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Homesteading Blog

Chicken Feed

7/3/2023

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Well, Dad wanted me to talk about the change in chicken feed we implemented recently. Hi, I'm Ella, one of the care takers of our animals and I do the research behind the feed given to our animals to make sure they have proper nutrients.
We have about 40 hens and this past winter our egg count drop to an average of 7 a day. We were barely able to keep up with our own egg consumption, let alone have enough to provide for those who usually bought eggs from us.  This lead me to do a bit of research on homemade chicken feed.  I found calculator very helpful on monitoring protein and fat levels (I'll put the link in the comments). I found a bunch of grains and seeds chickens can eat including: corn, oats, sunflower seeds, millet, split peas, flax seed, wheat, sesame seeds, barley, etc.. Chickens should have a steady diet of about 16% crude protein, with a little more protein during molting season but not exceeding 21%. When finding the proper mix for my birds I gave them a few samples to my chickens and observed how they ate them. Then built my feed. My feed consists of cracked corn, oats, alfalpha pellets, sunflower seeds, and a Layer Omega-3 mix. The end results of our homemade chicken feed was outstanding, within a couple of days our egg count went back up to about 20 eggs a day, our chicken health soared and above all they were really happy about their food! 
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If you choose to make your own chicken feed after this, be sure to keep some ingredients lower than others. For example chickens can only have a little bit of sunflower seeds, while they can eat a lot of corn. So please be sure to research or ask me about the ingredients you would like to put in your next chicken feed if you are unsure.
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Good vs. Bad Roosters

5/30/2023

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One morning before we let out the birds for the day 2 roosters got our of our rooster pen. Our rooster pen is where we put our overflow of roosters before butcher. Having too many roosters is not good for your hens, depending on the breed of rooster its about 1 rooster to 15-25 hens. We have 2 roosters out with the hens, Hei Hei and Maui.  We choose them out of the other roosters because they seemed to respect the hens more. Well, back to the story, Silas accidently let 2 roosters out into the rest of the barn with the hens and our good roosters. Silas was mad that they escaped and left the barn. A little while later Matthew and I (Ella) went into the barn to make sure the hens were not getting pestered and to attempt to get them. When we entered the barn the hens were all happily in the front part of the barn while the 4 roosters were in the back fighting. Hei Hei and Maui had both fought the roosters to protect the hens and after their dominance was asserted the other 2 roosters came willingly back into their pen. We were unsure that they were going to protect them up until that day when they protected the hens from the other 2 roosters.
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Meet Maui
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The years are moving...

1/27/2023

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So.....

Baby is here...Lydia will be 3 in May.... I am back at Screen-Printing for Borch's Sporting Goods...for a time I worked for Randy Dierks Construction. Covid is around ...but feel it will not shut down things anymore. 

Lukas went off to Collage - Concordia Nebraska working his way to Seminary.  Did construction for a time was looking at going to to woodworking but after his first day he had changed his mind on his career path.  He has learned Greek and now this semester is learning Hebrew.

Ella is in college as well at Morning Side University IA working her way to be a Vet.

Silas is looking into Military - National Guard, looks like they have dropped the mandatory covid shot, so will see where that goes.  He has decided to go into Wrestling this year for the first time since Northfield.

Matthew is going to state for BPA this year and at the end for the Cross Country season last year had his appendix removed and has recovered nicely.  

2022 we took a trip to Colorado for a Wedding and Ella, Silas, Matthew and I went to Higher Things in Bossman MT.

That is a quick recap of the last years...

Troy Stapek 


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6' away and Stay at Home

3/28/2020

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So....lot has happen...

Here we have baby Goats and they are so cute.  Mocha and Latte had there babies - 5 in total.  And it was a busy two day's ..will post some pictures.

All went well and they are eating well.  The Horse is now in the Horse barn.  This has improved on the flow of chores.  

Today with covid-19 stay at home order I am out of work...lot of people are.  Elizabeth is working at home.  Kids are starting school at home this next week.  And we say good bye to Turken - one of our favorite roosters.  We are cleaning and getting ready for our Baby to come, nine months has gone quickly.

Church is closed... and are missing the fellowship that happens there.

Need to start planting the garden inside stuff, and start milking the goats...so will keep you posted on that.

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New Year planning

1/3/2020

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As we are now in 2020 and am trying to put things together....

The Big thing of this year is....a BABY!  We are having a BABY! in May....so yes.....that is a big thing...

Many other things will happen and hope to get done....as the farm shapes up to do more and more...The art side is increasing what to get back into Airbrushing this year.  More painting...Ella wants more horses....and how this will happen...not sure...

Lukas this is your year...High School will be done...drivers licence hope will be soon...then Ella...and Silas will have drivers training...so that to needs to be worked out.  

Exciting times will keep you posted...

Happy New Year!!!!
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Update on things

9/19/2019

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Ok...Has been a hard year in many ways...

January started with Silas in the Hospital - 4 day venture...it did hit others but not as bad....

Hard winter - missed days of work with snow days....

Spring melt - barn flooded...house flooded...roads closed...

Ice Storm - Tree's down - no power for 4 day's or so....

Bigger Horse pen put together....

Fox attacked some of our ducks....and probably some of the chickens...

Gun safety for the Boys....followed by a great day shooting...

Cars breaking and still broken....

I - Troy - got stitches from a strike from our horse - not bad but was a bit of a wake up call...have a lot to learn...

Horse got out and got cutup across the front...not sure what happened....but yeah....that happened..

Got Cow's from Jackson lost a tire on the trailer on the way home.... fenced an area for them....one was sickly and would give it shot, but he did not recover from it.  Other's are doing well.

Funeral - Grandma - know the time would come and it did....

Got to bring home somethings from the past home in Northfield before Selling it....waiting on the closing of that chapter soon.  Hard to let it go, but look forward to picking up the mess we have made over the years.

many other things...sure I am missing....

And next year.....2020....yeah....it will continue....not going to share it yet...
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Past Notes...

9/19/2019

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5-11-2019

Hard week, started with the loss of one of the lambs....sheep are a different animal, very fun, follow you around like a dog...clumsy...and the little ducks and chickens are in the barn with the older ones....in a makeshift pen...getting to know there new home.  Think they will mingle in with the older ones well.
Did have the door fall on a chicken....so we have lost one of our older chickens.  Happens to be Matthew chosen first chicken - and will be missed...

Also in our heads right now as it gets closer to last years date of the mink attack...do not want a repeat happening of that night.

4-4-2019

Spring is here and the animals are happy, ducks are enjoying the water, the new ducks just got a bath in the tub the other day, getting bigger all the time.  Outside plans are coming together...fencing gates ideas and we are going to get our first calf....so will have many more things to share.

fun video to share, snow was still here then...not now....

3-16-2019

​One of the many challenges that comes in the spring is babys.  Lots of them - Chickens are here - Elizabeth and Ella checked out an auction today.  And brought back this years chickens...am sure we will add more latter...but they got 25 layers, and 25 straight runs....so a good start. 

We like to add the endangered animals so did get some will be fun to give them a home and a purpose.
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    Author

    Troy Stapek, hope to get the rest of the family in on this.

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