Homemade Poultry Block

My birds (chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese) like to eat everything.  They follow me around hoping for a special treat.  It is so sweet.  These wonderful birds bring me so much joy.  That is why I love to find create new ways to give them healthy treats.  Just like every other animal on this ranch, my birds are highly spoiled.  

So far, I make three different treats, egg-based flock granola, gelatin-based poultry block, and bird bread.  Yes, I bake bread especially for my birds, but more on that later.  Each of these treats is gobbled up immediately.  

Making these treats is fun, and I feel good giving them something that is good for them.

Gelatin-Based Poultry Block

1 ounce plain gelatin
2 cups water, divided
eggshells, how ever many you have
1/2 Tablespoon Poultry Cell supplement or 1/4 cup Egg Maker granules
7 1/2 cups grain, seed, nut, fruit, vegetable
1/2 cup ground flax

Soften gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water.
With stick blender pulverize eggshells in 1/2 cup water.
Heat 1 cup water to boil.
Add heated water to gelatin, stir to dissolve.  Add eggshells and supplement.  Stir to combine.
In large bowl measure grains and flax.
Pour gelatin mixture over grains, mix well.  
Allow mixture to rest for about 10 minutes to absorb liquid.
Repeat stir and rest 2 or 3 more times until all liquid is absorbed.
Press mixture in 13x9 pan, or several smaller pans.
Refrigerate or freeze several hours or overnight.
Place in dehydrator at 125 for several hours or overnight until no longer sticky.

Recently I made a raisin grain block with milo, corn, sunflower seed, wheat, and of course, raisins.
Also made a fruit block with milo, corn, sunflower seed, wheat, peach, pear, and raisin.  I used the juice from the can of fruit as part of the water.

Get creative.  Use any fresh, canned, or leftover fruit or vegetable you have as part of the grain mix.  Your birds will love it.

Best of Show

My last Cochin Rooster.

He is a beauty.

While I no longer have Cochin chickens, there are still some of my birds at other farms.  This handsome fellow went to live with a young man who loves to show livestock at the county fair!

  
This 12 year old junior 4-h poultry showman won BEST LARGE COCK and BEST OF SHOW with his white Cochin!!  I am very proud of him.

This really gets me excited to breed more show quality livestock.

What Livestock Would You Like to Add to Your Homestead/Ranchstead?

We enjoy our livestock her on the ranch so much.  We have a small assortment right now, but I still would like to add a few more breeds of birds and maybe another type of animal or two.

One day we will have a few other critters around here...possibly
Saxony Ducks
White Call Ducks
Lavender Orpington Chickens
Polish Chickens
Quail
Dairy Goats


Post the list and knock one off immediately.  I just ordered some Lavender Orpington Hatching Eggs.  They should arrive next week and then in the incubator they go.  

What do you think?  What would you like to add to your own homestead?

Whole Grain Poultry Feed

We have decided that our birds (chickens, turkeys, and ducks) should have better nutrition that what is offered in a bag of highly processed layer feed.  Even though we were feeding a high quality layer mix to our birds, the pellets just seemed a bit unnatural.  I have enjoyed researching and creating my own special blend of whole grains for my birds.

I have learned many likes and dislikes with my birds while experimenting with grains and mixes.  

Pink Eggs

I have an Ameraucana that lays pink eggs.  Yes, you read that correctly, pink eggs.  They are such a rich pink color, just beautiful.  I have tried and tried to get a good picture of the color with no luck.  That pretty pink just does not come through the camera.

The pink eggs are in the middle.

New Baby Chicks

Saltbush Flats had a successful hatch of 16 little sweetheart Easter Egger chicks March 26.  They are the cutest little things.  I could cuddle with them and

Incubating Eggs

It is that time of year again to hatch little chicks and ducklings.  

Today I filled one incubator with chicken eggs and the other with duck eggs.  

It takes 21 days for these little baby Easter Egger chicks to develop in the shell.  Today is Wednesday, March 4.  These little chicks should hatch about Wednesday, March 25.

Update:  16 beautiful baby chicks!

Ameraucana Chicks to Pullets

Remember these cute little sweeties?

Precious Little Ameraucanas at 1 Week Old

Typically Tubby - Enough Birds Already!

Just when you think things could not get worse...
This happens...

Beautiful French Black Copper Marans
7 Maran Hens, 3 Maran Roosters, and 2 Unknown Hens added to flock.

And then this!

Black Call Ducks
3 Hens and 1 Drake added to flock.

Just how many birds are needed around here?!

With all these birds on the ranch, one kitty could be slightly scared to go outside.



This post and others like it can be seen at
The Homesteaders Hop     

First Snow on the Ranchlet!

It was a cold 20 degree morning.  Brrrrr!!!!

A half inch of snow covered the ground.  Beautiful!

Rancher Tracks

First thing outside what did we see?

These Cute Little Tracks.  

These little fellows must be very hungry to be searching all over the ranchlet for food.  Feeding the wild birds, quail, and doves is part of our morning chores.  They were very happy when food was put out for them.

Wild Bird Tracks Everywhere!!!

We found Bruce and Lucy just talking and having fun just like every other morning.  They seemed to love the snow.

Lucy and Bruce and Their Tracks

Goose Tracks

The chickens were not too thrilled with this little overnight delight of white and headed straight to the barn to scratch and play away from all this snow.

First Chicken to Come Out and Brave the Snow

Chicken Tracks

Mia, she did not care one way or the other.  All she was concerned about this morning was getting to her morning grain and hay.

Cow Track

Tubby did not want to go outside, but I lovingly scooped him up and tossed his little furball right out the door.  One quick trip around in the snow and he had had enough.  He cried at the door to come back inside.  Our sweet little Braveheart.
*Remember this big fellow is the Head of Ranchlet Security!    

Cat Tracks by Tubby

While everyone was busy taking care of things this morning, here lies Molly.  We could all learn a lesson from Molly!

No-Track Molly

Molly, the cute little thing, would not even go outside.  After this morning's chores we came in freezing cold and found Molly all curled up asleep in her favorite overstuffed chair.  As we stood in front of the fireplace warming our fingers and toes, we soon realized the wisdom in Molly's decision.  Molly, you are an inspiration to us all.

We hope you are enjoying the snow as much as we are here at Saltbush Flats!!!!

See this post and others like it at:
Pet Parade     Motivation Monday     Homestead Barn Hop     Homesteaders Hop     Homemaking Party     Creative Home and Garden Hop     From the Farm Blog Hop     

Baby Ameraucanas - Getting Bigger Every Day!

We are thoroughly enjoying our Ameraucana chicks.

8 Days Old

They are so cute and so active.

These dainty little girls just play all day.  They are 9 days old in the video.
They are growing so fast you can almost watch them get bigger.

Molly's Favorite Place in the House! (11 Days Old)

Tubby does not seem to care about the little chickies.  But Molly, she is fascinated with them... or maybe she just wants to eat them.

Baby Ameraucanas

Ameraucana Chick

We were fortunate to acquire six adorable Ameraucana chicks.  These are the most precious little ones.  We can sit and watch them for hours.

They hatched Tuesday, November 5.  These pictures were taken the day we got them, Monday, November 11, when they were only six days old.

I simply asked them all to smile pretty for the camera, and so they all turned and posed for me.

Even at Six Days Old the Pecking Order is already Established!

More Chickens!

Barred Plymouth Rock Hen

All Five Black Beauties

The day after getting the nine Rhode Island Reds we got five Barred Plymouth Rocks.  They are fat and fluffy and most definitely dominate over the Rhode Island Reds.  Unlike the Reds that scatter everywhere, these girls all stick together.

Chickens!!!!

Finally we have chickens here on the ranchlet!  We are so excited.  They are the most interesting little creatures to watch.

Rhode Island Red Hen

It may sound crazy, but I really do enjoy getting up and going out in the cold at 6:00am to let my nine pretty Henny Pennies out.  

The previous owner of these beauties used to keep them in a small chicken coop and not let them roam free.  They would fight and peck each other.  I knew we could give them a more natural home.

Out here at Saltbush Flats they get the run of the ranchlet.  They love running and scratching and exploring.  They do not fight or peck each other.  They are content happy birds.  They come right up to us and talk to us.  The best part is we are getting four or five eggs each day from these gals, even with the shortened days.