Getting past the Thanksgiving holiday..

Thanksgiving has came and gone..I didn't blog about it for several reasons.. 1 being that everyone  blogs about it.. Posting pictures of their turkey and side dishes and even of the fancy desserts.. Second reason is I was so busy I didn't have time.. I can think of several more but will just leave it at that.. Christmas is next so I'll be better prepared.

Pictured is of some mini cherry pies I made for my daughter's birthday.. She loves cherry pie but I did have a pie plate so I made mini ones in a muffin pan.. Cut out the hearts with a cookie cutter.. She just absolutely love them..

Here's my little Harley waiting till I get done with my feeding because she knows I'm going to town.

She won't be left.. 

Fall babies and yummy pumpkin seeds..

Last week was awesome.. I was given a sweet surprise.. My silkie hen hatched out some chicks.. It was early in the morning when I went to feed the chickens.. I heard a peep peep.. and seen one baby but she was still sitting on eggs so I knew she wasn't done.. During the day 4 more hatched..but by next morning there were 9 total.. I thought about letting her raise them.

But after a run to town I discovered that 5 were gone.. I thinking the young tomcat waited and snatched them.. So I scooped up what was left and placed in a box in spare room.. I was pretty up set.. Aleast I have the 4.. I'm thinking the black ones are pullets and the light colored one is a roo.

On a more happier note it's fall and that brings more than cooler weather and pretty leaves.. It brings pumkins.. I love pumpkins and always ready when they hit the stores.. I usually carve them and put on the porch with tealights inside. But when you have chickens the run loose that's not an option.. So I open them up and scrape the seeds out and cut the pumpkin into several pieces and give it to all the chickens..

Now what about the seeds... I roast them.. They are such an awesome treat... Salty, crunchy, and healthy..

Here's how I made them..

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

• 2 cups Pumpkin Seeds from 1 Large Pumpkin approx.
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Salt to taste
• Pepper - optional to taste

Instructions

1. Clean your seeds and rinse them with water
2. Place them in a bowl covered with water and 1 Teaspoon of salt overnight
3. The next day, drain your seeds and dry them up with a paper towel
4. Preheat oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit
5. Place them in a bowl and add the olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix
6. Place seeds in a sheet pan in one layer
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until browned. Mix them every 10 minutes..

Enjoy...

• I give pumpkin to the chickens because they like it and it's a great dewormer..

Molting season for chickens.. Hidden treasures..

November is here and fall is officially showing the beauty it beholds. Even though we are still having warm days with temps near 80, we are have cold enough nights to change leaves from Green to red and gold.. Its makes it nice when you have lots to do outside.                                                                     

Another thing that happens in the late summer and early fall, the molting process of chickens..              

The picture above is borrowed from Pinterest because my hens never looked this rough.. Think it's due to high protein year round.. Not sure.. Never tested the theory..
Have you ever went out to the chicken yard, coop or pens and see enough feathers on the ground that it looked like a major  war happened.. Did you run to count all the hens and roosters to see if any were missing..

 Chickens losing their feathers

Is a natural occurrence.. Its when chickens lose feathers so new ones can grow in..and it happens as days get shorter.. It can be painful and most hens stop laying during molting season..              

An empty nest box. 

That's what I thought was happing to my hens.. I haven't gathered any eggs in a week..                   

This what discovered today... This is where the hens decided to lay..an old wooden carry box.. 21 eggs from 4 hens.. Eggs are at least 5 days old,Im glad I'm still getting eggs..

What can you do to help your chickens during molting season, higher protein, fresh water, and poultry snacks.. Because there are less bugs, mealworms are a helpful sorce.