Still Learning with Chickens

I've said it before and I'll say it again: there's always more to learn about raising chickens.

Recently, a friend of mine called to ask some important questions about raising chickens. That reminded me of all I've learned in the past year or more, but also about the importance of educating oneself before taking the plunge. This is not one of those things to jump into blindly or spontaneously!

The way I looked at it, chickens are a long-term commitment and I wanted to do things right the first time. For me, this meant no little tiny chicken coop that we could only access from the outside. I didn't want a chicken house that was difficult to keep clean, or one that would be too small if we ever decided to increase our flock to our zoning's limit. And since our winter's are bitter cold, I knew we'd need to build a coop big enough to include plenty of insulation. And yet, we didn't have hundreds of dollars to spend on a large coop.

So, long before we started building (a daunting project, since we'd never done anything like it), I spoke with other chicken owners, researched the topic online, and purchased and read a book on building coops and a book on raising chickens. I've written about this previously, here. I also wrote about our coop construction, complete with progressive pictures, here. It can be a long process, but I'm so glad we went about things the way we did.

This past weekend, I added another nest box to our coop, something I really didn't think I'd have to do, since we currently only have four chickens and technically should only need one nest box. But I discovered last week that our hens were essentially fighting over the box and that that was one big reason why egg production has recently decreased. I guess right now our chickens figure if they don't get their turn in there--by themselves--they just won't lay. We're crossing our fingers that the addition of the second nest box will alleviate the congestion from all the traffic to the old nest box enough that everyone will have the space and the time they need.

As in all things chicken related, time will tell...

Budget Saver Tip #36: Sew Your Own Stuff

I've been wanting curtains for a long time for one of the rooms in our basement, to tie in the room's colors and to beautify the space.  In a couple years of perusing through my town's limited selection of pre-made curtains, I didn't find anything that remotely fit the bill. So a little while ago I decided I would have to make my own curtains, which might save money anyway. We don't have a good fabric store in my rural town (yet), so I did an internet search for the theme and colors I was looking for--but that search was fruitless too. Then I found out my mom actually had just the fabric I wanted! She had nothing planned for it, so she gave it to me and I excitedly got busy on my first real sewing project in five years. (My sewing machine was out of commission all that time and I recently had it tuned up.)

A week later, this is what I ended up with:

And here's a closeup of the cute cabin-themed fabric:

While sewing your own clothes, draperies, etc, is no longer always the cheapest option, sometimes it still is. For example, when you can get the fabric for free (say, from Freecycle) or deeply discounted (such as at yard sales). And if you want something very specific, as in my case, sewing your own stuff can also bring much greater satisfaction because you don't have to settle for something less than what you imagined. What you make yourself can also be of better quality, as so many items you see at the store these days are made from inferior fabrics.

Not to mention, there's a certain pleasure in doing the project yourself, and a feeling of accomplishment when it turns out well. As far as self-sufficiency goes, knowing even the basics of sewing definitely brings peace of mind.

The Permaculture Egg

I've been learning about permaculture (a close-looped system) lately and it's fascinating! Here's a little video about an ingenious idea for raising chickens and gardens in a mutually beneficial system that is much more cost-effective, humane, and "green" than the industrialized process of egg production:

Home Remedy for Sinusitis

I've recently suffered from back-to-back colds and was happy to discover an essential oils remedy on my aunt's blog just when I needed it. I tried it out and was very pleased. Since it really felt good, lessened my sinus pressure, and seemed to shorten  my recovery time quite a bit, I share it with you. My aunt found it on this site, where the author explains how he came up with the "recipe."

The original recipe calls for 3-4 drops each of thyme, cinnamon, and clove oils in one cup of gently boiling water. While the water boils, inhale the steam for a few minutes.

Neither my aunt nor I have thyme, so we substituted oregano oil instead. As oregano is so highly potent, we opted to use only 1 drop of it, and I used only 2 drops each of cinnamon and OnGuard (since I don't have clove by itself).

Ah, lovely...

Apple Nut Pudding (Very Old Family Recipe)

This is one of those pudding recipes that actually means "cake." It's one of my very favorite dessert recipes of all time and brings with it all sorts of good family memories.

This recipe fits in the categories "traditional family recipe" and "tried and true recipe" because it comes from my maternal great grandmother (who died when I was two years old), and I don't know when it started before that. Since Grandma was born in Denmark, it may very well have come from there. Whatever the case, this "pudding" is oh, so tasty...

Of course, these days I make it with whole wheat flour and honey (and/or raw sugar).

Apple Nut Pudding
Yield: 8" square pan (about 9 servings)

2 eggs
1/2 c. honey or 1 c. raw sugar (or 1/4 c. honey and 1/2 c. raw sugar)
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. chopped nuts (the original recipe calls for walnuts, but as my mom is allergic to them, pecans were a good substitute when I was growing up--or omit the nuts altogether; it will still be good)
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
1 1/2 c. diced raw apples

Beat eggs until fluffy. Add honey or raw sugar gradually, beating in each addition thoroughly.

Stir into this mixture the sifted flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add almond extract, nuts (if using), and diced apples. Mix well.

Pour into well greased 8-inch square pan. (Double recipe for 9 x 12 pan.)

Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 min, or until crisp and golden. Serve with whipped cream (the real kind, not the oily stuff from the can :)).

You Are a Lab Rat

It's a dangerous experiment, sanctioned by the FDA, and if you live in the United States of America, you've been a lab rat since 1996. In fact, even newborns have been part of the experiment. And most of us haven't been aware of any of it.

Ever wondered why the rates of obesity, heart disease, celiac disease, autism, allergies, asthma, etc, etc, have gone up in recent years? They all may very well link to genetically modified foods, which studies are now showing lead to inflammation (which create or exacerbate the above conditions). In the following film, numerous doctors, scientists, a nutritionist, a veterinarian, and various other top level professionals explain how and why this is so.

I knew a thing or two about GMOs before watching this documentary, but now I am more informed--and more outraged--than ever. If you haven't seen this 2012 film, it is very worth your time. Prepare to be disturbed and inspired to make some changes.



Note: If for any reason you are unable to access this movie, please go to http://geneticroulettemovie.com/, which has more viewing options. Or ask for it at your local library.

Quiche

I was first introduced to a truly savory quiche by a dear friend and roommate, over 10 years ago. This is her recipe and I've never found one to equal it. This is not a quick dish to whip up, unless you already have most items prepared already (which I rarely do). As a result, I don't make quiche very often--but when I do, we savor every bite.

Note: Omitting the bacon to make it a vegetarian dish is easy to do and still makes for a delicious meal.

Quiche

Make pie crust for 9" one-crust pie. (Do not use store-bought pie crust meant for sweet pies, as it will be too sweet for quiche.)

6 slices bacon, crisply fried and crumbled
1 c. shredded cheese (I like to use cheddar)
1/3 c. minced onion
4 eggs
2 c. whipping cream or 1 can of milk or 2 c. milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. red pepper or cayenne

Prepare pie crust.
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle bacon, cheese, and onion into pastry-lined pie pan.
Beat eggs slightly. Beat in remaining ingredients. Pour cream mixture into pan.
Bake 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake 30 minutes longer or until tested. (Done like custard.) Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

2 Favorite Urban Homesteader Products

This winter has been a chilly one in my part of the woods--and that's being euphemistic. Extreme cold is normal for this area and I was prepared for it. But it's our chickens' first winter, so we've learned a few things the last few months.

First, who has the time to change out frozen water multiple times a day? Not me. It was getting very annoying and difficult. Even switching the rabbit's water twice a day was a lot of work for my eight year-old daughter and we still worried he wasn't getting the water he needed because in negative temperatures, water freezes quickly.

Enter two solutions. Both required an investment, but these containers should last us at least another winter (hopefully longer), and it's totally been worth it already in time and anxiety saved.

The first solution was this heated poultry fountain for about $40. The base has an attached cord that plugs into an electrical outlet. We had already strung a cord from our house to the coop and attached a power strip to plug in the heat lamp (which got our chickens laying again--see this post). This waterer is thermostatically controlled and keeps the water from freezing. It's guaranteed down to 0 degrees, but we've had many days and nights well below that and it still hasn't frozen. *Happy dance.* It's not a perfect system, as flipping it over once it's filled has to be done very quickly and precisely in order not to get soaked or flood the coop--which can be tricky. But it definitely beats what I was doing before! And for our five chickens I only have to refill it once a week (especially now that I have it raised up off the floor so they can't get it scummy as quickly).

The second solution was a heated rabbit water bottle, for about $30. It stays plugged in all winter, too, and even out in the hutch exposed to the elements, the water doesn't freeze. Happy bunny, happy daughter, happy parents. :)

Both items I found at our local IFA.