🐥 Your Chicks Will Love This Feed Swap! + Why Homesteaders Need to Brain Dump Now

IN TODAY'S EDITION

1. Homestead Tip 🌱

2. Poll Results From Last Tuesday 📊

3. All Things Homestead: The Right Feed for Happy, Healthy Chicks 🐤

4. Personal Development: Why Every Homesteader Needs a Brain Dump 🧠

5. Today's Top Picks 🛍️

6. Let’s Keep It Reel 🤣

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POLL RESULTS FROM LAST TUESDAY

What’s your favorite way to connect with other homesteaders?

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Local workshops or meetups

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Online forums or groups

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Trading goods or skills

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ Visiting each other’s homesteads

via @beehiiv polls

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

Also, follow us on our Facebook page and Pinterest for daily homesteading inspiration and updates.

ALL THINGS HOMESTEAD

The Right Feed for Happy, Healthy Chicks

Raising chicks is a little like raising kids. They need the right nutrition at the right time, or things get messy fast. Too much of one thing, not enough of another, and suddenly, you’ve got weak birds, slow growth, or even health issues.

So, let’s break it down: what to feed chicks, when to switch, and how to keep them growing strong.

How Long Do Chicks Need Starter Feed?

For the first 6 to 8 weeks, chicks should be on starter feed.

• This feed is packed with 18-20% protein, which helps build muscle, feathers, and a strong immune system.

• Switching too early to lower-protein feed can lead to slow growth and weak birds.

• Keeping them on starter feed too long can put extra strain on their kidneys.

After week 6 or 8, they’re ready for the next step: grower feed.

Homesteader Tip: If you’ve ever tried raising meat birds and they seemed too scrawny, check if they were switched off starter feed too soon. Timing makes a difference!

Medicated or Non-Medicated Starter?

If you’re raising free-range chicks, medicated starter can give them extra protection. But if your chicks are vaccinated or from a clean brooder setup, non-medicated should work just fine.

When to Switch to Grower Feed?

At 6 to 8 weeks old, chicks are ready for grower feed.

• This has 15-18% protein, enough to support steady growth without overloading their system.

• Too much protein at this stage can cause liver and kidney stress.

• The switch should happen gradually. Mix starter and grower feed for about a week to avoid shocking their digestion.

If you’re raising mixed-age flocks, all-flock feed is a good option since it works for both pullets and roosters.

What About Layer Feed?

This is where a lot of people make mistakes: switching to layer feed too soon.

• Layer feed is for hens who are laying eggs. That means 16 to 18 weeks old or when the first egg appears.

• It has extra calcium, which helps with eggshells but can be dangerous for young birds.

• Too much calcium too soon can cause kidney damage and growth problems.

If you have roosters or birds that won’t be laying eggs, skip layer feed and keep them on grower or all-flock feed.

Homesteader Tip: If you’ve got a mixed flock, offer crushed oyster shells separately. Laying hens will eat it when they need extra calcium, and the rest of the flock can avoid it.

What Else Can Chicks Eat?

• Chick grit: If giving anything besides crumbles, they need grit to digest food properly.

• Fresh greens: Dandelion leaves, clover, or tiny lettuce bits make great treats.

• Protein snacks: Mealworms or scrambled eggs help with feather growth.

• NO kitchen scraps: At least not in the first few weeks. Their digestive systems need time to develop.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Why Every Homesteader Needs a Brain Dump

Ever found yourself halfway to the barn, only to forget why you went there in the first place? Or maybe you’re in the middle of kneading bread, mentally running through the dozen other things you need to do before sundown? When life on the homestead is a constant juggling act, a brain dump can help clear the mental clutter so you can focus on what truly matters.

What Is a Brain Dump?

A brain dump is exactly what it sounds like—getting everything out of your head and onto paper (or a notes app, if you prefer). It’s a simple way to unload tasks, worries, reminders, and ideas so they stop bouncing around in your brain like loose chickens escaping the coop.

How to Do a Brain Dump (Homesteader Style)

If you’ve never tried a brain dump before, here’s how to do it in a way that actually helps you manage the chaos of daily life.

1. Find a Few Quiet Minutes

Yes, they do exist! Maybe it’s before the kids wake up, while your coffee is brewing, or right after evening chores. Grab a notebook, a scratch piece of paper, or even the back of an old feed bill (whatever’s handy).

Tip: If sitting down feels impossible, try voice notes instead. You can brain dump while walking to the garden or milking the goats.

2. Write Down EVERYTHING on Your Mind

• Chores: Fix the fence, clean out the coop, start seeds for the spring garden.

• Household Tasks: Meal plan for the week, mend that torn apron, declutter the spice cabinet.

• Big Projects: Build a new raised bed, research beekeeping, start a sourdough starter.

• Random Thoughts: “Do we have enough hay for winter?” or “What if I finally tried making homemade soap?”

3. Sort and Prioritize

Now, take a breath and go through your list. Group similar items together and decide what actually needs your attention.

• Urgent tasks: Things that need to be done today or tomorrow.

• Upcoming tasks: Stuff that can wait a few days but still needs planning.

• Future projects: Big ideas that don’t need immediate action (like that dream of getting a dairy cow).

• Reminders: Things to keep in mind but not stress over.

Tip: Use a highlighter or different colored pens to mark what’s urgent. This keeps you from feeling overwhelmed by everything at once.

4. Take Action—One Step at a Time

Now that your thoughts are sorted, pick three things to focus on today. Not ten. Not twenty. Just three.

Maybe it’s planting carrots, ordering feed, and finally sweeping out the mudroom. Whatever it is, keep it manageable so you actually feel accomplished by the end of the day.

Why Brain Dumps Are a Homesteader’s Best Friend

• Prevents Forgetting Important Tasks – When everything is written down, there’s less chance you’ll forget to shut the barn door or start dinner on time.

• Reduces Stress & Overwhelm – Instead of carrying a million little thoughts, you get them out and deal with them logically.

• Boosts Productivity – Knowing what to focus on helps you move through the day without distractions.

• Encourages Creativity – Once the essentials are out of your head, you have more brainpower for fun projects—like making homemade butter or knitting by the fire.

Tip: Keep a small notepad in your apron pocket or near the kitchen sink for quick thoughts throughout the day. Sometimes, jotting things down as they pop up is just as helpful as a full brain dump.

THE STEADY HOME’S GIGGLE CHAMBER

How do ducks celebrate Valentine’s Day?

By sending quack-mantic love notes!

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. A chicken realizing its fate… just standing there like, “Oh no.” 😳

@linzk1010

#ohno #ohnotheresmelanie #chicken #rotisseriechicken #bettywhite #betty #housechicken #househen #jokes #dinner #fyp #fypage #fypシ゚viral #v... See more

2. When you ask your mom for something to eat, and she hits you with, "There's food at home"... but all you see is a whole live cow just standing there. 😭

@ebaughjohn

Who elses mom says this? #food #joke #calf #mom #dairy #cows #farmer #funny

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