Cold Weather Arrives at Little Utah Farm

So far we have gotten some heavy and fast hail
which turned most places white in 8 minutes.

The cold has come to Little Utah Farm.   The temps range from 30s to 12 degrees. Taking care of the animals is much different in cold temperatures.



The girls (hens and ducks) are hungry in the morning and I find having it all ready to put down in the morning works best for all of us.  In the evening after I put the ducks and hens to bed, I prepare their morning feast of scratch, feed, and sunflower seeds and a few dried mealworms and put in the feed bin with a tight lid. I fill the  water buckets and put them inside by the back door for next morning, so they do not freeze. I feed again in the afternoon around 2:30pm well before the sun goes down and the colder temps set in.


Those dried meal worms are eaten up fast. They miss their moths, and other bugs that they hunt  in warmer weather.

The chickens  and ducks are snug
in their coop during the winter.

The infrared lamps in the coop were dusted off tightened into position and connected. That gets turned on at 15 degrees. Some chicken owners say wait till below zero but I draw the line at 15 F. Some of you might even gasp at that temperature but the  girls run really hot. If you bury your finger into their feathers you can feel the heat they give off. Those feathers are like a super down coat. They fluff their feathers out to insulate the cold from coming in. The hens and ducks have a big coop. They roost in a small compartment which blocks the icy winds and rain and snow. Chickens do adapt to cold weather just like the swallows, robins, and doves who winter here.



Just a note: I raised my first hens in Southern California. I did not know much about them. When it got 60 degrees I turned the lamps on for them. Which is crazy wrong. But we learn as we go along. When I got to Utah I turned the lamps on at 40. then the following year, 30, then later, 20. Now it is 15. I see that the more adapt I am to the cold the more I realize the hens are too. I also came to this by reading many articles on the subject.



 The heating element was placed inside the water trough for the llamas. Llamas have a common dung pile and 90% of the corral stays very clean. In the cold, rain and snow those lines  get out of the normal parameters and the llamas manure pile extends out to the north east of the corral. Come summer the manure pile shrinks back to the southeast.

The whole herd of llamas fits ncely
inside a 3 sided shelter during a snow storm

 Llamas have a 3 sided shelter to keep out of the elements when they need to. the shelter is big enough to house 6 llamas comfortably.



The way we deal with the water and hoses is much different in the below freezing temperatures. After using the water, I have to drain the hose, disconnect it from the spigot, and put a special cover to keep the water from freezing.




As for me I have outfitted myself with nice thermal under layers. 3-4 layers of clothing keeps me warm in single digits and below freezing. These are not heavy layers at all. I can move about quite freely. It is the gloves I feel clumsy with. So hard to manipulate tiny jobs with those heavy gloves. An ungloved hand can get real cold, numb and painful so I keep those gloves on.

A nice big red barn.

I would love a nice big red barn that is connected to the house by an underground pass. I have that picture in my mind always and it makes me happy. I love to dream.
After all, dreaming got me here to Little Utah Farm.

Frost gathered on the alfalfa
and the drying corn stalks.

I take advantage of the mild waves of remaining warmth during the day to finish cutting the cornstalks and making a corn shock from my field of dried cornstalks. I am also layering cardboard, manure, kitchen scraps and leaves for good garden soil and no weeds. It did wonders for the clay soil.

Layers of cardboard, manure,
kitchen scraps, straw, and leaves.

Here is my blog post Winter Layers For My Garden which shows how to layer cardboard, manure, leaves and straw to keep the weeds down and also make rich soil.

That is it for now...

Deborah Moen
Little Utah Farm

Thank you for visiting us at Little Utah Farm


Until next time,

Enjoy your life, gather your blessings, and cherish each day.

Dust Bath !

Hens taking a dust bath. 

The coop door opened and 8 hens ran for the corner where the soil was warm and sandy. Must have felt so good. It was one of our first warm days since winter. They stayed in that dirt for some time soaking up the rays and dusting their bodies and feathers.


Dust baths are a way for chickens to keep clean.   It also keeps those pests at bay.  The dust will clog the pores and suffocate any pests hitching a ride. It is a natural pesticide.


Watch video: Here is our hens inside the coop taking dust baths. 

Dust baths are a kind of self-care for chickens.

If your chickens do not have a place to take dust baths you can create one for them. 

You can use, for example, an old apple crate, 14" plastic tub, galvanized tub or just dig out an area and fill it with the following base.

A good base is:
Equal amounts of

• dry clean dirt ( fertilizer, pesticide free)
• clean builders sand

That is enough but 
You can also add:

• ash/charcoal ( NO Lighter fluid !) -Charcoal has vitamin K for blood clotting and also calcium and magnesium. charcoal is a laxative and helps remove toxins and the ash and charcoal also absorbs toxins.
• dried ground lavender, mint, and rosemary are good insect repellents
• dried yarrow is an anti-inflammatory and clears up respiratory issues as do thyme and rosemary. 

If your dust bath area is outdoors think of adding an umbrella or canopy to keep it dry.

Chickens taking a dust bath are fun to watch. They peck at the ground to loosen the dirt and maneuver their wings to fluff the dirt up over them.  When the are done with their bath they will stand walk away and give a big shake shake, like a dog shakes off water, and a big cloud of dust will come off of them.

You do not have to have a formal dust bath for free range chickens. They will find a place and make it suitable for their dust bath. Here is our hen, Angel, settling down on some bare ground to have a dust bath. I had music playing on my phone and wind chimes in the background. Made it kind of like a spa atmosphere.

Watch video of Angel take her dust bath

DeborahMoonMoen
Little Utah Farm

Thank you for visiting Little Utah Farm
(pageviews 14,984)

Until next time...

image by Paul de Bruin
 Freeimages.com

Two little girls are talking
1st girl: Does your family pray before you eat dinner?
2nd girl: Nope my mom knows how to cook.

Gathering Duck & Hen Eggs

Ducks and hen eggs uncovered on Little Utah Farm

Every morning I go on an egg hunt. It is really fun. I feel happy and curious like a child while I search for the eggs.

Lolli, Ducky, and Daisy slurp up some snow
 after foraging through the garden. Little Utah Farm.

We have 3 Buff Orpington ducks. Their names are Lolli, Daisy, and Ducky. Some of their nests are so nice that the hens prefer to lay their eggs right in with the larger white duck eggs. I can tell who is who. The Aracana, Pearle and Isis, lay beautiful blue-green eggs. The White Plymouth, Angel and Fae lay pale light brown eggs. The Giant Black Jersey, Maven, lays a similar light brown egg. And they look so pretty all together in the nest.

Duck eggs are different than chicken eggs. I think they tast same but some people swear there is a difference. The only difference I can see is the size and the fact that Duck eggs have less water content in the white portion. They cook faster.

The ducks dig the nest deep and line it with an intricate weave of straw and feathers till it makes a nice shape, like an upside down crown of a straw hat. After they lay their eggs, they cover everything up with straw till it is even with the ground. I have to stick my hand down into the straw and wiggle my fingers around to find those eggs.


Sometimes I find a duck egg lying in the center of the coop as if it just fell out on the way to a nest. And it probably did. One of the ducks, I think it is Daisy, has been doing that since she began laying in the fall. I also find an occasional egg in the shallow pond or on the grass lawn. It makes me laugh.

8 Eggs gathered in one day. Little Utah Farm

We share our eggs with our neighbors and in town. With 8 hens and 3 ducks I gather at least 5 eggs a day. Some days, like yesterday, I gather 8. That adds up fast!

I am about to go out this morning on another egg hunt. I would love to have one of those egg pocket aprons. I think I will sew my own before spring gets here.

Deborah Moon Moen

Thank you for visiting Little Utah Farm
(page views 14,503)

Until next time, I found a story for you to enjoy.

“I have never before gathered eggs from under a hen. Fernando has never before seen a hen. We bend low into the shed where perch a dozen or so fat lady birds. There's no shrieking or fluttering at all. I approach one and ask if she has an egg or two. Nothing. I ask in Italian. Still nothing. I ask Fernando to pick her up but he's already outside the shed smoking and pacing, telling me he really doesn't like eggs at all and he especially doesn't like frittata. Both bold-faced lies. I start to move the hen and she plumps down from her perch quite voluntarily, uncovering the place where two lovely brown eggs sit. I take them, one at a time, bend down and nestle them in my sack. I want two more. I peruse the room. I choose the hen who sits next to the docile one. I pick her up and she pecks me so hard on my wrist that I drop her. I see there is nothing in her nest and apologise for my insensitivity, thinking her nastiness must have been caused by embarrassment. I move on to another hen and this time find a single, paler brown-shelled beauty, still warm and stuck all over with bits of straw. I take it and leave with an unfamiliar thrill. This is my first full day in Tuscany and I've robbed a henhouse before lunch.
Back home in the kitchen I beat the eggs, the yolks of which are orange as pumpkin, with a few grindings of sea salt, a few more of pepper, adding a tablespoon or so of white wine and a handful of Parmigliano. I dig for my flat broad frying pan, twirl it to coat its floor with a few drops of my tourist oil, and let it warm over a quiet flame. I drop in the rinsed and dried blossoms whole, flatten them a bit so they stay put, and leave them for a minute or so while I tear a few basil leaves, give the eggs another stroke or two. I throw a few fennel seeds into the pan to scent the oil, where the blossoms are now beginning to take colour on their bottom sides. Time to liven up the flame and add the egg batter. I perform the lift-and-tilt motions necessary to cook the frittata without disturbing the blossoms, which are now ensnared in the creamy embrace of the eggs. Next, I run the lush little cake under a hot grill to form a gold blistery skin on top before sliding it onto a plate, strewing it with torn basil. The heat of the eggs warms the herbs so they give up a double-strength perfume. Now I drop a thread of find old balsamico over it. And finally, let it rest.” 
― Marlena de Blasi

Chickens and Deep Snow

 

The snow reached a higher volume than my hens could handle. We had shoveled paths but the walls of the path were much too high to see over. Naomi one of my Giant Jerseys, flew into the white abyss and landed in a foot of soft Utah powder. She was stuck and looked all around for an escape route. But the white snow overwhelmed her and she stood still. 





Here is Naomi strutting through the snow when it was only 2". She is now on a greeting card to wish someone a Happy New Year. Click on the image to see this card.

Happy New Year Hen Greeting Card by LittleUtahFarm
See more Chicken Cards at zazzle.com

 

 

 I picked her up and her little body was cold and shivering. I warmed her and placed her back in the coop and closed the door. . The solution to this was to keep them inside their coop.

 My hens are tough and do enjoy tromping around in the snow. They cackle and whine a bit inside the coop, especially Winona. She sounds like a little girl with pigtails, saying Why ? Why can't we go outside?

Little Utah Farm has a hard working Kabota tractor. www.littleutahfarm.blogspot.com

Husband Paul made our winter wonderland a bit more animal friendly with his Kabota tractor. He shaved the snow down to 4 inches where the hens and dogs play in an enclosed back yard.. It is so much better.

 

We have a magical winter wonderland around us as far as the eyes can see so this does not diminish our beauty one bit. He did such a great job. So much easier to feed and care for our flock and herd and dogs. We let the hens out and they are laying outdoor in the sunroom on their sides, wing extended, leg out, soaking up the sun.
 

 

Thank you for visiting Little Utah Farm (page views 9354)

Until next time

Wishing you a Merry Christmas
touched with wonder
and filled with love

 

Deborah Moen of Little Utah Farm
Farm-girl, Nature Lover, Photographer, Writer

 

PS

 

We have a Little Utah Farm Store on Zazzle and a Facebook page.

 

Greeting Cards and Express shipping are both 50% off till Sunday December 20, 2015 Zazzle always has a sale going on.

We have a winter Holiday Category on Little Utah Farm Store. Here is Starbuck our llamas peeking out of the shelter on a winter wonderland morning.

 

Llama In The Snow Happy Holidays Greeting Card by LittleUtahFarm
Make custom notecards at zazzle.com

The Day Winter Came

The Day Winter Came

Autumn brought such beautiful color and a short cold snap that turn the leaves a beautiful burgandy red, orange and yellow gold. After that brief cold snap, it was mild most everyday. The colors on the trees stayed longer and brighter most of the season. One day a strong wind came through and dried the leaves untill they were crisp which made a rustling sound as they moved up and down. The warmer weather was a blessing for the baby llama, Luna. We took her homemade coat off and she was able to enjoy her infant days much more grazing and playing naked in the sunshine.

We had heard of a storm coming but we gave it no mind as the mild autumn had cast her spell of euphoria and complacency.  I stepped out onto the back deck. A freezing cold wave of wind and snow flurried around my face I shivered all the way down to my feet and followed the snowflakes out to the coop.  I felt my heart race to think of the girls in this cold weather and stepped into the coop to turn on the heat lamps. Click* click...there was no light....nothing... then I tried again...click* and no light came on ... no electricity! * (see note below)

Husband usually takes care of these things but he was at work so I had to put on my big girl pants and investigate the source. Sure enough after testing the main outlet with a hair dryer I found the electricity was off . I tried the reset button but it did not help. Rerouting the extension cords to the house from the barn was a bit dramatic as the snowflakes swirled around me in a white out.  I held that "can do" spirit of a farm woman. As I worked, the snow got deeper. I grabbed the cords to the llama trough heater and pulled them out across the pasture, through the backyard gate, across the lawn and plugged it into the socket on the back porch. The chicken coop and llama trough were connected. Success ! 

The next on my chore list was to sew on some velcro fasteners onto baby Luna's winter coat. That went fast. By now the sun had begun to lower fast and it was dark by the time Paul got home. We went to get that coat on Luna. We turned on the back porch light and could see the snowflakes swirling down and blowing in diagonal sweeping motions like a curtain in the cold winds. 

  I wore a head lamp and Paul held a flash light. We were ah mazed at the snow heaped on the gates and panels and we shivered as the ice crunched under our feet and gloves. There is this metallic crunch like a crystal glass vibration as we forced opened the gates. being from Southern California this is quite awesome to us. We entered the shelter and gently cornered baby Luna. Momma, Gaia, made no mind of it.

Luna, 3 months old, had bits of frozen ice on all over her and I pulled them off with my heavy gloves. She was dry under the ice. She grunted and hummed like a child who was getting her face washed but she stood quite still for me to get her coat on. The new coat fit so well with some room to grow and Luna was now protected from the wet cold snow.  Yay ! Done! That night I slept pretty good knowing all my fur and feather family members were safe and warm.

Within 2 days the winter has brought us minus digits to -7 degrees and then it let up and became warmer.  Highs in the 20's and lows in the teens and single digits for the coming days and nights showed on the weather reports. 

The water at the spigot outdoors had frozen which means the water buckets must be filled from the sink or bathtub indoors then carried out to my trusty wagon.  As I pulled the wagon behind me over the ruts of frozen snow, the water in the buckets sloshed.  I made my way to the corral and emptied the buckets into the big water trough. 

Really, I do love our little farm. It is quite an adventure for me.  Everyday brings another lesson, another joy to experience and another story to share. 

As I write this morning, it is 14 degrees. I will stop now as it is time to feed breakfast to my dear animals outdoors. I will fix a nice meal of scrambled eggs, oatmeal, and fresh broccoli for the hens. The llamas are easy. They love their hay of alfalfa and grass.

I wish you all a Happy and Joyous New Year!

Thank you for visiting Little Utah Farm

Deborah Moen
of Little Utah Farm

We hope you can come again.

Until next time you may like to try my post 

 Pumpkin Seeds recipe:

* [Please note: I was new to cold weather, being from mild Southern California, and unaware that chickens can hold their own in the cold.  As I got used to the cold I have let the girls use their feathers and warm bodies to keep warm. I do have a great coop heater panel which I use in single digits and minus temperatures. It has a timer and 3 settings. It is safe for coops on the ground or hanging on the wall. I got it at amazon. ]

A Tea Party For My Hens

Tomato Pulp Tea Tray

The hens have enjoyed this season immensely. The Unique Tomato Pulp Tea Party was a success. I love creating fun activities with my hens.  The talk between them is so cute." Oh look, Henny Penny!" one hen says, " a  platter of scrumptious red tomatoes."  "Mmm," Betsy cackles and purrs," The taste is divine!" On and on the little coos and clucks make quite an appreciative fuss over the party.

The girls run to their tray of goodies. They can't believe their eyes.
 During their  molting, a party is a great uplifting event.

Scrumptious Tomato Pulp Tea

The dishes emptied. Even the spilled pulp from their enthusiasm has been gurgled and supped down.  The Tea Party was a success. The hens walk off in every directions looking for bugs, green blades of grass and their favorite hiding places.

Thanks for reading our farm  journal at Little Utah Farm.  Take care and come back and visit us.

A Red Hen Sweater for Peck

I have taken some pretty weird orders in my dressmaking career but this one tops the chart. 20 years of creating prom dresses, wedding dresses, suits, drapes and pillows, alterations, zippers in jeans, quilts and duvet covers, you name it, I made it. But a Hen Jumper is something quite new indeed. My dressmaking slogan was Creating Anything Your Heart Desires so this little project was gonna be a piece of cake.

It was so much fun to blow the dust off my sewing machine and loop that familiar yellow measuring tape around the back of my neck and feeling it fall down the from of my legs onto the floor. See how natural I look in this setting? Brings back memories. My magically delicious life was but a seed back then and now the seed of my dreams have been planted and sprouted and have grown some. Brings a smile to my face to think of it.

I made a pattern, cut the jumper out of fleece then strategically zig zagged the velcro fasteners on. I proudly held the tiny green garment up and admired it. Paul and I went out doors and fetched Peck, my hen. Paul did the holding as I wrapped and fastened on the jumper. I got to say there ain't nothin' like a chicken wrapped in fleece in your arms. Here she is...

Peck lost a few feathers in the summer and we wanted to keep her warm. Turns out a rescue for hens in the UK puts these sweaters or jumpers on their hens. About 10-20% of their rescues have feathers missing and the use of these sweaters not only keeps them warm but allows their feathers to grow back. I have links below for patterns and info on the hen rescue.

 I set Peck down on the grass only to observe her walk backwards and stop, then backwards and stop again, and again. We thought maybe she was trying to step out of it. With a Libra eye my husband said it may need be a bit bigger and I quickly agreed as I

noticed the stress lines around her girth. Back to the house I flew and made up a larger pattern in red this time. I have got to say that red was the ticket. She looked so pretty in red. However, her sisters, Cali, Betsy and Henny Penny scoffed and pecked at her new duds. We took off the red jumper and I will make a larger one as the girth was still tight on her. Geeze you would have thunk I had of measured Peck's body first. Now I will have patterns in small, medium and large.

It has been an exciting day. It snowed all day and Paul and I took a walk in our Juniper Forest with our dogs, Kollie, Windy and Walker. They had a blast running and leaping and pouncing in the snow. The day went by so fast. Night has fallen and it is snowing. I am ready to fall asleep. I wish you all a good night or day which ever the case may be. Tomorrow is another day and I am looking forward to it. But for now it is Over and Out here in Cedar City,UT USA

Om Shanti Om (Peace)

Helpful Links:

http://littlehenrescue.co.uk/Hensandtheirjumpers.aspx

http://barnyardsandbackyards.org/2011/02/0http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-read-crochet-instructions-correctly-0122599/3/chicken-sweaters/

http://squee.icanhascheezburger.com/2011/01/28/cute-baby-animals-warm-this-winter/

http://plumcreekmama.blogspot.com/2009/10/hen-sweater.html

Farming is Fun

Our new windmill needs to be fastened
down in the howling winds.

Our parents grew up on a farm. Mine in Indiana and Paul's in South Dakota. They chose the city to raise their families. Paul and I dreamed of farming. Sometimes you just got to pinch yourself when your Dream is realized. Everyday we appreciate and LOVE our Farm.

The rising summer sun makes a bright golden haze on the fields.

We just harvested hay. Arapaho, our llama,
 thinks it's good and ready

Our little alfalfa field is very beautiful and yields about 1/2 week to 2 weeks worth of hay. It is just big enough to give us a farming experience. We cut it with a special blade that fits in the weed whacker. Then we rake it by hand and stack it in the sun. When it is cured about, 3 days, we put it in the wagon. We just picked up 5 bales of a blend of 60%Timothy grass and 40% 'alfalfa. First cut may contain fox tails so we check it before we buy it.

We love our tractor

This me on the tractor.  Paul taught me how to run it and use it. I like looking back at the earth as it undulates under the sharp blades and the smell of earth and the promise of crops to come.

The Wild Jungle of Love

The Jungle of LOVE is Paul's creation. It is the lushest place in Cedar City Clay. A magical place with ground cover that protects the wildflowers. Next year I will plant one in my cornfield for protection from harsh winds and hard clay.

Ok now you gotto realize that 2 years ago these were 1 1/2 ' sticks with a few roots. I ordered 64 willows and trees and the post woman drove up with one whimpy green plastic bag. Pretty disappointing after wanting for those lovely trees and flowers in the catalogue. I commenced to digging forever holes and planting forever trees and willows. Today they are growing so nicely. See? Taller than an elephants eye and great wall for wind and snow for the llamas. The man in this picture I LOVE. He is so handsome and willing, don't you think ? ♥ PAUL ♥ Is my LOVE Husband ♥

Bizzy Beeezzz in The Jungle of Love

There are plenty of happy bees on our organic farm. They are so buzzie and bizzy, and gather so much yellow pollen their little legs are full of it. I love this wildflower garden and so do they.

This spinach is divine. I snip off the leaves as
 I use them and pinch the flowers off

My first cabbage ever. Ain't she pretty?
We have beets, Italian parsley and
chamomile too.

Rainbow eggs everyday

My girls are so sweet. Henny Penny, Betsy
Callie and Peck. I have 6 more.

Sunsets are absolutely scrumptious
with drama, color and variations.

Each day here is weaves a story of precious memories of textures, color, sound, and temperatures are a  reflection of our life long dream of living in the country in a rural setting. Farming is fun.

Animal Reiki : Peace In The Coop

Reiki is a Japanese spiritual practice that brings balance. Reiki is being used in hospitals and medical centers as well as animal shelters and rescue facilities to help people and animals cope with the stresses of life or their treatments. Stress is the main cause of dis-ease whether it be human, animal, or plant. The relaxation response is key in bringing us back into balance. I have more information on Reiki on my  site Deborah's Little Gems. You may click on this link if you would like to learn about Reiki. http://deborahslittlegems.blogspot.com/p/introduction-to-reiki.html

Animal Reiki:Now there is peace and co-operation in the coop

I had noticed some of my young hens losing feathers to the point of exposing the skin and even some redness and bleeding. Aside from the conventional remedies and adjustments in their freedom from boredom, I made time to assist the peaceful co-existence within the coop with the practice of Reiki . Reiki is an applied meditation and usually done with light touch or touch hovering over the personal or animal. Reiki can also be done remotely. I brought my green chair inside the coop and sat in in a place where I could see all the hens. I began my practice of calming myself by noticing my breathing. I begin to relax completely and ceremoniously offer Reiki to the hens by simply allowing my calmness to extend outward. Those who practice Reiki may feel warmth or sensations in the hands. there is no need to touch them. I sat with my hands in my lap. It was early evening and the sunset signaled the hens to roost. One by one they entered their sleeping quarters and jumped to the roosting bars. As the   time went on I noticed the aggressive hens falling asleep or closing their eyelids and bowing their heads while the younger hens took their place on the roosting bar  below. We had suspected the attacks happened during this time as there is usually a great fuss and squawks as the girls got their appointed places. Tonight it was different. There was peace.

This morning as I was was feeding the hens, I noticed a significant change in the atmosphere within the coop. There was co-operation even some politeness occurring while the hens wandered around the "scratch and mash market' shopping for food. they pecked and scratched their food, not each other, taking in their nourishment. Instead of the worry and wonder of the well-being of my hens, there was ease and calm.

We have many ways to help our fur and feather family through vet care, medicines and supplies. Reiki can be very a useful and effective practice for ourselves, our family and our animals. To Learn More about Reiki please go to my site Deborah's Little Gems and enjoy the pages and posts on Reiki.

http://deborahslittlegems.blogspot.com/p/introduction-to-reiki/.html