Chickens are jerks

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There’s a reason they call it pecking order. Chickens can be mean in their attempt to rule the roost.  We recently came out one morning to find that one of our chickens had died – she was young, healthy, but had clearly been on the losing end of the pecking order.

We’ve had chickens who didn’t adapt well to being in the larger flock and we have learned different ways to keep the girls happy. Happy girls mean more eggs for me, and I am all about that!  So, what do you do to with a jerk chicken (without actually making them into jerk chicken)?

1. Look at what they’re eating. Chickens will find food, even if it’s their buddies. I really like Scratch and Peck’s line of foods. I prefer their soy free one (here). It’s non-GMO, organic and they have really good business practices!

2. Are they getting enough of the extras?  I love feeding my girls vegetable scraps-pieces of kale, broccoli or whatever vegetables I have on hand.  It’s a nice treat for them, but it also adds extra vitamins.  You can also buy  pre-made treats like these Happy Hen treats, but know you can make treats for them as well with their food, and oat meal that is cooked and rolled up into a smooshy ball. If they need supplements, you can look into ones like these.

3. Are they getting out? Just like us, chickens need to get and have fun. Bored chickens are mean chickens. While their coop and run is huge, I let my girls out as often as possible. On the days that I work from home, they are out most of the day.

4. Do they have enough space? Just like us, if chicken’s are crammed into a space that is too small, they can be frustrated and overwhelmed. Make sure your girls have plenty of space to sleep, play and eat. Our coop is pretty big with inside and outside boxes so the girls have their own place to relax. Coops don’t need to be pretty, just functional. We all see those coops that look like they belong to Martha Stewart. If you can swing that-awesome, if not, that’s ok too! Ours is made from donated wood, building materials, leftover chicken wire, and love!.

5. Are you there? You’re one of the best ways to prevent chickens from attacking each other. If you’re there, you can spot issues early on and react. Ways to know if you need to jump in, is if you see aggression, or the signs of being attacked, missing feathers or bleeding, usually at the neck or tail.

6. Lastly, figure out who the jerk is and reset the pecking order. We have a small spare coop that we keep on hand for new birds, or in the case of a chicken that just needs to be separated. By pulling the aggressive one out, it gives the rest of the girls a break and keeps the rude one from being in charge. Having a spare coop is also handy if you have an injured bird, as it gives them time to heal.

The standard disclaimer still applies – if you think your chickens are sick and have any concerns about illness, you can get them checked out. Currently, there are reported cases of Avian Flu in Western Washington.

What ideas do you have to support a healthy, happy flock?

Here’s to happy birds, and more eggs!

Raina

**Disclaimer!! The links above are affiliate links, which means when you buy these products, I get a small percentage of that sale, which goes right back to my feathered girls :)**

Goodbye, 2014! Hello, 2015!

Another year has come and gone-it’s amazing how fast they fly by!

This was another good year, surrounded by fun, busy at work, and amazed by my kiddo. I look back with a combination of wishing I had done more, but not sure where I would have fit it in.

On the work front, 2014 brought my 11th year at my company, and the start to feeling like the new program is starting to settle in (that one only took a year!), as well as a lot of growth and change.

On the fun front, it brought Nick and I the chance to work with a local brewery to host fun events. I was able to curate art events with local business and breweries, and it brought the 10th annual South Park Art’s Art Under $100 event. That event was attended by 2400 people!  I did crafts, I grew food, I raised chickens.

2014 brought an exciting road trip to Yosemite to spread my Dad’s ashes, as well as a few short trips here and there. It also sent Nick to the ER and ultimately to surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon during a soccer match.

The biggest and best part of 2014? Watching my daughter eat on her own. I could have done nothing else, but that and been perfectly content with the year. After so much hard work, we feel good about where we’re at with her eating. Sure, there’s work to be done, but it’s just amazing to be able to eat with her.

What’s on tap for 2015?

Much of the same, hopefully minus injuries.

I’m planning out some camping trips, a trip to Kansas, and lots of trips out eating with kiddo.  I can’t wait to just do more this year.

What are your hopes and plans for 2015?

Yours in happiness,

Raina

You should get out more!

Sometimes you just want, no NEED to get out. You need to have conversations with adults that don’t involve Daniel Tiger and to relax, eat good food and have a fun time. That well needed break came in the form of Seattle Food Tours.

I recently had the chance to try this fun organization out. The concept is great-you get together with a small group of people, and go on a food tour of a particular neighborhood. There’s no decisions to make, no dishes to do-you just get out, relax and let someone take good care of you.

We ventured through one of my favorite neighborhoods, Capitol Hill, and stopped at 5 restaurants: Bar Cotto, Le Zinc, Momiji, The Tin Table, and D’Ambrosio Gelato. Coral Sisk, our guide and local foodie set everything up in advance, checking for allergies and sensitivities to ensure a safe and happy experience. Each stop allowed us time to mingle, eat, drink and learn about what we were eating and the people who made the food. Between each stop, we learned a little about the neighborhood, too. It’s really a great way to meet people and learn, in addition to eating! What made this even more perfect for me was that each stop was a different type of food-I didn’t have to commit to any one thing. By the time the evening was over, I was full, relaxed, and had connected with other bloggers in my area. What more do you need?

Let’s get to the good stuff-what we ate!

The first stop was Bar Cotto. This was a quiet, intimate, candle-lit spot-perfect for a date. This was a great “starter” place, but not for those adverse to eating meat-we had torta  fritta, which were little fried pillows of dough, alongside carefully sliced prosciutto, mortadella and salami. We sipped a fabulous sparkling lambrusco and chatted. Despite the space being filled with the tour group, it was still quiet and enjoyable.

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We ambled to Le Zinc,little brother to Maximilien in the market. We met the owner and chatted food and wine before having some of the best scallops I have had. Imagine large tender, delicate scallops, coated lovingly in comte cheese and bread crumbs, then seared quickly, and then placed on a hash made of potatoes, apples, bacon and topped with fried taro root. This was my favorite spot of all because of the attention to detail and taste. The presentation was wonderful as well. This lovely little French stop was perfect, but sadly, I learned that they have closed their doors. I would HIGHLY recommend a stop into Maximilien to get your French Fix!

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Next up was Momiji, a very popular and busy sushi spot. Board after board of their butterfly rolls were brought out quickly enough to go around and then some!  The butterfly rolls were filled with crab meat, and then topped with tuna, avocado and roe. They were creamy and lovely, and again, the amount of food was just right.

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We paused to talk about where Capitol Hill got its’ name and whether it was the hope of becoming the state capitol or if it was named after the hometown of a founder of the neighborhood. We looked at the architecture, talked about how the neighborhood has changed over the years, comparing stories.

We arrived at the Tin Table, housed in the Odd Fellows building. Location-wise, this was the best stop! The building is amazing, and quirky, there was a good amount of people, and the space is really well laid out. This spot in itself is a date night! Not only can you get a great meal here, but you can catch a show, as well as get in your dance fix in the most lovely ballroom. The owner was very sweet and took us on a tour of everything-again, the space itself is worth a visit!  At the Tin Table we had an interesting combination of food-cider smoked salmon laid over cabbage with bits of apple and bacon. There was pomegranate seeds in the dish as well as buckwheat spaetzle. The pros? The salmon was outstanding, the cons-the spaetzel wasn’t my favorite, and the pomegranate seemed out-of-place. Overall the dish worked, and I would definitely go back for the fish any day. The chef and owner were welcoming, and the wait staff were very attentive.

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Lastly, we made our way to D’Ambrosio Gelato, for a sweet treat and to wrap up a great evening. This was a fun, bright spot, with rows of soft, tasty gelato. I picked out a scoop each of the chocolate hazelnut as well as the Mexican chocolate-it was a great combination, sweet and spicy and smooth. It was the perfect way to wrap up the evening!

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If you’re looking for a great date night, or a fun tour for out-of-town guests, Seattle Food Tours is definitely the way to go; it’s an affordable way to eat your way through the city without having to choose or rush, you just enjoy!  For more information, please check out their website.

Are you ready to go?!

Raina

Please note, while I did receive a ticket to this event, all opinions are strictly my own .

 

 

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