A Backyard Chicken's Extra Benefit...Eggshell Fertilizer For Your Plants!

Nothing on our "homestead" ever seems to go to waste....we have our very own "recycling" center. We're always looking at something and thinking, "now, how can we use that...." When it comes to chickens, they have so many products and by-products, they're way worth their weight in feathers. Here's an idea...after your 6egg omelette breakfast, do not throw away those very useful eggshells. These eggshells can be used for plant starters, fertilizer (just crush shells and put around plants, especially tomatoes), a calcium supplement for your chickens (crush dry shells and mix with feed) or a potent, aromatic liquid fertilizer. Here's the recipe:
Soak UN-RINSED shells from at least 6 eggs in a quart jar filled with water.
Let this concoction "ripen" for a week plus in a shaded place. Shake it up once in awhile.
"SNIFF" at the end of the week plus period...if you fall over backwards, it's "eggsactly" perfect! (Not for you, but your plants will love it!)
Use this "eggshell" tea to give your plants a boost if they are looking sad and saggy! You won't need to use very much...and use on outdoor plants only, that is, if you want to have a family life!

The Art of Trimming Hooves

Once you've entered into the realm of homesteading, there is no doubt you will join the ranks of those who are also ruminant owners. And, one of the new chores you will find yourself facing is the ever present need to trim those ruminant's hooves. (I tell ya...I love this life. I mean how often does one get to use the term "ruminant" in real life? "Did you mean, Do I have a room-to-rent?" Or, "I'm sorry maam, but you'll have to check in hardware for that item....") Any way...I have studied charts and diagrams and books on all the correct procedures for trimming either a goat or sheep hoof...I truly appreciate all the neat and clean and down-right lying pictures. Whence the moment arrives that you are able to secure your animal for the moment of truth...all diagrams go right out the window. And, as we all should know by now, if no two human being toe-nails are the same...it is true for the animal kingdom. Take my husband, for example...his toenails are so unique, my daughter actually stole some away for keepsakes...she had never seen anything so BIG come off someone's toe...(I am happy to say, now that she is older, the toenails have been discarded...they were BIG though!) There is no manual to describe how to cut my husband's toenails...and the same goes for the goat or sheep. I guess the best advise I could give...is do the best you can. There are some things that will be the same for all your experiences in trimming hooves...there will be lots of "guck" to get out...(I use a hook knife...not to sharp, put has a nice pointy edge)...the animal will not hold still (that's funny, neither does my husband!)...so I put the animal in a stanchion or have a very strong helper to hold (mind you, this is for the goat or sheep, not husband!) I do try to cut the hoof as even as possible; I try to trim hooves after a rain so the hooves are soft; I am careful NOt to let the hooves get overgrown; and, yes, even tho the diagrams don't help much, they are helpful and needful to get you off on the right hoof...I mean foot. So, even tho this post may not have been the most helpful, I hope in some ways you will know that you are not alone in wondering if you are some blundering idiot that can't trim hooves "like the pros"....you are your own pro, and you are doing just fine!

Memoirs of a Teenage Homesteader: Life Is A Funny Thing

Life is a funny thing sometimes. It can land some of the most absurd situations right smack dab in your lap. And you can choose whether to laugh or cry about it. Most of the time, it's after the fact, when you're taking a stroll down Memory Lane, that you just can't help laughing heartily at something that "befell" you. I guess you could say it's the same with me. As a teenage homesteader, Memory Lane is piled deep and wide with laughs and cries. Most would probably agree that my family and I lead a very "unique" existence. We are three regular Joes who live on a nice, cozy little mountain with our flocks and herds of crazy quadrupeds and feathery bipeds, no electricity(we have solar), no TV(we just watch videos), and NO "land-line" phone. In a nutshell, we are truly living in paradise! And since my life is so colorful and crazy, I thought I'd share a memory or two with you!
There is one memory in particular that makes me crack up every time! It was when we got our FIRST GOATS! And we had to start milking these things the very next morning after we brought them home. It was... shall we say... interesting! Put simply, it took All Three Of Us TO Do It!(And it stayed that way for awhile, until we got the hang of it!) One of us would actually do the deed, while another would make sure the goat was well stocked with grain (to keep her busy so she didn't struggle), and a third person to tie down the goat's hind legs with baling twine and hold on for dear life when she tried to kick! Oh, But that wasn't the end of our little fiasco! On top of it all, the person doing the milking had to endure the "Lean-to" and "Collapsible" routines! You see, at the time, we were milking two goats: one - a stocky, black, ornery as heck 5-year old, and the other - a smaller, more timid , brown 2-year old. The black one, who we named Haddi, would all of a sudden throw her entire weight onto your head, neck and shoulders in an attempt to either make you stop milking or just flat-out suffocate you. The brown one, who we named Chloe, would, at one point or another, collapse her entire rear-half until you could barely see her teats, much less milk them! By the time you were done with HER, you looked something like the hunchback of Notre Dam (from all that bending down)! You would have had to be there to understand what I mean, but let me tell you, it was hilarious! Thankfully, nowadays, it only takes one person to milk the goats (me), and whenever they give me any grief, a quick slap on the keister sets 'em straight. And even though they can be stubborn and ornery, heaven knows I love my goats! Anyways, I could ramble on and on about other funny little things that make my life so joyful, but that's for another article.
This is my life. I'm a teenage homesteader, bread-baker, hoof-trimmer, cow, sheep, goat, chicken, turkey, cat, dog and duck tender with a love for my home and a thankfulness to Almighty God for the good things he gives me every day!
I hope you enjoyed reading this little memoir of mine.
Y'all come back now, ya hear?

Raising Backyard Chickens: When The Dinner Bell Rings...

For those of you who raise your own chickens, and for those of you who may just be starting off on this "flighty" adventure, I am here to offer a few words of advise...stuff I have gleaned from my humble, novice beginnings, to my current bumbling expertise. We live in an area where we can "free-range" our chickens...they get the run of the place. You ought to see our eggs...beautiful, bright orange yolks, and ever so tasty! But having chickens run all over the place can have its drawbacks, ie: it's pretty important to NOT leave doors leading to your house, barn, feed room, etc. open. Chickens seem to instinctively know that an open door is an open invitation to come on in and make themselves at home. I have, unfortunately, found little "gifts" or "momentos" of their kind visits in places rather unsuspecting! Not pleasant! It is also important to keep the garden gate closed, too, that is if you don't want them to help themselves to a premature salad bar or the little seeds you so meticulously just planted. I have found, at times, they can be rather helpful in the garden...chasing those pesky grasshoppers, or showing them a colony of unwanted ants...presto! Talk about pest control! It is not unusual to have a chicken stand right next to you, or even jump on the end of the shovel, when working the soil nice and deep...worms! They love worms...but so do I, so this isn't always a symbiotic relationship. Well, enough said. Anyway...we also live in an area where it is imperative to "put up" the chickens inside there pen for the night...at our place it is called the "chicken palace". So, how do we get all those cluckers in for the night? Simple, and I hope these tips will help you out as well.
1. Never ever feed your flock outside the chicken house or the enclosed chicken pen. "Home is where the chow is!"; and if you follow this simple principle, your chickens will know where to head when the sun starts going down. Also, train your chickens before you ever let them roam by "calling" them and feeding them in the chicken yard for at least a week or so in order for them to get used to what the "prize" will be for good chicken behavior!
2. Be consistent as to when you call your chickens in...we let our chickens out to roam around 10-11 o'clock a.m. and "call" them in around 5-6 p.m. We do this also for the chicken's protection...more predators are likely before and after the prescribed time limits.
3. Have a familiar "call"...my daughter and high just make a high-pitched yell..."chickens in" and away they come, running at top speed. We also "call" them in with a special treat...good ole table scraps, etc...(I wish my husband was so easily charmed!) But remember, no table scraps until safely inside the chicken pen!

Trust me, this system works! How well? At one time we had over 100 chickens on our place...you can read about how we acquired over 70 of them in my post on "Roosters Crowing, etc." Anyway, 72 white roosters were housed in the "turkey townhouse" while the rest of our brood still resided in the chicken palace. Two nice hen/turkey houses approximately 25 yards apart. When it was time to call in the birds, we gave the famous call, and I kid you not, the white birds went to their home and the rest went to their own home...it looked like the parting of the Red Sea...and was in itself, sort of a miracle. So, good luck when you ring that dinner bell...and get out of the way...hey, I just figured out why the chicken crossed the road....

The Commute...To Where?

People will often ask what "we" do out "thar in the yonder" for income...our answer is "YES"...in other words, when you live out yonder, you do whatever comes your way. So, when I mention commute again, it could be to any where. Since living out in yonder land, I have sold fruit at a fruit stand, picked the fruit to sell at the fruit stand, drove the fruit picked and not sold at the fruit stand to places even yonder than where I live; I've cleaned houses (heaven forbid not my own!), have house-sat, pet-sat, garden-sat, etc. My husband, who is a carpenter by trade and still continues in that realm, has helped with the fruit stuff, fought wildland forest fires, etc. etc. I still continue in my substitute teaching, which in my former life, I was a REAL teacher. I have had some interesting "assignments", one which is most memorable was my stint as a Spanish teacher. Now, that may seem innocuous at first...but I don't speak espanol. Well, at least I didn't. Oh, I remembered some from high school and college...and I grew up in the southwest... and it didn't hurt me any working at the fruit place because there were always the Mexican immigrant workers, but, I did not have the formal training for such a position. I ended up filling in for the position for almost 2 months. Thankfully, for the last month, the school had the kids take the course on-line, but that first month was "interesting-o". Actually, as with most things in life that has occurred out here, one becomes rather resourceful. When I am not commuting, I am here on the ole homestead, where life has it's own resourceful-ingratiating situations to deal with...anything from delivering a "stuck" goat, to climbing down into your water storage tank to "unstick" a dead squirrel who fell in the drain by accident...maybe more on that later!
At any rate, life is never dull...whether behind the wheel to just another adventure, or staying home...the wheel just keeps on spinning. (Hey, wasn't there a song like that back in the '70's???)

The "Commute"

I know it is not proper blogism to not create posts on a regular basis...but, if the bacon isn't at home, you have to go make it...if you know what I mean. I actually used to have a REAL job, with a REAL paycheck. I was even considered a "professional" WHOO WHOO. Life has changed. I have NO paycheck...and that professional stuff...the chickens could care less, just bring on the scratch lady, we're hungry. Any way. When you venture out and try to create that pie-in-sky lifestyle, you end up with a lot of it on your face. Truly, I am not complaining, just speaking reality. I wouldn't, couldn't "go back" to that other life. Just take my commute for example. The other morning I was driving into one of my many "day" jobs...that of substitute teaching. I wish I was eloquent with words. The sun was shining just right to glisten off the snow...it looked as though I was driving over diamonds. It was breath-taking. I do not believe I was ever blinded by snowflakes in the big city...traffic lights, and headlites, but not snow-lites. I have had other commute to work experiences not like ANY of those in the big city. I was delayed one time by a moose who just continued to jog in front of my car as I was attempting to get down the road. This time of year, it is not unusual to see a great big TOM turkey, strutting his stuff with his girls...all puffed out, and all those big feathers. I mean, this turkey really looks like the ones you see on pictures and stuff...the real deal. But to see the blue head, the red-gobbly thing, etc. in real life...I always HOPE to get in one of those traffic jams. Once I was delayed by a momma bobcat. I couldn't figure out why she wouldn't run off, until I realized her cubs were on the other side of the road. I just waited patiently until the babies were reunited with their mom...that was cool...something to really "rubber-neck" at. I always swear I'm going to remember to take the camera with me...oh well, it's kind of like trying to keep up with this blogging thing...good intentions, just have to make it happen. If you read this blog, please be patient and check back often....I'll try to have the bacon in the pan more often!

Home Food Storage

Living "out" sometimes poses a problem...it's not like you can just jump into your "rig" (as I now refer to my SUV) and drive down to the nearest store. That is, unless you have a couple of hours to spare, which is a rarity around our place. One must learn to become "resourceful" to say the least. You would be surprised what one can do...or do without when things aren't so convenient! I love a quote from the late Carla Emery...she said the best thing about shopping is that you don't know what you are missing! How true. A couple of years ago, we took a trip back to the big city. I went into one of those stores that's a one-stop deal...I truly forgot there could be so many colors of plastic spoons to stir things with....and when did they come up with "pink" frying pans????? Oh, the towel section...lovely, puffy, fluffy, CLEAN, gorgeous, stacks and stacks of bath towels! Since my towels, you name it...bath, kitchen, etc. have been reduced to dull, brownishy-blotchy vessels, my senses were overwhelmed. Good thing we've become self-sufficient...I just administered CPR to myself and careened back out of the store to my RIG! It was easy to find....it was the dirty one, parked WAY at the end of the lot due to it's "non-economy" size. Hey, I think it was clean once...and dried off by one of my towels....such is life in the country.
Anyway, getting back to being resourceful...it would behoove most to have their own food storage plan. To get started, I invite you to read an article I wrote. Please click link below, type in the key words home food storage program to and you will find the article!

Roosters in the Morning and Other Glorious Animal Sounds

Myth: In the country, the rooster crows at sunrise to greet the weary homesteaders to another glorious day in the country...NOT!

First of all, roosters crow whenever they darn well feel like it! Ours past, and very present, roosters have decided that 3 a.m. is an excellent time to start exercising their vocal cords--hey...if no one else is awake...NO COMPETITION, right? And EVERY ONE will be able to admire the unique, high-pitched yodeling for miles around....Oh, and hey, if you're lucky enough to have 2+ roosters, as we do, you might be able to experience your own dueling banjo symphony for hours at a time...what a deal!!!!
In one of our "brighter" (or desperate) moments of our family odyssey, a "friend" offered to give us some "extra" roosters she had procured at a county fair. Thinking about all that fried-chicken-in-waiting made us greedy and vulnerable...so, we enthusiastically agreed! By the time we unloaded our "unbelievable" good luck in the form of a feathered treasure, we discovered we had us 72 (that is not a misprint) clucking 3 month old roosters. OK...roosters start to test out their cockadoodles anywhere from 5 months to 7 months. Early cockadoodles sounds more like a chicken caught by surprise by a slamming barn door...and they are caught in it. In a nutshell, it's not aesthetically pleasing! Well, to say the least, to have 72 potential alarm clocks was a bit alarming, no horrifying, no terrifying...
I have to be honest, maybe it's something like post-traumatic syndrome...I can't really recall all the details when our "boys" hit prime maturation. Maybe it can also be attributed to sleep deprivation...I'm not sure.
So, just FYI--all those movies with the rooster bursting into song at the break of day...it's a bunch of hooey....but, the fried chicken... delicious!

Animal Relationships

This event (the following video) DID NOT happen on our homestead...yet, it reveals the wonderful world of animal life which we have had the privilege of experiencing. We've had so many "animal" stories, I don't know where to begin. For example, our first rooster...would peck at the kitchen window and "coo" when it was time to go back into the chicken house. His "girls" would be waiting by the door, and his job was to come peck at the window...I loved it. Or, the symbiotic relationship our chickens have had with our cows. What comes to my mind right now is how 1 or 2 chickens would walk all over our HUGE bull while he was laying down and peck at the pesky flies...He'd just lay there, chew his cud, swirl his tail, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. We didn't have a digital camera at the time, or else I would post a picture...but, maybe you can imagine!

At any rate I hope you enjoy the following video: