It is reeeally cold outside. So that means our time outdoors is limited and that makes for one antsy mama and an extremely rambunctious 2 year old. Today, our "science lesson" involved a nature walk searching for pinecones in the woods. We discussed pinecones and found some good specimens, then brought them inside to turn … Continue reading Chicken Treats
Over Wintering our Chickens
We've had some below freezing temps. As such, our concerns for the chickens are 3 fold: There are a couple going through a molt, so they lack feathers for body heat retention. Their water has been freezing. There's less sunlight and they aren't laying as prolifically as in the summer. The first issue of molt … Continue reading Over Wintering our Chickens
When Predators Attack
We lost two chickens today. I heard a ruckus that I thought initially was an "egg song" but as I listened, I could tell it was more than one bird and it sounded distinctly distressed. I went out to take a look and didn't immediately notice anything suspicious looking, until I got within 20 yards … Continue reading When Predators Attack
Year 1 Evaluation of Back to Eden Experience
I wanted to evaluate my first year experience with the Back to Eden garden. I decided to break the experience into sections: preparation, planting, productivity, weeding and watering, overall experience. My rating scale is from 1-10 with 1 being unsuccessful and 10 being absolute success. The effort to reward ratio will be covered in the … Continue reading Year 1 Evaluation of Back to Eden Experience
Great Homestead Expectations
My husband and I hit a low point about a week ago in our morale regarding homestead expansion. We were discussing the necessity of the kitchen remodel before the floor falls through to the basement (I honestly don't know if it's that bad or not, but I don't really want to find out after the … Continue reading Great Homestead Expectations
In the Fullness of Time
Our hens have begun to lay! We actually were surprised this morning when we went outside to muck out the coop and found 7 little eggs in a corner of the coop! We assume by the color of the eggs and the standard rate of maturity, they came from the black Australorp (brown) and either … Continue reading In the Fullness of Time
Coop, Sowing, and Trees
We started work on the chicken coop . Actually, we re-started it. For some reason, our corners weren't coming out square so we unscrewed the entire base frame and checked that the cuts were straight. The 2nd try was better. The lesson in this is that a tiny mistake can cause big problems that compound … Continue reading Coop, Sowing, and Trees
Chicken Coop Building Materials List
Ugh. Lumber is expensive. I know there are ways to get it cheap or scavenged. But I didn't do that. In fact, we've spent a stupid amount of money on this daggone chicken coop and run. But ya know what? I would rather it be done the right way with quality materials and only have … Continue reading Chicken Coop Building Materials List
Chicken Update: Feed, First aid
All our girls are doing well. Before we got the chicks, I made a point of putting together a "chicken first aid kit" because I wanted to be prepared should we encounter pasty butt, coccidiosis, parasites, fungal infection, bacterial infection, respiratory infection, our cuts from bigger chicks bullying the smaller ones, etc. Fortunately, we haven't … Continue reading Chicken Update: Feed, First aid
Chicken Coop Plans
I've been driving myself nuts trying to design a chicken coop. Honestly, there are too many choices and builds online without sufficient details in the plans about materials needed. So, I drew up my own plans. In my reading, everything said plan on more chickens than you have to account for replenishing your flock. So, … Continue reading Chicken Coop Plans
Wholly Holy Living 
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