The Chicken Hilton

It started with the dream of getting a few chickens, it's always just a few at first.
Then looking at Pinterest and pictures of chicken coops, my mind spins with possibilities!
"We can build our own using vintage windows, no wait, I love this one, can you build me this one... no wait..." After much eye-rolling from my husband, actually really surprised they didn't stick in the back of his head, he said "let's go look at some up the road"!
OK, so off we go to Hilltop Structures in Cumberland Furnace, TN.
Camera in hand for ideas, I see this beauty staring at me.
My vision narrows, I think I hear a symphony playing in the distance, and I start leaping like a little child. I grab his hand and drag him over to my new chicken coop.
It's a cheerful yellow, and I could just see myself decorating it all whimsy like when I start babbling on about how I LOVE the color.... ERRRR the screeeech of tires ...
Husband, aka total buzz kill "we are not having a whimsy, yellow, chicken coop"!
GASP, what? Why not?
Hopes dashed, mind starts turning, how am I going to convince him to let me have a whimsical chicken coop.
Think...Think...Think...
"Seriously hun, a bright yellow paint with maybe some purple flowers on it, can't you see it?
It would be so cute! Please"!!!
"No, it would look stupid, but you can decorate the inside however you choose"?
Inside? Why would I decorate the inside? Well actually I have seen some cute one's decorated inside, but isn't that stupid? It's just going to get dirty and yucky!
But I have to look at this as a win ~ but it's just a small win ~ I want go for the big victory!!
"Well, if we saved for one like this, you wouldn't have to actually build it, after all, they deliver"!
Seconds turn into minutes, the silence is defining, I'm looking at him, he's looking at the coop, uh-oh, he is totally avoiding eye contact with me...he's going to say he can do it, and that means me waiting a long long long time... He gives a little cough, "I guess we can do that!" but no credit card. You save the cash!" I leap into his arms and agree to "his" terms. YAY!!
I say "this coop is not exactly right, I have to make some revisions". He says "of course you do!" and I am pretty sure I saw another eye roll.
So I have an expert craftsman come over and I begin to tell him about my revisions.
He just keeps saying "no problem, and OK" man of my dreams ...
so I keep going with additional revisions.
When I get it just right, and he has sketched it all out for me, I ask how much more he will add on to the current bill for all my amazing upgrades. He says, "nothing, it won't take much additional material to take care of this the way you want it"!!
LEAP, YAY, totally wanted to kiss him!!

OK, so begins the saving!

The day has come!
I'm ready to make the purchase!
I have toiled months on where to place the new coop and think I have found the right spot,
but how in the world will they squeeze it in there.
I call them and say "well you see, the perfect spot is between a few trees, over this hill, around
a curve and just on the other side of that fence". A flash of heat over-comes me and I break out in a sweat waiting to hear the dreaded words ... pick another spot, or we can't do that,
but Dave says, "sure, we can do that!"
What? These people are like Burger King!! I'm totally having it my way!
So enough talk ... Check it out!!

IT'S HERE!! And they are on time!!

He delivers it to the perfect spot!!

 

Then a tree falls on it and I cry!!

 

I call Dave again and say

"I need you to move my coop again, I'm sorry, that perfect place is

no longer perfect and it must be moved."

What do you think Dave said "No problem, I'll see you soon"!

This dude at Hilltop Structures is seriously my hero!

 

He comes and moves it and I finish decorating it!

Here is the almost finished product!

 

 

 

My custom curtains with natural branch rods -

 

Lights for warm ambiance -

Lilo my goat checking things out -

YES, that is wood looking linoleum floor for easy clean ups !

The Hen Hangout

 

 

What kind of barbarian would I be if they didn't have some lavender in their boxes!

 

 

So many nesting boxes to choose from! I wonder which 3 they will be fighting over?

 

 

 

And the end all be all ... if you need or want a chicken coop, or any outdoor building, cabin or barn

do NOT call anyone but these guys!!

 

 

Tell them I sent you!!

 

 

Winterizing the Farm

It's that time of year ... FALL!! My absolute favorite time of the year.
Right now, it feels more like winter, so what better time to pull out the
"honey do list" for winterizing the farm and home.

1. Caulk all windows and check doors for drafts

2. Inspect your barn and chicken coop. Look for drafty spots, boards that need replace.
    - Clean out all bedding
    - Bleach/Vinegar spray out the barn
    - Once dry, sprinkle DE everywhere and lay down new fresh bedding

3. I love taking this time to plant my bulbs, and protect any outdoor plants with extra leaves.

4. Tractor and mowers and any other equipment that won't be used for winter... Drain fuel, sharpen     blades and get it into tip top shape!! Gas cans - add Stable to them!

5. Purchase pipe warmers and disconnect any hoses you won't be using. Cover all water pipes, etc...

6. Animals ... time to take care of your babies. Goat housing, blankets, heating lamps, sweaters, break it out!! They will need lots of extra hay to keep warm too!!

7. Oh my...so much more!

Homesteading ... It's a family affair!

After many years raising and selling Nigerian Dwarf Goats, it's time to move up to the next level.
Genetics baby... it's all about the udder...the teats... the tata's ... HIGH AND TIGHT.
The goat is to produce goats with an exceptional mammary system.
Much like Bill Clinton is always looking for, but...we are talking goats people.

While my initial herd was good, the herd I am creating is going to be GREAT.
I have watched and waited and watched more until I have found the genetic lines I like most.
This entails going to shows, browsing show results from all of the country, attending Nationals, and just paying attention and being on the look out for winners.
Then you strategically buy ... and buy ... and sell ... and buy more.
That is when funds are available.
Which being homesteaders is... hit or miss.
Thankfully, I have a day job that keeps me busy and most of the time, brings in decent money.
So we will begin showing, God willing, in 2015. We have a lot of work to do before then, but we
are an ever growing, ever evolving homestead.

More news from the homestead:
My husband is now homesteading full time!! Yay~ EEEK~ this will be great ~ oh my gosh ~
I may have some mixed emotions about that, but this is what we are going with for now.
So 2015 could potentially be a train wreck or great. Only God knows!!
So now we need to focus on how the farm can bring in additional income.
We had some agricultural experts come out and asses our land for what would be best to farm.
They recommended feeder chickens because they are cheap to purchase, and mature in 100 days.
They also suggested sheep, meat goats and a few pigs.
Me "so you want me to raise them, then kill them"?
Yes, apparently that is what they want me to do ... and I could ... I think ... kill them, well cull them.
BUT, is that what I really WANT to do?

For now we are focusing on goats. Then goat milk, butter, cheeses, soaps...etc...
Then in summer, organic veggies, and possibly pork, or rabbit to sell with those veggies...eeekkkkk

Don't say it, I already know... worst homesteader ever that is mushy about killing animals for their meat.
Actually, I have this rooster that I would boil up in a second. I just have to, well you know, kill him.

So here are a few of my new goaties. More to come!!

Selling Nigerian Dwarf Goats

If this one post helps anyone, my pathetic little blog will be worth it.
It's not pathetic ... I'm pathetic because I just can't seem to be a faithful blogger.

If you choose to sell goats to boost income for your property like we did, get good quality goats right off the bat.

What you need to know:
- First, make sure you research owning and caring for goats...It's not easy!
- If you decide to sell your little goat babies, DO NOT SELL KIDS UNDER 3 WEEKS OLD.
Even if they tell you they are the bestest goat people evah... and have bottle fed hundreds of kids...
DON'T DO IT.
- Have a sales terms page i.e., stating you are not responsible for goat once it leaves your property. People will not care for them properly and a week later they are calling you for a refund.
- Keep excellent records of births - when bred - who bred - pictures of kids - etc... when lots of babies are hitting the ground, you can get confused.
- Wether your boys. Keep the best to sell, then wether the rest.
- If you don't know what a wether is ... do more goatie research.

This is not my most thought out post, nor witty... It's just been a bad breeding season and I am still trying to recover from it.


This website is one of the BEST goat sites I have ever found.
http://fiascofarm.com/

Just make sure if you use their info, you kick them some cash for their efforts.

Guardian Dog SHEBA

As may know, I have been going back and forth on whether or not to get a Livestock Guardian Dog after losing several chickens to predators.                 Well, we did it!!

Meet Sheba!! My grand-daughter LOVES her to pieces. We were totally blessed as she has done a GREAT job!! She does bark a lot at night, but I have been told that may reduce once she knows which noises are acceptable at night.

WE LOVE HER!! She is doing a wonderful job!!

I can SMELL Spring!!

So if you're not going to give me snow to play in ... GIVE ME SPRING!
I am so excited to get my gardens started again.
I am going to be making some changes this year. ALL of my garden will be RAISED BEDS!
I had 4 raised beds last year but it was not enough... WEEDING was out of control.
I'm also going to be moving my herb garden closer to the house and will be adding
medicinal herbs to the mix. SO EXCITED!

I am preparing by getting all my tools sharpened (thanks honey) and
purchasing in increments the 2x6's I need to make additional raised beds.
I have pages dog eared of what I am buying and I already have a bunch of seeds
just ready to be planted!

News on the goat front:
Oh my goodness ... the Lord has blessed me with some BEAUTIFUL kids this year.
My favorite so far is a buckling ... yes a buckling! He is blue eyed and polled and just has amazing colors.

We have been blessed.

To free range ... or not to free range

Public Enemy #1 ... a cute but ferocious black cat. It has killed 2 of my sweet hens this week.

Country folk out here say ... "well you gotta kill'em"!!
In my mind I know this to be true, but my compassionate animal loving side side says 'how can I possibly kill a cat'? Between my dogs, the cat, and other bizarre crazy happenings, I have lost 15 chickens this year.

I have to do something.

So I looked on Craigslist and found a LGD (Large Guardian Dog) but sigh ... yet another mouth to feed. But this would solve my cat problem and other wild animal problems.
I think this is the way to go.

So for all you wanna be homesteaders, here is another helpful hint from this city girl turned homesteader:
- Keep your 'do nothing but sleep and eat' pets to a minimum.
- Decide if you want your chickens to be happy free ranging or cooped up ... but safe
- Decide if you want to invest in a LGD
- Decide if you are able to pull the trigger on a cat that is killing your hens :(

Country life is hard for the animal lover ...
I have roosters I should have killed and cooked up months ago... I just couldn't do it :(
I know I should ... sigh

Homesteading is a lifestyle ... Nothing should go to waste ... Still learning ... Still growing ...

Winterizing the Farm

Well it is that time of year when we should be taking steps to winterize the farm.
The honey-do-list is long, but we have been knocking it out over the past few weekends.

* Add lights and heating lamps to the chicken coop. We did this last weekend and have already seen an increase in egg production.

* Add heating lamps for the girl goats and an extra layer of straw. We also added an extra tarp to the boys house and stacked up the straw inside nice and thick for them too.

* We will be checking for drafty areas in our stall and patching them up. Chickens DON'T like to be cold.

* Got out the water de-icers.

* Wash horse blanket and goat sweaters

* Stock up on hay and straw while it is still relatively inexpensive.

Side not from winterizing: The chickens are rummaging through our compost pile. I will have to build some sort of enclosure for it because they are eating all the worms :(

Our goal this year is to have a Greenhouse built and ready for plants by February. I would really like to increase our growing season.

Newbie Chicken Owners:

I have to be the worst blogger known to the blogging world.
I just can't seem to find the time to sit down and blog.
Well I could just blog ... but trying to make it entertaining takes ... well, see there ... I got nuttin.
I feel the pressure of finding time to read my bible, cook, clean, exercise, take care of the animals, be a mom, be a Noni, be a daughter, a wife ... SEE, my life is exhausting. And yet, so many do it!!
I don't even play WWF any longer because it was stressing me out trying to find time to play.
Anyway, the reason for this post is important ... SEE BELOW!

IMPORTANT TIP FOR NEWBIE HOMESTEADERS WITH CHICKENS:
So my beautiful flock was doing so well, we were up to about 6-7 eggs a day when all of a sudden
they come down with some sort of respiratory infection :'O .
I write my friend who knows bunches about chickens and she says you have to kill them all.WHAT :O -
I of course said NO, I must have another option. So I began treating them all with antibiotics. She said the 6 chickens I rescued/purchased from a yucky farm must have been infected and then infected the rest of my flock... EPIC FAIL ...

1. NEVER EVER EVER buy chickens from yucky places -
2. If you do buy chickens from yucky places because they are in horrible conditions and are nothing but feathers and bones ... ISOLATE them for at LEAST 3 weeks.
3. Go back and kick those YUCKY PEOPLES butt for selling contagious birds.
4. Kick yourself in the butt for not knowing better.

Symptoms of sick birds:
Not eating -
Yuckiness around beak -
Wheezing -
Goopy eye -
Major drop in egg production -

Currently, not all my birds are sick. And the ones I have treated seem to be responding to treatment well.
I could have spiked their water with antibiotics, but doing them individually insures they are all being treated.
My brilliant idea of marking them was HOT PINK finger nail polish on the tips of their beaks. Genius right!

So, I hope my newbie mistake saves someone else from this mistake.

There ... I blogged ... Whew ...

Ain't she purdy!!

The Homestead ...

Well it is really starting to look like a little homestead around here.
The garden is in full swing.
The goats are done having babies until next year. (Is this really making us $$) that is for another post... And the chickens are growing and getting ready hopefully in 8-10 weeks laying eggs for me.


The question of the week is?
Do you know what Chocolate Gravy is?
I was born in Texas and raised in Florida and had no idea what it was, so my "southerness" was called into question. So, I made some. First I drizzled it over homemade 'from scratch' slightly dense (overworked them) biscuits.

Then next with some fruit...

I gotta say it was pretty darn good. I am now officially a southerner :) Yay for me. Can you say the same?


I still haven't figured out how to add a "pin it" link to this blog, but I am absolutely addicted to pinterest.
Hook up with me there for the recipe.


On this Memorial Day a heartfelt thank you to the men and women that have so bravely sacrificed for my freedoms ... THANK YOU and may God always bless you and your family.

My Goat Stand - YAY

I have been wanting to build or should I say waiting on my husband to build me a Stanchion for ... well about a year. So I decide to enlist the help of a friend and build it myself.

AND IT IS WONDERFUL.... See:

I have the directions on how to make this ... just message me if you want them.
It took my friend Allison and I 2.5 hours to make it.

Stuart Litte 1 ~ Me 0

So, he's cute and yuck ... a mouse ... I said a rat, but my husband corrected me "he's just a small mouse".
However, I'm the one bleaching everything when I see he has appeared.

My plan "the glue traps"! THEY WORK. Believe it or not, (I'm kind of embarrassed mentioning this) I have tried the 'humane traps' they DON'T work. The mice that have made their way into the house I swear have a PHD in evasion.

It started this morning... I come down stairs and check my glue traps. The first 3 empty, the last one - "MOM, I CAUGHT STUART" - first epic fail, NEVER name the rodents.
Mom says, "is he still alive? I said, I don't think so I just saw him then shut the door. She said "you have to go save him". "Mom, he's glued to the trap, there is no saving him. Anyway, Dan is going to have to get him when he gets home...I can't do it."
I know ... what kind of a farm girl am I ... I know ... So I go upstairs, get dressed, and well... Man up!
I grab a bag and decide I've got to get him. I open the door and Stuart JUMPS and drags the glue pad with him. "AHHHHH, Mom he's still alive... I can't do it!! Barbara Lee, you HAVE to do it, he could starve to death!!" WHAT ??? Mom, it's a rat ...

Shut the door ... Leave for work ...

Dan calls me, "where's the mouse" I tell him "nope, not there" WHAT? "looks like he chewed himself out of the trap, trap there, Stuarts gone" WHAT???

Yep... I said, "well he deserves to be free if he went through all that".

Sigh ...... I don't know if I'm pathetic or cute for the fact I still can't dispatch a mouse ;/

What's in your tub??

I almost feel like I can remove the "Newbie" portion of my blog title ...
I HAVE CHICKENS ... I'm a real, honest to goodness HOMESTEADER.
Chickens validate me :)

So Dan finally caved (ssshhhh, I told you he would) and said I could get a few :)
Few to me means 26 hehehe

I got a variety because I thought they would be both good layers as well as just being
aesthetically pleasing to look at. I got some Americano's!! They will lay different colored eggs like blues, greens, etc...

6 months... seems like such a long time!!

Note to self and whoever also dehorns/disbuds their goats:
My poor babies were in so much pain :( they looked up at the sky, and kind of acted dizzy.
I ended up giving them aspirin and they seemed much better this morning.

Next weekend we should get the garden tilled and partially planted. The seedlings are doing pretty well :)

Spring ... Garden ... Chickens ... Kids

Bring it on ...

So excited to get my garden going. THIS year I will work hard to make it a success!! THIS year I have tripled it size and will be bringing in 3 other women to help with the up keep it and share in the bounty.

Then chickens ... SO VERY EXCITED about them.

and more cute Nigerian kids ... Need to sell some of them.

It is begining to look more like a homestead around here. We have been working to keep the property maintained and clean.

I'm just excited to be checking some things off the list.

Now ... we need a new president!! OH, where did that come from (:

Chickens ... Chickens ... Chickens YAY!!

A real HOMESTEADER... With chickens and ALL!! Woot Woot!!
Hubby has finally given it :) 


I already have the breeds picked out.
I want a couple Rhode Island Reds, some Black Sex Links, Australorp's and may a few Ameraucana's.


So excited.


Now we just have to build some laying boxes and the ramp to the coop.

Belle Stars Babies...3 doelings... YAY

3 doelings all doing well.

Tough Kidding Week -

Really tough week with kidding:

RIP Scarlett O'Hara - She had problems with a prolapse, then couldn't kid. Took her to the vet and both her kids were dead inside her. After the vet delivered the kids, I took her home to recover. Sadly, she died during the night :(  So sad.

Then Calamity Jane kidded 2 really big healthy kids, I was very happy ... then while I cleaned out her stall I discovered another kid still in the sack dead. :(  It too was a big healthy looking kid ... So sad :(  but God gave me 2 healthy kids and Jane is doing well too ... Thank you Lord!

I am going to begin taking extra precautions with Selenium and Vit. E shots.

I will be sending in the DNA samples on Belle Starr's triplets, but I am 90% sure they are Jessie James.
We shall see...

Blessings to all ... Jesus loves YOU ~ He came here, fully man, fully God and died on the cross for you...So that one day you would have the choice to chose Him and spend eternity in Heaven with Him or chose to be ETERNALLY separated from Him.

If you have any questions about salvation or Jesus, please feel free to write me.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

I've been asked for my recipe for homemade soap several times ... So, here it is:
First all I like my clothes to "smell" nice so I have recently added some smell good laundry stuff.  Previously, I would add essential oils and yet it still didn't smell as good as I would like. All supplies can be purchased at good ole' Walmart.
So here we go:

Total time to make: Less than 20 minutes - The longest part is grating or peeling the soap.
(If you have a loving husband...hehehe get him to do this part for you)

Recipe:
1 bar of soap - I use Fels-Naptha
1 cup of Borax
1 cup of Washing Soda (not baking soda) Washing Soda - $3.24
3/4 cup of Baking Soda - $2.12
1/4 cup smell good like Purex Crystal - $4.76

* Grate bar of soap - Freeze it for 30 minutes or so and it will make it easy to grate.
I actually use a vegetable peeler because I find it a little easier.

 Then I put the grated soap & the rest of the ingredients in my food processor or a blender.

VOILA awesome homemade laundry detergent for about .08 cents a load. 

This makes about 3 cups of detergent and I always double the recipe. This will make a lot of laundry soap for about what it would cost for one large box of Gain.

BTW, you only need about 3 tablespoons of this - The stuff is seriously awesome.

If you have dirty little creatures running about you may want to use 4 tablespoons. :)

Who needs the gym :O

I have discovered an EXCELLENT work out called "Catch the baby Goats": It includes, running, jumping, squats, lunges, dive rolls, yelling, and jumping over tables, At the end of 35 minutes you will be sweating, huffing and puffing, your heart rate will be up AND hopefully you will have 3 baby goats in the back of your car :D

>/ Oh the joys ... they are really cute and the people at the vets office just LOVED them.

OK, so I have goats ... made mistakes with goats ... lots of them ... And this is AFTER I researched owning them for 4 months before buying any.

So if you are interested in goats, ask me ... I can help you avoid some of the mistakes I made.
Or if your stuborn ... hehe  learn on your own :D

Cold, Windy, BLUSTERY

It is days and night like these that I am wondering WHY I ever began this whole homesteading adventure. SIGH ...

Let me sum it up for you:
Goat pregnant, due any time, prolapsed uterus, must watch... Did I mention it's COLD - So I sit in her stall, bundled up, waiting for the blessed event. It doesn't come - get up at 3 to check on her, bundle up, no kid. Next morning, bundle up, feed animals, still no kid. During the day, bundle up go check on her no kid. And this routine continued for 3 nights.

NO I DIDN'T PLAN ON HER KIDDING IN DECEMBER - It was a buck break in - OK, well 2 broke in so now I have to have a DNA test run.

Did I mention I had 3 doelings hit the ground (buck break-in) 2 weeks ago, so I ran out and bought them all little sweaters.

OH, has she had the kid(s) you ask... NOOOO at least not when I left for work this am.