Uses for Duck Eggs

If you’ve ever been curious about trying duck eggs, then this article is for you!

Side by side, the duck egg is about 30 % larger than a large chicken egg Although larger, the general protein and fat in each is about the same relative to size Long prized by chefs, duck eggs boast a richer, fattier flavor than chicken eggs It is this rich fat that encourages more rising in baked goods, resulting in fluffy, rich convections!

With the popularity of homesteading and keeping livestock back on the rise, duck eggs are making a comeback to family tables Duck eggs

Gifts for Homesteaders

Shopping for friends who homestead is actually quite fun and easy!

Whether you know someone with 3 backyard hens in a subdivision, or have a friend with more chickens than they can count, these Christmas gift ideas are sure to please!

 

  1. Local Gift Basket

Shop local and fill up a basket with goodies from artisans in your community! Chances are there is a winery, some local farms selling homemade breads, jellies or jam Local honey is always a hit! Handmade soaps are popular, as well as heirloom seeds for next year’s garden Add a bright book for them to read this

Keeping Your Coop Warm During Winter

Chickens have been doing just fine surviving winters with humans for many hundreds of years Long before the invention of electricity, chickens have lived alongside people in the farmyards We all love our chickens and want to give them the best care, especially during those bitter, cold winter months

Here are a few ways to prepare your coop for winter Whether you just want to make a few improvements to an existing coop, or might be planning a new one, these will definitely help keep your flock warm this winter

  1. Insulate

Leaves as Bedding

If you are looking for a FREE way to keep your coop tidy this winter, try using leaves!

Any leaves raked from the yard will do, the only prerequisite is that the leaves be DRY Rake up your leaves into a pile and let them dry for a few days After drying, move the leaves into the coop, making the bedding thickness at least about 8” deep You can use leaves for the deep litter method, or change them out as you clean the coop, either will work with leaves! If you don’t have access to enough leaves,  find some

All About Wyandottes

One of the earliest chicken breeds created in United States, the Wyandotte has been around for well over 100 years Early colonists were looking for a dual purpose bird that could manage the harsh winters of New York By mixing breeds such as the Brahma, Silver Seabright, and Cochins, the early Wyandotte was created The name origin is much debated, but many suspect they were named after the nearby Wendat Native American tribe

The very first Wyandotte chickens were silver laced, and were first recorded in colonial 1870’s New York Colonists wanted to create a dual purpose bird that

Feeding Turkeys

To ensure the health of your turkeys, you need to mimic their natural diets as much as possible

Wild turkeys are found all over most of the United States Our domestic turkeys are descendants of these wild birds Although leaner, the wild turkey has a similar diet to that of the domestic turkey Turkeys, like chickens, are omnivores Omnivores need a mixed diet of both plant and animal variety Omnivores are foragers, taking bits here and there as they move through the environment Wild turkeys can have ranges of up to a mile in diameter that they use to find

Edible Weeds (And Poisonous Weeds!)

Most of us can agree that a weed is any plant growing where we decide it doesnt belong Millions are spent every year in America on spraying and killing these plant pests What if i told you most of those “weeds” in your backyard could supplement your chickens for free! Here are a list of the most common edible weeds for chickens

 

Although most commercial feeds can provide good nutrition for your flock, supplementing fresh greens really gives them a boost Most all the weeds I am going to list all contain huge amounts of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and

The Turken Breed

The Naked Neck chicken first appeared in Romania and Transylvania in about the 1920s These birds lacking neck feathers, were selectively bred, soon becoming popular and eventually spreading into England and the United States in the 1960s The Naked Neck chicken is an officially recognized breed by the American Poultry Association and the American Bantam Association

Unlike the name implies, the Turken is NOT a mix between a turkey and a chicken It is simply a chicken breed with a trait that gives it less feathers There are actually 50% less feathers

Proper Fresh Egg Storage

The first step in successful egg keeping is daily egg collection If you can, try to collect eggs everyday or every few days at least, to ensure freshness During hot summer months, fertile eggs can actually begin to incubate if the interior egg temperature reaches 90 degrees F

Fresh eggs are best when kept at room temperature, and here is why: the bloom

When an egg is laid, a protective, bacteria resistant film coats the egg This is a translucent covering that dries soon after being laid This is called the “bloom” This “bloom,” also referred to as the “cuticle,” provides

Candling Eggs

Candling eggs is a fun and educational activity for both children and adults When incubating eggs at home, candling ensures you keep only the healthy eggs It is also just really neat to see the embryos growing! You can candle your eggs at home, but be advised, if you have darker eggshells, they can be harder to see Lighter colored eggs are easier to see through All chickens’ eggs hatch after 21 days of incubating at 995F Stages of embryo growth are very similar throughout the bird kingdom, with only small variables differentiating them