Lay Feed Crumble

For the last couple of trips to the feed store Hubby and I got into the habit of just buying COB sweet mix. Which is corn, oats and barley in molasses. It started out as they ran out of our favorite feed so we tried this COB mix.... Guy said it would be ok to give all our animals..... Then it was more affordable for the minute. Here's what we learned yes it's fine in a pinch, its a lot cheaper than buying separate feed. But our chickens productivity has really slowed down, plus certain animals require certain minerals etc. So the goats have torn up trees after what ever it is their body is missing. So bottom line, quite expensive lesson. A few extra bucks per bag is worth not having the loss of eggs and trees.♥

Food Update!

These pictures are kind of hard to make out, sorry. But if you click on them they'll get a lot bigger. *I used my camera phone*

As far as our "garden" goes.....Well, looks like we'll be eating just green beans *sad face*

Our green beans seem to be the only things popping up. Along with a couple cucumbers. Anthony actually planted this row, so I joked and said he has the green thumb of the family. He ended up replanting for us. But still no other sprouts..Hmmm. Not sure what the deal is there.







And like I said they're hard to see, but if you look closely you'll see two green eggs. One at top and one at bottom. Bad lighting + bad camera = ugh! These we're just gathered today, still living hand to chicken butt... A family of six really needs a minimum of 50 hens I think. We did well last year. Ahh there was enough even to give out. This year with half the flock, please. As much as my kids love eggs, hand to chicken butt I tell you.





Now, I finally got the call our hogs were ready!! WooHoo!! This is how we made out. Two hogs: 493 lbs of meat about 188 lbs in bone and the rest was fat. Which I opted to keep all of the fat. Yum! I make beans darn near daily around here and I love putting pork fat into it. It's a wonder we're not a lot fatter. Total for everything $531.17 that's kill fee, processing and packing fees. Not bad I say. My freezer runneth over. Well not quite it can hold over 700lbs. But still, we are pleased.


I will be dreaming of the ribs, chops, bacon, sausage.....till it gets here! To bad we won't have it til next payday. Figures we get the call at the same time mortgage is due. LOL

Did I make ya hungry??

Americana Hens Lay Green and Blue Eggs

I found my first green egg! Its so tiny and cute! Americanas aka the Easter Egg Layer, are called this because of its different color of eggs they lay. From pretty blues to greens. I have 3 Americana hens and one girl started laying yesterday! It was a green you wouldn't believe! So I thought I'd take a picture of it for you! But somethings wrong with my camera. So I guess we'll have to post that later! But yippee! A green egg! Now when I get all that meat back from the pigs we took to be butchered we can have........yea! "Green Eggs and Ham!" Ok that was dorky I agree.

These birds were suppose to be a smaller size than my Orphintons, but I'll tell you they're almost the exact size! Which is good for eating, but these ladies are strictly layers. Thankfully.

We won't be getting chickens for meat purpose for awhile. We have the room for them in the new chicken coop, just not the time to slaughter. We'd end up over run with cocks fighting. Thats no fun for anyone. You really don't want anymore than a couple together. If you plan on having roosters for slaughter you want to slaughter at about 8 months. That way it brings down the hostility. They get very territorial from the get go but as time goes by more and more they try to challenge the alpha.

Eggs "Eggs"plained

*♥New Videos Posted At Bottom♥*




I have a new layer!! See my tiny one in the middle! Any first time layer will have a "Caitie sized" egg for the first couple of lays. I say Caitie sized since they are the perfect size for Little Caitie. About half the normal size.

Also, I've noticed my eggs have gotten lighter in color... I'm not sure if this is because of diet, age or what yet, but I'm searching to find out. Todays grab seems almost white. I have no "white layers".








These were taking about February or so. Big difference in color huh. Same girls laying though. That big one there is a goose egg. It was our first one we got.

Here's some egg facts:

Washing: Only use room tempeture water on a plain dish rag and wipe. Some say not to use water just to brush it off. This is because of the protective layer on the shell. Since the shells are porous, the layer allows the eggs to last much longer and keep out bacteria. But around here our eggs only last a few days. If that. We're almost living "hand to chicken butt" right now. As I call it, because it seems lately I'm always waiting on them to lay to make something. It also depends on how dirty it is.

Boiling: Since fresh eggs hardly have any air in them, they are very hard to peel I've discovered. If I'm going to make deviled eggs or egg salad they usually have to be older than a couple weeks. Otherwise, half the egg stays on the shell.

Nutrionally speaking: There is no difference between the nutrition from a white egg vs. a brown. Nor with fertile or not. What you want is a free range or cage free or organic. Its the diet that determines the better egg. I can't have mine free range anymore since I lost some to the bob cat and local dogs.

"Eggs"-piration Dates: If you wash them, and take off the protective layer, it's only about 4-5 weeks. While unwashed will last 4-5 months.

Whats in an egg:
Jumbo-

• Calories: 96
• Cholesterol: 275 mg
• Total Fat: 6.4 g
• Protein: 8.2 g

Extra Large-

• Calories: 85
• Cholesterol: 245 mg
• Total Fat: 5.7 g
• Protein: 7.3 g

Large-

• Calories: 74
• Cholesterol: 212 mg
• Total Fat: 5 g
• Protein: 6.3 g

Medium-

• Calories: 65
• Cholesterol: 186 mg
• Total Fat: 4.4 g
• Protein: 5.5 g

Small-

• Calories: 54
• Cholesterol: 157 mg
• Total Fat: 3.7 g
• Protein: 4.7 g

Pee Wee-

• Calories: 46
• Cholesterol: 132 mg
• Total Fat: 3.1 g
• Protein: 3.9 g

*"Whats in an egg" facts from about.com*

One Goose A Layin.......

Well it's that time of year again, geese are back to business. I was hoping though one goose at least would lay me the "Golden Egg", but these are yummy enough! I can't wait til they all start pouring in! One great thing about raising poultry in so AZ no egg interruption! While in many other states they've stopped laying for the winter, here they lay straight thru with no external help from me. Below is a daily grab from my girls. It does slow down a bit but we ain't going without. Also this goose egg is small since this is it's first lay, I've been told, just like chickens. So I can't wait to see what is to come!




My one goose egg (at top) mixed in with chicken eggs and one duck egg. Yummy yummy breakfast!