All I want for Christmas is ....

[justusnak]

You know....SE IA isn't that far away...... And I would GIVE them to you....what in the world would I need money for? I would give them to you if you would also take Black Betty and love her for me. That will be the hardest part of getting rid of my sheep....I really, really like that sheep and would love to see her go to a good home.

Darn it! Wish I had a stock trailer and a big truck...I'd make a road trip this spring and bring you fencing and a big ol' black sheep and her friend, Little Red...her RIR companion.

Awww, Black Betty...she is sooo pretty, and I would take her in a heartbeat AND her little friend. Darn it why do we have to live so far apart!? :/ I am affiliated with a rescue...if only we could find a ride for them all. I could get them a tax number for donations too. Hmm, the wheels are a turnin! LOL

 

[FarmerChick]

hey BEE

why are you getting out of the sheep?

too many irons in the fire?

it surprised me to read that.....just wondering

 

[justusnak]

hey BEE

why are you getting out of the sheep?

too many irons in the fire?

it surprised me to read that.....just wondering

So she can write that book~ I can't waite to get a copy.

 

[Javamama]

t- posts, a load of gravel, a pitchfork and....

Bacon.

 

[dragonlaurel]

The one SS thing I would like to have for christmas is fresh eggs. I want my hens to get in those nests and start laying eggs again! I cannot bear buying more store bought eggs!

Might be able to help with this one. BYC had a thread recently that was saying you could give Cayenne pepper to chickens in their food to help them get laying again, when cold season is slowing their production down. A bunch of people were happy with it.
They also said to never do this in summer cause they do get warmed up some from it. Hope they start giving you the goods soon.

 

[justusnak]

The one SS thing I would like to have for christmas is fresh eggs. I want my hens to get in those nests and start laying eggs again! I cannot bear buying more store bought eggs!

Might be able to help with this one. BYC had a thread recently that was saying you could give Cayenne pepper to chickens in their food to help them get laying again, when cold season is slowing their production down. A bunch of people were happy with it.
They also said to never do this in summer cause they do get warmed up some from it. Hope they start giving you the goods soon.

Absolutely!! My grandpa told my mother to do this......get a 5 gallon bucket of corn. Whole corn, not cracked. Fill it with water to just cover the corn, add one can of cayenne pepper to the bucket, stir, and let it sit for at least 24 hrs. Then start feeding it to the hens every evening. So, my mother did this...unfortunately my grandpa DIDNT tell her to only do this for a day or so. My Mom did this for a week!!!It wasn't long before we were getting so many eggs, we couldn't GIVE them away!! Whenever the neighbors would see us kids coming up the drive with our wagon full of cartons of eggs, they would close the curtains, and not answer the door! LOL So, do this spareingly. But, it works!

ETA: The "old timers" called this method..."burning off the molt"

 

[Up-the-Creek]

The one SS thing I would like to have for christmas is fresh eggs. I want my hens to get in those nests and start laying eggs again! I cannot bear buying more store bought eggs!

Might be able to help with this one. BYC had a thread recently that was saying you could give Cayenne pepper to chickens in their food to help them get laying again, when cold season is slowing their production down. A bunch of people were happy with it.
They also said to never do this in summer cause they do get warmed up some from it. Hope they start giving you the goods soon.

Absolutely!! My grandpa told my mother to do this......get a 5 gallon bucket of corn. Whole corn, not cracked. Fill it with water to just cover the corn, add one can of cayenne pepper to the bucket, stir, and let it sit for at least 24 hrs. Then start feeding it to the hens every evening. So, my mother did this...unfortunately my grandpa DIDNT tell her to only do this for a day or so. My Mom did this for a week!!!It wasn't long before we were getting so many eggs, we couldn't GIVE them away!! Whenever the neighbors would see us kids coming up the drive with our wagon full of cartons of eggs, they would close the curtains, and not answer the door! LOL So, do this spareingly. But, it works!

ETA: The "old timers" called this method..."burning off the molt"

OMG you guys,..I had forgot all about that cayenne pepper thing! I read that in the Foxfire books a few years back. I will try that with the corn,water, pepper mix. I hate buying "store" eggs,.. they are so nasty. Thanks all!

 

[dragonlaurel]

Good luck and report on how it works.

BTW- the other thread was saying to add powdered cayenne to their crumbles/feed. If it's easier, you could try it that way.

 

[Beekissed]

hey BEE

why are you getting out of the sheep?

too many irons in the fire?

it surprised me to read that.....just wondering

I'm sure you all will think I'm crazy....heck, I'm sure you all already KNOW I'm crazy....but.....

I came to a wall this summer that I cannot get over. At first it really depressed me and I just felt completely and totally LOST! I have been doing and scheming SS, gardening, wanna be farming for so long~in actuality and in my mind~that I didn't know what to make of it.

I don't want to do this anymore.

My mind and heart just turned a corner and came up with no more need to do this. Not that I still will not live frugally and SS, but I just don't feel the need or drive to expand on it, store more foods, have more ways of being SS on hand, etc.

God, I think, has another plan for me and I have no idea in the world what it is...but He is the one that put all this desire for this lifestyle in my heart in the first place and it appears that He removed it just as neatly. Gone in the wink of an eye!

Now I'm waiting. I'm not good at waiting and I've never awakened without some plan in my mind, something to work towards, some project to finish or develop. At first it felt weird and it distressed me but I found my peace.

I'm just to be still and wait....and that is just what I plan to do. So, the sheep will go, the big fenced in garden area will go and most of the chickens will go....not sure but might get rid of all. I will probably still have a small garden but very scaled down from my usual.

Even Jake will go if the boys find a place in the country where they can have pets.

Just the Bat, Dewley, Tuesday and Spike will be left when it is all said and done.

I can't explain it better than that but I feel this is right....it hurts a little in a way but I still feel like I'm supposed to do it. So I am!

 

[dragonlaurel]

Good luck with your new stage in life. You've been working so hard, for so long, a change probably is a blessing.