Backyard Chickens: A Year in Review

It was one year ago this week when our lives changed forever. Ok, well maybe not forever but it was indeed a big change. It all started when I saw a chicken walking around my local plant nursery, and I instantly knew I wanted to be a chicken mother. 

For context, before last year I knew nothing about chicken raising. NOTHING! For this reason, Andrew was extremely against the idea. 

 

As was Lola. 

My friend Angie sent me a post she found on instagram a few weeks ago that read "I wanted backyard chickens, my husband didn't want backyard chickens, so we compromised and I got backyard chickens." Yep. That's pretty much how it went.

I "convinced" (more like forced) Andrew to get backyard chickens. He is such a good husband to go along with some of my crazy schemes. One year into it though, and it's one of the best decisions we've made. Even Andrew has grown to love the chickens. 

On this one year anniversary, I thought what better way to honor these little fluffy butts, than by sharing some of their finer moments caught on camera. So without further adieu, I give you "Chickens Year One."

Grand Plans for the Backyard Pt. 2

About a month ago I shared some of my hopes and dreams for our backyard. (If you missed that post, click here to read it.) Currently our backyard is a little sad. Ok more than a little. It's downright pitiful. My dream is to create a beautiful patio space where we could hold an amazing party for my birthday on May 22nd. That gives us a month and a half for this project.

The main issue to be solved is finding a fashionable way to keep the chickens off the patio because they poop on everything! Not even kidding.

Andrew and I had a brainstorming session on how to solve this problem, and we came up with an idea that I'm pretty crazy about. Concrete planters. Instead of fencing around the patio, we'll use built in concrete planters to create a stylish barrier.

Now, our patio will look great and will be free from chickens. This does mean we'll have to tear out the existing concrete -- but by doing so, we'll be able to double the patio space! Now we'll have room for a dining area and separate seating.

And even better, Apartment Therapy is now running a program where they will help fund your renovation and in return you share a detailed blog post about it. So of course I applied! Hoping to hear back from them on if our project qualifies and we could get as much as $1,500 toward our reno. That will definitely help with this part of my wish list...

If we don't get funding from Apartment Therapy, my wish list will probably be cut back a bit. I have found some great cheaper options in the way of outdoor furniture from Target and Overstock. I'm just excited to get this project rolling so I can finally have the outdoor party of my dreams!

xoxo Sallie

Grand Plans for the Backyard 2016

When we moved in, the inside of our home received a total facelift -- new floors, paint, cabinets, etc. The backyard, not so much. Our backyard is pretty bland. It got a little better last year with the addition of the chicken coop which added some color, but it's far from being a space that I'm proud of.

Here's our backyard in it's hay day, last summer. It did look pretty nice, I guess I'm just hating it more because it's winter and everything is brown.

My dream is to have a backyard where we can host parties, cook out, and have game nights. The problem is, it's as hot as a biscuit here in the summer and our south facing backyard has ZERO shade.  In the Spring when the weather is perfect I wonder why we don't spend more time outside, and then July hits and I remember why.

Mrs. Meyer's Homemaker Hunt!

If you saw my instagram yesterday, then you know I have some BIG news! This past fall, one of my favorite brands ever, Mrs. Meyer's, hosted a contest for the first ever Homemaker Hunt. Basically, they are looking for someone creative, who loves home-making, to represent their brand. The person who is chosen receives $75,000 and a trip to New York! So of course, I decided to enter! Round one of the contest was to submit a 15 sec video on Instagram showing a DIY, craft, or invention. I showcased the chicken coop that Andrew and I designed and built last summer.

And guess what guys....they chose me to be a semi-finalist! Woohoo! The second part of this competition is votes based and the voting opened today and I need your help!

Here's what you can do!

Go to the Mrs. Meyers website, scroll down, find my video, and vote for me daily! There are lots of other really cool semi-finalists who made some great projects, too! Of course, I'm a little partial : ) but I would love your vote!

This is an incredible next step for me, my brand, and turning this blog thing into a full time gig! I really hope you'll support me in the next step of this amazing/nerve wracking journey!

xoxo Sallie

A Day in the Life of Backyard Chicken Raising Pt. 4

It finally snowed last week in Oklahoma -- just in time for....2 days after Christmas. I've been waiting to see how chickens will react to the cold weather and the general consensus among the girls is, they don't love it. Andrew said when he fed them yesterday they hopped on one leg so they could keep the other foot from touching the snow! I'm hoping it will snow again so I can see that!

When I went out to check on them, the ladies were watching the snow from the comfort of the coop. You can see here how dirty their coop was! Since it's been so rainy, I've had the hardest time keeping their area dry and poop free. I find when the coop is wet they lay less, so I am working a little harder to keep their space clean. 

A Day In The Life of Backyard Chicken Raising Pt. 3

Today we are talking chicken breeds! I've had lots of people ask me how many eggs chickens lay a day, and it really depends on the breed you choose.

I'm going to start with the 3 breeds that I have.

The Cinnamon Queen

Henrietta and Bilina are Cinnamon Queens, and they are my best egg layers -- in fact it's what they are bred to do! Cinnamon Queens lay an average of 250 - 300 large brown eggs per year which equals almost an egg a day. So far my chickens have only skipped maybe 1 or 2 days of laying, so between the two of these ladies, I get 14 eggs a week! In the fall/winter when the daylight is dwindling I expect the egg production to go down -- chickens lay better when there is more sunshine. They can also be effected by heat, but even during this hot Oklahoma summer these ladies haven't taken a personal day yet. If you are looking for a breed that will give you the most bang for your buck, these are the girls you need!

A Day In the Life of Backyard Chicken Raising Pt. 2

Today, let's talk about the mother-of-all purchases when it comes to backyard chicken raising. The big kahuna, your chicken coop.

There are lots of options these days with chicken coops. With the popularity of urban chicken raising on the rise, you can pick up a prefabricated coop at any farm supply store, or even your local Sam's Club! The other option is to build, and thanks to the power of the internet there are chicken coop building plans galore online. You interact with your coop on a daily basis, so you really want to make sure it's both functional and attractive.

A Day in the Life of Backyard Chicken Raising Pt. 1

A lot of my friends ask me what it is like to raise backyard chickens. I get questions like Are they hard to care for? Do they smell? How often do they lay eggs? Why are you doing this? I thought the best way to answer all these questions (and probably more) would be to blog about it! This is a series of posts that will give detail to what it is like for Andrew and I to raise chickens. 

Every morning, between 6AM to 7:30AM I go outside to let the chickens out. As you can see, they have awoken with the sunrise and are already waiting for me. Chickens are very punctual. 

This is Henrietta, she's top chicken and she usually takes in the lead in telling me I need to let her out.  She's very bossy. 

Once the chickens have left the building, I check their food and water. I refill their water container almost everyday, while their food gets filled about 2 - 3 times a week. 

While Henrietta storms the gates, Pauline and Betty nonchalantly make their way out of the coop for their morning stroll. 

And there's Little Chicken way in the back. She is at the bottom of the pecking order, so she comes out when the other chickens say it's ok for her to come out. 

Once the chickens are out, I check the nesting box for eggs. Here I disturbed Billina -- she wasn't too pleased. Typically my chickens have laid their eggs by 8:30AM. Billina goes first, followed by Henrietta. Again, punctuality. 

Once they finally have laid, I collect the eggs and bring them inside. *Fun fact about eggs -- they don't have to be refrigerated right away. When hens lay eggs, they have a protective coating on them called a "bloom." The bloom protects the eggs from bacteria and other potentially harmful organisms. Once the eggs are washed, the bloom is washed away making them susceptible to bacteria and other nasties, which means they need to be refrigerated. I store my fresh eggs on the counter since we use them so quickly, but I can store them unwashed and in the fridge for up to 7 months! 

Then the chickens free range all day. Look at that fluffy butt. 

And sometimes you look outside and your chicken is in your flower bed.

The chickens spend the rest of their day foraging and looking for worms. Once it starts to get dark, they all move into the coop on their own, and it's lights out by 9:30. Then they slowly drift off to sleep, thinking chicken thoughts and dreaming about large worms. 

Sweet dreams my feathered friends. 

xoxo Sallie

5 Things You Should Know About Backyard Chickens

A few months ago I decided on a whim that we NEEDED backyard chickens. I started doing the research and found out that really you can keep chickens in your backyard pretty easily. With research in hand, I took it to my financial officer (Andrew), and he said NO! I was shocked. But I am persistent! So with much convincing, a little bit of bribery, I finally convinced him and here we are 2 months later as happy as spring chickens! (pun intended).

Of course, there have been a few surprises, but mostly I love my chickens. They bring me much joy, and we love watching and holding them, feeding them meal worms. As with any pet, there are always a few things you wished you knew beforehand. These are the 5 things I think you should know. 

1. Chickens poop, all the time! 

You may have already thought this, but unless you have had chickens you have no idea how much crap their little bodies are capable of producing. They poop all the time. ALL THE TIME. I don't mind it in the grass, but my chickens think my patio is their personal toilet, so every evening I have to go out and spray crap off my patio. It's the small things in life though, isn't it?

2. Chickens have personality. 

Chickens have very different personalities, and as you watch and spend time with them you get to see the REAL them. My favorite chicken, Henrietta, played it off in the beginning like she was all sweet and innocent, but now she's letting her true colors show. In reality she is bossy as heck! She tells the other chickens what to do. Andrew and I like to talk about Henrietta behind her back all the time, and she's so self absorbed that she hasn't even realized it. 

3. Chickens are bossy.

Speaking of bossy...chickens will boss you around. They want what they want when they want it! They cackle in the morning for me to come let them out of their coop, they come up to the back porch window and stare at me inside my house. These animals are stalkers and if you have privacy issues, these aren't the pets for you. 

4. Chickens bring people together. 

Owning backyard chickens instantly bonds you to other backyard chicken people. When you happen upon someone else who has chickens it's like finding out they are your long lost brother. Well maybe not quite that, but I bet it's pretty close. I get so enthused to meet other people in my area, raising chickens in their backyard just like me. There are lots of local groups on Facebook, or you can find people on a national website here. 

5. Chickens are my best friend.

Not quite my best friends, but my husband won a video contest with a song called Chicken is my best friend, so I feel like it fits the moment. But in all honesty, I love my chickens. Even though they are messy, and cleaning their poop can be a little less than fun, I have not for one second ever regretted becoming a backyard chicken raiser!