Balancing Corporate & Homesteading Lifestyles
Self Heal Salve
🌿✨ DIY Self-Heal Salve for Skin Soothing and Minor Wounds
A gentle, all-purpose salve made from the healing magic of Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris)!
Perfect for minor cuts, scrapes, burns, insect bites, dry skin, and irritation.
🛒 Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup dried Self-Heal leaves and flowers
- 1 cup olive oil (or other carrier oil like sweet almond, jojoba, or sunflower oil)
- 2 tablespoons beeswax pellets (or grated beeswax)
- Optional: 10 drops lavender essential oil (for extra calming and antibacterial support)
🛠️ How to Make It:
1. Infuse the Oil
- In a clean, dry glass jar, combine the dried Self-Heal and olive oil.
- Let it infuse naturally in a warm, sunny window for 4–6 weeks (shake gently every day or two), OR
- Use a quick method: gently warm the Self-Heal and oil in a double boiler on the stovetop over very low heat for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally. (Do not let it fry! Just warm.)
2. Strain
- After infusion, strain the oil through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to remove all plant material.
3. Make the Salve
- In a small double boiler or heatproof bowl, combine the Self-Heal infused oil with the beeswax.
- Warm gently until the beeswax melts completely.
- Optional: Stir in lavender essential oil at this stage.
4. Pour and Set
- Pour the melted mixture into small tins or glass jars.
- Let cool completely and solidify.
🖐️ How to Use It:
- Apply a thin layer directly to minor cuts, scrapes, bug bites, burns, or dry patches of skin.
- Safe for regular use!
🐝🌿 Tips:
- Store salve in a cool, dry place.
- Shelf life: 6–12 months, depending on storage and cleanliness.
- Always use clean, dry fingers or a clean tool to scoop out the salve to avoid contamination.
🌼 Why We Love It:
Self-Heal salve is gentle enough for everyday skin support but strong enough to feel like you're carrying a little bit of natural magic in your pocket. ✨
Buy on Amazon: Seeds or Survival Garden seeds or you can purchase the dried leaves.
Just a heads up!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you.
It’s like tossing a few extra seeds into the garden to help keep the homestead growing! 🌻
Thank you for supporting Weekend Homesteaders — and for loving herbs, chickens, and simple living as much as we do. 💛
Cluck Kent Reports: The Great Mouse Invasion!
🦸♂️ Cluck Kent, your fearless field reporter, here with a breaking story straight from the henhouse — and folks, it’s a squeaker. 🐭
It all started when Mildred the Maran noticed something strange: her scratch grain supply was shrinking faster than usual. And not because of overenthusiastic pecking! Suspicious, she organized a stakeout with the help of Henrietta (Head of Coop Security) and yours truly, Cluck Kent. 🕵️♂️🐔
At precisely 2:17 AM, the culprit was spotted — a tiny mouse, sneaking in through a gap under the feed room door, stuffing its cheeks with stolen seeds!
At first, some of the flock thought it was harmless.
"Oh, it’s just one little mouse," clucked Penny the Polish.
"Maybe he’s just cold and hungry."
But friends, that’s where the danger begins! 🛑🐭
Mice don't just nibble a little grain — they bring big trouble with them:
- 🦠 Bacteria and parasites
- 🐛 Worm eggs and coccidia
- 🧫 Contamination of feed and water
- 🎯 Attraction of even bigger predators (hello, snakes!)
Lucky for us, Weekend Homesteaders had biosecurity measures in place, and we jumped into action!
🛡️ Cluck Kent’s Emergency Coop Response Plan:
✔️ Feed stored in sealed metal bins — no midnight snack raids for this mouse!
✔️ Coop cracks sealed and holes patched up tight.
✔️ Feeders lifted off the ground at night to discourage visitors.
✔️ Daily coop checks for any signs of pests — because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
✔️ Fresh water refilled and cleaned daily — no mouse-contaminated sips for our peeps!
🐓 Final Thoughts from the Coop Beat:
Biosecurity isn’t just about keeping germs off your boots — it’s about protecting your flock from every tiny invader, feathered, furred, or otherwise. 🐾
One little mouse can cause one big headache if you’re not paying attention.
So button up those feed bins, fix those cracks, and stay one step ahead of the squeaky intruders!
Until the next breaking news from the coop,
— Cluck Kent
Defender of the Flock • Watchdog of the Roost • Mouse Patrol Commander 🦸♂️🐔
Hen Saddles: Feather Protection with a Purpose
If you’ve ever glanced into your coop during spring and spotted a hen with a bare back or missing wing feathers, chances are she’s dealing with a little too much “attention” from the resident rooster. It’s a common issue during breeding season—but one that can be managed naturally, gently, and even fashionably, with a handy little item called a hen saddle.
🪶 What Is a Hen Saddle?
Despite the name, a hen saddle has nothing to do with riding chickens. It’s a small fabric apron that fits over a hen’s back and wings, protecting her feathers and skin from damage caused by overbreeding, mounting, or pecking.
Also known as a chicken apron, it attaches around the wings with simple elastic loops or Velcro tabs, and can be made in all sorts of materials—from sturdy canvas to cute prints on cotton.
🩹 Why Use a Hen Saddle?
Hen saddles offer protection and healing time—especially for hens dealing with:
- Bare backs from frequent rooster mounting
- Scratches or wounds near the wings or tail area
- Feather loss during molt (when regrowth makes skin extra sensitive)
- Pecking from other hens targeting bald patches
Feathers act as natural armor—without them, your hen is exposed to cold, sunburn, and injury. A saddle acts as a safe barrier while she heals and regrows.
🧵 DIY or Buy: Your Saddle Options
Want to make your own?
It’s surprisingly simple! All you need is:
- Sturdy cotton, canvas, or flannel (avoid synthetics that trap heat)
- Elastic or soft bias tape for wing loops
- Scissors and a sewing machine (or a strong hand-stitch)
- Basic pattern (we can include one in the printable section!)
You can also find pre-made saddles online in all styles—from practical neutrals to fun floral patterns. Look for ones that are:
- Breathable and washable
- Snug but not tight around the wings
- Designed to sit flat across the back without slipping
✨ Tips for Using Hen Saddles Successfully
- Watch for chafing the first day—adjust if needed
- Check for mites or wounds underneath the saddle weekly
- Don’t leave them on indefinitely—remove once feathers regrow
- Introduce them gradually if your hens aren’t used to wearing anything
Some hens strut like runway models on day one. Others might do a dramatic feather flop for a few minutes—but don’t worry, they adjust quickly.
🌿 Gentle Flock Care with Big Benefits
Hen saddles are a small solution with big impact. They let your girls heal without stress, avoid injury, and maintain dignity in the face of an overly enthusiastic roo.
And let’s be honest—there’s something downright charming about a confident hen in a floral apron.
We use these saddles (from Amazon) on our hens.
(NOTE: 🐥 This is an affiliate link—if you cluck through and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). It helps keep the coop running and the treat bin full!)
Nest Box Drama & Disease: How One Box Became a Biosecurity Breach
Most days in the coop begin with a bit of cackling, some early morning scratching, and a race to the worm pile. But this week, the big story isn’t what’s happening outside—it's what’s festering inside Nest Box #3.
You’ve seen it: five pristine nest boxes, but somehow every hen in the flock is squabbling over the same one. To the untrained eye, it’s just a quirky chicken habit. But to a seasoned flock journalist (and biosecurity sleuth) like myself? It’s a ticking time-bomb of coop health hazards.
Let’s scratch deeper.
🧪 Biosecurity Risk #1: High-Traffic Nest Boxes Spread Pathogens
When the majority of the flock insists on using the same nest box—over and over again—it becomes a concentrated zone of droppings, dander, broken shell fragments, and moisture. All of which create a perfect environment for bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens.
🧼 Cluck’s Tip: Disinfect nest boxes regularly using a poultry-safe solution, especially high-use ones. Consider rotating the “popular” box out of service for a deep clean every couple of weeks.
🦠 Biosecurity Risk #2: Parasite Pressure Ramps Up
External parasites like red mites and poultry lice are clever little creeps. They’ll settle into high-traffic boxes and hide in cracks, nesting materials, or underneath perches nearby. If the entire flock shares one box, you’re giving these freeloaders an all-access pass.
🐛 Cluck’s Tip: Dust nest boxes with diatomaceous earth or wood ash, and swap nesting materials weekly. Look under wings and around vents for early mite activity.
🩸 Biosecurity Risk #3: Pecking Injuries Invite Infection
Tensions rise when space is limited. In Coop #7, I witnessed a tense face-off between three hens, all trying to climb into Box #3 at once. The result? A small pecking injury—and an open door to staph infections, coccidiosis, and even cannibalistic behavior if left untreated.
🧴 Cluck’s Tip: Watch for increased aggression or blood on feathers. Treat peck wounds promptly and isolate if needed. No peck is too small to ignore.
😰 Biosecurity Risk #4: Stress Lowers Immune Defenses
Let’s not forget the invisible cost: chronic coop stress. When hens feel pressured, pushed out, or targeted, their immune systems take a hit. That opens the door for common respiratory illnesses like infectious bronchitis or mycoplasma to spread fast.
🌿 Cluck’s Tip: Spread the love. Make all nest boxes equally appealing—same bedding, soft lighting, and even soothing herbs like chamomile or lavender.
💡 Cluck’s Closing Thought:
What seems like simple hen drama is often the early warning signal of a biosecurity lapse. Don’t wait for feather loss, funky smells, or a surprise vet bill. Small changes—like balancing nest box traffic—can make a big difference in your flock’s health.
So next time your hens are all clucking over one nest box, remember:
Where chickens crowd, pathogens thrive.
Keep it clean, keep it calm, and keep rotating those boxes.
🪶 Reporting from the perch,
Cluck Kent, your eyes and beak on coop biosecurity.
For our Little Chick Inn University members, check out the newest guide "Recipes & Blends" for the Spring Calm Herbal Nest Blend in the guide ... and if you aren't a member we invite you to check it out HERE.
This blend is a fragrant herbal blend that not only soothes your hens, but it also helps deter mites, flies, and bacteria. All you need to do is sprinkle a handful into each nest box after cleaning.
Behind the Wire with the New Flock on the Block
🕵️♂️ Cluck Kent: The Quarantine Chronicles
Something’s clucking in the holding pen, and Cluck Kent is on the case.
This week, whispers echoed through the coop—word had spread that three new pullets were moving in.
“Refugees from a farm upstate,” muttered Goldie, who hasn’t trusted an outsider since the 2021 molt incident. But what raised feathers wasn’t who the newcomers were—it was where they weren’t.
“They were let right in,” said a wide-eyed Australorp. “No buffer zone. No health checks. Not even a courtesy dust bath.”
That’s when Cluck Kent knew: it was time to talk quarantine.
Why Quarantine Matters (According to Science and Chickens)
Adding new birds to your flock without a quarantine period is like inviting a stranger to dinner and letting them cough into your soup. You wouldn’t do it—so why do it to your flock?
Quarantine isn’t punishment—it’s protection.
New birds, no matter how healthy they look, can carry:
- Respiratory illnesses (Mycoplasma, Infectious Bronchitis)
- External parasites (mites, lice)
- Internal parasites (worms galore)
- Viruses like Marek’s that can lurk quietly for weeks
Cluck Kent’s Official 30-Day Quarantine Checklist:
Location, Location, Location
Set up a secure pen at least 30 feet away from your main coop. No shared air space if you can help it.
Separate Gear
Use different feeders, waterers, gloves, and boots for your quarantine area. Cross-contamination is sneaky.
Observe Daily
Keep a quarantine log. Watch for sneezing, runny eyes, odd droppings, or sluggish behavior. (Bonus: it builds trust with the new birds.)
Prevent Parasites
Do a preventive mite/lice treatment during this time and run a fecal check if possible.
Slow Integration
After 30 days symptom-free, introduce the newcomers slowly, with a visual barrier for the first week. Think meet-and-cluck, not full-on mixer.
🐔 “Quarantine is love with a fence around it,” Cluck Kent reports. “Protecting the flock means playing it smart—not playing chicken with disease.”
🪶 Bonus Scratch: Introducing New Birds Without Coop Drama
Your Post-Quarantine Integration Plan
You've made it through the full 30-day quarantine—well done! But before you open the gates and let your new gals free-range with the old crew, follow this step-by-step guide to keep the pecking order from becoming a pecking disaster.
🧱 Step 1: Look, Don’t Touch
Place the new flock in a secure enclosure next to your existing coop/run. They should see, hear, and smell each other—but not have contact—for at least 5–7 days.
🐓 "We call this the Chicken Tinder phase—just swiping eyes at each other,” says Coop Counselor Ruby the Sussex.
🍽️ Step 2: Distract with Snacks
Introduce high-value treats (think watermelon, cabbage heads, or scrambled eggs) during these side-by-side sessions. Everyone focuses on the food, not the new faces.
💤 Step 3: First Sleepover
After a week of peaceful visual contact, move the new hens into the coop at night. Chickens are calmer in the dark and less likely to fight when they wake up together.
⏳ Step 4: Supervised Free Ranging
Let the whole flock free-range in a larger space together under supervision. Space diffuses tension, and you'll be able to intervene if things get spicy.
🛑 Watch for Bullying
A little pecking is normal—establishing hierarchy is a chicken pastime—but if blood is drawn or one bird is consistently chased away from food or water, you may need to separate and retry in a few days.
🧠 Cluck Kent’s Final Word:
“Slow and steady wins the pecking order. Patience now means fewer feathers flying later.”
Why the Little Chick Inn University?
As the backyard chicken movement continues to grow, more and more people are bringing chicks home—some for the first time ever. It’s exciting to see so many new chick tenders joining the community, but with that excitement comes a big responsibility: giving these little lives the best possible start.
With the boom in backyard flocks, advice is everywhere—especially in Facebook groups and local forums. The photos and comments in this blog post are pulled directly from real posts on popular and local chicken pages. While most folks truly mean well, many of the tips being shared are misinformed, inhumane, or just not the best practice. Unfortunately, chicks are especially vulnerable to these missteps.
Raising chickens isn’t one-size-fits-all, but at Little Chick Inn, we believe the foundation should always be built on sustainable, compassionate care. Our chickens are more than just egg producers—they’re a vital part of our homestead, and they bring us daily joy, peace, and laughter.
We created Little Chick Inn University as a personalized resource for people purchasing our chicks—and for anyone who wants to raise their birds with intention and heart. Whether you're brand new or just looking to improve your approach, we’re here to help you navigate this rewarding journey with the knowledge, confidence, and care it truly deserves.
Let’s raise happy, healthy chicks—together.
Want to know more? Visit our Little Chick Inn University HERE.
Why Chicks Shouldn’t Be Placed on Their Backs
In the image, a baby chick is shown lying on its back in someone's hands, feet up and belly exposed. While it may seem cute or harmless, this is actually a dangerous position for chicks—and for all chickens.
Chickens have delicate respiratory systems that can be compromised when they’re placed on their backs. This position can cause stress, disorientation, and even difficulty breathing. In young chicks especially, it can interfere with normal development or lead to injury if they panic and struggle to flip over.
Always handle chicks gently and keep them upright to ensure their comfort, safety, and proper health. What looks innocent can actually be quite risky for these fragile little creatures.
(Below) Proper biosecurity might have prevented this.
Above: Do your research prior to hatching to prevent some common but unnecessary mistakes.
I am at a loss on this post. Someone asked for help with a chick that hatched with issues. The suggestions from the group are horrifying.
See above right for just a few.
This is a somewhat common problem (especially when chicks are incubated under less than favorable humidity conditions - BUT not always) - this is a relatively easy fix in many circumstances as long as it is discovered and corrected as soon as possible.
Learn more in the Little Chick Inn University.
Egg Weight During Incubation
🥚 What Is Egg Weight Loss During Incubation?
As an egg incubates, it naturally loses water through its porous shell. This water loss is essential — it allows the air cell to grow, which the chick needs for breathing just before hatching.
The egg’s total weight will gradually decrease over the 21-day incubation period.
📉 How Much Weight Should an Egg Lose?
A fertilized egg should lose approximately 12–14% of its original weight by day 18 (lockdown). Too little or too much weight loss can indicate humidity issues:
- Too little weight loss = humidity too high → small air cell → chick may drown
- Too much weight loss = humidity too low → large air cell → chick may be weak or stuck
🧪 How to Monitor Egg Weight Loss
- Weigh eggs before setting (Day 0)
- Weigh weekly (Day 7, 14, and 18) — or more often if needed
- Calculate percentage loss:
- Weight loss % = ((Start weight – Current weight) ÷ Start weight) × 100
- Adjust humidity based on results
💡 Quick Tips:
- Use a precision digital scale for best accuracy
- Track each egg or an average of several for batch hatching
Candle to monitor air cell size as a visual reference
Cluck Kent Investigates: The Case of the Invisible Invaders
It was a quiet morning at the coop. The sun was rising, the feeder was full, and the hens were already gossiping over scratch grains. Everything seemed fine... until Cluck Kent noticed something suspicious: a muddy bootprint by the gate.
“I knew something was off,” Cluck muttered, fluffing his feathers. “That boot didn’t belong to anyone from our flock.”
And just like that, Cluck Kent — top rooster, amateur detective, and protector of all things poultry — launched an investigation into one of the most overlooked threats in backyard flocks: biosecurity breaches.
🐾 The Clues: Tracked-In Trouble
Cluck followed the bootprints to the edge of the run. They’d been made by a visitor — a friendly one, sure, maybe even a neighbor — but still dangerous.
“Visitors can carry invisible invaders,” Cluck explained. “We’re talking disease-causing pathogens, like avian influenza, Marek’s, and coccidia — the kind of stuff that can wipe out a healthy flock faster than a fox in a henhouse.”
The worst part? These threats can arrive on boots, hands, tools, or even feed bags.
🚿 The Biosecurity Breakdown
Cluck took the case to his readers — the backyard chicken keepers.
“Want to be a hero? Here’s what you do:”
- 🥾 Dedicated footwear or shoe covers — Keep a pair of coop-only boots. It’s the easiest way to keep outside germs out.
- 🧼 Wash your hands before and after visiting the coop.
- 🚫 Limit visitors or ask them to follow your rules — even friendly neighbors can unknowingly bring disease.
- 🐣 Quarantine new birds for at least 30 days before mixing them with your flock.
- 📋 Track flock health — If someone gets sick, knowing the timeline helps figure out the cause.
“It’s not paranoia,” Cluck says. “It’s protection.”
💡 Feathers and Facts
Cluck wrapped up the case with one final reminder: “Biosecurity isn’t about fear. It’s about awareness and simple steps that can save your flock.”
Even if you free-range. Even if you’ve never had a problem before. Even if your chickens look perfectly healthy.
“Because the best biosecurity plan,” Cluck crowed, “is one you start before something goes wrong.”
Stay sharp, stay safe, and stay sanitary.
Until next time, this is Cluck Kent — signing off from the sunny side of the coop.
The Impact of Learning When a Rooster Is Alone vs. With Other Roosters
How Social Setting Shapes Behavior, Intelligence, and Confidence
Roosters, like people, learn not just from experience, but also from their environment — and especially from the company they keep. Whether raised alone or in the presence of other roosters, the way a rooster learns, adapts, and engages with the world around him can vary significantly. While each bird is unique, research and anecdotal evidence from backyard flocks and sanctuaries alike suggest that social context has a major influence on how roosters develop both cognitively and emotionally.
🐓 Roosters Learning Alone: The Independent Learner
When a rooster is raised or housed alone (without other roosters), he becomes the sole male influence in his environment. While this may reduce competition and stress in some situations, it also means he has no peer model to observe, mimic, or learn from. His learning is based mostly on:
- Human interaction
- Trial-and-error experiences
- Observing hens (if present)
Roosters raised alone often become very people-focused — they may bond closely with humans and respond strongly to routines, voice, and touch. Some even become unusually gentle or attentive to their hens, simply because they aren't distracted by male rivalry. But they can also lack certain social skills — especially when it comes to conflict resolution, communication, or cooperative behaviors with other roosters later in life.
In short: They figure things out on their own, but may be slower to pick up complex social cues or get overwhelmed when introduced to multi-rooster environments.
🐓 Roosters Learning With Other Roosters: The Social Learner
Roosters raised in a group setting — especially from a young age — often show a broader range of behaviors, thanks to the opportunity to observe and interact with peers. In this environment, they learn:
- Hierarchy and dominance behaviors
- Subtle body language and social spacing
- Food sharing, tidbitting, and mate-attracting strategies
- When to challenge, when to back off
Interestingly, studies and flock observations show that roosters learn faster in social settings, especially when it comes to recognizing threats, identifying resource locations, and understanding flock rhythm. They model behaviors from others — both good and bad — and learn how to “read the room,” which is crucial in complex flock dynamics.
This doesn’t mean there won’t be conflict — social learning includes trial by fire, like minor squabbles, posturing, or sparring — but those experiences help build confidence and emotional intelligence, especially when managed in a safe, enriched environment.
🔄 Solo Roosters Introduced to Other Roosters Later
This is where things get tricky. A rooster raised alone and later introduced to others may:
- Struggle to understand the rules of engagement
- Be overly dominant or overly submissive
- Miss subtle cues that would prevent a fight
- Have a harder time establishing or respecting a hierarchy
With time, space, and proper introductions, many do learn — but the adjustment can be harder, especially if the rooster wasn’t exposed to flock dynamics early on.
🐔 Why It Matters in Sanctuary or Backyard Settings
Understanding the difference in how roosters learn alone vs. with peers helps us:
- Better design introduction plans
- Choose compatible flock mates
- Build enriched environments that support both solo learners and social birds
It also gives us deeper insight into their personalities. A confident, independent rooster may have grown up as a lone male. A cooperative, savvy roo likely learned through social trial and error.
Each approach to learning has value — but knowing the rooster’s history can help us provide the support they need to thrive.
💡 Final Thought
Roosters aren’t just reacting to instinct — they’re learning, adapting, and responding to the world around them in real time. Whether flying solo or growing up side-by-side with brothers, their experiences shape how they see the world… and how they interact with everyone in it.
