How much cold goats can take is a question we get asked each winter fairly often. Perhaps because ours are the smaller, cute, and fuzzy Nigerian Dwarf goats, folks seem to question whether they can take the cold. We live in Northeastern Ohio, so temperatures of -15°F are pretty common. Adult Goats Handle Cold – If Not Wet or Windy If goats are housed so that they can get out of the wind and stay dry (and they're receiving adequate nutrition and health care), then they generally tolerate ... continue reading...
How To Get A Free 2023 Chicken Calendar
Did you know that you can get totally free 2023 chicken calendar(s) from the USDA? To help educate backyard poultry keepers about infectious poultry diseases and protect their birds, the United States Department of Agriculture is again offering FREE yearly calendars for 2023, called: DEFEND THE FLOCK (click on the title to see what the calendar looks like online). Each year, it's a full-color calendar with great photographs of poultry, so I send off and get it every year. Actually, I ... continue reading...
Best Ever Sweet Potatoes
This really is the best-ever sweet potato casserole recipe, and you won't want to go back to making your holiday potatoes any other way. We've been making them this way for years, so I had to dig back through my recipes to find the origin and how long it's really been. Turns out, I got the recipe from a Pfaltzgraff Colletor's cookbook (© 1990). The reason it made it into the cookbook - because it makes the best ever of course! And we've been making the recipe for over 30 years. This ... continue reading...
Fall Decorations Are Natural Chicken Dewormers
Chickens love eating pumpkins, gourds, and squash. So, don’t throw your edible autumn decorations out this fall. Put them to good use as natural dewormers and treats for your birds instead! These vegetables (technically they are fruits) can be used to combat boredom and promote flock health year-round. Their seeds are well known for their anthelmintic (deworming) properties while the flesh of many varieties are quite nutritious. In addition, chickens find eating them highly ... continue reading...
Create A Wine Cork Wreath
There are lots of possibilities for using wine corks creatively! Making a holiday, wine cork wreath for a favorite friend or family member is particularly fun during the Christmas season. Of course, you can create one for any occasion simply by changing the type of floral accent and bow that you use. They make nice decorations or gifts particularly if you're looking for frugal ideas (and drink wine). I find it difficult to throw those wine corks out, so we always seem to have a ... continue reading...
Winterizing The Vegetable Garden (+ let chickens do the work!)
Winterizing the vegetable garden is an important fall activity that will help ensure success in your garden next year. A few hours of work now will make a huge difference in making your future garden a success. If you have chickens, they can be surprisingly helpful when it’s time to prepare your garden for winter. Chickens are not generally a good addition to a growing garden because they eat just about anything green, but they can be a valuable asset in fall. Letting your chickens loose ... continue reading...
Homemade Vanilla Extract
It's easy to make your own homemade vanilla extract rather than buying the expensive little bottles of (typically fake) extract at the store. All it takes are a few vanilla beans, a tall bottle, and some vodka. Once it’s made, you can keep the recipe going for years by adding more vodka and vanilla beans. Plus, you get an extra “ingredient” – the leftover vanilla beans. Just slice open the beans and scrape out all the seeds, they add wonderful flavor to your baking. Making Homemade ... continue reading...
Control Chicken Winter Egg Production
Many chicken keepers are disappointed when winter rolls around because their supply of fresh, delicious eggs from the homestead flock suddenly slows down or stops altogether. This happens because most chickens naturally decrease egg production during the colder months. However, with a little knowledge and preplanning, a flock can be controlled to produce eggs year-round. After a chicken’s nutritional needs are met, the two most critical factors controlling chicken egg production are day ... continue reading...
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