Homesteading

With buying a new house, we are now diligently planting blueberries, raspberries, and grapes. Apple and peach trees on the way. Plus, plans for a garden that will have tomatoes, beans, various squash, peas, cucumbers and more. That is not enough. Now we are getting chickens.

              I have ten blue laced red Wyandottes and 10 Rhode Island Reds in the making, literally. The Wyandottes are coming by mail order around May 1st. Everyone at work thinks it is funny that you can mail order chickens and that they come into the Post Office. The Post Office calls you immediately and you must run over and pick them up. The Rhode Island Reds are coming later, they are being raised by my dear friend, older just in case I am not successful with the Wyandottes. She is experienced with chickens.

              It is staggering the amount of planning this is all taking. A brooder for the chicks. Temperature controlled environment. Special feed to start. Waterers, heat lamps, then there is the chicken coop for when they get old enough. We are going to start them in a run and think about letting them free range. I am afraid there are too many predators where we live, including my cat.

              I have a ten by twenty-foot run on the way. We are going to build the coop over the next two weekends. Looks pretty on paper, let us see what we can do.

              I have found on Facebook CNY Poultry group as well as a Homesteader group. There is a lot of valuable information to be found but I always do my research. The health of these layer chickens is going to be in my care, and I want to be prepared. I cannot wait to have fresh eggs for breakfast at my brother and sister-in-laws house on Sunday mornings from my coop. Of course, that is several months away. Eggs, not breakfast.

              In a few short years we will have a diverse homestead of fruits, vegetables, and eggs. NO COWS or PIGS. My three acres are already getting full. Loving all of it. Let me know if you have had chicken experiences or if I am missing anything on the homestead. I would love to hear from you. Thanks for reading.