The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Tuesday 3 November 2015

Pantries and Preparedness. Chooks.

In Australia we call chickens chooks.  I have had chooks most of my life. My downfall is that I keep them until they are really old and end up running a chook nursing home. However, overall they have always kept me in eggs, entertained the children, eaten every scrap, provided garden fertilizer and been happy and cheerful... which you find rubs off when you have them!

My Nan kept chooks all her life. She loved them. She was always out collecting the eggs and feeding the chickens. Nan loved that chooks are so cheerful. She wasn't far off herself actually they had a lot in common. She was always busy and happy. She was always cooking something or giving eggs to someone who needed them.

I have been without any chickens for a year or more as my last few were really old and we had a heatwave and that finished them off. I thought I would have a break for a while. But even though I try not to waste food sometimes I would be throwing away scraps, peeling etc and it would always seem such a waste! I could be feeding this to the chooks and getting eggs in return.

Also I want Harper to grow up doing things like collecting the eggs! Even if it's just at my house.

Last week I posted pictures of Bantams that I had really fallen in love with. They are just small chooks essentially. Tania helped me find some! And after a few phone calls and emails I have them already! This is not bad as I only just found that cage the other day...

I wanted to talk about the help of having chooks as far as your pantry goes. Not just in that you have eggs and there are so many meals you can make from them... but that you then also have a commodity. Something you can sell. Something you could trade. Also potentially something you can give to help someone out or as a gift. This is very handy!

Our family always had chhoks and when I was growing up I know Mum gave eggs away weekly to a big family she knew. She took several dozen eggs to that family for many many years. 

Now I know this won't suit everyone. If you cannot keep them in your area or have no yard etc. But they are quite suitable for suburbia if councils permit and you don't need a lot of space or to pay for fancy or expensive set ups. 
Also there are many other ways to produce something you can sell. It is good to have a commodity I think. So if you have been thinking about getting chooks and it is a possibility for you I want to say it is really good. They bring a lot to your life and a steady supply of eggs is an awesome thing. Eggs make so many meals. They are a wonderful source of protein.

All of this is great but I have to tell you about getting these chickens. I should have taken a camera crew. Andy knew I intended to get them but he was at work when this man said "come anytime after 3" so I just went. It was about 45 minutes away in the Adelaide Hills. I headed off with a map on my ipad.  Up the hills, around winding country roads, up a dirt road that got narrower and narrower... and to a gate. And there I was. I parked the car near the gate and walked down the driveway. It was in thick scrub and there was a house down the hill at the end of this driveway.
Do you know the series Greenacres? The house was like that but surrounded by all kinds of stuff and there was clearly no one home. mmm I started to feel like I am miles from no where. No one knows where I am, if I am never seen again they won't know where to look and will never find my body EVER up here. lol
Oh well. Then out of the scrub appeared a whole little tribe of the cutest chickens ever! They appeared crossing the path in front of me like bowling balls.  They were really lovely.

There were chickens everywhere! 

Then a car turned up and it was a husband and wife so I thought my chances of being murdered were much less. They turned out to be the nicest people ever.

I got the grand tour. They had a goat and that came everywhere including inside. There were little sheds and then inside the house they had chickens under lights, eggs in incubators... a cockatoo, a Galah, Lorikeets... dogs...  chooks and chickens wherever you looked.... I watched chickens hatching in an incubator.

I got to hear how they came to be breading chickens and how the man fell out of a tree (6 meters no less) and a whole lot of stories. 

Then I had to pick our chickens. I got teenagers. And went by the adults to see how they should turn out.  I am allowed to swap any that turn out to be roosters. We are allowed to have hens but not roosters here. 

This was one of the mothers I liked...


See what I mean? They are fat and round and adorable.



I had a complication with a rooster who followed me and pecked my sneakers as I walked. 

I got four chicks and tried to get different colours.  They are between chick and adult size so they are teenagers I say. So they look scrawny compared to the adults. But they are super cute and funny.



They are not marvellous at staying still for photos but this photo shows some of the pretty colours and fluffiness!




Now these are not as good at laying as regular chickens. But we will still get lots of eggs. They are a great addition to my pantry in this way plus the garden (manure for fertiliser) and pets too.

I came home with feed, nesting material and you name it. It was a really fun afternoon.

Once home the chicks settled into the little house. When they are settled in and the weather is clear and warm (it is rainy now) they will be allowed to run around most of the yard. They are not scared, they let you pick them up and don't try and run away.

Today they tried grass and crumbs. They were suspicious but soon caught on. They do everything together. If one has a drink they all have a drink. If one sits down they all sit down. And so it goes...

Whether it's stocking the pantry, planting a vegie garden planting a fruit tree or getting chickens, all these things add layers to your pantry and preparedness.

I had intended to write a post about getting ready for the fruit season and how to deal with lots of produce when it comes in. That will be next week now!

I hope you are having a good week!

As a result of Monday's lovely comments I am already working on The Christmas Club for January!
xxx


42 comments:

  1. That is hilarious Annabel! I love those moments where you think 'hmmm, if this was a movie a serial killer would come out now lol'. I can honestly say I have never wanted chickens, but seeing your photos I am totally with you, they are mega cute! Enjoy :)

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    1. Thanks Jen! Thanks for understanding my excitement! xxx

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  2. Dear Annabel,

    What a wonderful way to add to your pantry. Cute, cute, cute!!
    I plead totally ignorant concerning chickens. Where we have lived we have never been allowed to have them, until recently. Enough folks here pushed for allowing chickens in town, so we can now have up to six chickens; of course, no roosters.

    Green Acres was a great show :). Enjoy the chooks!

    With love and hugs,
    Glenda

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    1. Dear Glenda,
      I loved Greenacres! I loved Arnold the pig who came to watch tv in the afternoon and the chickens!
      I wish they had shows like that now most of the ones I see I am horrified by.
      I hope you are having a good week! With love Annabel.xxx

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  3. We always had bantams when we were growing up, I loved them. I'm sure Mum and Dad loved the free eggs and meat too. Your girls are so blessed they've gone to your home, I just know you'll spoil them :)

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    1. Dear Cath,
      When I was little I was lucky we had chooks plus other interesting pets over the years (ie baby kangaroo, lambs etc) I think this is wonderful for kids.
      Yes they are going to be spoiled! As it is they are in the laundry due to the weather!
      With love Annabel.xxx

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  4. Congratulations! We love having chickens. They are such a blessing. Our family loves to watch them "play football"...chase one another for a morsel of food.

    Blessings,
    Leslie

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    1. Dear Leslie,
      They are very entertaining I agree! I am glad you have chooks. A real asset I think! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  5. We just got our little chicks about a week ago! Ours also want to do everything together, a leaf fell in with them today and they were all going after it and stealing it from each other's little beaks!

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    1. That is lovely! They are very sweet and good fun to watch! I hope you get lots of hens! xxx

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  6. What a lovely time you've had! The chicks are so cute and you will love them! Loved hearing about how you 'found' them :) x Fiona

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    1. Thanks Fiona! Yes that was a bit of an adventure! lol
      I hope you are having a good week. We have lots of rain! xxx

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  7. Annabel,
    I love your chickens! They are so cute! I think they are great for kids our Emma loves our chickens and will spend hours out there with them. We have little waste since we have them, they are also great pest control, since we got ours we don't have near the bugs we used to. I love during the holiday season I always have a supply of eggs since I do a lot of baking and gifting. We have one that is so old we have to carry her in and out of the coop and move her around in the yard as well, but we still keep her. They also keep a lot of areas weeded for us which I love!
    XOXO
    Vicky

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    1. Dear Vicky,
      I can imagine Emma and the chickens. When Chloe was little she had one chook that she got on with and it was a big black one. She used to carry it around. She wasnt much bigger than it!
      You make me feel better about the chicken nursing home with yours!
      I agree about bug control. They also let you know if there is an intruder or snake... which is handy. With love, Annabel.xxxx

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  8. Lol Annabel. You have an active imagination too I see. I'd be the same! What cute little chookies you now have. They are simply adorable, and funnily enough, they look like 'Annabel' chookies! This is a long term plan for me. Firstly we have a whippet and you probably know that the Hound breed are basically hunters. He's getting old now, but I still think he could catch and eat a chicken! And secondly, having just had a win on the fruit trees with my reluctant husband, I think I'll just bide my time for a bit on any further requests ;-) Mimi xxx

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    1. Dear Mimi,
      I am glad for you about the fruit trees. They are a must. Every space says "fruit tree!" to me. Sensible planning for the future.
      Maybe one day you will get your chooks. I think so!
      Due to rain the chickens are in the laundry (due tot heir age and not being used to being outside) so luckily they are cute and we like them! But the rain is awesome! I hope you are having a good week! With love Annabel.xxx

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  9. I love bantams, over the years we have had bantams, chickens and also quail. The boys loved all of them and the bonus were the eggs. I can still remember frying quail eggs for them and I needed 4 per slice of toast but did they look cute.
    I have thought of chickens again since Bell was born but haven't given in yet but you can't beat fresh eggs.
    I love you Christmas club idea and I will definitely follow along.
    Hope you are having a great week. Debbie x

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    1. Dear Debbie... I am really interested that you had quail. In some of the cooking shows I have seen quail eggs used and oh they look lovely! And speckly. So there is obvious an industry to produce quail eggs for the market place. I love it!
      I am quite excited about the Christmas Club. Ive started working on it! It will have progress reports but also helpful ideas on things like labeling, packaging etc. Plus I think it will be fun!
      Many thanks, I hope you are having a good week! Love Annabel.xxx

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  10. Imagine if the worst had happened Annabel and you disappeared into the never never, what would happen to the dedicated blog followers? You can't do that in future ok? From now on if you are to travel to unknown locations, please post your details on here and we will find you. Imagine no more bluebirds are nesting. Lol.

    The bantams are beautiful. I had bantam pets as a child and they are very entertaining little creatures. You will no doubt take on the mum role for them. I did love the photos of the place they came from, looked like chook heaven. What a nice couple and to have all those stories and tales. What a lovely day.

    My mother always used to say chickens were stupid because their brains were so tiny. I always refuted that and said we can learn so much from them. Hens make the best mums. Never letting the chicks out of their sight and teaching them and then hiding them under their wing if something scary happens. They are happy creatures and it makes my heart sing to think of them roaming around your yard, working on your garden beds and giving you free fresh eggs and fresh fertiliser. I hope you enjoy them.

    Looking forward to the January challenge too. Fi xx

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    1. Dear Fiona, When you see a hen with her chicks it is so sweet that I think they are quite smart. Not get a PHD smart but still pretty smart! Also they have personalities and certainly learn stuff and know to put themselves away at night etc. They are amazing like that. When I first had chooks someone said to me how on earth did I catch them to put them in the coop ? I said they just go in themselves and they didnt believe it!
      You could have chooks there? mmm good idea I think! Lots of love Annabel.xxx

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  11. Lots of entertainment! Have fun with your new birds, they are very sweet.

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    1. Thanks Rhonda! We have rain and a cool change so I have them in the laundry! xxx

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  12. Such lovely ladies! Enjoy! And your adventure is so like the things that occur when I set out for parts unknown ,too. :)

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    1. Dear Lana, You sound like me. I head off and the people you meet! The things you find! It is all fun!
      Hope you are having a good week! With love Annabel.xxx

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  13. Loved hearing about your "chooks". I had a pet chicken when I was a child--followed me around and I would hold it in my lap in the porch swing. Funny how our imaginations get carried away sometimes (but nowadays you never know)--glad your trip turned out to be so pleasant. Blessings, Sharon D.

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    1. Dear Sharon,
      My daughter Chloe carried a chook around and loved that chook! It was a big black one and heavy as lead too.
      Thank you so much! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  14. I just love having chickens. We have 14 now and they all have names. We have one named Lizzie who doesn't lay eggs anymore - she's retired. She spends her days sunbathing and just enjoying life. Have fun with your girls!
    Laurie

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    1. Dear Laurie, Fourteen names and remembering them is a very good effort! Lizzie sounds like she has a wonderful life! Thank you so much! With love Annabel.xxx

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  15. Well, you've convinced me to get chickens... if I ever live in a area that I am allowed to have them. Okay, we know the good things about chickens, any negatives we should be aware of? You have some pretty ladies there.

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    1. Dear Joy... ok additional good things are they alert you if there is a stranger in the yard or a snake or anything else...
      Downside... the usual pet things if you go away someone needs to take care of them although we have a set up that covers a few days... cleaning out the cage/coop but you do get great free garden fertilizer. I guess what to do with roosters can be a problem... but we have a swap deal so that is great! I hope one day you get a chance! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  16. Your chickens are very cute and fluffy Annabel. You'll get hours of entertainment from them. Seeing them run around the backyard is like watching a cartoon.

    We will have to get rid of our chickens shortly as they are not laying very often. Thankfully the farmer I bought them from wil take them back and give us a small trade in amount when we buy new ones. It will be hard to let them go as they have individual personalities.

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    1. Dear Wendy, Yes I understand. You need the eggs though. And returning them is a great way to go. A chicken swap! I am the same things are pets and livestock... not always easy! With love Annabel.xxx

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  17. Annabel, chickens are very entertaining to watch,they give us eggs, fertilizer and meat ... that's a pretty good return on your money! Sounds like you had an adventure getting them!

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    1. Dear Patsy, I know you have chickens in big numbers! What an asset. It was a really fun day and I am enjoying them so much. They have settled in and are very tame. With love, Annabel.xxx

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  18. Dear Annabel, You have chooks!! They are sure cute. I'm sure they will be very spoiled!! It's good that you are getting rain! This is a nice asset to your pantry!! Love, Teri

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    1. Dear Teri, Thank you! Yes this is a good back up to the pantry, like the garden is. I am so pleased! With love, Annabel.xxxx

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  19. I live in the US in Alabama and we have had chickens for 10 years. We LOVE them. We love their eggs, their chicks, and their antics. :)

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    1. Dear Wendy, Thank you for commenting. It sounds like you would never be without your chickens. There are a lot of benefits for sure. And as you say they are entertaining! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  20. I agree with Mimi- they do in deed look like Annabel chickens. They look beautiful! I have always wanted chickens. It is a dream of mine. When we are in a house, I would love that. I bet Harper will have the greatest time with them. Too cute! Lots of love, bridge

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    1. Dear Bridge, Your day will come! Chickens are great fun for kids too. They love collecting the eggs and feeding them etc. Chloe used to carry a chicken around, it was almost as big as her. It was always the same chicken too.
      Also you would love the fresh eggs! You will get them I am sure not too far away! With love, Annabel.xxxx

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  21. Wow Annabel, what a day you had! I could picture everything as you described it lol! You must have been excited about those chickens to take such risks!

    They are adorable and I can see why you would love them. Ours are a mixed up bunch but we love them just as much. I have always had chooks, and wouldn't be without them :)

    So glad you found exactly what you were looking for. They are absolutely gorgeous!

    Lots of love
    Tania xoxo

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    1. Thanks to you Tania! Thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction. Then it didnt take long at all!
      I am loving them and they are so tame. xxxx

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