🏆 The ULTIMATE Meat Chicken Guide! + The No-Spend Homemaking Blueprint

IN TODAY'S EDITION

1. Homestead Tip 🌱

2. Poll Results From Last Tuesday 📊

3. All Things Homestead: Best Meat Chickens for Your Homestead 🍗

4. Personal Development: The No-Buy Homemaking Challenge 🚫

5. Today's Top Picks 🛍️

6. Let’s Keep It Reel 🤣

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POLL RESULTS FROM LAST TUESDAY

What’s your top priority for livestock care in winter?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Keeping water unfrozen

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Maintaining shelter and warmth

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Monitoring health and nutrition

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Expanding or improving animal facilities

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

Best Meat Chickens for Your Homestead 🍗

If you're raising meat chickens, you’re basically running your own farm-to-table operation (except the “table” part comes with a little extra effort). Picking the right breed makes all the difference. Some grow fast, some take their sweet time, and some give you eggs along the way (bonus points for multi-tasking birds).

So, let’s talk about which meat chickens actually earn their keep, which ones will eat you out of house and home, and which ones are worth waiting for.

Fast-Growing Meat Chickens (For When You Want Chicken… Fast)

Some chickens are in a hurry to hit the dinner plate. These breeds pack on weight quickly and turn feed into meat efficiently.

• Cornish Cross – The Usain Bolt of meat chickens. They go from fluffy chicks to 8–10 lb table-ready birds in just 6–8 weeks. But don’t expect personality—these guys are all about eating and growing.

• Freedom Rangers – A great choice if you want something slightly slower-growing (9–11 weeks) but with a better taste. They also love to forage, so they’ll eat bugs and weeds along with their feed.

• Dixie Rainbow – A hardy, dual-purpose bird that grows to about 7–8 lbs in 12–13 weeks. They handle different weather conditions well, which is great if your climate can’t make up its mind.

💡 Best for: Homesteaders who want a quick meat source with minimal fuss.

❌ Not great if: You want birds that stick around long enough to lay eggs.

Slow-Growing Heritage Breeds (For When You Want Flavor, Not Speed)

These chickens take their time, but if you can be patient, the taste is worth it.

• Brahma – The gentle giant. These fluffy-legged beauties grow to 9–12 lbs, but it takes 20–26 weeks. On the plus side, they lay eggs too, so they’re pulling double duty.

• Orpington – These British beauties are known for their plump, juicy meat. They take 22–26 weeks to reach size but also give you around 200 eggs per year.

• Jersey Giant – The heavyweight champion of the chicken world. Roosters hit up to 15 lbs, but it takes 24 weeks (or longer). They’re big, friendly, and great for people who want both meat and eggs.

💡 Best for: Homesteaders who want rich flavor, large birds, and extra egg production.

❌ Not great if: You’re impatient or don’t want to spend extra on feed.

Best Dual-Purpose Chickens (Eggs Now, Meat Later)

If you want chickens that give you eggs first and meat later, these breeds are for you.

• Delaware – Quick growers (12–16 weeks) that weigh around 8–10 lbs. They also lay 150+ eggs a year, making them one of the best dual-purpose breeds.

• New Hampshire Red – Great for beginners! They reach 6–8.5 lbs in about 14–16 weeks and lay plenty of eggs too.

• Wyandotte – These pretty birds are cold-hardy, great layers, and have good meat. The only catch? They take about 24 weeks to mature.

💡 Best for: Anyone who wants eggs and a good meat yield.

❌ Not great if: You want super-fast meat birds.

How to Choose the Right Meat Chickens for Your Homestead

Feeling overwhelmed? Here’s how to narrow it down:

• Need chicken ASAP? Go for Cornish Cross or Freedom Rangers.

• Want meat and eggs? Dual-purpose breeds like Delawares or Orpingtons are your best bet.

• Prefer rich, slow-grown flavor? Jersey Giants or Brahmas are worth the wait.

• Raising them on pasture? Freedom Rangers or Dixie Rainbows are great free-rangers.

Activity: Plan Your Flock

1️⃣ Decide how many chickens you want to raise (start small if you’re new—5 to 10 birds is plenty).
2️⃣ Choose a breed (or two) based on your goals.
3️⃣ Set up a proper space. Make sure they have a safe coop, fresh water, and the right feed.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

The No-Buy Homemaking Challenge 🚫

Homesteading already teaches us to be resourceful. We patch things up, stretch meals, and somehow turn a handful of pantry ingredients into something that almost feels like a fancy dinner. But even the most frugal among us have fallen into the trap of buying things we don’t actually need. (Looking at you, yet another farmhouse-style basket.)

Enter the No-Buy Homemaking Challenge—a fun, practical way to cut back on spending, get creative, and appreciate what we already have. This isn’t about deprivation; it’s about seeing how much we can do with what we already own.

Step 1: Wants vs. Needs

Let’s talk about the difference between "I need" and "I just really want."

• Needs: Food, animal feed, utilities, and, yes, coffee (this is non-negotiable).

• Wants: That adorable set of matching ceramic bowls when you already have perfectly good ones. A $40 scented candle when you’ve got a perfectly fine stash of tea lights. More throw pillows (we all have enough).

The first step in a no-buy challenge is realizing we already have plenty. When we stop shopping for entertainment, we realize how much money we’ve been spending on things we don’t even remember buying.

Step 2: Repurpose What You Have

If homesteaders had a superpower, it would be finding new uses for old things. Instead of buying, take a second look at what’s already sitting around.

• Old T-shirts = Cleaning Rags: Before buying paper towels, cut up that stack of shirts that nobody wears. Bonus: You’ll feel extra productive.

• Glass Jars = Everything Storage: Mason jars, old pickle jars, and even jelly jars make great storage for dry goods, homemade spice mixes, or even DIY candles.

• Furniture Swaps = Free Room Makeover: Instead of buying new decor, try moving furniture around. Swap rugs between rooms, repurpose an old dresser as a coffee bar, or just rotate decorations. It feels fresh without spending a dime.

Being resourceful isn’t just about saving money—it’s about making homemaking feel more intentional.

Step 3: Make It Instead of Buying It

Homesteaders have been doing this long before it was a "challenge." Instead of clicking add to cart, try making things from scratch.

• Homemade Cleaners: A little vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils work just as well as store-bought cleaners (and without the mystery chemicals).

• DIY Bread & Snacks: Skip the fancy store-bought baked goods and make your own. Need a sweet treat? Bake a batch of cookies instead of grabbing expensive store-bought ones.

• Gift From the Heart: Instead of spending money on gifts, bake a loaf of bread, make a homemade spice blend, or write a heartfelt note. People love homemade gifts—especially if they involve food.

The trick is shifting from "I need to buy this" to "Can I make this myself?" Most of the time, the answer is yes.

Step 4: Use It Up Before Buying More

Raise your hand if you’ve ever bought something new while the old version was still sitting half-full. (Yep, same here.) The no-buy challenge is all about using what you have before replacing it.

• Pantry & Freezer First: Before heading to the store, take inventory. Challenge yourself to cook meals using what’s already there. That forgotten bag of rice? The three jars of spaghetti sauce? Time to put them to good use.

• Clothes & Linens: Mend those socks, patch that hole, and turn that worn-out bath towel into a cleaning rag. No need to buy new when a little DIY magic does the trick.

• Beauty & Self-Care Products: Use up those half-empty bottles of lotion and shampoo before buying more. If you’ve got five chapsticks in your purse, maybe hold off on that next one (tempting, I know).

When we use what we have, we realize we need way less than we thought.

Step 5: Set Your No-Buy Challenge Goal

This isn’t an all-or-nothing challenge—you get to set the rules. Pick a goal that works for your lifestyle.

• One-Week No-Buy: A great way to start small. No spending on anything but true essentials for seven days.

• One-Month No-Buy: A bit more commitment but still totally doable. Focus on using what you have and finding alternatives to shopping.

• Seasonal No-Buy Challenge: No unnecessary spending for an entire season (three months). This is great for homesteaders who want to be more self-sufficient and avoid impulse buys.

However long you go, the goal is to reset spending habits and appreciate what you already own.

Activity: Start Your No-Buy Challenge Today

✔ Pick a start date (no time like the present!).
✔ Choose a challenge length (one week, one month, or longer).
✔ Write down your biggest spending temptations (so you can be mindful about avoiding them).
✔ Get creative with repurposing and making do with what’s already in your home.
✔ Track your savings and success—seeing the extra money in your account is a great motivator!

THE STEADY HOME’S GIGGLE CHAMBER

Why did the garden hose refuse to work in January?

It was frozen with fear!

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. Yep, if someone asks me to do the same, you already know I'm grabbing everything homestead-related! 😂

@queenoaksfarm

We all need baby bunnies 🐰 #husband #marriage #humor #comedy #funny #laughing #laugh #joke #homesteading #homesteader #animals #cute #fyp... See more

2. Kids telling chicken jokes? Now that’s comedy gold! 😂🐔

@yeahthegrays

Why are chickens so funny? #bostontok #chickens #laugh #chickensoftiktok #farmlife #farm #toddlersoftiktok #funny #fyp

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