Cleaning Quick Tip: The Coffee Pot

Oh, hello. I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were here. I’ve just been so darn busy getting the garden ready. I just came in to get a cup of coffee.

Oh dear! Just look at that pot.

Forgive me. I’m just gonna grab the white vinegar and run a half pot of it through the coffee maker a few times. Just recycle it over and over, until it doesn’t get any darker.

You might want to open the window or hang out on the porch swing. It is going to smell like the house is being taken over by a giant salad.

Don’t worry. As the smell clears, it gets rid of other odd household odors with it. Clean, sparkly coffee maker, clean air, clean sinuses. Lovely.

Oh yes, don’t forget to run clean water through the pot a couple of times or your coffee will be… um… terrible. But then, it will taste a million times better.

Certainly hang onto that gross used coffee maker vinegar. I have another job for it another time.

Click here for Cleaning the Microwave with that coffee vinegar

(Neighbor Nancy hands you a giant cup of fresh, aromatic coffee.)

Now, what did you come to chat about today?

The Backyard Flock–Chicks Checklist

Well, hi there! I’m so glad you could join me today.

So, your thinking about bringing home some day old chicks?

Learning responsibility--Don't forget to was your hands, Peanut.

Not a problem. We’ll take it a little at a time.

Grab a piece of scrap paper and pen from over there by the muffin basket.

Oh yes, by all means take a muffin or two, while you’re there.

Ready?

You have a little muffin crumb just…there.

That’s better.

Chicks Checklist:

Specific to chickens, not all poultry.

Brooder:

This can be as simple as a cardboard box filled with shredded newspaper, something you build (recommended, more on this next post ) or purchased from a catalog. Assume one square foot per bird. Some places say 1/2 sq ft, but I was very glad I went with the bigger number.

Litter:

Shredded newspaper, rice hulls, wood shavings. Just not something smooth. Little toes like to grip and risk hip displacement on smoother surfaces, like whole newspaper sheets.

Food:

Chick Starter or Chick Crumble. Never feed the little ones adult poultry food.

Water:

Clean and clear, changed at least once a day.

Electrolite and Vitamins:

Give fuzzy babies a strong start by adding this Vitamin B rich formula to their water. The packet sold at the seed and feed is deceptively small and is for a 50 gallon tank. Using just the tiniest bit on the edge of a teaspoon, mix it to the color of lemonade. In the water for 3 days, then give them just straight water for 4 days.

Chick Feeder:

I like the red plastic one. Why red? Chicks are attracted to it. Weird, but true. Plastic because I find it the easiest to clean. Assume one opening per little fuzz ball. Assume one whole per bird.

Chick Waterer:

I like the little red plastic one that screws onto a mason jar. Again attraction, easy to clean, easy to see water level, easy to see vitamin coloration. Assume one inch of drinking rim per bird.

Light for heat:

I really like a red heat lamp. The red color helps them to not get overstimulated and do naughty things like peck at one another. Also, if they do in the red light, blood appears black so they are less attracted to that spot. We used the red heat lamp and had no pecking problems at all.

Optional:

Thermometer: Standard room thermometer is fine. It isn’t necessary because you can see they are cold because they clump up. Or that they are warm because they head as far from it as possible. Ideally, they will be nicely scattered.

What the thermometer does do is help you reduce the heat 5 degrees (from the initial 95 degrees) each week until they head out to the coop. Acclimation, you know. Otherwise you’re wingin’ it.

Well, I hope that little checklist helped to get you started.

Click below for other Backyard Flock articles.

See you later

The Beginner’s Flock

You Can Build A Brooder

Coop Considerations

The Egg Challenge: Store Bought Vs. The Backyard Flock

Contemplating a Backyard Flock

Choosing a breed

The White Egg Layers

Have fun on your new adventure and don’t forget to get an egg cookbook at the next library sale.