find a LOT of mulch and wood chips!

Bud doesn’t yet know it, but I’m going to ask him to dig me a nice deep trench near the started herb garden… something to try… Hugelkultur!

Chicken Chunnel

Although we are planning a static (permanent) coop/run for the hens, we have plans to allow them to “free range” – but within a Chicken Chunnel!

Something like this…

Lists, Lists, and more Lists

I don’t want to get overwhelmed because there is so much to learn about keeping chickens the healthy, natural way! Not only for their eggs, but I also want chickens as workers to help with the sticker weed population we have in this yard! Oh, and to eventually establish a nice sustainable rotating garden system after they have worked the packed ground!

Yes. A lot of planning is going on.

I have a lot of dreams and goals before I leave this earthly life.

God willing,

He’ll grant me the time.

So. I. Make. Lists.

What lists?

I use several methods:

Laptop – I first made a file folder “Chickens” (of course!). Within this folder is where I place MS Word documents, such as:

1.     A list of websites and blogs that I’ve found and want a quick reference back to for further reading.

2.     Pictures of the chicken breeds I’m interested in and what they look like as chicks, and their characteristics. When the time comes, I want to be as informed as possible when I go to Tractor Supply Company!

3.     A list of toxic (to chickens) plants and foods. When the time comes, this will be printed out and put on the frig for easy quick reference!

4.     A list of the chicken’s favorite plants and foods.

5.     This folder is also where I put the free and informative .pdf documents I’ve come across from various websites.

Amazon Wish List – what a fabulous tool!

          While viewing the Youtube videos, many times folks will recommend a specific product. So I don’t forget, I’ll pause viewing and immediately find the item on Amazon then simply “add to list”… like the hori hori! I’d never heard of such a thing! The guy at Edible Acres specifically recommended an orange handle one as it’s easier to see when you drop it in the garden! Good to know from someone experienced!

Youtube

I “subscribe” to the folks I’ve found informative. I also click “like” on the videos I’ve watched. After viewing over 250, it certainly helps me keep track! Plus, I’m told it helps them, even if only they receive a few cents per viewing. It’s the least I can do to help “pay them back” for the time and knowledge they’ve shared!

Plain ole spiral notebook – an old small unused one I found on the bookshelf.

          It’s where I handwrite (something I rarely do these days) the lists of herbs and plants I’m interested in buying/planting. It will fit in my purse beautifully. I can hardly wait until the Herb festival in 3 weeks!

This blog – it’s primarily for me, a diary/journal of sort. If others should visit here and find some bit of useful information, then it’s a win-win.

Still learning...

Still learning…

Since August 2017, I have viewed over 250 Youtube videos – all about keeping chickens! I so appreciate the folks that have taken the time to share their experiences, the pros/cons, and offer tips and suggestions! It’s amazing.

In another article, I will share my favorite – go to – Youtube stars!

I’m a visual learner. Actually seeing things ~ rather than reading descriptions ~ helps me better gather the knowledge needed before jumping into the act of keeping chickens.

Joining a few Facebook groups dedicated to keeping chickens has also helped me tremendously. Although I’m sure there are hundreds to choose from, these are the “closed groups” I selected (so far!):

Chicken Keeping 101 Friendly Southern Edition

Chickens in the Backyard

Chicken Keeping 101

One question I posted, I asked which type of coop they preferred: raised or ground.  I received an overwhelming response. I would say 98% answered, “Raised” and many shared photos of their set up, and explained why.

So… that’s what we will go with… a raised coop.

Although we don’t plan on getting baby chicks until Spring of 2018, I also wanted to know what/which plants to plant, in preparation for the upcoming “Dinos”! I wanted to know what was best for their health, those that help to keep pests away, and for the Dinos to find enjoyment or protection while inside their run.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I just finished reading the book from cover to cover, Gardening with Chickens, Plans and Plants for You and Your Hens, written by one of the “stars” on Youtube, Lisa Steele of Fresh Eggs Daily.

I took notes, made lists, and now know what to look for and purchase (then plant!) when we attend the Annual Herb & Art Festival "Jammin' With Art In The Park"on October 14th.

I’m thrilled I bought this book first!

Yesterday evening, her book Fresh Eggs Daily, raising happy, healthy chickens, naturally, arrived! Perfect timing! It’s the one time I’m ready for a hot afternoon to just sit back under the air conditioning and read!

 

I also thoroughly enjoy Lisa’s Facebook page, Fresh Eggs Daily!

But for now, it’s time to get busy readying the garlic planting bed!

Thinking Ahead

I know it’s too soon to begin building the static coop and run for our upcoming chickens. It takes everything I can muster not to bring home baby chicks – even with knowing they will stay in a tub ~ in the house ~ with us for the first couple of months!

But today, I can start something for our future goal of keeping chickens!

I’ve spent a lot of time reading and watching videos about sustainable feed, to help keep the cost down. One of the ways is feeding worms to the chickens! An excellent source of protein!

It reminded me… I kept a worm bin in the library while serving as librarian in a local public charter school (sadly, the school is now closed). The students loved checking on the worms! They loved watching how, over a period of only a few weeks, the worms turned veggie scraps into dirt!

One of my favorite go-to guys on Youtube, Justin Rhodes, reminded me how long it takes to get a nice “herd” of worms. So, I will begin raising our own today! I emptied a tub yesterday after noon, and the drill’s battery is fully charged! I’m waiting on the sun to rise and shine!

I found a good overall informational page on Home Worm Production provided by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

And, Uncle Jim’s article, Raising worms to use as live fishing bait, is a very good basic how-to.

Since we don’t have cattle grazing on our place right now, I wonder if anyone around here would mind me collecting a bit of manure?