Lil taste of Spring

It has been awhile since my last post. Life definitely always throws you curveballs. Nevertheless, homesteading is still prominently in my life no matter what enters. Since the last thing I posted was my chickens, I’ll start with them.

My first batch of hatching did not work. I watched them grow in the egg until the end and NOTHING hatched. It was heartbreaking. I gave them an extra week and decided to crack some open. Sure enough I grew them. The only thing I can think of why they didn’t hatch was the humidity in the incubator. So, next batch is in and constantly monitoring. I’m four days in with the newbies.

Next, the big chickens have decided to stop producing eggs like they used too. Had several things that could have contributed to it so slowly eliminating the variables. I cleaned their coop out and nesting boxes. I have been giving them more food. They are starting to fly again so wings will need to be clipped. I know so much fun last time I did them. I added another water spot and feeding spot. If anything I would think with the improvements and sanitation of their things, they would be happy. I still have to fix their netting so hawks can’t get them as they fly over and a gutter is leaking so it gets wet on one side of the coop.

Besides the chickens, I’m starting to grow seeds and hopefully have a prosperous garden this year. With the garden, I’d like to start canning items. I’ve even researched obtaining a license to sell jams, jellies, and butter to businesses. More to come on the journey of selling to retail.

Next journey of homesteading is quails. I will construct pens to sit right along side the coop so gathering eggs isn’t a timely task. I would like to also can quail eggs to sell and take quails to the market to sell their meat. It seems I’m south enough there is quite a bit of a market for both.

The last thing that’s been happening is just spending time with my son and being a mom. I’m juggling swimming, soccer, house work both inside and out, homesteading, and my full time job. Some think I’m crazy and highly overloaded, but really this is what makes me, me. Time management and not really being able to sleep gives me the time I need to research and do business plans. Seems the more I put in my schedule the more productive I am.

So as spring has started and as it keeps getting warmer, I need to fix my electric fence for two cattle, get quails going, build my greenhouse hoops, start fodder system, start composting for garden, start a worm farm, and get bees for the garden. Lots and lots to do but loving the knowledge I’m gaining.