Essentials for Chickens and Eggs Archives

15JanJanuary 15, 2020

7 Best Laying Chickens for Beginners

So, what are the best laying hens for beginners? How can you know which chicken breeds will lay the most eggs consistently? Well, as a chicken mama for many years, I can tell you that I've had my share of different breeds. I've purchased chickens for many different reasons. Sometimes I just like the look of the bird, other times I want a certain color of egg. I just LOVE chickens and enjoy so many breeds, they are so much fun. But if you're looking for the best performing laying hens, I've got a great list for you! These birds are...

By kmorrisEssentials for Chickens and Eggs, Newbie0 Comments

04JulJuly 4, 2019

How to Prepare Your Family for a Food Shortage

Would you know how to prepare your family for a food crisis, should one happen? Or, do you think that because you live in the US that such a thing would never happen? Unless you've been in a cave for the last few months, you've watched the world become an entirely different place due to a virus called the "coronavirus". Not since the Y2K crisis have I seen such wide-spread, worldwide panic. But it seems that every year brings it's challenges. Last year, we dealt with certain food shortages due to #noplant19, brought on by catastrophic rains that kept farmers from planting their spring...

By KellyAccomplished, Canning, Essentials for Chickens and Eggs, Financial Resilience, Foraging, Growing Food, Homesteading, Livestock, Newbie, Preserving Food, Skill Building, Sustainable Home, The Garden, Veteran4 Comments

25MayMay 25, 2019

How to Clean a Chicken Coop

Every chicken owner asks the same question. What's the best way to clean my chicken coop and how often should I do it? I'm going to show you the best way I've ever discovered to keep my coops clean, without odor and with less work. So let's get down to business and check out "How to Clean a Chicken Coop", using the Deep Litter method. How Often Should I Clean My Chicken Coop? This is a great question and one asked by every chicken keeper. I spent far too much time cleaning out my chicken coop every week when I first got...

By KellyEssentials for Chickens and Eggs, Growing Food, Livestock, Newbie2 Comments

06MarMarch 6, 2019

how to preserve eggs without refrigeration

Preserving Eggs in Lime Water Recipe

It's Springtime here, and that means our hens are laying eggs....lots and lots of eggs. How can we preserve eggs without refrigeration? Let me explain with "Preserving Eggs in Lime Water Recipe"! Back in the day, before refrigeration, there were several different methods to preserve eggs. Some work better than others! One way to preserve eggs is pickling, but to be honest, my family isn't crazy about pickled things, so I don't use this method. Another way to preserve eggs is by freezing. Freezing eggs is just a matter of scrambling the eggs and putting them into labeled zip-lock bags. Put the zip-lock bags on...

By KellyEssentials for Chickens and Eggs, Homemaking, Homesteading, Preserving Food, VeteranPreserving eggs4 Comments

28FebFebruary 28, 2019

9 Things to Consider Before Getting Livestock

One of the most exciting parts of being sustainable is raising livestock! Raising animals is wonderful and rewarding. However, far too many people bring home livestock before truly counting the cost. So, let's take a look at "9 Things You Should Consider BEFORE Getting Livestock". This is an important subject, especially now as Spring arrives. "Chick Days" begin at local farm stores and springtime babies are being born on every farm! Baby bunnies are popular Easter gifts, only to become a burden after the holiday is over. I can't tell you how many "Free Bunnies" I see after Easter, and...

By KellyEssentials for Chickens and Eggs, Growing Food, Homesteading, Livestock0 Comments

28FebFebruary 28, 2019

What Can I Feed My Chickens to Keep Them Healthy?

If you keep chickens, you might be asking yourself how you can keep your chickens healthy! Chickens are an investment that take time, money and energy! The last thing I want is to lose a chicken to illness, and the best way to avoid that is to build their immunity. Let's discuss some of the top tips for raising healthy chickens! Things You Can't Control There are so many unavoidable circumstances that can arise on your farm, making it quite a challenge sometimes to keep healthy chickens! Diseases and bacteria can show up on your property, sometimes without you knowing. For example, a couple of...

By KellyEssentials for Chickens and Eggs, Homesteading, Livestock, NewbieChickens0 Comments

25FebFebruary 25, 2019

How to Hire a Farm Sitter

There are times when we need to be away from the farm and will need to know how to hire a farm sitter. Perhaps it's for a well-needed vacation, but other times there are weddings, funerals, business trips and college visits that require us to leave town. Don't worry! Let's talk about everything you need to know about how to hire a farm sitter! Finding a farm-sitter that you can depend upon to take good care of your property and animals isn't easy, I've been through a few of them. I've got some advice and tips about how to hire a...

By KellyEssentials for Chickens and Eggs, Homesteading, Livestock, Sustainable Home, The GardenFarm sitter2 Comments

08NovNovember 8, 2018

How to Convert a Horse Stall into a Chicken Coop

So you want chickens but don't feel as though you have a proper coop for them? Well, there's more than one way to "pluck that chicken"! You've got more than one option, so why not consider "How to Convert a Horse Stall into a Chicken Coop"? Actually, you can covert any covered enclosure that can be closed up at night, whether it be an old outbuilding or the back of a garage...maybe even an unused garden shed! Here's what's important to remember about what chickens need: A way to roost at night. Nesting boxes. Kept safe from predators, especially at night. ...

By KellyEssentials for Chickens and Eggs, Livestockhorse stall into chicken coop0 Comments

28OctOctober 28, 2018

10 Ways to Feed Chickens for Free

There's no question that the price of feed keeps getting more expensive! But with a little forethought and creativity, you can find more sustainable ways to feed your chickens. Let's get some fresh ideas with "10 Ways to Feed Chickens for Free"! To be honest, buying feed from the feed store isn't really a sustainable option, although most of us do it. Sustainability begins with providing/growing the food that we feed our animals. Only then can our animals provide for us. Let the farm feed the farm! ...

By KellyEssentials for Chickens and Eggs, Sustainable Homefeed chickens cheap6 Comments