🦆 Ducks: Dream or Disaster? + 5 Senses of Sanity for the Homesteader

IN TODAY'S EDITION

1. Homestead Tip 🌱

2. Poll Results From Last Thursday 📊

3. All Things Homestead: So You're Thinking About Ducks? Here’s What You Really Need to Know 🦆

4. Personal Development: The Five Senses of Simple Living 🌿

5. Today's Top Picks 🛍️

6. Let’s Keep It Reel 🤣

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Ever Look Around Your Home and Think… “What am I even breathing in?”

Bleach. Ammonia. A spray for the counters, a scrub for the tub, a “fresh” scent that somehow gives you a headache.

We’ve been sold the idea that our homes have to “smell” clean to be clean. But all that “lemon breeze” is doing is polluting the air your babies breathe, soaking into the skin that hugs your body, and wrecking your peace of mind.

I’ve been there.

I was deep cleaning the bathroom one spring (windows open, gloves on) and suddenly I couldn’t stop coughing. It hit me: I’m cleaning the house while poisoning myself doing it. How backwards is that?

So I started making my own cleaners. And that’s exactly what we’re diving into this April inside the Homestead Challenge: All-Natural Spring Cleaning.

In this month’s challenge, you'll learn how to:

• Make natural cleaners that WORK (and smell amazing)

• Detox your home without pricey “greenwashed” products

• Ditch the chemicals and replace them with pantry staples

• Refresh your entire space, body, mind, and home

You don’t need more “stuff.” You just need the right recipes, tools, and support.
This challenge gives you all three… plus an entire community of women doing it with you.

And if you missed January (Pantry Staples), February (Natural Skincare), or March (Gardening Basics), they’re still there for you anytime. No stress, no catch. Just waiting inside the Homestead Hub when you’re ready.

You in?

POLL RESULTS FROM LAST THURSDAY

What’s your favorite way to use your homestead eggs for Easter?

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ Deviled eggs, all day

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Naturally dyed for the table or kids

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Baked into breads, cakes, and brunch

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Given away as sweet seasonal gifts

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ I'm swimming in eggs, so I do all of the above!

via @beehiiv polls

Feel free to participate in fun polls in our next newsletters! 😉

Also, follow us on our social media accounts for daily homesteading inspiration and updates.

ALL THINGS HOMESTEAD

So You're Thinking About Ducks? Here’s What You Really Need to Know 🦆

Ducks are gaining popularity fast, and it’s not just because they’re adorable. They’re hardy, productive, and easier to care for than most folks expect. But before you add a few to your backyard or homestead, you’ll want to know exactly what you're getting into.

Here’s your honest, real-life guide to raising ducks!

Why Raise Ducks?

• Reliable layers, even in cold weather. Ducks keep laying eggs long after chickens take their winter break. Breeds like Khaki Campbells and Welsh Harlequins lay consistently.

• Natural pest control. Got slugs, mosquitoes, or beetles in the garden? Ducks will clear them out without chemicals or fuss.

• Calmer personalities. Ducks are less likely to peck each other, and their noise is more like soft chatter (not loud squawking).

• Cold-hardy and disease-resistant. These birds handle rain, snow, and mud much better than chickens do. They rarely get sick and don’t need a heat lamp.

What Ducks Need to Thrive

1. Shelter that’s simple, dry, and safe:
   Ducks don’t roost like chickens, but they still need a place to get out of the weather. A small coop with low ventilation, straw bedding, and a secure door works well.

2. Plenty of fresh water:
   They must be able to dunk their whole heads to clean their eyes and nostrils. Kiddie pools, tubs, or shallow pans work great.

3. Access to a clean water source daily:
   Ducks are messy. Change water often, especially if they’ve been swimming in it.

4. Room to roam:
   Ducks aren’t picky, but they do need space to forage and waddle around. A fenced-in yard or large run is enough.

5. A balanced diet:
   Ducklings need more niacin than chicks, so feed them waterfowl starter or supplement with brewer’s yeast. Adult ducks can eat non-medicated layer feed.

Starting With Ducklings

• Warm, dry brooder space. Use a heat plate or low-heat lamp to keep temps around 90°F the first week, then drop it by 5 degrees weekly.

• No slippery floors. Use shelf liner or towels for grip. Slippery floors cause leg problems in young ducklings.

• Keep feed and water close. Ducklings grow fast and drink a lot. Change wet bedding daily to avoid stink and mold.

• Limit swimming time early on. Ducklings can’t produce waterproof oil until they feather out. Supervised swims only, in shallow water, then dry them off.

Duck Care Tips Homesteaders Should Know

1. Eggs might be hidden: Ducks don’t always lay in nesting boxes. They often prefer corners, bushes, or under coop edges. Do a daily walk to collect them before they freeze or crack.

2. Wet weather is their happy place: While chickens look miserable in the rain, ducks splash and preen. Don’t worry if they’re soaked, they love it.

3. Clean water helps avoid health problems: Dirty water can lead to eye infections or respiratory issues. Keep containers clean and out of their bedding zone.

4. Ducks need less maintenance than chickens: Fewer health issues. No pecking order drama. Just food, water, and space.

5. Fencing keeps them safe: Ducks aren’t great at defending themselves. Use hardware cloth or electric netting to protect from predators like raccoons, foxes, and neighborhood dogs.

Quick Homestead Checklist: Raising Ducks

☐ Shelter with a locking door

☐ Shallow water containers for daily drinking

☐ Kiddie pool or tub for dunking and splashing

☐ Safe feed: duck starter or non-medicated layer feed

☐ Brewer’s yeast (for ducklings' niacin boost)

☐ Dry, non-slippery flooring in the brooder

☐ Bedding like straw or pine shavings

☐ Fence or secure run area

☐ Time daily to refresh water and check for eggs

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Five Senses of Simple Living 🌿

Life on the homestead doesn’t always feel slow even if it looks that way from the outside. There are always animals to feed, laundry to fold, meals to make, and messes to sweep. But simple living isn’t about doing less. It’s about noticing more.

When life feels cluttered or noisy, tuning into your five senses can bring things back into focus. Let’s break it down into small, doable ways to reconnect with what really matters.

See: Make Space for What Brings Peace

• Choose one surface in your home, just one, and clear it completely.
  Wipe it down, then add something beautiful. Maybe a mason jar with wildflowers, or your favorite framed photo.

• Let natural light in.
  Pull back the curtains. Wash the window glass. Notice how the light shifts during the day, it’ll ground you more than you think.

• Try a visual “fast.”
  Put away things that don’t serve you, like your phone, for an hour. Look out the window instead. Watch the chickens scratch or the breeze move through trees.

Hear: Let the Noise Settle

• Turn off background noise.
  This includes the TV that’s just running and the podcast you’re not really listening to. Give yourself quiet.

• Listen to nature’s rhythms.
  Birds calling at dawn. Wind through the leaves. Your boots crunching on gravel. These sounds center the soul.

• Swap multitasking for a few slow minutes.
  When making bread or sweeping the porch, try doing it in silence. You’ll hear more than noise, you’ll start to hear yourself.

Smell: Anchor to the Present

• Use scent as a reset.
  Light a beeswax candle. Open the windows on a breezy afternoon. Crush mint between your fingers in the garden.

• Take notice of the everyday smells.
  Freshly baked bread. Pine shavings in the coop. Clean laundry off the line. These are grounding, even holy, if we let them be.

• Make a habit of breathing deeply.
  When the day feels fast, stop. Close your eyes. Inhale the moment. This is simple living, right here.

Touch: Ground Through Your Hands

• Wash dishes slowly, by hand.
  Let the warm water and suds slow your thoughts. Feel the smoothness of the plate, the weight of the cup.

• Knead dough or fold laundry with purpose.
  These simple, repeated movements have a calming rhythm. They bring peace when life feels stretched too thin.

• Make contact with nature.
  Pull weeds. Brush your goat. Shell peas into a bowl. Let your hands do what they were made to do.

Taste: Savor Without Rush

• Eat something homemade, even if it’s simple.
  Toast with real butter. A fresh egg with a sprinkle of salt. Enjoy it slowly, sitting down even if just for five minutes.

• Drink warm drinks mindfully.
  Tea, coffee, or broth. Use a real mug. Hold it with both hands. Sip, don’t gulp. Let it slow you down from the inside out.

• Share something with someone.
  Break bread with a friend, or sit on the porch and split a cookie with your child. Simple food connects people.

THE STEADY HOME’S GIGGLE CHAMBER

Why do farmers love Easter?

Because it’s the one time of year when egg production gets applause!

TODAY'S TOP PICKS

LET’S KEEP IT REEL!

I've put together some fantastic farm videos that are sure to make you laugh. Take a look and enjoy the fun!

1. Thought these little guys were tiny dinosaurs at first 😂 Watch and see what they really are!

@homesteadingwithjesso

They are vibing . . #homestead #homesteading #farmthings #dayinmylife #animals #funny #familyhomestead #humour #farmlifestyle #outdoors #... See more

2. You know it’s spring when mystery plants just start popping up outta nowhere in your garden 😂🌱

@aliannamama

Every gardener understands this type of excitement!! #springishere #firstharvest #jokes #gardenhumor #homestead #gardentok #funny #fyp

ENGAGE WITH US

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