My life of frugalness was not easy nor did it happen overnight. My family and I lived like many Americans-we had the big house, new cars, nails done weekly, fashion clothes, gym memberships etc, and then bam everything changed overnight, quite literally. My husband and I had much soul searching to do, as he was and still is the sole breadwinner for the family. We were fortunate to realize that if we made changes we could still enjoy life, just a different life than we had grown accustomed to.
So we bought a really run down place, and began reading everything we could about raising animals, growing foods, making natural cleaners- and after living on the farm a year, I was asked to be the assistant to the Director of Poultry for Otero County, New Mexico(this really is a shocker as chickens frightened me just a few years ago!)
Here is a post I wrote on how to incorporate frugal savings, all the while raising chickens:
I have been raising chickens for a few years now. I would have never guessed that in this short period of time that I would become the go to gal in my area, when one has questions about the birds. Funny thing is that I have learned a good deal about chicken raising, chicken health, and much much more. Raising chickens should be one of the least expensive things that you can do.
Now in today's society we are sold a bill of goods on even the needs of chickens, and many people have fallen in the trap of spending far too much. Most people do not realize that you can feed your chickens your food waste. This is so simple and so important. Every peeling, every egg shell(crushed into small pieces), every bone goes into the bucket. I have an ice cream bucket to toss the "slops" for the day in, that we give to the birds mid-day! It is pure excitement when we call the chickidoodles! The slops are a highpoint in their wee pea brained days and for me, I have reduced giving more feed to them.
In fact, we have a family in town that saves their food slops for us to give to our birds. We provided the buckets and they call when the bucket is full(how easy is this?). The slops provide an array of nutrients to the birds that specialized feeds try and pinpoint. A bonus is that the waste from the table is not wasted and if you usually placed this in a compost pile-then don't worry, you still can~ after you clean the chicken coops. Instead of the foods it will be the hay and waste of the birds.
Do not forget- any food item-bones and all go to the chickens. They love everything. A fun afternoon is to watch the chickens chase and fight over a spaghetti noodle! Please remember that easy ideas are most often the ones that take you on a path of simplicity and less waste and less cost. Learning how to have animals that utilize less commercial feeds is a great start. Modern thought is that this is not possible nor healthy for the animals. I am here to document my path and that it is indeed possible and successful.
~footnote here: We have over 100 birds that include Black Spanish Turkeys, Geese, Ducks, and chickens. We raise all organic birds, and we have a wait list for eggs sales as so many people prefer farm fresh eggs. We also butcher and eat our own chickens, goats, sheep, and cows.
So we bought a really run down place, and began reading everything we could about raising animals, growing foods, making natural cleaners- and after living on the farm a year, I was asked to be the assistant to the Director of Poultry for Otero County, New Mexico(this really is a shocker as chickens frightened me just a few years ago!)
Here is a post I wrote on how to incorporate frugal savings, all the while raising chickens:
I have been raising chickens for a few years now. I would have never guessed that in this short period of time that I would become the go to gal in my area, when one has questions about the birds. Funny thing is that I have learned a good deal about chicken raising, chicken health, and much much more. Raising chickens should be one of the least expensive things that you can do.
Now in today's society we are sold a bill of goods on even the needs of chickens, and many people have fallen in the trap of spending far too much. Most people do not realize that you can feed your chickens your food waste. This is so simple and so important. Every peeling, every egg shell(crushed into small pieces), every bone goes into the bucket. I have an ice cream bucket to toss the "slops" for the day in, that we give to the birds mid-day! It is pure excitement when we call the chickidoodles! The slops are a highpoint in their wee pea brained days and for me, I have reduced giving more feed to them.
In fact, we have a family in town that saves their food slops for us to give to our birds. We provided the buckets and they call when the bucket is full(how easy is this?). The slops provide an array of nutrients to the birds that specialized feeds try and pinpoint. A bonus is that the waste from the table is not wasted and if you usually placed this in a compost pile-then don't worry, you still can~ after you clean the chicken coops. Instead of the foods it will be the hay and waste of the birds.
Do not forget- any food item-bones and all go to the chickens. They love everything. A fun afternoon is to watch the chickens chase and fight over a spaghetti noodle! Please remember that easy ideas are most often the ones that take you on a path of simplicity and less waste and less cost. Learning how to have animals that utilize less commercial feeds is a great start. Modern thought is that this is not possible nor healthy for the animals. I am here to document my path and that it is indeed possible and successful.
~footnote here: We have over 100 birds that include Black Spanish Turkeys, Geese, Ducks, and chickens. We raise all organic birds, and we have a wait list for eggs sales as so many people prefer farm fresh eggs. We also butcher and eat our own chickens, goats, sheep, and cows.
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