What is a chicken dust bath?

A dust bath is any area that a chicken uses to lay, fluff, and clean themselves in dirt. It can be as simple as a natural depression on the ground that the chickens dug themselves… and y’all know they’re great at that! Or, you can make a chicken dust bath to offer a designated spot for them to bathe. 

Why make a chicken dust bath?

• It’s important to create a chicken dust bath area for your birds to stay healthy, especially if your native soil isn’t suitable for bathing on its own. For instance, chickens won’t be able to create their own natural dust bathing area in clay or rocky soil, or if it’s all grass or wood chips in the chicken area. They need loose, fine, or sandy soil to bathe in instead.
  
  
• Plus, you can add other beneficial ingredients like lime or wood ash if you make a special contained chicken dust bath like ours.
  
  
• Another perk of creating a designated dust bath area is that maybe (just maybe) your birds will cut you some slack and do less damage or digging in other parts of your yard!

Why do chickens take dust baths?

Dust baths are important for a number of reasons! Like many other birds, chickens of all ages use fine loose soil to keep themselves clean and healthy. By literally wallowing in the dirt, fine particles of sand and soil work their way between feathers, cleaning them in the process. Along with preening and grooming, dust baths prevent feathers from becoming too oily – keeping feathers full, fluffy, insulating, and water-resistant.

Chicken dust baths are also an important way to naturally prevent and control parasites like lice or mites. Even more, dust bathing helps keep chickens cool during hot weather… and heat stroke is common and often lethal to chickens! The very top of the soil may feel warm on a hot day, but once they fluff and shimmy down a bit deeper, they’ll find comfortably cooler soil enjoy.

Most chickens will take a good dust bath every day, or every other day. They seem to absolutely love it. When they’re finished, they get up, shake like a dog, and let the dust fly! 

Related: 10 Ways to Keep Chickens Cool During Heat Waves and Hot Summer Weather

Ingredients: What do you put in a chicken dust bath?

Sand or plain dirt can make an adequate dust bath for chickens. However, adding ingredients like lime, diatomaceous earth, and/or wood ash will offer enhanced pest protection – explained more below.

Use the following recipe to make the perfect chicken dust bath:

• 1 part dirt: Choose soil that is fairly loose, fine, well-draining, and relatively free of debris like rocks, large sticks, or other uncomfortable obstructions. Average topsoil is a good choice. Avoid soil that has been treated with fertilizer or herbicides. Our native soil here is super sandy – perfect for chicken dust baths!

• 1 part sand: All-purpose sand is the best choice for chicken dust baths, also known as contractor’s sand, construction sand, or multipurpose sand. It’s fine enough for a good fluffabout, but coarse enough that they won’t inhale it. You should be able to find bags of all purpose sand at your local hardware store. Avoid using play sand for dust baths; it’s too fine, more easily inhaled, and often contains toxins. You also don’t want to use sand alone, because the chickens naturally prefer dirt!

Optional dust bath additions

These optional dust bath ingredients help prevent common parasites, and are also great to add to the coop or nesting boxes. Add just a sprinkle of the following to your dust bath recipe:

• Lime – First Saturday Lime is our top-choice chicken dust bath ingredient to prevent parasites. It’s effective against poultry lice and mites, but is safe for pets, kids and the environment alike. Just a light sprinkle will do! (Note: do not use garden lime)
  
  
• Diatomaceous earth – Also known as DE, food-grade diatomaceous earth is another popular dust bath additive for parasites and pests. However, the very fine dust can be harmful to humans and animals when inhaled. So if you do use DE, use a very small amount and in a well-ventilated area. Otherwise, just stick to lime.
  
  
• Wood ash – I’ll never forget the day we had to re-home a chicken (long story)… The woman scooped up Darcy, held her upside down, and blasted her with a heaping handful of wood ash – with love! Like DE and lime, wood ash smothers pest insects like lice, ticks, mites, and fleas. So if you generate a lot of wood ash at home, feel free to toss some in the chicken dust bath!
  
  
• Dried Herbs – Many herbs also deter pest insects, including lavender, peppermint, lemongrass and more. Plus, they smell nice! Spoil your chickens with a handful of nesting box herbs in their dust bath. 

Note: It’s best to avoid DE, lime or wood ash in dust baths for baby chicks, but using dried herbs is fine!

Where to locate a chicken dust bath?

• Sun or Shade? Chickens like options! We found that our girls often like to stretch out and dust bathe in the sun, but also like the comfort of shade on warmer days. So, we set up dust baths in several locations in our yard and run.
  
  
• Protection. Chickens usually feel most secure to relax when they’re lounging under cover, such as under their coop or under the canopy of trees or shrubs. We have some dust baths out in the open sun, and one in a shadier corner of their run.
  
  
• Rain. In addition to adding drainage holes to your chicken dust bath container, consider further rain protection if you live in a wet climate. For instance, by locating the dust bath under the coop or other sheltered location. You could also build a short roof over the dust bath area, such as with a simple wood frame with a sheet of corrugated rooting (metal, fiberglass or plastic) on top. We also find that stirring and fluffing the dust bath soil with a shovel after heavy rain helps it dry out faster.

Chicken dust bath maintenance

Dust baths are pretty low maintenance. However, you may want to periodically check the dust bath to remove poop, sticks, or other undesirables from the area. The container may also get low over time, as the chickens fling the dirt out, or walk away with it in their feathers! Top off with more soil and sand as needed. Finally, add a fresh handful of lime, DE, wood ash, and/or herbs once every month or two.

Do baby chicks need dust baths?

Yes, baby chicks and young pullets like to take dust baths too! In fact, you’ll often see them laying and fluffing around in their brooder pine shavings – simulating a dust bath. Create a mini dust bath for chicks inside their brooder by filling a small, wide, shallow container with sand and/or fine dry soil. Any container or tray that’s short enough for them to easily climb in and out of will do, such as a cardboard shoebox lid. Don’t add lime, DE, or other additions though. Chicks are sensitive at this stage! Learn more about caring for baby chicks here.

And that’s the dirt on chicken dust baths.

Well, did you learn something new? I hope you found this article to be useful and informative. If so, please spread the chicken love by pinning or sharing this post! Also feel free to ask any questions you have in the comments below. Otherwise, have fun putting together your new dust bath space. I’m sure your flock will want to help supervise, and will be very grateful!

You may also enjoy:

• How to Store & Wash Fresh Eggs: Best Practices for Backyard Chicken Eggs
• 10 Ways to Keep Chickens Cool During Hot Summer Weather or Heat Waves
• How to Ferment Chicken Feed for Better Hen Health & Eggs
• 10 Tips on Caring for Chickens in Cold Winter Weather
• Backyard Chickens 101: What to Expect When You’re Expecting

The post How to Make a Chicken Dust Bath: Easy DIY Ideas appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Sexing Chicks

Young female chickens are referred to as pullets and young male chickens are called cockerels. At hatcheries, trained professionals usually determine the sex of chicks by examining their cloaca (vent opening and sex parts) just after hatching. Autosexing breeds can be distinguished by more apparent physical features such as color. Then the sought-after female chicks head off to farm centers or customers – but the sexing process isn’t foolproof! It’s not uncommon for folks to end up with an occasional cockerel despite ordering all females.

Speculation and Time

When raising chicks, there’s always a lot of speculation and guessing around chick sex – especially before they reach 8 to 10 weeks old (when the differences become much more apparent). Between imperfect sexing at the hatchery, androgynous individuals, early or late bloomers, those chicks really like to keep us on our toes! That said, there are always exceptions to the “rules” of sexing chicks outlined in this post.

Every backyard chicken keeper has had a suspected cockerel in the group, though it often turns out to be a hen. As a chick, I was pretty darn convinced that Zoey (our current Barred Rock) was a cockerel for many, many weeks. She had really thick legs, stood tall and proud, and was much larger than her sisters. Turns out she’s just a huge bird! So much so, I often call her Big Bertha instead of Zoey nowadays. 

Be patient, give it time, and enjoy those little nuggets while you can. Chicks grow SO darn fast!

5 WAYS TO SEX CHICKS

1) Autosexing breeds 

With some chicken breeds, you can easily tell the difference between male and female chicks just by looking at them! Certain breeds are considered “autosexing”, where it’s easy to distinguish male vs female chicks by different physical features or markings, even when they’re tiny fluffballs. In the animal kingdom, this is known as sexual dimorphism. Many hatcheries offer autosexing breeds as an easy way to guarantee females.

Autosexing chicken breeds include Dorkings, Crested Cream Legbars, Welsummers, Bielefelders, Rhodebars, and many other less common breeds. Some autosexing chick characteristics are quite obvious: like the distinct dark chipmunk stripes down the back of female Crested Cream Legbars, compared to the lighter body color and yellow head dot found on males. 

Other examples of sexual dimorphism are more subtle, and therefore may be more difficult to rely on. For instance, male barred rock chicks usually have larger, scattered or irregular white spots on their head, while female barred rock chicks have a smaller, more distinct white head spot. Yet this can be hard to quantify or compare – especially if you only have one barred rock chick in your flock! (Our girl Zoey had a very large irregular white spot.) Male barred rock chicks also usually have more evenly yellow legs than female barred rocks, who have subtle black or gray on the front of their legs instead.

2) Size, Stance, and Legs

Compared to female chicks of the same age, male chicks tend to grow larger and faster. They often stand up taller than their female counterparts too… you know, practicing puffing out their big impressive chests and all! Male chicks also tend to have thicker legs and feet than female chicks.

3) Combs and Wattles

Another way to tell the difference between female and male chicks is by watching their combs and wattles develop. Both hens and roosters have combs and wattles. Some hens have impressively large combs, even bigger than roosters! For either sex, a bright red comb is a sign that the chicken is healthy and sexually mature.

Yet the comb and/or wattles on male chicks usually grow sooner and larger (noticeable around 6 to 8 weeks of age) and turn bright red earlier. On the other hand, female chicks combs and wattles usually grow in later (10 weeks or older) and become significantly more red and enlarged in the weeks before they start laying eggs. Hens start to lay eggs around 18 to 20 weeks of age at the earliest.

Sex aside, comb and wattle size varies greatly depending on breed and comb type. For instance, Ameraucanas and “Easter Egger” hens and roosters both have very small pea combs. Their combs look like a piece of chewed up gum stuck between their eyes, rather than a classic tall pointed single comb. Pea combs, cushion combs, rose combs, and other petite combs can make sexing chicks more difficult than other comb types.

4) Sexing Chicks by Feathers

Another key difference between male and female chicks is their feathers. Imagine a full grown rooster, with his long majestic neck, back, and tail feathers (also known as hackle, saddle, and sickle feathers respectively). Around the age of 9 to 12 weeks old, male chicks will start to show noticeably longer and pointed saddle feathers. Hackle and sickle feathers start to show around 14 weeks or older.

Hen feathers stay more uniform, short, and blunt compared to rooster feathers. Many female chick feathers grow in more quickly than males however, including faster tail development, so they can appear fully-feathered sooner.

There is another form of feather sexing that allows poultry professionals to distinguish between cockerels and pullets by examining wing feathers just after hatching. With this method, the feathers on male chick wings are even lengths while female chicks have irregular or alternating feather lengths on their wings. See image below. 

Some backyard chicken keepers like to try to apply this method to their home flock, but further research reveals that wing feather sexing is only reliable in controlled environments where sex-linked chickens are bred to retain this trait (e.g. as part of a commercial poultry operation) though it can occasionally apply to backyard chickens successfully as well.

5) Behavioral Differences

Cockerel behavior

Appearances aside, there are a number of behavioral traits that can give you a clue if chick is a rooster or hen. In addition to standing taller, male chicks may fight amongst each other more, trying to show off for the ladies or compete for the best roost. 

Male chicks may also start to practice “tidbitting”: where roosters scratch, dance, and give short, high-pitched clucks near food – a signal that he found some tasty treats and wants to share with his girls. Yes, roosters are quite the gentlemen! And despite their mean reputation, cockerels can also be the sweetest birds in the flock. In fact, male chicks are often the most friendly and readily-handled of the group.

And of course, the final and perhaps most obvious sign that a chick is male: he will start to crow. Though a rooster won’t belt out a respectable crow until he’s 4 or 5 months old, young male chicks usually start exercising their vocal cords and start trying to crow as early as 6 to 8 weeks old. 

Pullet behavior

One tell-tale behavior of older female chicks is the “submissive squat”. As pullets near maturity and are close to egg-laying age (16 weeks or older), they will often start to squat low and spread their wings as you approach. You can bend down and give them a nice little pet on the back, but it’s not pets they’re after… Female chickens squat as a sign they’re ready to mate with a rooster, and lay eggs! Check out this post with 5 signs that your pullet will start laying eggs soon.

Interestingly, pullets or hens may also exhibit “masculine” tendencies in the absence of a rooster, including tidbitting, issuing predator warning calls, or even crowing (though this usually happens far later than it would for males). Our eldest hen Hennifer regularly crows, and our Crested Cream Legbar hen Phoebe even grew spurs!

What to do with young roosters?

If you end up with a cockerel, please consider keeping him if you can! Roosters are excellent flock protectors, keeping watch and alerting the others when predators are around. Roosters are often very friendly with their favorite humans too! Otherwise, you can re-home your rooster to a nice farm where he can live out his life, or at least provide food for a family. Check your area for local animal or farm sanctuaries, or even “rooster rescues”. Listing the rooster on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace is another option. 

And that’s the 411 on sexing chicks.

All in all, I hope this guide gave you plenty of tips to help identify male and female chicks. I also hope you have a blast raising them! I miss having them around so much. Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below, and consider pinning or sharing this post if you found it useful.

If you’re new to keeping chickens, be sure to check out these important related articles:

• Baby Chick Care 101: Brooders, Heat, Health & More
• 10 Ways to Keep Chickens Cool During Summer or Heat Waves
• 10 Tips on Caring for Chickens in Cold Winter Weather
• When Do Chickens Start Laying Eggs? 5 Tell-Tale Signs It’s Soon!
• How to Store & Wash Fresh Eggs: Best Practices
• Feeding Eggshells or Oyster Shells for Essential Calcium & Health
• How to Ferment Chicken Feed for Better Hen Health & Eggs

The post Male or Female Chicks? 5 Ways to Tell the Difference appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

So, come along and look at plenty of pictures of poo while I walk you through the process we took to clean, sanitize, rehab, and refresh the existing coop and run while also addressing concerns about biosecurity, predators, parasites, and more.

I should mention that I don’t want this scene to overwhelm or deter anyone who may be on the fence about getting chickens! The condition of this coop was NOT normal, and easily avoidable with more routine (and less cumbersome) cleaning. I find it even easier to keep a smaller coop clean, like our old coop. If you’re considering or new to chicken keeping, stop by our “Backyard Chickens 1010: What to Expect When You’re Expecting” article.

The State of the Coop-ion

The existing chicken coop is a converted 8×12’ shed with an attached 18×18’ fenced run. It sits about 30 feet to the right of our back patio, and I love that we can easily keep an eye on them from there – as well as from our upstairs bedroom balcony. From what I can gather, the coop was installed in either 2016 or 2017. 

No offense to the previous owner’s… but it seems like perhaps they were attempting to use the “deep litter method” (but not correctly) or the coop was simply neglected, because we were left with what appeared to be about 5 years worth of chicken poop to deal with. It’s hard to tell from the photos below, but the bedding on the floor was about a foot deep in some places. There were two extra-large cat litter pans poised below the old roost that were completely overflowing with crap. 

And let’s not forget the window… The nesting boxes were positioned in front of a window and secured in place. If you know chickens, you know they like to perch (ahem, sit and poop) as high as possible, which is why I always suggest keeping the nesting boxes lower than any other available roosts. The top of these old nesting boxes was the highest perch point in the coop. So naturally, they hung out there – and pooped into a void between the backside of the nest boxes and the window behind it. The result = years of accumulated poop in the open screened window.

Alright, I think you get the picture… but just in case, here are some photos:

Biosecurity & Pest Concerns 

Trust me friends, I understand that chicken coops aren’t going to be pristine! And it’s one thing to have your own chickens living in certain conditions. Yet there was no way in hell I was going to move our girls into this place without a thorough and deep cleaning – for everyone’s health and safety. In addition to being downright gross, we had no idea about the health of the previous flock and potential issues that could be lurking in the contents of the old bedding, poop, and coop or run.

Things I was concerned about and needed to assess or address:

• Adequate predator-proofing
• Potential disease, bacteria, pests and parasites 
• General cleanliness (e.g. dust control, odor, leaf litter accumulation on the run, etc)
• Functionality – both for us and the chickens 

Let’s talk about the first two now, then I’ll get more into functionality later as I share the changes we made to the inside. 

Chicken Coop Predator-Proofing

Chickens have more predators than most folks imagine! On this particular property, the primary chicken predators we’ll have to contend with include hawks, owls, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, and opossums. Someone mentioned we may also have weasels in our area, which also kill chickens. In other places, fox, bears, bobcats, or mountain lions and other large predators or birds of prey could be of concern. You also don’t want rodents or snakes to get in, as they’ll threaten the eggs, feed, and generally become a nuisance.  

The very first thing I did with the new chicken coop was a perimeter check. I was pleased to see that they used hardware cloth for the run, as a skirt under the coop, and over the windows. Hardware cloth is the best option for predator-proofing a chicken coop area since it’s incredibly durable and has very small openings for any critters to slip through. 

Despite the misleading name, “chicken wire” shouldn’t be used for predator-proofing a chicken coop or run. The holes are large enough for mice or some rats to squeeze through, and it’s not very strong at all. Certain animals can tear through it, rodents can chew through it, and it also degrades, rusts, and weakens significantly with time.

However, as I cleared off branches and leaf debris from the top of the run, I did find a number of large gaps in the hardware cloth over the top (big enough for an opossum or raccoon to enter) as well as some rodent-size gaps along the sides. We don’t have the time to fully batten down the hatches before the girls move over, but I was able to close up the biggest gaps with large zip ties for now. 

At this point, I consider the run safe for daytime use, but we’ll close up the coop overnight just in case anything sneaks in then. The coop itself is pretty sound. We’ll eventually add an automatic chicken door that will open the coop to the run at dawn and close again at dusk.

Disease and parasites

After the predator safety check, it was time to tackle deep cleaning and sanitizing the inside of the chicken coop. You’ll see our step-by-step process below, which included carefully removing all the contents of the coop, washing and sanitizing the inside, installing a new easily-cleanable floor, new nest boxes, roost, and applying lime in both the coop and run. 

My main concerns were potential for lurking poultry lice, mites and general bacteria and dust, followed by Marek’s disease and any other disease that inflicts chickens. The virus that causes Marek’s disease can reportedly live for up to 5 months in the environment, and the last flock moved out of this space about 4 to 5 months ago, so we’re right on that threshold. Our girls were vaccinated for Marek’s as chicks, though that isn’t always 100% effective. Because the soil is super dry here 99% of the year, parasitic worms aren’t a huge concern but also something I had in mind. 

For us humans, I was worried about histoplasmosis – a harmful fungus that lives in bird and bat droppings, and can result in serious illness if inhaled. Therefore, OF COURSE we thoroughly masked up, and worked slowly and methodically in an effort to not stir up any more dust and movement than necessary while we worked. 

Deep Cleaning the Chicken Coop

Step One: Removal

The first couple of days of deep-cleaning the chicken coop was spent clearing out everything from inside: the deep poopy bedding, poop-filled cat litter trays, old nesting boxes, and old roost. We ended up filling ten 40-gallon trash bags full of bedding and poop! And poop is much heavier than one may imagine… No, we didn’t fuss with composting any of it because a) all the biosecurity concerns I just mentioned above b) we don’t have a proper compost system set up at the new homestead yet, and c) we simply didn’t have time to mess around. We needed this thing chicken-ready, pronto. 

Again, we took great care during this process to move slowly, wear masks, and stir up as little dust as possible. Rather than dumping shovel-fulls inside the coop itself (and creating dust clouds) we kept the trash can outside the coop door where it could air out. While Aaron worked on clearing out the inside (bless his soul!), I was busy removing branches and leaves from the top of the run – using a combination of a push broom from above and my new favorite battery-powered leaf blower from below.

Day two of removal was just a quick one after work, but an especially gross (and honestly, comical) task: removing the old nest boxes that had caused the infamous “poop window”. As we pried the very attached nest boxes away from the wall, a literal cascade of sh*t came pouring down from behind it as we ran from the coop. Even then, a several inch thick wall of poo was still stuck in the window, so next we poised a trash can below it, and Aaron pushed on the screen from the outside to get the poo wall to fall forward and into the can – while I filmed and laughed. Then I got in there and finished the job from the inside. 

Step Two: Cleaning & Sanitizing

Next, it was time to hose this baby off. Some folks suggested a pressure washer, but that strong  of a blast in a confined space would have just sent poopy water splattered everywhere – including on me. So instead I started with a gentle “shower” spray to knock all the dust down first. Then I switched to a firm jet stream and went over all the walls and floors again. The water pooled in one area of the coop so we used an old push broom to usher it out the door. 

Once all the standing water was out, I sprayed everything down with several coats of plain undiluted white vinegar by adding it to a garden pump sprayer, and focused on the heavily soiled areas the most. Vinegar is an excellent natural sanitizing agent, albeit not quite as strong as bleach (I wasn’t keen on coating the space with bleach, especially because I was going to be in there working, and even spraying the ceilings above me).  

Because the chicken coop is a plywood-based shed, it was important for it to dry out as quickly as possible thereafter in order to not warp or ruin the plywood. We had brought over a box fan from the old house and set it up in there with the coop door and all 3 windows open. It was totally dry 24 hours later. I also needed everything to be dry before we proceeded to the next step, adding a new floor.

Step Three: Install New Flooring

Next, we added sheet vinyl (laminate) to the bottom of the chicken coop to create an easily-cleanable and nonporous floor. That’s what we have in our old smaller coop, and it makes routine deep-cleaning of the chicken coop much easier! The coop shed is 8×12’ and we found that our local Home Depot carried sheet vinyl in that exact size, though you could also order a larger roll and cut it down as needed. 

First, we unrolled the vinyl out on our patio in the sun for a few hours to get it to relax and lay flat. Then we brought it inside the coop and quickly realized it was a bit too large, so we aligned it along two sides of the walls and used a razor blade (box cutter) to cut off the excess from the others. Next I pulled up/back half of the vinyl and applied a strong construction adhesive (rated to bind to wood, plastic, and vinyl) all along the sides and middle of the existing plywood floor below, laid the vinyl back down over it, and walked all over it to squish it all down. Then we repeated the process on the other half. 

Finally, I added a handful of roofing nails along the perimeter to provide extra hold – in the corners, along the doorway, and in a few odd raised spots. That step probably wasn’t totally needed because the adhesive bonded quite well, but I had the nails already so… just in case! 

Step Four: Dust for Pests & Parasites

Though the walls had been sprayed down and sanitized, I still hadn’t done anything to address potential mites, lice, or similar pests at this point. Poultry lice and mites are tiny parasites that feed on chicken skin, blood, and feather parts… Gross, I know. Even more, red poultry mites are known for hiding out in between wood boards, roosts, nesting boxes, and similar crevices – and can live for many weeks without a meal! So the next step was to dust the walls, beams, corners, and perimeter of the new floor with lime powder. (We didn’t dust the old floor first so that the adhesive would stick). 

I dusted everything using First Saturday Lime, including the dirt in their run. It’s a natural, nontoxic, and pet-safe pest product that desiccates (dries out and kills) any insect with an exoskeleton – inducing mites, fleas, lice, ants, beetles, and ticks. It has a very similar method of action to DE (diatomaceous earth) but doesn’t pose the same respiratory risk as DE, a natural silica-based substance. Food grade-DE is technically non-toxic to humans and mammals, is safe to consume, but shouldn’t be routinely inhaled. I know many chicken keepers use DE; we did for years as well. We’ve been transitioning over to lime instead.

Step 5: Fresh New Additions

Now, let’s make this house a home! Using random scrap wood we already had around the homestead, we whipped up a new set of nesting boxes and a basic roost. Fresh pine shavings went on the floor as bedding, and I also sprinkled a little lime around in that too. We also brought over their favorite sawhorse roost for the run.

As a roost, I like to give the gals a flat board (a 2×4” on it’s wide side) instead of a round dowel or branch, and they seem to prefer it too! After all, I can only imagine how much more comfortable and stable it is to settle in for the night when you don’t have to wrap your feet tightly around something to hang on. I intentionally used more narrow 2×2” side supports to encourage them to sleep on the main wider roost instead, since that is positioned over the poop board. 

Poop board, huh? Just like in our old coop, we created a poop board that sits below their roost. It’s simply a piece of plywood wrapped in sheet vinyl that is glued in place. The idea is that 90% of their coop poop ends up on that board, and then we can easily scoop it up every day (or every other day) using a wide paint scraper and dust pan. It keeps the coop so much more clean, tidy, and odor-free! The vinyl makes it easy to periodically wipe down and sanitize too. 

In regards to the nesting boxes, we really only needed two for our four hens, since chickens prefer communal nests and often lay in the same box anyways – but figured, hey why not add another? We kept that on the coop floor since that is what they were used to in their old coop, and also to discourage sleeping in the nesting boxes. 

99% of the time, chickens will roost (and poop) at the highest point of the coop at night, so it’s always best to keep nesting boxes at a lower elevation than their roosts. The previous nest boxes were the perfect case-in-point: that’s what caused the infamous poop window! The top of the nesting boxes was the tallest thing in the chicken coop. I’ll write a separate how-to for building the next boxes soon, for those interested.

Step 6: Moving Day!

Or should I say, moving night? Did you know that chickens can’t see in the dark? That is why they instinctively find an elevated roost come dusk. That said, chickens are typically far easier to handle and seemingly more calm (maybe just scared and still?) in the dark or night. So that makes it a great time to quietly slip them into a new environment, add a new chicken to a coop, or even swap eggs for baby chicks under a broody hen. 

The first evening we were ready to stay in our new place, we headed back to the old house to collect the girls after the sun went down. We loaded them up in a combination of cat crates and cardboard boxes (with air holes) and puppy pads on the bottom. Still working in the dark, I plopped each one down on their new roost and said goodnight. Come morning, they were mildly cautious to get down and explore their new digs – but with a little coaxing and black oil sunflower seeds, they were happily scratching around in no time!

Going Forward

So we finished deep cleaning the chicken coop… now what? Many of you have inquired if bigger coop = more chickens for us? For now, nope! We don’t plan to add to our flock any time soon. Four chickens provide us with more than enough eggs, egg-citement, and clean-up! Also, because we have more predators at this property and they’ll therefore be spending most of their time in the run, I love that they have ample space per bird rather than crowding it. The minimum recommended run space for chickens is about 10 square feet per bird, and 3 to 4 square feet in the coop per bird.

The next thing we’ll be tackling is adding a couple vertical supports to the sagging run roof using 4×4” boards and concrete footers. Those supports will double as a place to attach branches to create a daytime “tree” to roost in. I also want to make a nice landscaped pathway from our patio to the coop – you know, so I don’t twist my ankle in gopher holes, and have a dry and clean path on our few rainy days here. Finally we need to continue to patch up the small gaps in the hardware cloth around the run, and maybe add a few solar spotlights to further deter nocturnal predators.

From grimy to glamorous!

And that’s the story of how we transformed our inherited “poop coop” to a pretty, clean, functional, and safe environment for our beloved flock. I hope you enjoyed reading along with this messy task, and picked up a few tips on deep cleaning a chicken coop if needed! If you happened to miss the story of our move to this new homestead, read more about it here, and then be sure to check out the related chicken articles below! Thanks so much for tuning in.

• Backyard Chickens 101: What to Expect When You’re Expecting
• How to Ferment Chicken Feed for Healthy Hens & Eggs
• The Top 18 Chicken Breeds For Your Backyard Flock
• 10 Ways to Keep Chickens Cool During Heat Waves or Hot Summer Weather
• 10 Tips on Caring for Chickens in Freezing Winter Conditions

The post Homestead Update: Deep-Cleaning the Chicken Coop appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Follow along to learn how to make blown egg ornaments. This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to ‘blow out’ a raw egg to empty its contents. Then we’ll go over how to string it up to hang, and several ideas on how to customize the ornament with a little decorative flair. The process is quite easy, but does require a gentle touch and a sharp object – so be ready to give the kiddos a helping hand!

Supplies Needed to Make Blown Egg Ornaments

• Egg(s)
• Tape – such as packing tape, masking tape, or scotch tape
• Thumbtack, safety pin, and/or a skinny nail
• Twine, hemp, ribbons, or other string to both hang and decorate the egg
• Slender but stiff wire
• Optional: mini jingle bells, charms, gems, beads, buttons, and other cute adornments. I usually find these goodies at our local Michael’s craft store. Or, in the depths of my home craft supply stash and jewelry box. Incorporating the chicken’s feathers would be super adorable too!
• Optional: super glue 
  

Step 1: Make Holes in the Egg

• I like to work over a kitchen towel as I make blown egg ornaments. It provides a soft cushion, and will catch any accidental messes.
  
  
• First, wash and dry your egg of choice (or several). If you know your backyard chicken eggs well, choose ones with healthy firm shells. It isn’t easy to make blown egg ornaments with thin-shelled eggs… trust me! 
  
  
• Apply a layer of tape over each end of the egg. You can use clear tape or masking tape, but avoid super-sticky duct tape. The tape helps to prevent the egg from cracking as you poke holes in each end.
  
  
• Gently press a thumbtack into one end of the egg. I find it helps to twist the tack back and forth a bit (almost like a screw) to make a tiny indent in the surface of the eggshell and tape first, and then apply gentle pressure to push it in.
  
  
• Repeat the process on the opposite end of the egg.
  
  
• Now, gently widen each hole to a few millimeters to 1/8″ (fellow gardeners: about the size of a beet or Swiss chard seed). If the holes are too tiny, it’s nearly impossible to blow the inside contents of the egg out, and also more difficult to get string through. I usually keep the bottom hole (the one I will blow from) slightly smaller than the top hole (the end the egg contents will come out of).  Either work the thumbtack around inside the hole, or insert something slightly larger – such as a nail. Sometimes I find the need to gently chip away at the edges of the hole to make it wider. It’s okay if the hole is a little ragged! We’re going to cover it up anyways.
  
   
• Other ways to make a hole in an eggshell include using a small drill bit, a nail, or safety pin.

Step 2: Blow Out the Egg

• Before you blow out the egg, it’s best to break up the egg yolk inside. Insert a wire, toothpick, open paperclip, or other long skinny object into one of the holes and poke around a bit. Use a clean poking device if you intend to keep the egg to consume!
  
  
• Rinse the egg off again if the holes have become gooey by this point.
  
  
• Now, it’s time to blow! Poise the egg over a bowl or the sink, put your mouth over the smaller hole on the egg (make a seal), and blow air into the egg. If you’re not keen on putting your mouth right on it, you can cut a short piece of straw to put between your mouth and the egg. I don’t mind putting my mouth on it (and we don’t use plastic straws) so I just make sure to rinse my lips and mouth afterward.
  
  
• As you blow, egg material should come out the bottom hole. I’ve gotta admit: it’s strangely satisfying. It will also take a good amount of strong breath, so don’t make yourself dizzy! Take breaks and deep breaths as needed. If you’re blowing and the egg matter isn’t coming out, go back and gently widen one hole if needed. Blowing too hard without any release could cause the egg to break.
  
  
• After the egg contents are emptied from the shell, run warm water into the hole, swish it around to rinse out the inside, and blow out the water. Repeat a few times. Now you’re left with a nice clean shell, ready to be turned into a proper blown egg ornament!
  
  
• If the tape over the ends is still intact, you could leave it there to protect the holes for the next step. Mine usually comes loose by now so I gently remove it.

Step 3: Insert String (and/or Wire)

• Next we need to get the egg strung up and ready to hang! There are many clever ways to hang a blown egg ornament, so feel free to get creative here. I’ll show you how I do it with string, but you can use ribbon, fishing line, or wire alone. You could even loop a button to the bottom to hold it in place instead of tying a knot.
  
  
• Using my string of choice, I use tape to attach the end of the string to the end of a piece of firm straight wire. The wire helps to guide the string through one hole and out the other side of the eggshell. It is key to use only a small bit of tape and wrap it very tightly in order to keep everything skinny enough to fit through the holes.
  
  
• Gently insert the string and wire through the smaller hole, and guide it through the egg to exit out the larger hole.
  
  
• At this point, I typically tie a double or triple knot in the string that is sticking out the bottom side of the egg, leaving a few inches of string at the bottom to attach charms to (or, snip off the excess later).
  
  
• Then I pull the string up from the top end of the egg, so the bottom knot is flush against the bottom hole, and apply a bit of superglue around the knot and hole. This step is optional, but it helps prevent the egg from cracking further and keeps the knot from coming undone over time.
  
  
•  Finally, create a knot and loop at the top of the egg with the remaining string. I add a bit of glue to that hole and knot as well. Sometimes I tie an additional decorative ribbon into a bow around the top knot.  

Step 4: Adorn & Hang

Now, decorate your blown egg ornament however you see fit! Add mini jingle bells, charms, crystals, ribbons, or other crafty items to give it some pizazz. You could even repurpose old children’s or costume jewelry, or glue things right to the egg itself if you wish. Have fun and get creative!

If the string or twine loop isn’t long enough as-is, add an ornament hook to hang it on your holiday tree. At the end of the season, we simply wrap our precious blown egg ornaments in tissue paper or bubble wrap, and tuck them into a small dedicated box that we store with our other ornaments. 

And that is how you make blown egg ornaments.

Aren’t they absolutely adorable? We’ve had a few very special chickens in the past, and I cherish these beautiful keepsakes. I hope you enjoy creating your own blown egg ornaments too! Please let me know if you have any questions. Also, don’t be too hard on your self if you accidentally break an egg on your first try. I definitely did!

I would love to see your egg ornaments, so be sure to tag me on Instagram (@deannacat3) if you share them there. Finally, please spread the love by sharing or pinning this article. We appreciate you tuning in today. Have fun, and happy holidays!

Other crafty projects to try:

• DIY Rice Heating Pad (or Cold Pack)
• How to Make a DIY Beeswax Fall Leaf Garland
• 17 Wonderful Winter Garden Activities (Projects) To Do Indoors
• How to Make Beeswax Food Wraps
• DIY Natural Lip Balm Recipe
• Homemade Fruit and Veggie Stamped Kitchen Towels

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Handmade Blown Egg Ornaments

Follow this step-by-step tutorial to make blown egg ornaments. This is a fun holiday craft project, and a super special way to keep eggs from your favorite chickens. Or, use local eggs and add little homestead flair to your holiday decor!

Keyword blown egg, blown egg ornament, egg ornmanent

Craft Time 45 minutes minutes

Equipment

• Tape – such as packing tape, masking tape, or scotch tape
• Thumbtack, safety pin and/or small nail
• String, twine, or ribbon
• Slender but stiff wire
• Optional: mini jingle bells, charms, gems, beads, buttons, and other cute adornments
• Optional: super glue

Ingredients

• Egg(s)

Instructions

• Cover each end of a clean egg with tape.
• Gently twist and press a thumbtack (or similar) into each end of the egg through the tape, creating a two small holes. Gently widen each hole to several millimeters, up to 1/8".
• Working over a sink or bowl, place your mouth or a straw over the smaller hole, create a seal, and blow out the egg contents.
• Rinse the egg out with warm water, and "blow out" the extra water too.
• Use wire to guide a string through the egg, and tie a knot at each end – snug against the egg. Create a loop in the string on top.
• Optional: use superglue to seal around the holes in the egg (to prevent further cracking) and to permanently secure the knots.
• Decorate the egg as you wish, adding charms, gems, buttons, feathers, mini jingle bells, and more!

The post How to Make Blown Egg Ornaments appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Read along to learn how to prevent and stop chickens from eating their own eggs. Egg-eating isn’t as unnatural as you think – chickens sometimes eat their own eggs in the wild! Yet it can also be a signal that there is a serious issue in your backyard flock, and therefore shouldn’t go ignored. Egg-eating can also make a big sticky mess of their nesting box or feathers, and attract pests. If you rely on fresh eggs as a source of self-sufficient food or income, having an egg-eating chicken in your flock can be detrimental!

 Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products for your convenience, such as to items on Amazon. Homestead and Chill gains a small commission from purchases made through those links, at no additional cost to you.

9 Ways to Stop Chickens from Eating Their Eggs

1) Assess their diet

Chickens eating eggs could be a sign that they are experiencing a nutritional deficiency or imbalance. Eggs are loaded with protein, and the shells are made up of almost pure calcium. These two things are essential to a chicken’s diet and overall good health. If chickens aren’t getting enough of either, they may turn to eating their own eggs to compensate. 

Ensure your chickens are consuming adequate protein by providing a chicken feed that is formulated for laying hens. Most layer feed contains 16 to 18% percent protein. We often ferment our chicken feed, which provides probiotics and increases nutrient absorption too!

Also, limit treats to an occasional basis only. We give our girls leafy greens from the garden, but also incorporate plenty of protein-rich treats like mealworms, black oil sunflower seeds, or home-sprouted seeds and grains. You can also scramble up some eggs to feed back to your chickens.

2) Promote healthy, strong eggshells

Laying hens need a regular supply of free choice calcium available to them at all times. This is crucial! Because eggshells are so high in calcium themselves, laying hens need to consume a substantial amount of supplemental calcium to lay hard, healthy eggs with firm shells. 

Chickens may eat eggs if they aren’t getting enough calcium elsewhere. Insufficient calcium intake can also lead to soft-shelled eggs or thin shells, which are more likely to crack – and then entice even the healthiest, curious chickens to eat eggs! Even worse, too little calcium can cause a chicken to become egg-bound. Therefore, offering additional calcium is a great way to prevent egg-eating behavior as well as illness.

Either purchase crushed oyster shells, or save and crush their own eggshells. Offer calcium in a dish separate from their food; they eat what they need (and too much calcium can harm them too). I know what you may be thinking… Doesn’t feeding chickens their own eggshells make them more likely to eat eggs? No, the vast majority of experienced chicken keepers say it does not. We bake and crush the eggshells before feeding them, which kills potential bacteria and also changes the odor and flavor of the shells… just in case. 

Related: How to Feed Chickens Crushed Eggshells (or Oyster Shells) for Essential Calcium

3) Collect eggs often

Chickens can’t eat eggs that aren’t there! Don’t let eggs sit in the nesting boxes for an extended period of time. Collect eggs as often as your schedule permits (up to several times per day) – especially if you’re trying to break egg-eating behavior that has already developed. A big pile of eggs is just begging to be messed with, and can increase the likelihood of your chickens becoming broody. There is also a greater chance for eggs to crack and break when they’re laid on top of one another. 

4) Provide cushioned nesting areas

Have you ever seen a hen lay an egg? Even though they sit down for quite a while beforehand, they stand up and squat when the egg comes out, so it has to fall several inches before it hits the ground! If the bottom of the nesting box is hard and exposed, the egg could break – and one broken egg may be all it takes for a chicken to develop a taste for them.

Line the bottom of the coop nesting boxes with soft material for the eggs to land on. We use these durable nesting box pads, and usually add a layer of straw or hay on top for them to dig around in too. If an egg does break, clean it up quickly!

5) Dummy eggs in nest box

If your chickens begin to peck at their own eggs, try putting a hard dummy egg or two inside the nesting boxes. Golf balls or these fake wood eggs work well! When they go to take a peck, they’ll find the “egg” impenetrable – and will hopefully give up trying to peck the real eggs too. Placing fake eggs inside the nesting box is also an effective way to train young chickens on where to lay eggs.

6) Nest box curtains (dark or dim nesting area)

Did you know that chickens can’t see in the dark? That’s why they instinctively head into the coop to roost at dusk. So, they are far less likely to peck and eat eggs that they can’t see well. One way to darken the nesting box area is to install nest box curtains. This trick was the most successful measure to stop our chickens from eating eggs!

You can create cute little mini-curtains on rods, or do something as simple as pin old fabric napkins or cut pillowcases in front of the nest box opening. Valance curtains are already about the right height, and can easily be cut and hemmed into shorter sections.

When first installed, you may need to keep the curtains pulled or pinned partially open until your chickens get used to them. Later, we found that leaving ours completely closed was the most effective at stopping the egg eating. They push right past them to get in and out.

7) Soap and mustard 

Wait, what did I just eat?! Apparently chickens hate the taste of mustard. Plus, who would want to eat soap? Not our birds. Another old trick used to stop chickens from eating eggs is to fill an empty eggshell with dish soap and mustard (which also happens to mimic the look of gooey egg whites and yolk).

Use an egg that has been pecked with a small hole, empty it out, fill it up, and put it back in the nesting box for your egg-eating chicken to try. Or, carefully blow out an egg to fill. Hopefully the nasty surprise will turn them off for good!

8) Provide plenty of space and entertainment

Keeping your flock happy and entertained is a fantastic way to both prevent and stop chickens from eating eggs. Bored, crowded, or otherwise unhappy birds are far more likely to start pecking at eggs – and each other! Provide roosts, ample space, and boredom-busters such as hanging treat blocks, chicken swings, or hanging cabbage ‘tether balls’ to keep them busy. 

9) Roll-away or sloped nest boxes

A final measure to stop chickens from eating eggs is to make the eggs disappear altogether. When all else fails, you could create sloped nesting boxes where the eggs roll away and out of beak’s reach after they’re laid. I consider this a last resort – not because it is extreme, but because modifying your perfectly good chicken coop could be a pain in the butt! Yet so are egg-eating chickens… so if necessary, new-and-improved nest boxes may be the solution.  

And that concludes the top tricks to prevent or stop an egg-eater.

All in all, do your best to prevent your chickens from eating eggs in the first place – with a healthy diet, frequent egg gathering, and ample space to play. If they do start pecking at eggs, I hope these tips help you quickly nip that bad habit in the bud! As we did, you may need to try several techniques to stop egg-eating behavior before you find something that works. Be patient and persistent.

Please feel free to share your experience or ask questions in the comments below, and spread the knowledge by sharing this article. Thank you for tuning in!

Don’t miss these related articles:

• Feed Chickens Crushed Eggshells or Oyster Shells for Essential Calcium
• How to Store & Wash Fresh Backyard Chicken Eggs
• Help, My Chicken Is Molting! How to Care for Molting Chickens
• 10 Ways to Keep Chickens Cool During Summer (or Heat Waves)
• 10 Tips on Caring for Chickens in Cold Winter Weather
• How to Make Fermented Feed for Chickens

The post Chickens Eating Eggs? 9 Ways to Prevent or Stop It appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Read along to learn how to ferment chicken feed, and why it is so stellar for your bird’s well-being. It is easy to do, only takes a couple minutes to make, a few days to soak, and can actually help save you money on feed! Not to mention, they love the stuff! I have yet to meet a chicken that doesn’t prefer fermented chicken feed to plain old dry grains. Plus, you’ll reap the rewards in more nutrient-dense eggs.

But first, how about a quick primer on fermentation…

What is lacto-fermentation?

Lacto-fermentation occurs when beneficial bacteria (lactobacillus) that is naturally found in the environment (like in soil, on vegetables, or your chicken feed grains) interacts with food in the right controlled environment. To ferment chicken feed, that controlled environment is as simple as a mason jar, bucket, or large glass bowl with water. The lactobacillus converts starch and sugar in the food into lactic acid bacteria (LAB). This encourages the formation of natural probiotics, lowers pH, and prevents growth of harmful bacteria in the feed. Healthy yeasts are also present in “wet mash” grain mixtures such as a fermented chicken feed. 

Why ferment chicken feed?

There are a number of reasons to feed your flock fermented chicken feed, either regularly or at least on occasion. In a nutshell (uh… I mean eggshell) it can help improve their digestion, absorption of nutrients, and overall health by adding probiotics to their diet. Even more, it is a very efficient way to feed your flock! Fermenting chicken feed can reduce the amount of grains needed to keep your flock full – cutting costs for you. Last but not least, it can even lead to better egg quality!

HEALTH BENEFITS OF FERMENTED CHICKEN FEED

1) Increased Digestion and Nutrient Absorption

The process of soaking chicken feed grains makes them easier to digest. In the most obvious way, the softened feed is more gentle on the stomach – or in a chicken’s case, their crop and gizzard. Yet there’s more to it than that! All grains, seeds, nuts, beans and other legumes contain something called phytic acid and other enzyme inhibitors. Phytic acid can impair the absorption of certain nutrients and minerals, and is therefore often referred to as an “anti-nutrient”.

However, the process of soaking, sprouting, and/or fermenting grains and legumes vastly reduces the phytic acid content – thus makes it easier for chickens to utilize all the good nutrients they’re consuming! That is one reason we love to sprout seeds and grains for our chickens too, including alfalfa, barley, corn, sunflower seeds and more. Last but not least, fermentation has also been shown to enhance the content of certain vitamins in foods, such as Vitamin B.

2) Added Probiotics and Immune Health

As lactic acid bacteria work to ferment chicken feed, beneficial bacteria populations bloom! The resulting probiotics are stellar for digestion, immunity, and improved gut health. As explored in our “Health Benefits of Fermented Foods Explained” article, gut health is directly related to total body health. 

Studies show that animals who receive a steady intake of probiotics through fermented feed have a more robust immune system than those on a standard dry feed diet. Even more, this study found that the levels of lactic acid bacteria in fermented chicken feeds lowers the pH of chickens intestines enough to ward off acid-sensitive bacteria like E.Coli and Salmonella. Meaning, chickens consuming fermented feed are less likely to develop infections and other diseases, and live longer, less complicated lives. For you, that means less stress, vet bills, and also healthier eggs!

3) Better Quality Eggs

According to a study published in the Journal of British Poultry science, chickens that were fed fermented chicken feed showed increased egg weight, shell thickness, and shell stiffness over chickens on dry food. When chickens have nice firm eggshells, they’re far less likely to have issues with laying soft-shell eggs or becoming egg-bound; both of which can be life-threatening!

Also, keep in mind that what goes into your hens also goes into their eggs. If they receive superior nourishment (including eating fermented feed), the eggs laid for you will be supremely nutritious in return. That is why pasture-raised and backyard chicken egg yolks are so deeply golden compared to their factory farm counterparts.

4) More Bang For Your Buck

Okay, this isn’t exactly a ‘health benefit’ per se… but valuable nonetheless! As chicken feed grain soaks in water to ferment, it also expands in volume – so your birds will get full faster. They aren’t being cheated out of anything in the process though, like filling up on junk food. On the other hand, they’re getting more nutrients than ever! That said, fermenting chicken feed is an inexpensive way to improve the nutritional value of basic dry feed while also consuming less of it.  

When and How Much to Feed Chickens Fermented Food

How often you decide to feed your flock fermented chicken feed is totally up to you! There is no “overdoing it” – the more often, the merrier! I know some chicken keepers who give their chickens fermented feed exclusively, while others do it only as a periodic treat. While it is very easy to do, fermenting feed admittedly takes a couple extra steps than simply leaving out a large feeder of dry grain for the week. 

Depending on our schedules, we try to make a batch at least once or twice per week. For us, one “batch” is two days worth of fermented feed – so that means our girls receive it about four days per week. Other times we fall off the wagon and do it less. However, when our chickens are molting, stressed, or seem a little under the weather, we keep the fermented feed in ample supply! They need all the extra nutritional support they can get during those times. 

Offer about the same amount of fermented chicken feed as you would their normal food. Check the serving recommendation on your feed. For example, our favorite Scratch and Peck organic layer feed suggests ¼ cup of feed per bird. That means putting out about a cup for our flock of four per day (measured prior to fermentation). Again, because fermented chicken feed may keep them more satiated and also expands slightly in volume after soaking, they may eat slightly less than usual. See what your flock will consume and adjust as needed.

HOW TO MAKE FERMENTED CHICKEN FEED

Step 1: Mix Feed & Water

Find a suitable container to ferment the feed in. Great examples include a large glass jar, bowl, or bucket. Because fermentation makes the feed slightly acidic, it is best to choose glass, ceramic, or BPA-free plastic. It should be large enough to hold a day or two worth of feed for your flock, plus extra room for water, stirring, and expansion. 

First, add enough chicken feed to the container for one or two daily servings for your flock. We usually ferment about two cups of feed, enough for two days.

Next, pour dechlorinated or filtered water over the top of the feed. Add enough so that the feed is fully submerged and has a couple inches of room to expand. Chlorinated water may inhibit healthy fermentation. If needed, simply leave a glass of city tap water out at room temperature overnight to allow the chlorine to dissipate. 

Q: What type of chicken feed can I ferment?

A: You can ferment crumble, pellets, or whole grain chicken feed – including chick starter! We’ve found that whole grain feed holds up the best, as the others expand more and get a bit mushy. We use our long-time favorite organic layer feed from Scratch and Peck. You can even ferment scratch as a treat, though it shouldn’t replace their layer feed. 

Step 2: Let It Ferment

Cover the top of the container with a loose-fitting lid, plate, or other makeshift lid. It doesn’t need to be air tight! The idea is to prevent drifting mold spores from floating in, but also allow the fermentation gasses to escape.

Set the container in a location with moderate temperatures for three to four days to ferment. We leave ours on the counter. Check and stir it each day. Add additional water if the feed has absorbed it all.

By day or two or three, you should see small bubbles on the surface and/or within the feed mixture. That is a sign that lactobacillus is hard at work! It should smell slightly tangy, sour, and sweet – similar to yogurt or yeast. Ours smells a tad fishy too, only because the feed has kelp meal in it. The liquid will also get increasingly cloudy. If the fermented chicken feed develops mold or putrid odors, do not feed it to them!

While fermented chicken feed will be effectively preserved (due to the low pH) and safe to consume beyond day three or four, it gets more sour the longer it sits. Therefore, it can become less palatable for your spoiled chicken’s taste buds. We took a survey among our backyard residents and found that our flock prefers their feed fermented for three days. 

Step 3: Drain and Feed

Chow time! If the fermented chicken feed hasn’t absorbed all of the water, you can either drain it off into the bushes, or reserve the liquid to jump start a new batch! The lactic acid bacteria in the “brine” will be happy to feed on more fresh grains, and can actually put the next batch about a day ahead of schedule. 

Speaking of schedules, you’ll need to figure out your own little fermented feed groove. Since it takes a few days to ferment, some folks start staggered batches every day or two (date the containers) in order to have fermented feed available at all times. Or, you could start one batch after another and not provide fermented feed every day.

Note that the feed will spoil faster when it is no longer submerged in its liquid “bath”. Therefore, if you ferment a hefty amount to feed a larger flock over the course of two days, simply scoop out half on day three and then drain/use the rest on day four. If they gobble it up on both days, that is great! Because we make a two-day supply at a time BUT our girls don’t eat it as readily after more than three days of fermenting, we refrigerate the unfed portion to halt fermentation until using the rest the following day.

Simple, effective, and worthwhile!

In short, making fermented chicken feed is an easy and inexpensive way to give your girls a boost! It can lead to healthier chickens, better quality eggs, and potentially lower feed costs. What’s not to love about all that? I hope you found this article helpful and interesting. If so, please spread the love by sharing this post! Above all, I hope your chickens enjoy their new feed!

You may enjoy these related articles:

• Sprouted Seeds: A Health Treat for Backyard Chickens
• 10 Ways to Keep Chickens Cool During Hot Summer Weather or Heat Waves
• Tips on Caring for Chickens During Cold Winter Weather
• Feeding Chickens Eggshells or Oyster Shells for Essential Calcium
• Best Practices for Storing & Washing Fresh Backyard Chicken Eggs
• When Do Chickens Start Laying Eggs? 5 Telltale Signs It’s Soon!
• Top 18 Chicken Breeds for Your Backyard Flock 

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How to Make Fermented Chicken Feed

Fermenting chicken feed is an easy and inexpensive way to improve the nutritional value of your chickens food, leading to overall better health – and quality of eggs! It takes very little supplies and time to do. Come learn how!

Course Chicken Feed, Fermented Foods

Keyword fermented chicken feed, fermented feed, fermenting chicken feed

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Fermentation Time 3 days days

Equipment

• Large glass jar, mixing bowl, bucket, or other container (BPA-free preferred)

Ingredients

• 1-2 servings chicken feed of choice (for the whole flock) including whole grain feed, pellets or crumbles

Instructions

• Check the serving recommendations for your chicken feed (e.g. 1/4 cup per chicken per day). Then, choose a large enough container to fit one or two daily servings of feed for your flock, plus some extra room for water, expansion, and stirring.
• Add enough chicken feed to the container for one or two days servings for your flock. We usually ferment two cups of feed, enough for two days.
• Pour dechlorinated or filtered water over the top of the feed. Add enough so that the feed is fully submerged and has a couple inches of room to expand. (If needed, simply leave a glass of city tap water out at room temperature overnight to allow the chlorine to dissipate.)
• Cover the top of the container with a loose-fitting lid, plate, or other makeshift lid. It doesn’t need to be air tight.
• Set the container in a location with moderate temperatures for three to four days to ferment (such as out on the counter, in the garage, etc).
• Check and stir it each day. Add additional water if the feed has absorbed it all.
• After 3 to 4 days (our chickens prefer day 3) give them the fermented feed. If it hasn’t absorbed all of the water, you can either drain it off and discard, or reserve the liquid to jump start a new batch of fermented feed.
• Repeat as desired, and develop a schedule. Since it takes a few days to ferment, some folks start staggered batches every day (put a date on the container!) in order to have a finished batch of fermented feed available at all times. Because we make a two-day supply at a time, we refrigerate the unfed portion to feed them the next day and also start a new batch.

The post How to Ferment Chicken Feed for Better Hen Health & Eggs appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Farm fresh and backyard chicken eggs are remarkably different from eggs you buy in stores in a number of ways! Their deep golden yolks and unique variety of eggshell colors may catch your attention first. More often than not, fresh eggs have superior flavor, texture, and thicker eggshells – all due to the higher quality of care and nutrition that small farm and backyard chickens receive over large-scale poultry operations. Last but not least, fresh eggs are not processed in the same manner as commercial eggs. This means you can wash and store fresh eggs differently than store-bought eggs.

What is the best way to store fresh eggs? Do you have to wash backyard chicken eggs? Do fresh eggs need to be refrigerated? How long are eggs good for? This article will answer all of those questions – and more! 

Can I store fresh eggs at room temperature?

Yes, unwashed freshly-laid eggs from backyard chickens or a local farm can safely be stored at room temperature for several days or even a couple of weeks. We love to display some of our hen’s gorgeous collection of eggs in a wire basket or ceramic egg tray on the counter! However, this only applies to unwashed fresh eggs.

Washed eggs must be stored in the refrigerator, including those from your backyard flock or the store. If you purchase local eggs at a farmers market or farm stand, ask if the eggs have been washed and/or if they need to be refrigerated. When in doubt, store eggs in the fridge. 

Curious why?

The Protective “Bloom”, Fertilization, & Pasteurization

During the process of laying an egg, a hen’s body deposits a natural protective coating on the outside of the eggshell – commonly known as the “egg bloom”. In more scientific terms, the egg cuticle is a layer of protein that covers the surface of the egg, effectively sealing the otherwise porous shell.

As the University of Edinburgh explains, “the cuticle prevents bacteria from entering the egg and forms its first line of defense against infection.” It is the hen’s innate way of protecting her chicks during development inside a fertilized egg. The bloom also helps to keep unfertilized eggs fresh longer, preventing both the loss of moisture and the introduction of contamination. Don’t worry, a fertilized egg will NOT continue developing on your countertop and can be treated just like other eggs.

When eggs are washed the bloom is also washed away, thus leaving the eggs more susceptible to spoiling – particularly when stored at room temperature. In the commercial egg industry, eggs are washed and also pasteurized. Pasteurization is the process of rapidly heating eggs to a certain temperature and time to kill bacteria, and is required by the USDA for all commercial egg products sold in the US. It kills pathogens present at the time of pasteurization, but provides no long-term protection.

That is why it is considered a food safety best practice to store eggs that have been washed in the refrigerator – pasteurized or not, store-bought or home-raised. However, note that we are especially cautious here in the United States. In other parts of the world, it is not uncommon to store eggs at room temperature – even in grocery stores!

When to wash fresh backyard chicken eggs

In general, I recommend waiting to wash your fresh eggs until right before you use them. That is, unless they are soiled with poop, mud, or otherwise in need of a good rinse. In that case, wash dirty eggs but then store them in the refrigerator thereafter. Otherwise, avoiding washing eggs right after you collect them will extend their shelf life and freshness, whether you store them at room temperature or in the fridge. I know many backyard chicken keepers who don’t wash their eggs at all!

To wash our eggs, we simply rinse and rub them under warm water. There is no need for harsh soaps, vinegar or bleach!

Keeping backyard chicken eggs clean

To prevent eggs from getting dirtied up, do your best to keep the hen’s nesting boxes clean. Discourage sleeping (ahem… and pooping) in the nesting boxes by providing suitable sleeping roosts above the height of the nest boxes. Their natural instinct is to sleep as high above the ground as possible. Also collect eggs daily, or even a couple times per day depending on your schedule and flock size!

If your chickens are prone to laying eggs in random places, help train them where to lay by placing wood dummy eggs inside the nest boxes. They want to lay where eggs already are! Finally, change out soiled nest box bedding material as needed. We use these nesting box pads with a little layer or straw or hay on top. The straw can be changed out for a small mess, or swap the whole pad for a deeper clean.

How long can you store fresh eggs at room temperature?

Various resources say to store fresh eggs at room temperature for no more than 2 to 3 weeks. However, the recommendation doesn’t stem from food safety alone – but more so to maintain optimal eating quality. As eggs age, their protein structure degrades. This causes older egg whites to become more runny, and the yolks to stand less round and tall. Eggs stored at room temperature will degrade more quickly than those stored in the refrigerator. The warmer your home is, the more this is true. Therefore, I recommend storing eggs at room temperature for about a week – and only a few days if it is very hot and humid.

We usually keep a small collection of eggs out on the counter, both for convenience and simply to admire them. If we add eggs to the basket more quickly than we use them, we do our best to rotate the oldest eggs (after a week) into the refrigerator. We also try to consume older eggs first. Using an egg skelter instead of a basket makes it easier to keep track of which eggs are new or old.

Keep in mind that we have a small flock of four chickens, and a couple of them are only sporadic layers. Thus, this rotation method is manageable for us. If you have a large flock and ample egg supply, it may be best to store the majority of your fresh eggs in the refrigerator after collecting them.

How long are fresh eggs good when stored in the refrigerator?

Storing fresh eggs in the refrigerator significantly increases their shelf life. It is perfectly fine to store unwashed fresh eggs in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 months! Washed eggs will lose moisture and quality sooner, but may still be safe to consume within that same timeframe. Because washed eggs are more porous, it is best to store them in an enclosed container within the refrigerator to reduce moisture loss and also the absorption of off-odors or bacteria. 

Once eggs are refrigerated, they should be kept in the refrigerator, washed or not. According to the USDA, “a cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, facilitating the movement of bacteria into the egg and increasing the growth of bacteria”. Therefore, refrigerated eggs should not be left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature. 

Other Tips for Storing Eggs

It is best to store eggs with their round end up and pointy end facing down. There is an air sac within the rounded end. When the air sac is on top, it acts like a little balloon of insulation and helps to reduce evaporation and additional moisture loss. 

Signs of Egg Freshness or Age: The Float Test

Did your egg rotation get mixed up, or aren’t sure which eggs are the most fresh? Try the float test! Fill a glass or bowl with cool water, and gently place the eggs in question inside. The freshest eggs will lay on the bottom of the glass. Eggs that are a few weeks old will stay on the bottom but “stand up” slightly. Middle-age eggs may partially float but stay submerged. The higher the egg floats, the older it is. Full-blown floaters are considered bad to consume. 

Moderately old eggs are still perfectly fine to use! Within reason, that is… I don’t suggest eating eggs that are more than a few months old, or those that completely fail the float test. Yet there are some real perks of using slightly older eggs for some things. For instance, just-laid eggs are incredibly difficult to peel. The shells stick to the whites and make an absolute hot mess out of hard-boiled eggs! On the other hand, older eggs peel much easier. We purposefully save and seek out eggs that are a few weeks old to make hard-boiled or steamed eggs.

Why are older eggs easier to peel? 

You know the air sac that I mentioned within the round end of the egg? Well, as a raw egg ages, the air sac or air cell inside gets larger. As it expands, it creates a small void between the eggshell membranes and thereby also makes the hard cooked egg easier to peel. It is the same reason why older eggs float! The enlarged air sac makes them more buoyant. 

Recap: Best Practices to Store Fresh Backyard Chicken Eggs

• Don’t wash the eggs until you use them, unless they’re soiled.
• Fresh unwashed eggs do not need to be refrigerated for several weeks.
• Always refrigerate washed eggs.
• Eggs will maintain a higher quality when stored in the refrigerator – washed or not. However, unwashed fresh eggs will keep the best.
• Once refrigerated, keep cold eggs in the fridge. 
• Keep track of your eggs. Rotate room temperature eggs into the refrigerator once a week. Use old eggs first. 
• Store eggs with their pointy end facing down.
• Older eggs are easier to peel, making them ideal for hard-boiling or steaming. 

Well, that was fun. Even I learned a few new things while putting together this article, so I hope you did too! Please feel free to ask questions, and help spread important food safety information by sharing this article. Enjoy those fresh eggs!

Don’t miss out on these related articles:

• When Do Chickens Start Laying Eggs? 5 Telltale Signs It’s Soon!
• Top 18 Chicken Breeds for Your Backyard Flock (information about egg colors and laying habits included)
• 10 Ways to Keep Chickens Cool During Hot Summer Weather or Heat Waves
• Chickens Eating Eggs? 9 Ways to Prevent or Stop It
• Tips on Caring for Chickens During Cold Winter Weather
• Tangy Beet Pickled Eggs Recipe
• Feeding Chickens Eggshells or Oyster Shells for Essential Calcium

The post How to Store & Wash Fresh Eggs: Best Practices for Backyard Chicken Eggs appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Please enjoy our easy homemade beet pickled eggs recipe. They are tangy, savory, just a tad sweet, and as spicy as you want to make them! In addition to being delicious, beet pickled eggs are downright gorgeous. Naturally dyed with fresh beets, these bright pink and yellow eggs bring a spectacular pop of color to your plate. Beet pickled eggs make outstanding zesty deviled eggs, and the kids will be super excited to enjoy these as a unique and healthy snack!

INGREDIENTS

Per Quart Jar

• 9 to 11 large eggs. Though you may be able to squeeze up to a dozen in a quart jar, we typically use about 10 eggs to make our beet pickled eggs. That leaves enough room for the beets, brine, and other goodies too.
  
• 1 small to medium fresh beet. Using red beets will result in beautiful deep pink pickled eggs. I have also seen people use golden beets, creating bright yellow pickled eggs! A chioggia beet (white and pink) will result in a more muted light pink color. Some homemade beet pickled egg recipes call for canned beets, but we prefer using fresh.
  
• 2/3 cup distilled white vinegar
• 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar (organic and raw/unpasteurized preferred)
• 1/4 cup filtered water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, kosher salt, or pickling salt (not iodized table salt)
• 1/2 tablespoon white cane sugar
• 4 to 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
• A dash of black pepper
• Optional: fresh hot chili peppers, red chili flakes, celery seed, dijon mustard, and fresh red, white or yellow onion slices (described more below!) 

As you can see, our recipe doesn’t call for an excessive amount of sugar like many other beet pickled egg recipes do. The natural sweetness from beets and apple cider vinegar is plenty, in my humble opinion!

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

• Wash, hard boil, and peel about a dozen eggs. 
  
  
• Pack the peeled eggs into a clean quart-size mason jar or similar container. I highly recommend using a glass container, as plastic may become stained and stinky, and most metal is not compatible with vinegar.
  
  
• Wash and grate the fresh raw beet. We use a box cheese grater, though you can also finely slice (julienne) the beets instead. Whether you choose to peel the beet first is up to you. Since we use homegrown beets with fairly tender skin, we often include the skin. If it is gnarly tough or difficult to get fully clean, you may want to remove it.
  

Brine & Season

• In a pot on the stovetop, combine all the other called-for ingredients: both types of vinegar, water, grated beet, salt, sugar, garlic, and black pepper. 
  
  
• Add other optional ingredients. We usually add a fresh hot chili pepper from the garden, cut in half and tucked into the jar with the eggs. The other optional ingredients are best mixed into the stovetop brine, such as 1 to 2 teaspoons of dijon mustard (highly recommended!), a dash or celery seed and/or red chili flakes, or a small handful of thinly-sliced fresh onion.
  
  
• Heat and lightly simmer the brine ingredients over medium heat for a few minutes (until the salt and sugar fully dissolve and everything seems well-combined). It should turn bright pink from the beets right away!

Assemble & Steep

• Allow the brine to cool slightly, and then pour it into the jar over the eggs. A warm brine is okay, though I avoid adding it when it is still piping hot. Make sure to get most of the beets in there! If the jar is getting full but there are still goodies in the pot, I give priority to adding as much grated beet as possible before topping off with liquid brine. Also, I like to keep a little pile of beets on top of the uppermost eggs, helping to keep the eggs submerged below the brine. If you happen to run out of brine, simply add another splash of your vinegar of choice to top the jar off. 
  
  
• Next, add a tight-fitting lid, and move the jar to the refrigerator right away. We like these stainless steel lids that have a silicone gasket to prevent leaks. Cooked eggs should not be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours as a food safety best practice.
  
  
• Finally, let the beet pickled eggs sit and infuse for a few days (at minimum). The longer they steep, the deeper the beet color will get – and the more tangy pickled-flavor the eggs will become! After a few days in the fridge, the outermost layer of egg white will become pink. Given a week or more, the pink can penetrate all the way down to the yolk! We like to let our homemade beet pickled eggs to infuse for at least 5 to 10 days before digging in! Very large eggs can take up to two weeks to become fully seasoned.
  
  
• If some eggs are pressed up against the sides of the jar (leaving un-dyed white spots), or if any are floating up above the brine level, gently tip and shake the jar every couple of days to move things around. That is one added benefit of not over-packing the jar.

Enjoy!

After infusing for a few days in the refrigerator, it is time to enjoy your beet pickled eggs! We love to slice them to put on top of crusty homemade sourdough bread with hummus, avocado, cucumber, and/or cheese as a colorful open-face egg sandwich! Hint: they turn even brighter pink when broiled on toast! Beet pickled eggs also make some awesomely wicked deviled eggs. Finally, we enjoy them simply cut in half, sprinkled with a dash of salt and pepper, and snacked on plain! They bring a spunky pop of color to an hors d’oeuvres plate or cheese board.

Read below for storage information, “shelf-life”, safety, and other frequently asked questions.

Frequently Asked Questions about Homemade Pickled Eggs

How long do pickled eggs stay good for?

When made with a high-vinegar recipe (mostly or all vinegar brine) and stored in the refrigerator, homemade pickled eggs should stay good and safe to consume for several months. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, use refrigerated pickled eggs “within 3 to 4 months for best quality”.

We always use ours well within that time frame, usually within one or two months maximum – simply because we enjoy them so much! I suggest making your homemade pickled eggs in batches that you can reasonably consume within that time frame. You can always stagger batches and make more next month! If so, be sure to label your jars to keep them straight.

Can I store homemade beet pickled eggs at room temperature?

No. Homemade pickled eggs must be kept refrigerated at all times. This recipe isn’t for shelf-stable “canned” pickled eggs. While they are somewhat preserved in vinegar, it is not safe to keep cooked eggs out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (such as while serving and enjoying).

Should I use super fresh or older eggs to make pickled eggs?

That is up to you! There are minor pros and cons to both. Using fresh eggs ( straight from your backyard chickens) may result in a superior quality pickled egg. However, super fresh eggs can be more difficult to peel after hard-boiling or steaming than those that are a few days old. Therefore, we usually use eggs that are about 5 to 10 days old to make beet pickled eggs – or any hard boiled egg recipe, for that matter!

And that is how you make homemade beet pickled eggs.

What do you say? Are you feeling adventurous enough to try making your own homemade beet pickled eggs for the first time? Or, do you already make your own – and were simply stopping by for some new ideas? I’d love to hear any fun variations you can offer! In all, I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. Please let us know by coming back for a review, and spread the love by sharing this article. Enjoy!

Are you a pickle fan? Then don’t miss these awesome related recipes:

• Lacto-Fermented Radishes Recipe with Dill and Garlic
• Quick & Easy Refrigerator Pickled Peppers (vinegar brine)
• Probiotic-Packed Fermented Dilly Green Bean “Pickles”
• Simple Fermented “Pickled” Beets Recipe
  

Print

Tangy Beet Pickled Eggs Recipe (with Fresh Beets)

Course Appetizer, Party Food, Preserved Food, Side Dish, Snack

Keyword Beet pickled eggs, Pickled eggs, Preserved eggs

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Steeping Time 5 days days

Servings 11 eggs (1 quart)

Ingredients

• 9-11 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
• 1 small to medium fresh red beet, raw and grated
• 2/3 cup distilled white vinegar
• 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar (raw, unpasteurized suggested)
• 1/4 cup filtered water
• 1 tsp sea salt, kosher salt, or pickling salt (not iodized table salt)
• 1/2 Tbsp white cane sugar
• 4-6 cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
• 1 dash black pepper
• Optional: fresh hot chili peppers, a sprinkle of red chili flakes or celery seed, 1-2 teaspoons of dijon mustard, and/or a handful of thinly-sliced fresh red, white or yellow onion slices

Instructions

Prep

• Wash, hard boil, and peel about a dozen eggs. 
• Pack the peeled eggs into a clean quart-size mason jar or similar glass container. (We add a fresh chili pepper in the jar with the eggs at this time)
• Wash and grate the fresh raw beet (or finely slice/julienne)

Create Brine

• In a pot on the stovetop, combine all the other called-for ingredients: both types of vinegar, water, grated beet, salt, sugar, garlic, and black pepper. Add other optional ingredients as desired.
• Heat and lightly simmer the brine ingredients over medium heat for a few minutes (until the salt and sugar fully dissolve and everything seems well-combined).

Assemble and Steep

• Allow the brine to cool slightly, and then pour it into the jar over the eggs. A warm brine is okay, though I avoid adding it when it is still piping hot. Make sure to get most of the beets in there! If you happen to run out of brine, simply add another splash of your vinegar of choice to top the jar off.
• Next, add a tight-fitting lid, and move the jar to the refrigerator right away. 
• Finally, let the beet pickled eggs sit and infuse for a few days (at minimum). The longer they steep, the deeper the beet color will get – and the more tangy pickled-flavor the eggs will become! Very large eggs can take up to two weeks to become fully seasoned. We usually let them sit in for 5-10 days before digging in.
• If some eggs are pressed up against the sides of the jar (leaving un-dyed white spots), or if any are floating up above the brine level, gently tip and shake the jar every couple of days to move things around.

Enjoy & Store

• Enjoy your beet pickled eggs any way you'd like – turned into deviled eggs, on a sandwich or toast, or simply snacked on plain!
• Maintain refrigerated at all times. Do not store at room temperature.
• Use refrigerated pickled eggs within 3 to 4 months for best quality.

The post Tangy Beet Pickled Eggs Recipe (with Fresh Beets) appeared first on Homestead and Chill.