Chicken Coop: Phase 2

Thursday we were adding Phase 2 to our chicken coop. Mr. Perky got up early and took down the entire entrance wall, framed up that side, added a door, then put up the chicken wire. This took several hours and the chicken run was completely open the entire time. Dudley-Did-Right and the girls had the opportunity to cross the open threshold and run free for the day. But, they weren't ready for that step yet. What were they thinking? What did they perceive was beyond that imaginary barrier? What stopped them from journeying into freedom?

Inside the run we added angled flashing, for some shade. Also it now will serve as a cover for the feed, feeder & water fount. Since the coop looks like a little house, I also added a lamp post in the yard.
Actually i am very excited about this phase of our prepping. While I still have several years of pressure canned meats, especially chicken in my prep storage, we now have them means to be self-sufficient with at least growing chickens as meat. Not taking that step yet, but we are prepared for expanding our flock if needed.
I will continue to use our stored meats and pressure can more. Having meats in the preps allows for the time to expand if the scenario changes. Depending on the time of year, we have enough prepped until we could expand our garden, our flock and just in case we have a bad crop for a year or two. In fact I have a shipment of Zaycon chicken coming November 10th.
Still more to do & more to share...

What I do here is simply share our preparedness journey. We would love it if your joined our Perky Prepping Gramma community on Facebook.

Items Used this Week:

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For Fraser: Chicken Runs, Prepping and God Stuff

Thursday we were adding Phase 2 to our chicken coop. Mr. Perky got up early and took down the entire entrance wall, framed up that side, added a door, then put up the chicken wire. This took several hours and the chicken run was completely open the entire time. Dudley-Did-Right and the girls had the opportunity to cross the open threshold and run free for the day. But, they weren't ready for that step yet. What were they thinking? What did they perceive was beyond that imaginary barrier? What stopped them from journeying into freedom?

Honestly I believe that people allow fear of the unknown stop them in their path; a path they know in their heart they need to take.

We preppers understand that things are getting hairy. Some people simply become overwhelmed by what they see. Mired in fears of canning explosions, thinking they don't have enough money to prepare or any fill in the blank reason they may have for not crossing the line into prepping.

Others step out on faith and start preparing, figure it out with what they have, get out of debt, do the things that are necessary to become self-sufficient to the best of their ability. Make a plan and follow the plan.

For the last couple of weeks I have been drawn to read Numbers & Joshua in the Bible. When the Israelites reached Canaan the promised land, they wouldn't see what the Lord had promised them any more. They were complacent, sitting on their laurels with a defeated attitude. They were challenged and made the choice to remain lukewarm.
Fast forward 40 years when Joshua encountered the man with a drawn sword, the commander of the Lord's army just before Jericho. What did he do? He asked what message did the Lord have for him and then he complied.

The Israelites wandered aimlessly because of their attitude. When their passion was ignited again to actually listen to what God commanded them to do...things changed and they were able to take the territory that God promised all along.

Just a thought...

Prepared or not,

Canaan or Jericho:

which choice, which answer?

How to Make Classic Simple Syrup with Raw Sugar

Have you ever added sugar to a drink and not have all the sugar dissolve? I know it's not the end of the world, but it is annoying. Considering I occasionally like to sweeten cold beverages (think iced lattes, iced tea) I thought I would share just how easy it is to make classic simple syrup with raw sugar.
It is so simple to make:
Classic Simple Syrup (with raw sugar)
1 cup boiling water
1 cup raw sugar (you may use refined sugar)
Stir until the raw sugar is completely dissolved.
I store my classic simple syrup in a swing top glass bottle in the fridge.That's it.

What I do here is simply share our preparedness journey. We would love it if your joined our Perky Prepping Gramma community on Facebook. 

Items I used today: 

   

I participate in the Amazon Associate program, where I receive a small % commission for linking products that I recommend. I only recommend products I personally used and like. Your support is very appreciated, anything you choose to purchase through my link, is helping me to be able to share more things that I do with you. Perky Gramma Teaches Amazon link.

Not a Deuce Coupe but a Pullet Coop...

How I Chose My Chicken Coop

I have been using my Formex Snap Lock Chicken Coop since October 2015 now and I wanted to give you an update. Initially read everything I could, we looked at various coops online and at the stores and while Mr. Perky is very handy we decided on this little chicken dream house. While this coop cost over $700, but coops can get really expensive or even with plans the cost of the supplies was still fairly high. 

We were getting into a pinch because we had 10 chickens coming from the local coop and time was running out.

So I decided to check and see what the Chicken Whisperer suggested. His recommendation was the Formex Snap Lock Chicken Coop. I chose the large one which holds 6-12 chickens. My chickens are a fairly large breed (red sex links) and I admit it's a little snug for my 10 chickens and one rooster. But, they don't seem to mind at all. I found that ordering through Amazon I saved $23.95 with the free shipping. That bought my first bag of of feed & part of my first chicken feeder. (when you included the shipping from the Formex Site) The coop was delivered in less than one week. These are the selling points and I have found each to be true. I listed the predator resistant first because the very first night we had evidence of a visit from a raccoon. I wanted to mention the "Chicken Whisperers" book, because as a newbie chicken momma, it have found it incredibly helpful and an easy reference to use. When I found the muddy paw prints on the coop, I was easily able to identify them from my book.

The house comes with carabiners for every hasp lock.

  

• Predator Resistant
• Locking Access
• No tools required
• Insulating double wall construction
• Impact resistant
• Ultraviolet resistant
• Water resistant
• Chemical resistant
• Maintenance free
• Removable litter tray
• Adjustable ventilation
• Easy access for egg collection
• 64” by 39” by 42” tall
• Room for twelve standard breed hens
• Three 36” roosts
• Four laying boxes
• Larger adjustable ventilation

Next, the coop was relatively easy to put together. The pieces "snap" together. Sometimes we had to fiddle with some of the pieces to get them to set true. The pieces they selves are double wall construction and are very sturdy. I am able to lean heavily on one of the walls without it bending. It held up extremely well during the snowmageddon we had in January. 

The very best feature is how easy it is to clean. I really like the fact that it has a separate little door that opens up (it is in that last photo above) and you can completely remove the floor trays to clean. Super easy to do.

The people who designed this really thought things out. It comes with 3 adjustable roosting bars that slide into recessed cubbies in the walls. The 4 nesting boxes are also recessed into the sides with lids that open over each side for easy access to get the eggs. The actual nesting boxes are removable, you just slide them out and dump them, rinse them, fill them again. Plus the lid actually slides out and back in, great for adding pines chips.

 

It has vents in the gable on two sides. The vents easily slide up and down to adjust the mount of ventilation.

It has five access points. The front door, the two sides with the nesting boxes, one side of the roof opens up & you are able to remove the entire roof. I am frequently using the high slated roof that opens up for easy overall access.

Some people asked me about out gassing (release or give off a substance as a gas or vapor). There is nothing specific that talks about it on their website. The company has been in business for about 4 years. I did check the Better Business Bureau and they don't have any complaints filed. All that and the fact that Andy the Chicken Whisperer endorses that product I felt comfortable that out gassing would not be an issue.We have been using the coop for awhile now.  To wrap it up, I am more than well pleased with and would highly recommend this Formex Snap Lock Chicken Coop. 

   

What I do here is simply share our preparedness journey. We would love it if you joined our Perky Prepping Gramma community on Facebook. I only recommend products I personally used and like. Your support is very appreciated, anything you choose to purchase through my link, is helping me to be able to share more things that I do with you. Perky Prepping Gramma's Amazon link.

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For Tammy (Tick Repellent)

Part of our morning routine is getting the dogs really for hanging out in the yard. One of my concerns when we moved to the farm was ticks. Obviously nobody likes ticks, so I did some research.
In my reading I found that the following essential oils were recommended as helpful as a tick repellent: lavender, lemongrass, citronella, eucalyptus, rose geranium and cedar wood. 
Or you could try Insect Shield which contains the Pure Essential Oils of: Citronella, Eucalyptus, Cedarwood, Lemongrass, Lavender, Litsea, Tea Tree, Patchouli & Catnip.
Pretty basic, I filled my bottle with the fractionated coconut carrier oil & because they have sensitive noses added enough drops of oil that I could just smell it. I always add a carrier oil to extend the oils efficacy.  I apply it to the napes of their necks and bum.

All I will attest to is that I was using it for weeks and then got out of the habit. When I was using it, they didn't get any ticks. When I stopped, they got a tick. Now we will use it until the first hard frost.
Yes it is safe for people. 


 

I participate in the Amazon Associate program, where I receive a small % commission for linking products that I recommend. I only recommend products I personally used and like. Your support is very appreciated, anything you choose to purchase through my link, is helping me to be able to share more things that I do with you. Perky Gramma Teaches Amazon link.

How To Restore Vintage Linens & Things...

When the "s" hits the fan no matter how much toilet paper, paper plates, napkins and such you manage to store; eventually you will run out of paper products then the "s" could really be a problem. That's why it is important to think about storing cloth items now.
Don't get me wrong, I still store some paper products but I am actually storing a lot less now. I am converting to using cloth for a lot of everyday uses and working on skills like how to clean the stains.
Many of you may already be storing personal bathroom cloth. When I was getting rid of a bunch of clothes, I saved soft items in black, white and grey. I figured each would serve a defined purpose.

Then I happened across a large box of vintage linens.
Antique is mostly defined as more than 100 years old (unless it is a car). Vintage is a loosely used word - so for your edification my definition here, I am cleaning vintage 1940's linens from my MIL. As I transition from less paper to more cloth, I thought now would be great time to start work on cleaning the stains on these treasured linens.
One of the first steps for was determining just how important these napkins, tablecloths and hankies were. The only real value for me was sentimental, they are not antiques & I was planning on using them. So, I was willing to take chances and some losses were acceptable.

Like always I did a lot of reading. One of the most helpful things I read wasn't from a blogger, but from an anonymous comment:

I am a studied archival linen purchaser/collector and do not recommend any hydrogen peroxide or related peroxide products, +bleach, or any man-made definably chemical-based formulations to wash or treat linen and/or related fine cottons.

Use of these products creates irreparable hardship on the fibers and you will notice shortly thereafter that the texture of the article(s) will have changed (first detected to the touch, or ‘feel’ as it is deemed) then over time the fabric in question will begin to break and separate in the form of small holes, frayed/worn edges which often appear at the edge-seams or openings of your fabrics, garments or bedding material.

Vinegar, blueing liquid, buttermilk, lemon juice, salt soaks and mild ph detergent soaks (no extreme hot water temperatures must ever be employed) is best recommended. Wash fabrics on the gentle cycle of your washing machine using only a ph balanced soap like “Zero” or equivalent ph balanced soap.

Sun bleaching and/or hang drying is always best for archival fabrics, including natural linen or cotton. Caution: Never use Sun Bleaching if the fabric has been dyed–vegetable dyes will readily fade with sun exposure. Often antiquated quilts have depreciated in value considerably for oversights such as sun exposure and related sun bleaching.

Basically I started with the least harsh method I could find and worked my way up to soaking in bleach. The entire process took  a long time, but eventually I was able to set up a system.

Buttermilk (Step 1)

1 Gallon Water

1 Quart Buttermilk
1 TBS Fresh Lemon Juice

Soak items in the buttermilk recipe up to 24 hours. I added a plate in the pot to weight down the linens & to keep submerged in the solution. 
Rinse twice, then launder.

Step 2 When that method didn't work, I then used a gallon of water and Oxi-Clean. Soaked for 6 hours, rinsed twice, then laundered.

Step 3 Then I use an all fabric bleach and a gallon of water. Soaked for 6 hours, rinsed twice, then laundered.

 

By the time I reached this stage, I was all in. There were a lot of tough stains.
Step 4 I graduated to a bleach pen. I let that set for awhile and there wasn't any improvement I went directly to a cup of bleach in about two gallons of water. This was used of course with only the all white linens.

 

By this time, I manage to salvage almost all the linens. There are a few dots of stain left on a few of the linens and I lost about 4 pieces to deterioration of the fabric. Yet I would still be able to use these pieces. Since I went into this knowing I'd lose a few I was comfortable with the outcome.

Here is why I went to all that trouble. My picture parade of some of the fun and great pieces I am now going to be able to use.

 

 

What I do here is simply share our journey. We would love it if your joined our Perky Gramma Teaches community on Facebook.
Some of the items I have used this week.

   

I participate in the Amazon Associate program, where I receive a small % commission for linking products that I recommend. I only recommend products I personally used and like. Your support is very appreciated, anything you choose to purchase through my link, is helping me to be able to share more things that I do with you. Perky Gramma Teaches Amazon link.

How To Think Like a Prepper

When people are preparing they often look for the "ultimate list for prepping". One of the most valuable lessons I have learned in my prepping is how to develop the thought process of prepping.
First you just need to start preparing. Storing what you use and use what you store. We have all heard that.
Instead of trying to find that ultimate list of what to store, I want to encourage you to create your own list.
I am going to start gearing towards developing how to think like a prepper. I hope you will find that this will be a much better fit for you and your family. Today I am sharing how I determine what spices we store & in what quantity. 

Think Prepping Spices

1) Use: First make a list of what spices you use. Just go through your spice cabinet. Those old spices from 2006, guess what? You probably don't need to store them. What do you buy all the time? 

2) Grow: Are you able to grow that particular spice? If you are able to grow it, then get seeds and start growing. Chilies, garlic, thyme, oregano, mint..only you know what you use all the time. For example, I have been getting home grown chilies from a friend. I have been dehydrating them and storing them. I will be growing them next summer. Here are the garlic bulbs I ordered from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds to plant this month. 

3) Buy: Here is where I have several spices that I am not able to grow based on my location. Some of these are critical & I purchase them based on how much I believe I will use. Some things like salt & pepper, I buy in bulk and store and continue to add more to my preps. Because of the multi purpose use of salt, I will probably continue to add to my preps forever.
For other important but less utilized utilized spices I buy whole in bulk with a focus on organic.  The way I look at it, I might as well get a pound of something and store it properly rather than buy those little bottles. Usually these are more expensive. Here is one example: whole cloves. .62 oz of whole cloves in a small bottle is $2.53. Whereas 16 oz certified organic whole cloves is $24.95. Now I am not great at math, but you can easily see that the 16 oz is way more cost effective. Plus, I have determined that one pound of cloves certainly will last me my lifetime if stored properly. Just a few things on this list for me is cloves, allspice, cinnamon, vanilla beans (to make my own vanilla extract).

 


4) Store: Then what I store & how much I store is what I have determined from an actual list of items I know works for our family.
Let's start with things I have determined I am able to grow. 
That photo above is an array of various chili peppers I have. This last week I dehydrated some hot peppers.

 

At this point I simply vacuum sealed them in a small canning jar after they came out of the the dehydrator.
Recently I also added a pound of organic whole cloves to my preps.

Planning to grid your spices. Beside a salt & pepper mill, I also have two mortar and pestles. First as a back up, but I also currently have mine designated: one for baking spice & one for hot spices.

 

Last but not least, don't forget about plan, prepare for and learning how to vacuum seal when the grid is down.

Hopefully this was helpful. Today I have a big list of the items I have purchased and used. First these are just  few of the spices I have ordered:


 

Yes, I have two dehydrators, two vacuum sealers and a MityVac



  

I participate in the Amazon Associate program, where I receive a small % commission for linking products that I recommend. I only recommend products I personally used and like. Your support is very appreciated, anything you choose to purchase through my link, is helping me to be able to share more things that I do with you. Perky Gramma Teaches Amazon link.

Meeting Andy the Chicken Whisperer...

My girlfriend, two young ladies and I spent the evening listening to the "Chicken Whisperer" chat with his Georgia  charm and wit - about raising chickens. I didn't know what to expect, but I had an absolute blast. Couple of special notes. I LOVED the way he interacted with the young people there. you certainly are able to tell he is family man, he even has his family traveling with him on this tour.
I learned quite a bit, but I also was amazed with how much I had already learned about raising chickens. You know I have had plans for some time to be a self sustaining farm and one of the first things I want is chickens.
He just comes across as a man who loves what he does and also doesn't beat around the bush with his knowledge on a wide range of topics. The event was hosted by one of our local Coops to include a Poultry Workshop, Book Signing, Pictures & Autographs, Q&A, Everyone in attendance received a FREE Chicken Whisperer Magazine & Bio-security Booklets from the USDA. The booklet has update to date information of securing your livestock from disease, a hot topic these days.

I really like getting to meet real people and Andy is real. Added bonus, he was very respectful of the prepping community. He had recently spoke to a group of preppers. 
I picked up his book "The Chicken Whisperers' Guide to Keeping Chickens: Everything You Need To Know...and Didn't Know You Neded to Know About Bckyard and Urban Chickens" and though I haven't finished it I would recommend his book. He is just full of prctical tips.. I recommend you like him on Facebook (Plese tell him I said "hi")., read his blog, sign up for either his hard copy magazine or FREE digital magazine. He also does a radio show.

I am so grateful I was able to attend this event locally. Check his event schedule, he may be coming to a town near you. I am now  a BIG fan of the Chicken Whisperer.

His book I bought tonight available at a less expensive price on Amazon:

I participate in the Amazon Associate program, where I receive a small % commission for linking products that I recommend. I only recommend products I personally used and like. Your support is very appreciated, anything you choose to purchase through my link, is helping me to be able to share more things that I do with you. Perky Gramma Teaches Amazon link.

How To Make Dehydrated Okra Chips

Never in a million years would I have thought I was going to be trying to learn to like vegetables than were an anathema to my taste buds. But, I decided I am a grown up and it is time to start trying things I have always thought I didn't like. I was given some fresh okra and here is how to make dehydrate okra chips.
Vegetable chips are a great way to preserve your harvest through the winter months. Generally speaking most vegetables could be dehydrated in the same manner.
1. First I chose the medium to larger sized okra and sliced them in half length wise. If you will note: while you are beginning to slice the top off, you will feel some are harder to slice through (almost like sawing). I gave those a wide berth since I thought they would be too tough.

 

you will be able to tell which ones are tougher when you start slicing.
After slicing, I used about 1/4 cup of warmed up coconut oil and tossed that with the spices I decided to use. This time it was adobo and ground Cheyenne pepper. Adobo is a spice blend that I have used for years and use on practically everything. 

Laid the okra on the trays, cut side down and dehydrated them at 135 degrees, mine went for about 20 hours. But, the honest way to learn to dehydrate is just by dehydrating.  I kept them going until the largest one was crispy. For giggles I jut cut up a couple pods in slices to see it the furbabies would like them. They did.

 

Once they were done, I vacuum sealed them in a canning jar. These types of things are really easy to learn, if you just try.

Items I used today:

   

I participate in the Amazon Associate program, where I receive a small % commission for linking products that I recommend. I only recommend products I personally used and like. Your support is very appreciated, anything you choose to purchase through my link, is helping me to be able to share more things that I do with you. Perky Gramma Teaches Amazon link.