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.

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.  

New Baby Ducklings!

Cute, Cute, Cute!

These little two-day old fellows are having so much fun.  They are so happy

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!

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