.png){kind=logo}
After much deliberation and thought on the problem, I am going to make some changes to the blog you are reading right now.
Before I get into that I want to thank all my blog subscribers for supporting me over the past year or so. You have made this a very pleasurable endeavor.
I will be de-monetizing the blog. There will no longer be Handsteader, or Handsteader ++ posts. The free basic subscription open to everyone will continue on a bi-monthly basis.
If you enjoy the blog, and Youtube channel and still wish to support the Homestead, you may do so by purchasing a monthly membership to the Youtube Channel https://youtube.com/thand141homestead. Just go to any of my videos and click join in the info under the player. This will make it easier for me to regulate who has access to the perks of being subscribed, and the same price settings are there as well. $.99 for the Handsteader level and $1.99 for those whose Credit Cards won't do a subscription for less than a dollar.
OK. Enough business!
We got new chickens on the Homestead this week!
My Sister-In-Law Laurie Kriwox from Someday Farm in Greg offered me these beautiful Silkies and Bantams this past spring and was gracious enough to keep them until the new coops were ready!
Right now they are being exposed to the flock through wire to prevent as much fighting as I can.
The flock is sequestered inside the new Coop so they can Identify it as their new home while I dismantle the 7-year-old "Temporary" coop They have lived in way too long. this way it removes the option of them returning to the old coop.
Have I mentioned I hate Rangling chickens?
Wednesday or Thursday night under the cover of darkness and a red light, I will place the new additions one by one into the main flocks coop. By the Grace of God, They will all wake up in the morning thinking, "OK, you were here all night, you must belong here." and the pecking order nonsense will be lessened tremendously.
USE THIS LINK AND THE CODE T-HAND AT CHECKOUT FOR 10% OFF YOUR PURCHASE!
I am a little concerned as these bantams are just little guys compared to my dual-purpose birds. I will be sending some of the new roosters to freezer camp later in the fall, and maybe one of my dual-purpose roosters as well keeping one silkie Roo, one Bantum Roo, and two Dual-purpose Roosters. That seems like a lot so I may send two Dual-Purpose Roos to Freezer camp.
My dream has always been to have a self-sustaining flock, where broody hens replace the population every year, and I don't have to purchase chicks. But though I had three Hens go broody this summer not one chick was hatched.
When we got chickens, Wendy and I agreed that "by egg or by leg these birds would feed us" and a couple have. But on the whole, I must admit not as many as we intended.
Don't get me wrong, WE have had several years of meat chicken harvests, but the egg layers always seem to die of natural causes or predation. Letting them reach older ages, it was hoped they would be more likely to go broody, and indeed they have. However, out of the 6 or so birds hatched on the homestead, only two have hatched hens leading to my rooster population problem.
Another Great development on the homestead was my purchasing my hunting license. I can now (in proper season) harvest 1 bear, 5 deer, (only one needs to be antlered), and 3 turkeys, (one this fall).
In years past it was normal for me to take 2 deer in a season, You can't eat the antlers you know, but I am not prejudiced against them! And those 2 deer will fill my freezer full, and feed me for a long time!
I can almost taste the Jerky, and am already drooling over the country-fried stakes!!! Much to YouTube's chagrin I will do my best to post videos on the hunts and processing of the healthiest, most honest meat on the planet. (IMO)
If you are one of those "Why can't you buy your meat in the store where no animals are hurt like everyone else" I apologize, but don't...just don't.....
I will say toodle-oo for now before I get into the atrocities that are being done to our food industrial food supply. I am already on too many lists for my liking.
So Have a wonderful day y'all, and may the God of angel armies ever keep you in His will!
Comments