What is Chicken Math?

What is Chicken Math?
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What is chicken math? According to Meyer Hatchery, “chicken math is the addition to your flock in quantities and maybe even species that are beyond what you originally planned.” A good example would be my flock.

Last year I had an amazing plan to get some birds to help with bug control. I was thinking about guineas. They are excellent for all kinds of bugs. But then I found this thing called a surprise box from Cackle Hatchery. Well 50 random birds means more bug diversification and the shipping was free and the chicks were cheaper that way! So I ordered a box. 

Then I had to wait, but my coop was already ready. So why not experiment with a few from Orchlen’s to make sure I got it figured out before the big batch comes. So we got a dozen. Then on a separate trip a month later Tractor Supply was trying to get rid of some older chicks. So we brought home 30ish chicks. Then a month later the Surprise Box of 50 arrived with various chickens and guineas!

I thought I was done for a while, my coop space was beyond full. But my husband asked about more chickens, because you know you have to keep various ages for continual production. I said I was maxed on space. Then he told me he was going to build a bigger coop! So I ordered another surprise box for this spring!

Hoping for a bit more variety of birds I set it for April delivery. I got 2 ducks and 2 turkeys with that box! Well two ducks didn’t seem like enough, so I found a local boy who had some for sale and bought 10 more from him. Then late this summer my husband saw some geese at Bomgaars and we came home with 2. 

What started as we’ll have around 20 guineas has resulted in more breeds of chickens than I can name, guineas, ducks, turkeys, and geese. Currently as we prepare to move the two flocks together into the hen house, we have around:
49 laying hens
4 roosters
12 ducks
2 turkeys
2 geese
40 young chickens

And every time I add more birds I just call it chicken math!



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DIY - Fly Spray for Horses

DIY - Fly Spray for Horses

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with no additional cost to you.

I have wanted to make my own fly spray for my horses for more than a year now. The one fly spray I found that actually works for an extended period of time, was loaded with stuff I didn’t want around my kids. I had to make sure my 3 year old didn’t get a hold of the bottle to “help” and had to make sure I sprayed the horses down after my special needs riders were done brushing and picking the horses feet. Mostly I just wasn’t using it unless absolutely necessary (like the horse would not stand still due to the flies biting). Read all the way to the bottom for the recipe I found to work. 

Looking this spring, I found a “greener” spray that had peppermint, rosemary, citronella, lemongrass, and geranium. I had talked with my sister, in Oklahoma,  and she was using lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, and citronella in a spray, while feeding lavender and citronella, with good success.  I also found a recipe calling for peppermint, citronella, purification, eucalyptus globulus, tea-tree, cedarwood, and thyme. 

So I mixed my own to test it out. The first batch I made had peppermint, citronella, purification, eucalyptus, tea-tree, cedarwood, and thyme (it had most of the other recipes plus). I then tested it against the old spray, left legs with the mix, right leg with the old stuff. Day one, by the end of the day the old stuff was still working. 

So I added a little rosemary, lemongrass, and geranium (may as well right). This combination seems to last almost as long as the old stuff. WIN! Now I just have to keep it out of my daughters reach.

I also started feeding them citronella, lavender, and lemongrass essential oil. The older horses also started getting peppermint to help them keep cooler and eating. Caution! Only feed essential oils that you know are absolutely pure, with no contamination or fillers. The company I use have a fantastic Seed to Seal commitment and have the highest standards for their oils. 

Fly Spray of Horses (16 oz bottle)

1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner

7 drops Peppermint

15 drops Citronella

10 drops Purification

7 drops Eucalyptus Globulus

5 drops Tea Tree

7 drops Cedarwood

6 drops Thyme

6 drops Rosemary

6 drops Lemongrass

6 drops Geranium

Fill with water and gently shake before use. 


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DIY - Flea & Tick be Gone

DIY - Flea & Tick be Gone

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with no additional cost to you. This blog was updated August 15, 2024. You can read that here.

Let's talk about the nasties with pets, fleas and ticks. Typically I have given our dogs bravecto or frontline. The ticks are nasty around our house, and the flies eat the dog’s ears raw every summer. The dogs try to hide from the flies and are constantly scratching at their ears. I’ve tried baby oil on their ears in the past and even sprayed them with the horse’s fly spray to give them some relief. The baby oil worked the best, as long as it was wet, but as soon as it was dry the flies were back. My daughter loves to hang out with the dogs and loves them, but I realized I don’t want to apply anything to dogs that I don’t want her to get on her.  Which meant I needed a new dog pest control plan.

We already use fly predators for the stable flies, which helps immensely for the horses. I also plan on getting guineas and other birds this summer to further take care of bugs around our house, without having to apply chemicals. My kids love to be outside, so I don’t want to have to worry about what has been applied to the yard that they will be running barefoot through.

This year I decided to try something different. Something that would hopefully prevent the problem from ever starting. I went searching and found spray for the pesky flies, that like to eat the dog’s ears, and a dropper for the fleas and ticks. The dropper I applied it like you would frontline, down their back, starting at the end of April. I did a slow jumpstart of sorts for both dogs, applying it every couple days for a week, then once a week, then once a month (I’ll adjust if needed as the summer progresses). So far the dropper has been working to keep the ticks at bay and I really haven’t noticed the flies yet. The best part is it doesn’t matter if my two little kids are climbing and petting the dogs right after, because any of these oils are safe for my kids when they are pure.

Spray                            Dropper

4 oz Bottle                       2 oz Dropper bottle

4 drops Purification      9 drops Palo Santo

4 drops Citronella         6 drops Peppermint

1 drops Cedarwood      6 drops Citronella

2 drops Palo Santo        

1 drop Thyme               

Top with water and gently shake before each use. 

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Plant with purpose: Pest Control

Plant with purpose: Pest Control

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Anything I plant or attempt to grow must have a purpose, other than looking pretty. As a busy mom of two, and a side of extra farm/cattle hand, I don’t have the time or space to care for things that are just pretty. A good part of homesteading is being purposeful with your resources. Your time, your space, and in some places your water, are all valuable. Make sure you are using them the best you can. 

Is that useful?
Most of my plants and herbs have come from either (a) I sure use a lot of “x” I wonder if I can grow that in Nebraska instead of buying it. Or I heard (b) could be useful for “y” I wonder if I can grow that to have on hand, so I don’t have to rely on (c) when “y” happens. I would then look to see if growing whatever it was, was possible in Nebraska and if it was annual or perennial. Remember the time part? If it can come back year after year or readily reseed itself, I’m in! If it was an annual, can I trick it by bringing it inside, or take a cut of it to start next years plant from, or are the seeds easy to collect and get started? It’s not saving me much $$ if I constantly have to buy a new plant. 

I started with two main types of plants ones my family could eat or ones that repel bugs or snakes (I hate those). We spend a lot of time outside and I disliked putting bug spray on, so what plants do mosquitoes not like. 

Here is what I found for the pests
Citronella – It is related to geraniums, but has a much stronger scent, that is given off whenever the leaves are rustled. I love the smell of it and the misquotes hate it. This is a perennial in tropical regions, but not in Nebraska. If I ever build my greenhouse, I could move the large pots in for the winter and they might overwinter. 
The good news is you can start new plants from cuts. When the plant is in active growing stage take a cut and dip in water for 24 hours then stick in the wet soil. I have not successfully accomplished this though. The batch I had going good, my 2 ½ year old helper decided to pull them all up right before the killing frost. ☹ I will be trying again this year however, as these are the best but not very cheap to buy. 

Geraniums – much softer scent, but still repels mosquitoes. These are easier to bring inside over the winter, but they need warm and plenty of sunlight. 

Cat mint – I love this on and the butterflies do to! This one is super easy to grow and will fill its space. I have mine in an old mineral tub. It can take the full sun and dry of forgetful watering (I have seen the leaves start curling, soaked it and it came back)! The best part is it over winters even in a large pot. 

Lavender – so many uses for this! I have it right by my tack room door, not only for mosquitoes, but also its calming scent for nervous riders. This one is a perennial if you get the correct variety but will not do well in a pot overwinter.

Lemon balm – can be perennial in the warmer regions or if is in the ground. Bonus is you can also cook with this one! Use the leaves for tea or seasonings. 

Lemongrass – I have this one not for mosquitoes, but for snakes! This one is also a perennial in tropical regions. You are supposed to be able to take a part of I the plant root, soak it for 24 hours the plant in soft soil, and it will restart. I did not have luck last year. A few got started with a small root, but never matured enough to plant. 

Peppermint – This one is a must if you want to keep bugs, mice, snakes away from an area. Grow it in a contained area though because it will take over. It will come back year after year or at least reseed itself, even in a large pot or old stock tank, if you can keep the dogs from digging it up or smothering it. We have snakes everywhere at our house and one pot of this and the snakes avoided the front porch. I’m adding 4 pots this year to surround the garage door openings. Plus you have peppermint tea!

Marigolds – Many bugs don’t like the smell of these and will avoid them. I plant them around my garden and have seen a decrease in some of the common garden pests but misquotes don’t seem to care. These also readily re-seed!

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