Chickens Are Jerks

It was a nice day today so we decided to experiment with reintroducing our picked on chick to the flock. We have learned a lot about chickens and one thing is for sure - they are kind of jerks!

 

It all started when we noticed one of our chickens was getting picked on......very badly, I mean blood bath bad. You can read more about that here. We separated her into a dog crate in the basement where we made her a little chicken "tiny house" for the time.  It has now been about a month and it is time to get her back out to the coop with her sisters since she is all healed up. But, once a chicken has been picked on and separated from the flock it is not easy to get them back. Outsiders are not easily welcomed back and since she was being picked on before it will be even harder. Time for some experimentation.

 

I gave "Bloody Mary" a pep talk, advised her on how to handle the situation, and decided to just put her out in an open space with the rest of the chickens and document what happens. Oh yeah, did I mentioned we have named her Bloody Mary, the kids thought Mary was a good name....Bloody Mary seems to perfect. Ok Mary ready to see daylight?

It was a nice day so I let the chickens out in the yard before bringing up Mary. I threw out some Kale from the aquaponics system and then brought up Mary (this probably was a bad idea as it brought them all together). She ran to the food and immediately the other chickens started to attack her! They were going for blood again and she ran for cover. Another one went after her chasing her around by the house, and another, and they were all looking for blood! Time for another approach! I rescued Mary and took her back to the relative safety of her tiny house. time for Plan B.........

To watch the video on Mary's introduction click here

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Easy Homemade Spray Cleaner

Stop buying expensive chemical cleaners! We are not the first to use this type of cleaner but it is simple and effective and costs almost nothing! This is the process we use to  mix up a cheap and simple cleaner that can be used on counters, windows, bathrooms, etc. 

The first step is to grab a cheap dollar store spray bottle or use an empty spray bottle of your choice just be sure to wash out whatever was in it thoroughly.

There are many ways to make your own cleaners depending on what you have access to. We like to start with vinegar in ours and mix with some warm water as a base. I general fill the bottle up about 1/4 with warm water and then the rest of the way with vinegar. This is not an exact science so you can adjust it as you need.

 At this point you have just created a very effective and cheap cleaner. You can stop right here and use it for counters and anywhere you would normally use Fantastic or similar cleaners. But if you want something with a bit more cleaning power, a better scent, and antibacterial properties essentials oils will be needed. The SSLFamily Mom as a post on essentials oils here and links to where you can buy them if you want.

There are infinite combinations and concoctions that you can make with essentials oils but I love to add lemon to just about anything, cleaners included. I normally add between 15-20 drops of the lemon oil, it is cheap and adds a great fragrance to the cleaner as well as helps the cleaning power. I have also recently started adding oregano oil as well. Just a couple of drops; this stuff is more expensive and potent! The oregano oil acts as an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial in the cleaner. Added bonus - smells like a pizza while you clean:)

We have not purchased any cleaners in quite some time here on the Simple Suburban Homestead and I don't see any reason for us to go back. Using these homemade and chemical free options is cheaper, safer, and as an added bonus the kids can use them too! No need to open windows when you clean the bathroom or worry about the kids getting things in their eyes or on their skin. Although I am not sure I would spray this directly in your eye (it would probably not feel  good) lemon in the eyes, ouch!

As an added feature you can sprinkle some baking soda on countertops, floors, etc and then use the spray cleaner. The vinegar and baking soda react and the foaming can help lift and wash away dirt as well.

Check out the full video here

Lemon oil -  http://amzn.to/1HRg80d
Oregano oil - http://amzn.to/1HRgmo2

Spray bottles - http://amzn.to/1PqW2H9

All of these products and more recommended items from the SSL Family are available at the

Simple Suburban Living General Store

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