How To Introduce A New Flock Of Chickens To An Older Flock.

I'm sitting out front in a rocking chair enjoying the cool fresh morning. Birds chirping, squirrels jumping from one branch to another.

I started thinking as one does with a cup of coffee in hand, eye's gazing beyond the oak trees. Thinking about the blog, the garden, the chickens, the kitchen remodel, my brain was having a thought marathon all on its own.

It dawned on me that I didn't document the process and growth of my second flock of chickens. I didn't document the "How to Emerge the Newer Flock to the Existing Flock".

I recall researching the process and it was a bit discouraging until I founds this video:

You know what, his technique actually worked! Granted it was a long process but worth it.

You introduce the newer flock to the older flock by keeping the newer flock in a separate run and separate coop. That way the older non brooding flock can investigate and the little ones are safe behind the wire. At this stage you want the older flock to familiarize themselves with the newer flock and vice versa.

I introduced the 3 young chicks, Mai Tai, Mojito, and Martini to the outdoor elements when they were about 8-10 weeks old. I installed a heat lamp to keep them warm at night.

January 2015 for the first time I let the young chicks mingle with the older flock without any wire to separate them. I stood and observed the behaviors with my dad and little sister. As I was observing a discouraging thought came to my mind, what if this isn't going to work? Or is this going to turn into a blood bath? All three of us stood their hoping for the best.

Sure enough the pecking order started to take place. There was pecking but no blood was drawn and it only lasted for a couple of weeks. Over all it went pretty well.

The first night Mai Tai, Mojito, and Martini, jumped into the temporary coop.  I was hoping that this was temporary until the pecking order was established.  The next two nights, it was the same thing.  I knew deep down inside that this wasn't good and that they needed to be in the large chicken coop to roost with the older flock.

My instinct kicked in.  At night, with my dads help, we carried Mai Tai, Mojito and Martini in our arms during their zombie like state and placed them gently in the large chicken coop.  All three chicks readjusted their roosting positions for the night.

The following morning we all woke up early to see what the reactions were.  Sure enough, they all got along and every night to this day, they all jump into the large chicken coop and roost together.  Above is a photo of Mojito foraging amoung the older flock, Pearl and Cleopatra.

My next goal is to introduce two adult male Lion Head bunnies to the flock. The results should be interesting.

Love is the key,

Autumn

Garden Update: What's ready to harvest in July? What to sow?

That my friend is a great question!  It all depends on what you sowed, when you sowed, and how successful it is.  For example, we would have had a harvest of the most juiciest corn by September. However,  we didn't water it regularly which caused the plant to stress more often than it needed too.

Unfortunately we learned the hard way, and immediately installed an irrigation system.  We realized that hand watering daily only allowed the surface roots to tap into the water.  We wanted the water to tap into the deep root system to encourage a healthy growth, especially to survive the three digit hot weather.  On the plus side, we left the corn in the ground and it became a natural trellis for the pole beans.

Corn trellis

Many fruits and veggies are ready to eat in July. The trick is too plan it out by looking at the amount of days to maturity. Another key factor is to plant in succession.

This year we expanded the garden with five new raised garden beds.    That's quite a bit! That is like adding another full row to the garden.  Each year we plan to expand little by little, maybe even add an orchard of fruit and nut trees down the  road.  But for right now, I have more than enough to eat.  Some of July's harvest are Crispy leafy greens, summer squash, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cucumber, Swiss chard, collard greens, chard, kale, tomatoes, beans, and some herbs.

What to sow for August and September

Here is a glance at my to do list for the next few months.  This list does not contain the daily chores and maintenance of the garden.  It contains a list of what to grow by seed for fall and a early spring feast.

🔸 Kale                                     🔸Collard Greens

🔸 Swiss Chard                       🔸 Carrot

🔸Parsnips                                🔸Leafy Greens

🔸 Broccolli                               🔸Winter Cauliflower

🔸Onions                                    🔸Arugula

🔸Turnips                                   🔸Kohlrabi

🔸Early Beets                             🔸Chicory

🔸Radishes                                 🔸Green Manures

🔸Cabbages                                 🔸Bok Choy

As I type out this list I'm realizing that I have a lot to work to do, but it's going to be worth it.

I'd like to hear how your garden is doing. Don't be shy, leave a comment or send an email.

Hope you all are having a great day.

oxoxoxo

The Newbies.....

Four little baby chicks are making their presence in the house known.  You can hear them chirping outside  when we open the windows for fresh air.  Occasionally I see the older chickens looking around the property searching, wondering where these chicks are because she can hear them but can't see them.

Daisy the rabbit, our house rabbit doesn't know what to think of these little creatures.  Only that they make a lot of sound and she is probably wondering when they will be quiet. Daisy takes a peak through the wire every now and then checking the situation.

They will be in my house until they are big enough to go outside.   Aren't they cute!

Still need to come up with four names. Any thoughts?

How to preserve cherry tomatoes

Do you love sun-dried like I do, but not the price? I am a huge fan of sun-dried tomatoes and I decided to make them at home. I experimented with cherry tomatoes and pear shaped tomatoes, homemade are by far absolutely wonderful.

DIY Sun Dried Tomatoes 

The process typically takes about 4-10 days to dry in the sun. If you have the time to do that by all means go right ahead. Between a full time job and the farm I don't have an abundance of time. Thus I must use the spare time I have wisely. There is a faster way to have sun dried tomatoes, using an oven or a dehydrator.

Tomatoes were originally salted and dried to preserve the fruit.  Salting and evaporating the moisture out of tomatoes significantly delays the process of decomposition. By drying ripe tomatoes, these foods could be enjoyed and provide valuable nutrition in the winter when it is difficult or impossible to grow fresh produce. The true origin of sun-dried tomatoes is unclear, but it is known that the Aztecs began salting and sun-drying their tomatoes in order to preserve their freshness around the year 700 AD.

Italians originally dried their tomatoes on their ceramic roof-tops in the summer sun.

After the procedure, the tomato fruits will keep their nutritional value. The tomatoes are high in lycopene, antioxidants, and vitamin C.

Sun-dried tomatoes can be used in a wide variety of recipes and come in a variety of shapes, colors, and tomatoes. Traditionally, they were made from dried red plum tomatoes. Sun-dried tomatoes are also available in the form of pastes or purées.

I've experimented with both drying processes, the dehydrator, and the oven. The results for both techniques is that they came out gorgeous, much redder and with deeper flavor than any I've bought in the store.  You can add herbs like rosemary, garlic, and thyme for additional flavor.

Before you start, I should warn you that you’ll need to plan to do these when you’re not in a hurry to go anywhere. My first pan of cherry tomatoes took roughly around 2-2 1/2 hours in the oven and the larger tomatoes can take up to 5 or 6 hours in the dehydrator. You’ll need to pre-heat your oven to 200º and slow dry them until they’re chewy and leathery, like a raisin. Which is the perfect recipe because you can actually forget about the oven for two whole hours and nothing will burn!

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

oxoxoxo

Zucchini Abundance- what to do with them.

Zucchini is one of the many plants that I make sure to include in my garden every year.

Anyone who has grown zucchini knows that a little planting goes a long way.  Zucchini is abundant in many gardens, and there are a variety of ways it can be prepared and used.

Zucchini is the most popular summer squash in Europe and America.

If you ever grown zucchini (or  you've live next door to someone who grew zucchini), you know that you can quickly find yourself  leaving bags of zucchini on your family and friends front porch just to keep up with what's growing in your garden. Heck you may find yourself giving it away to your co-workers too!   They were times I couldn't eat it fast enough. Lol!

There are a number of tactics to manage a zucchini harvest, letting you enjoy zucchini all year round.   One good example is freezing vegetables.

There are two general methods to use when freezing vegetables depending on how long you want to store them.  For short-term storage (for less than 3 months), cut the zucchini into usable size pieces and freeze them on a tray. Then bag them up, return to the freezer, and use them as required.

For longer-term freezing, you need to blanch the vegetables before freezing to destroy natural enzymes that spoil flavor, color, and texture.

I like to use this technique.  It is easily done in four simple steps. Chopped zucchini to usable size. 

1. Bring a large pan of water to a vigorous boil.  Immerse smaller zucchini slices for 2 minutes, and for larger ones for 4 minutes.  Drain the zucchini into a large strainer or net, to remove them all at once.
2. Prepare a basin of iced water while the zucchini boils. As soon as the zucchini reaches its boiling mark, lift the zucchini from the pan and plunge into the iced water to stop cooking further. Submerge for sever minutes until the zucchini is cooled entirely.
3. Remove the zucchini from the iced water bowl as soon as they have cooled and drain them.  Allow them to dry in colander, or spread them out on a clean dish towel or paper towels and blot them dry.  I like to use a clean dish towel.
4. When dry, divide the zucchini into portion-sized quantities, pack them into a freezer bag or a sealed containers, label and date them, and place it in the freezer. They will keep well for up to 6 months.

What what I like about this technique is that you can use it with snap and runner beans, broccoli, and asparagus.  Plus you can freeze the vegetables in individual portions and you can simply defrost what you need.

I'm looking forward to using zucchini in stir fry or in a vegetable soup in the winter.

Always wrap food securely, and squeeze as much air out as possible out of freezer bags before sealing. This helps to prevent freezer burn, which dries out frozen produce and causes it to spoil prematurely.

Label food clearly, including a date, so you can identify what zucchini is what in 3 months time, and also so you can use older produce first.

Now you can enjoy your garden abundance through out the winter. Bon Appetite!

Summer Salad. Tomatoes, Black Olives, Chick Peas with Red Wine Vinaigratt.

 I realize that we're at the beginning of the pumpkin spice latte season, but sometimes when you're exhausted at the end of the day and in the mood for a light dinner, this salad does the trick. It's quick and easy. Most of your prep time is slicing the green onions and tomato which means no scrubbing pots and pans to clean after dinner.  More time for you to relax and enjoy your evening.

Are your enjoying the second week of Fall?  The weather at my location is perfect. Not too hot during the day, and not to cold at night.  A few days ago, we had lightning and thunder.  I was so HAPPY to see it rain!! I warmed up the tea pot and made my husband and I a cup of tea. We sat outside under the porch listening to the steady rain as it glistens the tree leaves and drips to the ground.  The lightning show lit up the sky with cracking thunder sound not far behind it.  It was mother earth's way of putting on a striking performance for everyone.  As soon as the lightning got closer I went inside. Every time I saw lightning, I would count 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi, until I heard the sound of thunder.  Each Mississippi equals to a mile. Two Mississippi meant the storm is two miles away. When the sound was one mile away, I went inside to be safe, opened the covered porch windows so I could continue to listen to the rain drops, and thunder.

Amazing after the storm. we've been receiving perfect weather.  The kind you can play in the garden with and prepare for a fall harvest before winter sets in.

Fun Veggie Fact: Did you know Chick peas (garbonzo beans) is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium?  It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein and Copper. It has a very good source of Folate and Manganese. 

 Don't be shy, share your thoughts.

Baby Chick Update!!

Wanted to give you an update on our three baby chicks. They're currently 6 weeks old. Man they sure grew up fast!! In a couple of weeks we will introduce the chicks to the flock outside gradually. To be honest I'm a little apprehensive about introducing them because, it's not going to be an easy task.  When we get to that fire, we'll put it out. As soon as their adjusted to the temperature outside we will start the process.  

The chicks have learned a couple of games, "catch me if you can with a big stick"-which is actually not a big stick, but just a hard piece of the pine shavings. More entertaining than the circus!

I'd like to take a moment and introduce them to you. Meet Mojito. We came up with this name becauseshe was acting rumdum when we first brought her home.  As if she had too many mojito's.  My husband say's "the other chickens are going to laugh at her hairdo and send her back to the hair salon for a redo".  For weeks I could not come up with two other names until someone very special came up with a name theme.  Alcohol beverage theme. Brilliant idea, we unknowingly had already started the theme by naming one of the chicks Mojito.  Consequently we came up with Mai Tai and Martini.  Isn't it interesting how everything ties together in life? As if there was already a invisible plan or a blueprint.  As I look back into my life, I can see why certain events, more like life chapters took place in order for me to be who I am today.  It didn't make since at the time that's for sure. 

This is Martini.  She is a curious creature. Martini is checking out the camera as I'm taking the picture. Nothing escapes her eye.  If Martini see's a bird flying outside that might seem to be a threat, she warns the other two chicks by making a unique chirping alarm.

I've inserted a piece of wood in the brooder to get them to start roosting at night.  It is their natural instinct to perch on a tree branch or something high above the ground when they retire at night. 

This is Mai Tai.  You must be wondering how I can tell the difference between Mai Tai and Martini. It took me a while to find out the differences until it was brought to my attention regarding their eyes.  Notice the white markings around the eyes.  Mai Tai only has it on one eye and Martini has it on both eyes. This is how I can tell them apart.

Now these chicks will get a special meal once they lay their first egg. Wait and see what I have in store for these lucky girls.   My personal homemade recipe.