What I have learned after one year of raising backyard chickens...

It has officially been one year since we brought home our fluffy, little cheeping chicks and it has been a wonderful and especially educational journey. The educational part has been the most fun! So here are a few things I have learned:

#1 Backyard-raised chicken eggs really are SO much better! They are lighter, fluffier and way tastier. I love sharing them with family and friends and, I am afraid, I have been ruined forever as store bought eggs just aren't good enough anymore!

#2 Chickens really do have personalities! It has been so much fun watching each of them grow and develop and their personalities have done just that as well. I have a sweet little "songbird" -- she sings and chirps especially when she hears the sliding glass door open. She is super social and we have many conversations (crazy chicken lady, I know). Then I have a very bossy and very sassy one (wonder where she got that) and she LOVES, LOVES, LOVES worms and dances like crazy until I open the door and she literally rushes to the cup before I can get my hand in. And last but certainly not least I have the "middle child" as I call her. She is sweet, quiet and friendly. She gets along with the other two and never causes a ruckus.

Picture of my "song bird"

#3 Some things don't always go as planned! This came into light when Lucky Tucky started to crow one morning, despite the guy at the feed store "sexing" them. So, sadly, she was a he and we had to re-home him (Mason is still not over that)! And this does happen a lot!

Lucky Tucky on the far left

#4 The pecking order definitely exists! So that sassy, bossy girl I have, well she has a mean streak as well! As it has been winter and cold, I haven't really been out or interacting with the chickens more than my morning and nighttime checks. Until one day I was out back and heard a terrible fight occurring! I ran over and noticed that my little songbird was struggling. By struggling, I mean her comb (the red piece on her head and under her beak) had become a grayish color. I crawled into the coop, picked her up, looked her over and there weren't any scrapes or blood so I put her down and picked up the other two and they were way heavier than she was. I put the pieces together and figured out that "bossy pants" attacks my songbird every time she would try and get to the feeder and waterer -- songbird was essentially starving to death! Oh my heart almost broke (I can just see my hubby's eyes rolling at that comment -- does crazy chicken lady sound familiar?). Anyway, I jumped into action and set up a separate waterer and feeder in the hen house and my songbird bounced back almost immediately and is even laying again!      

#5 Do your research!  I did a lot of research before getting our chicks and continue to read up on raising backyard chickens. I am constantly learning new things! That research has helped me out tremendously in many situations like knowing that a gray comb was not good or what to do when one of my chick's crop was almost impacted! Nothing makes me (or Hannah) cringe more when we are at the feed store and people are going gaga over the sweet, downy innocent babies and say "what the heck!" and buy them without knowing how to care for them. I know it sounds bratty of me but, from what I have experienced and read, baby chicks have specific needs right off the bat! I fear for those little ones! 

(I highly recommend reading "My Pet Chicken Handbook"  by Lisa Lucas and Traci Torres)

#6 They are worth the time (and patience and all the worry)! Once you get everything all set and figured out, they are so worth it! They really are easy to raise and they have instilled more responsibility and dedication in my kiddos!   

Having backyard chickens has been a fantastic journey and look we forward to more delicious eggs and maybe even some more chicks!

HelloFresh: in my opinion...

There is no need to be reminded of the hustle and bustle of every day life and finding the time to meal plan and shop doesn't happen successfully in my house and to top it all off we are all finicky eaters. And to mention I loathe shopping -- of any kind. So my hubby suggested trying "one of those meal delivery services".

After much research online comparing the many companies, we settled on HelloFresh. The major deciding factor was the price. So I placed my first order using a promotional code for a discount and selected the family meal plan at three meals a week.

(PSA: I was not paid to give my opinion or swayed in any way)

We have had nine meals so far and I am in love!! As my hubby put it "we haven't had a bad one yet". Now there are always pros and cons so I am happy to spell out what we have experienced. I'll start with the pros:

• Fantastic, creative and unique recipes -- a great variety of proteins, veggies etc.
• Easy to follow recipes with added "start strong" advice that gives tips prior to cooking 
• Quality meats and produce
• "Earth-friendly" packaging and products (https://www.hellofresh.com/recycling/)
• My kiddos have been excited to help cook and the recipes even note when it's a great time for them to jump in
• I think we have saved roughly $150 a week, if not more, on not eating out (I did mention I hate shopping, right?)
• Makes for great leftovers (saving us even more money and provides healthier lunches too)
• They are on it!! When comments or issues are brought up on their Facebook page they are quick to respond and offer suggestions, refunds and/or discounts to rectify the situation.

This one is a pro for me but could be a con for others:

You cannot specifically select the meals that you will receive for the week AND I LOVE THAT!! We are never all on the same page on what we want or where to eat for dinner, which leads to someone compromising and ultimately not happy. But this way, it's like a weekly culinary adventure -- even when I pick up the kiddos from school they excitedly ask what we are having for dinner.

Ok, so now onto the cons:

• The timing on some of the recipes is not really accurate -- taking longer than stated etc.
• High altitude: a suggestion to HelloFresh would be to add high altitude recommendations on the recipes as that truly does affect the timing (living at 5280', I must think through the timing of some of the recipes)

And that's it on the cons. 

So all that being said, I feel it's important to share a good thing when I find it and ordering HelloFresh has been a fun and appetizing adventure and I hope it continues to be!

Here is their link: https://www.hellofresh.com/tasty/

Upon request...

Well it has been months and months since my last post and it has been crazy! I am feeling deja vu as my last post was about wanting summer and here it is March and I am wanting at least Spring! But it'll come in due time and soon enough I'll be jonesing for sledding, hot cocoa and Christmas carols.

Life as we all know it is insanely busy and we live by no exception. Since my last post we transitioned the chicks into their coop which went wildly well, gathered lots of yummy eggs, we adopted another dog (like I said insane), successfully canned pickles, green beans, asparagus and peaches, I got a new job, we enjoyed the holidays and we just plane survived on our little funny farm.

An even crazier thing is that it has been over four years since my first blog post and my little girl is not so little anymore. Just the other day she requested I stop posting pictures and blogging about her as she is "searchable on the internet". And she is soooooooo right!!! So upon request I will no longer blog or post pictures about mu kiddos -- unless permission is granted by them.

But my blogging won't end here as it has been and is my outlet -- through leaving the States, seeing the world and adjusting back to reality, it has been my friend and ironically I have gained friends from blogging. Not sure how often it'll be read but hey, it's all mine.

I have many, many ideas, hopes and dreams and I hope to share them. Until next time!....