Tilly's Nest

Opening the Hives~One Week Later

2012-05-27T10:27:00.002-04:00

It has been one week since I installed the nucs into their new homes. The entire family has enjoyed watching the hives from the kitchen window. As we eat breakfast, we watch the bees zipping up into the sky, making literally a "bee line" to pollen locations. Amazingly, every few seconds bees dart very quickly from the entrance up to the sky like tiny little rockets. Around the entrance, we see returning bees hovering loaded down with pollen. There is a traffic jam. Everyone is waiting to come inside and be unloaded. As these bees return from foraging, younger bees in the hive wait to unload both pollen and water from the foraging worker bees. Once unloaded, these bees proceed to dance to tell the bees the location of this freshly harvested pollen. The dance is based on the sun's location in the sky. Unloaded and danced out, the bee then quickly makes a bee line out of the hive back to the pollen location. We are fascinated.

After one week, it is important to check on your bees for a few reasons:

1. Check to make sure there is brood (babies)
2. To see if the hive is growing. Are the bees building out the new frames with wax foundation?
3. Are there any signs of disease or problems?
4. Can you visualize the queen or signs of the queen? Without a queen the colony will struggle or even fail.
5. Do the feeders need to be refilled?
6. Do you need to add more room for the bees to live (another deep super)?

Briar receives the second deep.

My friend, Alicia, came over and we opened the hives together. Instead of smoking the hive, we tried using the Honey B Healthy. The Honey B Healthy is supposedly better for the bees than the smoking. When you smoke the bees, instinctually they are driven down into the depths of the hive making it easier for one to manipulate the frames. However, the bees are lead to believe that there is a fire. They are down in the hive gorging themselves with honey in the event they must leave the hive and find a new home. After gorging on honey, it takes the bees a few days to recuperate. Think Thanksgiving for us. Those few days are valuable days of foraging that the hive loses. On the other hand, when you mist the bees with the Honey B Healthy, they are not driven down into the hive. They are still present on the frames but they are distracted from having to clean their bodies of the sticky Honey B Healthy syrup. As you work, you can see them busily taking their arms and wiping off their heads and bodies.

We decided to open the smaller, calmer hive. First we removed the top cover and the feeder. In order to remove the top cover, I had to break two bridges of comb that the bees had built as ramps from the frames to the feeder. As delicately as I could, I loosened the bond with the hive tool. I also had use the hive tool around the inner cover edges as the bees had glued it shut with bee glue called propolis.

Once open, we quickly and methodically examined each frame. We removed an end one. The bees had not even begun to build this one out. I placed it on the ground. Next we moved on to each frame, one by one. As we reached the center we visualized brood, capped honey, pollen, new baby bees emerging from their cells and the queen. However, the bees had only built out about six and a half of the frames in the ten frame deep. We decided to leave the hive as is and replace the inner cover. The feeder was still about 3/4 full. I topped it off with the sugar syrup and closed the hive.

Bees exiting from the hive using the tiny "door" in the inner cover

Next we moved onto the larger hive from the beginning. This hive was more active last week. The nuc was heavier and the bees were more curious as to my being there. Following the same procedure as the last hive, we began our inspection. This hive was bustling! We never did spot the queen but evidence of her existence was certainly there. Nine out of ten frames were built out. The bees were a plenty.

I knew that this hive had a plastic frame that was part of the nuc. For some reason, bees don't really care for the plastic frame or it's accompanying plastic foundation. Often, they build out comb in a funny pattern on it. Sometimes they don't build it out at all. There were three places on this plastic foundation where the comb was built incorrectly. With the hive tool, I gently scraped it off and placed it by the hive entrance. The bees will remove what they need from this comb and hopefully correctly rebuilt the foundation.

We added the second deep with ten new empty frames and wax foundation for the bees to build upon. The feeder was almost empty. It was only 1/4 full so I topped that one off too. We hid the feeder inside two smaller honey supers and replaced the cover.

Comb removed from the plastic foundation placed at the hive entrance.

As newbees, the entire process of opening the two hives took about an hour. I am so happy that both of my hives are docile. Yet, it was fascinating to see two hives right next to each other be so entirely different in size, personality and feel. Most people name their hives and I had thought about this for a while. After opening the hives yesterday, the names were clear. The first hive I have named Willow and the second one I have named Briar.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Tilly's Feat

2012-05-25T19:55:00.003-04:00

This morning around 9am I found Tilly sitting in the right nesting box. Sitting in the neighboring nesting boxes were Dolly and Feathers. Dolly and Feathers are both broody. I quickly checked beneath all of them for eggs. There were none, so I went on my errands for the morning.

When I came back around 11am, things were the same. Tilly was still in the box. This was so unlike her. I felt underneath of her and I could feel that her lower abdomen was full. She needed to lay an egg. Typically, Tilly takes about twenty minutes to lay her egg. My heart sank; either she was newly broody, which would be a first for her, or she was having trouble passing this egg. I prayed she was not egg bound.

One of the projects on my to-do-list for Spring was to reseed the lawn near the chicken coop. The girls had done a number on it last Fall and it did not grow back like it had in the past. I needed to spread down a layer of compost and then apply new grass seed. Today was perfect for this job. This way, I could monitor what was going on in the coop with Tilly.

Before I started, I went into the house and grabbed a large ripe juicy tomato, a handful of baby carrots, and some over-ripe strawberries. In the yard, I picked some baby ferns. The girls love baby ferns! This would be a test. As I shouted out to the girls, they all came running except for Tilly. I could not believe that she stayed behind despite the tomato dangling in the wire treat ball outside the coop door and the rest of the goodies. Something was not right.

As I spread the compost on top of the existing patchy lawn, I could hear Tilly making noises inside the coop. The sounds were new to me. They were high pitched, rolling, and sounded painful. They were sounds made from exertion. She must have had an egg stuck. I decided to continue working and let her be for a little while. Maybe she would end up passing it without my help. Please!

Just as I was finishing up and tossed the last grass seed on top of the compost, I heard Tilly's voice behind me. I turned around and she was there. I squatted down near the run and she came over to me. She was very vocal and told me her tale. She looked so cute cocking her head back an forth when I answered her back. Surely, she seemed to be feeling better. As she headed over to what was left of the dangling tomato, I headed to the nesting boxes. I opened up the latch and lifted up the door. There it was still warm- Tilly's egg. It was a stout plump brown egg that was a bit wider than usual.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Tour de Coop: Alicia in Monument Beach

2012-05-23T11:15:00.000-04:00

I was thrilled to discover that my new friend, Alicia, keeps chickens. For me, it instantly adds depth to a friendship when I find out that we share common interests. I first met Alicia this past Winter when I took the beekeeping class. I loved that we immediately had so many things to talk about and stories to share. This past weekend, we went together to pick-up our bees, but first, I had to meet her girls.

Alicia keeps two coops, one for the "mean girls" and one for the "nice girls". The mean girls have very dominant personalities and for a chicken, it takes quite a bit to keep up with this group. The nice girls are gentle and never worry about being dominant. They are sweet to all newcomers, including hens that Alicia helps to rescue. During my visit, both flocks were friendly. They enjoyed me petting them and I could have easily picked up most of her hens.

Mean girls' residence

Nice girls' residence

The two coops are separated from each other by lovely gardens. The nice girls' coop was Alicia's original coop that was built as a birthday present for her by her boyfriend. Soon enough, her love for chickens began and her flock outgrew this smaller coop. Alicia and her boyfriend constructed the new coop closer to the house. Working with salvaged lumber and windows, the new coop was born with mostly recycled materials. However, as new members were added to the flock, it was clear that some sweet girls would do better in a home of their own. So, she split the flock and they are now happy living separate lives.

The Mean Girl's Coop

Beautiful raised garden beds and lovely seating areas surround the coop making it a lovely spot to sit in the dappled sunshine. As you prepare to enter the coop, a sweet painting greets you. It's hard not to smile.

Once inside the coop the front entry is partitioned off with chicken wire. This serves as a storage area. A door immediately in front of you, that was recycled from inside their historic home, serves as the point of entry.

Immediately, I was impressed with all of the beautiful natural light that filled the coop. The entire back side of the coop's roof is made of clear corrugated roofing. Alicia tells me that often she finds her girls napping inside the coop just basking in the sunshine. It is also great on Winter days. The hens love finding a bit of sunshine when snow is outside on the ground. Inside the coop, on the wall next to the nesting boxes, the hens have access to small containers of grit and oyster shells. Their food and water is out in the run.

The nesting boxes are cleverly designed. They have hinges and locks that twist allowing the entire front of the boxes, roosts and all to lift up for easy cleaning. Circular entry holes were cut into the fronts of the boxes, to prevent the hens from kicking out the shavings. The girls were anxious to show me their run. I soon learned why.

Outside in the run was the most magnificent jungle gym for chickens that I had ever laid my eyes on! The hens love to play on it all day and it helps them to get high up into the rafters where they enjoy roosting during the day.

Alicia's flock is beautiful and is made up of an assortment of colorful breeds. She even has a Silver Laced Wyandotte that is probably Dottie Speckle's sister. You can see her in the background of the second photo below.

Soon enough, it was time to meet the nice girls.

The Nice Girls' Coop

Four sweet hens live at the top of the hill in the nice coop. They have all the same luxuries in life as the mean girls including a miniature chicken jungle gym. We were immediately greeted by her sweet Buff Orpington. Inside the coop we met her broody girl, who according to Alicia, is always sitting on eggs. We discovered four underneath her when she got up for some meal worm treats.

It was amazing as the energy in this coop up top the hill was very different. It was laid back as opposed to the high energy that I felt in the other coop. Personalities seemed well matched in both her flocks. I love how she was able to create two distinctly different flocks and chicken coops all in the same yard. This is a great solution to problems that most chicken keepers encounter.

Of course, I could not do this Tour de Coop without sharing you Alicia's beehives. Here they are sectioned off in between the two coops on the side of her yard.

If you enjoyed this Tour de Coop, click here for more.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Winner: Nesting Box Blend from Treats for Chickens

2012-05-22T09:32:00.000-04:00

Thank you so very much to all of you who entered this awesome giveaway from our sponsor, Treats for Chickens. I enjoyed reading through all of your lovely comments. I was also impressed with all the items that you would like to try. You even inspired me to try some new ones with my next order! So, who won? With some help from random.org one lucky winner was selected at randomly to win a bag of Nesting Box Blend.

Congratulations

robin mcdowell

You are the lucky winner of the Nesting Box Blend!

Please email me at: melissa@tillysnest.com with your US shipping address

so we can get that out to you right away.

Thank you again for all of your entries! Stay tuned for another great giveaway happening soon!

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Installing the Nucs

2012-05-21T11:12:00.002-04:00

I woke up early yesterday morning to see how the bees had fared overnight. They seemed to be spending the morning becoming acquainted with their new home. I could see plenty of curious bees buzzing around the nuc boxes and hives. I looked on as some were spiraling up into the air. They were orienting themselves to their new location. The sun was shining brightly and temperatures were already in the sixties. I had to get to work. Later this morning, I would transfer the bees from the nucs to their new hives.

The first thing that I had to do was make food for the bees. Our local beekeeper's association recommends feeding Cape Cod bees in the Spring and the Fall as well as any new hives whether they are packages or nucs. Feeding the bees requires a sugar syrup at a 1:1 ratio in the Spring and a 2:1 ratio in the Fall. The association has also had great results with Honey B Healthy added into the syrup as a supplement. The kids and I made the syrup.

Honeybee Springtime Syrup

This recipe is the perfect amount to fill one feeder pail. If you are like me and have two hives, double the recipe.

Ingredients:
5 pints of water (10 cups)
5 pounds of sugar
Honey B Healthy (optional-directions per label)

Preparation:
Bring the water to a rolling boil on the stove.
Remove water from heat.
Stir in the sugar.
Mix until all sugar is dissolved.
Cool until room temperature then fill the feeder.

As the syrup was cooling. The kids and I got onto filling our frames with foundation. Foundation is thin bees wax with tiny support wires running through it. This is attached into each wooden frame. Adding the foundation serves as a guide to the bees for where we want them to "work". Our association shared with us a very useful tip. We use bobby pins on the sides to support the foundation. We needed to fill ten frames for our new hives.

Once the sugar syrup cooled, I filled each feeder. I gathered up my hive tool, the smoker, the filled frames, the mouse guards made from hardware cloth and suited up. I was ready. Some people tend their bees with just a veil. Some people prefer to wear a light jacket, veil and gloves. While others wear a full suit. As I react very badly to insect bites and stings, I did not have an option. My kids told me that I look like White Darth Vader.

As the bees were still not accustomed to their new home they were on the guard. Typically, our association has been misting bees with the Honey B Healthy when they open the hives. However, I decided to use the smoker. This was not going to be a typical hive opening. This was a job that would take some time and stir up the bees. I had my family watch from afar while my husband graciously offered to take some photos.

First I placed the nuc that I was going to be working with on the ground and opened up the new hive. I added three new frames with the foundation that the kids and I made. Then I methodically transferred each frame from the nuc into the hive in the exact same placement as it had been in the nuc.

Using the hive tool to remove a frame

Gently grasping each side of the frame

Placing the frame in the hive

Adding the last two new frames with foundation

Some bees remained in the old nuc box. I tipped it over and shook the remaining bees onto of new hive's frames. I replaced the inner cover, inverted the feeder pail and centered it onto the inner cover's opening. I then added an empty deep to conceal the feeder and replaced the outer cover on top of the hive. Within no time, I had completed the first hive and then moved onto the second one. I was gaining confidence. I opened up the next nuc and got to work.

I followed all the same steps. This time, I felt more relaxed and enjoyed the transfer process. Once all the frames were added to the hive. I took a moment to listen. I could hear plenty of bees buzzing. Their low pitched buzzing was filling the air and the hive in front of me. Then, I heard the queen. She was singing. Over the low buzzing, I could hear a high pitched melodic song. It sounded so happy. I was amazed. I could not help smiling.

I added the mouse guards to the entrances. Then I placed the old nuc boxes in front of the new hives respectively. It was going to take a while for all the bees to realized where their queen was now residing. Later that evening, I returned out to the hives and opened up the old nuc boxes. They were empty except for one or two bees. I freed those few bees and removed the old nuc boxes. The transfer was complete. My new little girls were all safe within their hives. They will be left alone for a week and then I will open the hive to check on their progress. If all goes well, I might just get some honey after all this Fall.

Old nuc placed next to new hive entrance

This post is linked up to Homestead Revival's Homestead Barn Hop.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest, Mr. Tilly's Nest

Picking Up the New Girls

2012-05-20T20:38:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, a friend and I made the 3-plus hour trip to Brewster, New York to pick up our bees. Finally, the weather had warmed up enough and our bees were ready to come home. We began our journey after lunch and did not arrive home until after Midnight. When we arrived in Brewster, we had to wait until 7:30 pm for our bees to come home for the evening. We were scheduled to pick up five nucs.

Nucs are like little colonies complete with a queen, honey, brood (babies), and an assortment of various worker bees. The colony has accepted the queen and it is already established. A nuc hive is inserted into an empty full size hive. The frames are removed from the nuc and placed in the new hive. The nuc has now turned into a regular beehive with plenty of room to grow. In some ways, this is much more appealing than ordering a package. It also has it's disadvantages too. In the end, it is all a matter of personal preference.

As we finally met up with the owner of the apiary and got back into the car to drive to where the nucs were located, I could feel something wet against my arm. Oh for goodness sake, I had forgotten Oyster Cracker's egg from the morning in my pocket. It had now cracked as I climbed in the seat. Amazingly, it had survived the past 12 hours unharmed. I removed my coat and placed it in the back of the SUV. The sun was quickly setting, as we finished up picking up the 5 nucs, wrapping them in mesh bags, and loading up the car. We still had a long drive home. Before, we left, we asked the owner of the apiary if he thought we should wear our veils home. He said, "No, those mesh bags are like Fort Knox, nothing is getting out of there." Boy was he wrong.

All the way driving home we could hear the bees buzzing in the back. It wasn't until about an hour from home that I could feel something crawling up my leg into my jeans. I tried to ignore it. Maybe I just had the heebee jeebies. Oh, no. It wasn't. A couple of bees were in my pant leg. Calmly and rationally, I exited the highway and pulled into a large brightly lit Lowe's parking lot. I delicately got out of the car and popped the back hatch open with the button up front. Meanwhile, my friend put on her veil and gloves. She quickly took a peek at the nucs. My suspicions were right. Some bees had escaped and three of the mesh bags were filling with bees. I had to get my pants off. So, there we were in the middle of the Lowe's parking lot with my friend gingerly pulling my jeans off. Within a few moments the mission was accomplished. I had not been stung, but I was standing in the middle of the Lowe's parking lot in my shirt and underwear. My pants were full of bees and my coat was full of Oyster Cracker's broken egg.

Thankfully, I had an entire bee suit, so there I was, driving home donning even the veil and gloves. I just wanted to get home. Around 1am, I pulled into my driveway. I was exhausted, but I still had more to do. I grabbed each nuc from the back of my car and placed them each on top of their new hives waiting for them in the yard. The nucs were buzzing. I could feel the bees bouncing against the sides of the nuc boxes. Bees were also filling the mesh bag. All I could think was, what did I get myself into? I carefully slid the nucs out of their "Fort Knox" and then I had to do what I feared the worst - remove the plugs from the nucs to immediately let the bees out. I took a deep breath, and unplugged them. Bees began to emerge from the box. Strangely, they wanted nothing to do with me. I think they were more interested in getting some fresh air. Not one came after me.

I returned to the car and locked it up. I removed my bee keeping suit and placed my jacket covered in dry sticky egg in the wash. I climbed into bed at 1:15am. Somehow, I could not sleep. Even though I was exhausted, I could not wait to wake up and say good morning to my new girls, all 40,000 of them.

To Be Continued...click here for the rest of the story.

The next day, putting the nucs in the hives

Photo Credit: Mr. Tilly's Nest

Top Ten Plants to Grow for Your Chickens

2012-05-18T21:17:00.001-04:00

One of the things I love about living on Cape Cod is that it is full of avid gardeners. In the Spring, those gardeners love to have plant sales. I love going to them, because many of the plants you purchase come from other people's backyards. They are hardy, prolific and grow well in the areas where we live. The plant sale that I look the most forward to is run each May by the Thornton Burgess Society.

Thornton Burgess's family was one of the first to settle in Sandwich, Massachusetts in 1637. Thornton Burgess grew up in Sandwich, Massachusetts and became a pioneering naturalist and author. Most of his books were for children based upon the native wildlife that lived around his home. His most famous book, Old Mother West Wind was first published in 1910 which debuted Peter Cottontail. Today's plant sale was located in the gardens of the Thornton Burgess Society's Green Briar Nature Center.

For this plant and herb sale it is always imperative that you arrive early on Friday morning. Even though the sale runs through Sunday, it is not uncommon for them to be sold out on Saturday by lunch. Their prices are wonderful and their selection is fantastic. I love picking up rare goodies. I arrived just as it opened. I scooped up a wagon.

I paused for just a moment to admire a new family of swans.

Within forty five minutes or so, my wagon was full. I always pick up plants for me and for the chickens.

I checked out, loaded my car and came back to admire the gardens. I always find them so inspiring.

Later this Summer, I can't wait to be able to make jam in their old fashioned jam kitchen.

But that would be rushing to Summer.

Top Ten Plants for Chickens

These plants are hands down my chickens' favorites

Some I make a point of purchasing and some, Mother Nature provides at no cost.

1. Nasturtiums~ an annual herb with edible foliage and flowers. They love to climb. My chickens enjoy me planting these outside the perimeter of their run.

2. Beet Greens~planted as cooler weathers crops, don't let your beet greens go to waste. My girls love to gobble these up. As I harvest the beets, I cut off their leafy tops. I toss some into the run for the girls and the rest I store in the refrigerator in a vase of water like cut flowers to save for the upcoming days.

3. Broccoli Greens~As you eat the flowers, they love to eat the leaves and tougher stems. Just be sure they have access to grit.

4. Clover~ Let this favorite grow wild throughout your lawn. It is a favorite of chickens and bees.

5. Dandelions~ Around here these grow from early Spring to late Fall. Try digging them up roots and all and tossing them into the run with your flock. They will love you for it!

6. Carrot Greens~ My girls love to eat the greens from the carrots that I pull from the ground. I treat extras in the same manner as the beet greens.

7. Greens-Mustard Greens, Kale, Cabbage, Chard~ Chickens love these vitamin packed greens. Try planting some mustard greens, kale, chard and lettuce in a planter just for your girls.

8. Grass &Chickweed~If you do not chemically treat your grass, try tossing in some of the clippings after you mow the lawn. Better yet, let the chickens help you mow the lawn by free-ranging with supervision.

9. Berries-Strawberries, blueberries, Blackberries~Chickens go crazy for berries. All these berries too can be planted in containers. Always plant more than you think. Fresh berries are sometimes so hard to share with our feathered friends when they taste so refreshing on a hot Summer day.

10. Sunflowers~Plant some beautiful sunflowers. Harvest the flowers in late Summer and then dry the flowers and seeds. Store them away for a sweet high protein treat perfect for blustery Winter days.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest (courtesy of the IPhone)

Recipe for Happy Rainy Day Chickens

2012-05-16T12:05:00.002-04:00

It's started raining here last night. I love a good rain. The garden's wake up, recent bursts of pollen from the scrub pines is rinsed from the skies and I get to take time and focus on indoor projects. The only downfall for me is that I can't spend as much time with my chickens, especially in the torrential types of rain that we have had all last night and today. So what is a girl to do? I prepare myself and the chickens to make weathering the storm a bit easier.

For me, when I know there is rain in the forecast, I love to keep a fresh bouquet of flowers sitting on the kitchen island. When the gardens are in Summer bloom, I love snipping dahlias, spider flowers, liatris, hydrangeas, poppies, cone flowers and sedum to create lovely focal points. Yesterday, I did the next best thing. On my weekly food shopping at Trader Joe's, I spied one of my favorite flowers, ranunculus, in bouquets. It was meant to be. I brought them home and arranged them in a vase. This would be my cure for the next few days. Something to glance upon. Something that makes me smile. Then I began to focus on the chickens. I like to make them happy in rainy weather too.

Rainy weather for chickens can equal boredom. They spend most of the day in the coop and miss the outdoors. With a few easy measures, I have been able to make these sorts of days more tolerable for the girls. To the point, where I believe that they do not mind the rain as much. Don't get me wrong, the chickens don't mind a bit of rain, but in my experiences they do not like to be drenched to the bone.

Recipe for Happy Rainy Day Chickens

Cover the run. On days, when you know rain is ahead, think about covering the run, or a portion of it, with thick plastic. I pick up a roll of 6mm plastic that comes in a 25 foot long roll in Home Depot's painting section. The plastic is pretty durable and when covering the run, still allows sunlight to penetrate through to the chickens. It keeps them nice and dry too. To cover my A-frame run, I cut the plastic to length. On both sides of the plastic that runs parallel to the run touching the ground, I staple a 2"x4" board sized the length of the coop. These boards act as a counter weights and helps to keep this simple tarp from blowing away in the wind.

Promote Dust bathing. By keeping an area dry in the run or even adding a small tub filled with soil from the run inside the coop, your girls will spend time dust bathing. It is entertaining for them. It also helps to keep them clean and parasite free. I promise you, there might even be a line waiting to use your portable dust bathing bin.

Keep food and water available. It is a great idea on rainy days, to move the food inside the coop and have a water source too. Wet food can harbor mold and bacteria. Why make your flock go outside when they are hungry or thirsty?

Keep them entertained. Hang a treat ball. Make a pinata with a head of cabbage, broccoli or cauliflower. Toss in some weeds roots and all from your garden. They love dandelions! Have the girls go on a scavenger hunt. Try tossing tiny little seeds like sesame and poppy into the dry section of the run or coop. The smaller seeds are more difficult to find adding a bit more time to the scavenging.

Keep puddles from forming in the run. Stagnant water is tempting for chickens to drink from. It harbors harmful bacteria and coccidiosis that can make your chickens sick. Fill any puddles with straw or pine shavings to soak up the water.

Add a mirror. A shatterproof mirror will keep the chickens wondering just who that beautiful bird is in the mirror. Chickens recognize each other by the shape of their combs. Interestingly, they have never seen their own combs even though their flock members recognize it by heart. Sometimes, they think they are meeting a new chicken when indeed it is their own reflection.

Keep them dry. If your chickens do becomes soaked. Dry them with a towel, especially the Silkie Bantams. Their feathers are different than those of your traditional chickens. They tend to "absorb" water. It is true. Wet chickens can catch colds.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Giveaway: Nesting Box Blend from Treats for Chickens

2012-05-14T11:28:00.000-04:00

Years ago, I had a desire to spoil my pet chickens. I was looking for a company that specialized in organic chicken treats. Three years ago, I happened to stumble upon Treats for Chickens one evening while surfing the internet. Immediately I fell in love with their products, their philosophy and their organic practices. I placed my first order for their Nesting Box Blend and their organic food grade diatomaceous earth (DE).

The Nesting Box Blend is simply amazing! The blend smells heavenly and is made from an assortment of dried herbs and flowers. I like to think of it as aromatherapy for chickens. It is said to make their egg laying process less stressful and it also keeps mites and lice away from the flock. Habitually, each time I clean out the nesting boxes, I sprinkle about a tablespoon of the Nesting Box Blend and a teaspoon of DE into the bottom of each box. I finish off the boxes with a thick layer of pine shavings. As I am cleaning the coop the girls know exactly what I am doing. They eagerly anticipate exploring the nesting boxes after they are cleaned. The best part, is that I swear everyone lays an egg on the day I clean out the coop! Three years later, I cannot imagine my girls' lives without these two products!

Over the years, I always find myself trying new items from Treats for Chickens to my order. I have tried and swear by both of their chicken toys. I love to add a teaspoon of the Cluck and Sea Kelp on top of their weekly plain yogurt treat. In the heat of summer, my flock loves me to make them refreshing tea in one of their waterers. I also spoil the girls like crazy in the Winter when they cannot get out and free-range as much. This past season, they were treated to Meal Worm Delight, Worms and Harvest Flakes and Pumpkin Seed Snacks. Three years later, I still religiously place my order every few months.

This past month, I was approached by Treats for Chickens to become a sponsor of my website. To celebrate, we both thought that giving away their famous Nesting Box Blend (4 oz size) would be a fantastic treat for our followers! I hope you will check them out for yourself. They are another wonderful example of a small family run business, whose heart is truly in every product they create.

Here is how to enter for your chance to win:

3. Tell me the product that you would like to try most from Treats for Chickens. (1 entry)

4. Don't miss out on future giveaways. Follow our blog, Tilly's Nest (1 entry) Following options are on the right hand side of this website. Current fans will already qualify for this entry.

5. Follow Tilly's Nest on Facebook. (1 entry)

Good luck!

This contest ends on Sunday, May 20 , 2012 at 11:59 pm East Coast Time.
One winner will be selected at random. Item ships to US address only.

Photo Credits: Tilly's Nest

Mother's Day

2012-05-13T07:53:00.000-04:00

No language can express the power, and beauty, and heroism, and majesty of a mother's love. It shrinks not where man cowers, and grows stronger where man faints, and over wastes of worldly fortunes sends the radiance of its quenchless fidelity like a star. ~Edwin Hubbell Chapin

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Twister for Chickens

2012-05-11T20:48:00.001-04:00

In my jammies saying goodnight to Oyster Cracker

These last couple of nights I have desperately been trying to figure out the girl's sleeping arrangements. They always seem to be mixing it up. Finally, I am finding all four Silkies sleeping side by side on one roost together. No one is sleeping in the nesting boxes. It has taken months to achieve this and I find myself feeling like I need to do some sort of celebration dance. However, the other three who have roosted religiously since they were little are no longer roosting. Last night was the first night I really decided to investigate just what is going on with their bedtime sleeping arrangement.

As I peered through the open lid of the nesting box, I found Tilly on the roost across from the Silkies. She was asleep facing the wall. Directly in front of Tilly were the two Buff Orpingtons laying in the shavings. All I could see was a big round golden fluffy butt in front of me. I reached in as far as I could. I ruffled her tail and tried to get her to move. She was as still as a statue. I reached in with my other arm to see if I could gain a few inches in my reach. It was not working. They were content. I began to weigh my options. I had let them sleep like this for two evenings already. I did not want them to start this new habit. I determined I had to try and get them to roost.

I knew that I could not reach the girls through the nesting boxes. I knew the Silkies were happily sleeping on the roost in front of the large double doors. I was left with only one option; the pop door leading into the run. I climbed into the run and opened up the pop door. I whispered to the girls. They replied back with sleepy chatter.

With my left arm, I reached in past Tilly's fluffy bottom on the roost and headed straight underneath the non-compliant Buff Orpington. It was Sunshine. I gently nudged her upward. Her head was underneath of Oyster Cracker's bottom. She was toasty warm, but she probably could have suffocated under all that fluff! I nudged her upward and she stood. No sooner, had Tilly stood up on the roost. Then I saw Oyster Cracker. Oyster Cracker was peering at me through Tilly's legs! She looked as though she wore Tilly's butt fluff as a Polish Hen hat. She cocked her head from side to side. Sleepily she stared at me as if to say, "What are you doing Mom?" I felt as though I had suddenly entered a game of Twister with the chickens. Sunshine had now found herself a place on the perch and I reached in to guide Oyster Cracker out from underneath Tilly. She is one heavy girl! I had to reach in with my other hand and guide her to the roost. Finally, everyone was on the roost. I waited for a few moments. No one stirred.

I have no idea how or why the bigger girls ended up in that sleeping arrangement. Strangely, they all seemed comfortable. I guess it must be how little kids feel when they play Twister. They are so limber. Their bodies can easily place one hand on red, reach over their friend and put another hand on blue while their legs are still on yellow and green. I for one, find myself achy from just sleeping the wrong way at night. But I can tell you that I am getting much better at Chicken Twister. As I write this, I have just returned from locking up the girls for the evening. I peeked in. I knew exactly what to do. I peered in through the pop door. I confirmed Oyster Cracker's head underneath of Tilly. I backed out Sunshine. She climbed on the roost. I backed out Oyster Cracker. She climbed on the roost. They all settled down and this time, I had this game of Chicken Twister down to a science. Like a well oiled machine, the girls and I performed tonight's round of Chicken Twister to an audience of four fluffy Silkie butts. Ironically, the Silkies missed all of the action as they were obliviously facing in the wrong direction, happily sleeping wing to wing on their roost.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Beehive Opening at Long Pasture

2012-05-10T09:39:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday afternoon, I had the pleasure of attending my very first hive opening with our local beekeeping association. Last Winter, I took their beekeeping course and today, I was getting a close up look at two new bee hives started from packages 4 weeks ago. Hive openings are best when the weather is around 60 degrees, sunny and in the afternoon when most of the bees are out scavenging the area for pollen sources. Opening the hive is critical, especially after transferring your bees. This should be done weekly until they have filled out two deep supers (for Winter survival on Cape Cod) and you have added your first shallow super (honey collector).

Photo Credit

When opening the hive, you want to inspect the frames in the supers for a few things:

To see if the queen is alive
To see if they bees are building out frames (adding comb(wax) and filling it with honey, pollen and brood)
To see if there is brood (babies)
To see if the hive is "growing" at a normal rate
To look for evidence of predators, such as mites or beetles (on the bottom board)
To check the feeders of your bees. Bees are often fed during the Spring and Fall seasons on Cape Cod with a sugar syrup.

The hive can be calmed by the use of the smoker, but our association is now opting toward spraying them with Honeybee Healthy prior to smoking them. The association has found this to be less disruptive and the bees tend to recover faster from cleaning themselves of the Honeybee Healthy verses recovering from gorging themselves with honey induced by the smoker.

Here are some photos from today as myself and other "newbees" looked on

First the outer cover, inner cover and the feeder (that hides in an empty second deep) are removed and set aside. These are placed in front of the hive as a reminder to not walk directly in front of the hive.

These hives sit on carpet remnants that are flipped upside down. As the three hives are located in a grassy pasture at this Audubon Sanctuary, the carpet remant keeps the tall grasses from growing up and blocking the entrance to the hives.

The entrance to the hives were still being used, as we opened the hives. Here you can see the same 1/2 inch hardware cloth that we use in keeping chickens tucked into the hive opening. This prevents field mice from entering the hive and setting up a warm cozy home.

The entire openings took about an hour. We opened two hives. The third, had overwintered and is struggling this Spring. We left that one alone. We inspected all the frames and verified that the queen was indeed laying eggs, honey was present, pollen was stored and the colony was growing. On one of the colonies, we even added the second deep with frames.

The inspection always goes easier with the assistance of the hive tool.

First an outer frame was pulled as we made our way to each frame in the hive. As expected there was not much activity yet. The bees were still building out from the hive center.

When we pulled out a frame from the middle of the deep. It was covered in bees, honey, pollen and brood.

The queen was spotted walking around. Do you see her? She is the larger bee on the frame pictured below. If you think of a the frame as the face of a clock, she would be around 4 o'clock. Look at her abdomen it is almost solid yellow with very little black.

Soon enough, it was time to leave. We refilled the sugar feeder and dusted the top deep with about 1 cup of confectioner's sugar to help control for Varroa mites (We found 1 one the IPM board.) We also set traps for small hive beetles with canola oil. We reassembled the hives and in no time, the bees went back to business as usual, returning to the hive, loaded down with pollen.

This past Tuesday evening, I was sitting in our monthly association's class listening to a lecture on creating a a garden in our yard where honeybees would thrive. On the top of the handout, there was a web site address. As the words were all placed together, at quick glance I read the site as Theme Lissa Garden. It wasn't until the lecturer mentioned the site in her talk that I had realized I had misread it. The site is actually The Melissa Garden. Melissa means honeybee. Almost 40 years ago, I was named after a honeybee.

This post is linked up to Homestead Revival's Barn Hop.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Milestones in the Lives of Chickens

2012-05-08T10:25:00.000-04:00

All babies start from seeds. Like gardening, those seeds are raised up with lots of tender loving care. Most survive and some perish along the way. It is the nature of life. Sometimes, we never understand why some things live and some things are not given the chance to grow and thrive in their environments. I have learned that it takes a great deal of patience, understanding, love and appreciation for each living thing that we encounter in our time on the Earth.

As with children, baby chicks need us too and certainly my heart always fills with a great sense of joy when these little day old chicks learn and reach their developmental milestones. I think for many the first milestone is reached when they arrive at their new home. Either through the mail or at the feed store, their journey through the US mail system is amazing. Sometimes taking as long as three days, these little ones are held in many hands to arrive at their destination. Their lives depend on the care and compassion of the postal workers; complete strangers. They are precious cargo. When they finally arrive at our homes, we open the peeping package to discover the ones that safely made the journey are ready to imprint on us as their parent and in our hearts.

As we lift them from the box, another milestone will soon be reached as we dip their beaks into the water. One at a time, we anxiously watch on as they tilt their heads back ever so slightly to feel their first sensation of drinking water. Some need reinforcement with another dipping of their beaks and others return for another sip just from hearing the gentle tap of our finger on the rim of the waterer. Our finger serves the same purpose of mother hen's beak. Next we dip them into the feed and watch as their lives begin before our very eyes.

Soon enough they are tired and need to realize that they can lay down to sleep. I remember watching on after they had their first meal. The little ones were so sleepy and drowsy after their long adventure, that theywere falling asleep standing up. One by one, they would become sleepy and topple over. It didn't take long to realize that their legs did in fact bend and the shavings were much more comfortable. This milestone did not take long to reach as they formed a fuzzy pile of new sleeping little chicks.

Over time, more milestones were reached in the flock including learning to roost, learning to return to the coop for sleep, figuring out that you should not fear treats, how to avoid hawks, how to lay their first eggs, where to lay their eggs, sorting out the pecking order and surviving through the first Winter. Each time they reach a milestone, my heart smiles. I feel a sense of parental pride. The pride is not the same sense of pride that a parent feels putting their child on the school bus, seeing their child be kind to others or watching them learn to read. However, it's a pride in knowing that these little things are the big things in the lives of my chickens. As with any children, we have dreams for them. My dream is that one day, my flock will eventually meet the milestone of crossing over our stony driveway and venturing off to see what is on the other side.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Winner: Mommy, Me & My Chickens

2012-05-07T14:56:00.000-04:00

I was so happy to see how many of you enjoyed the post about this adorable children's book from our sponsor. I tell you, my daughter looks at it once a day. She is learning how to read and there is nothing like motivating her with this sweet book about a family's adventure with their chickens.

One lucky entrant was randomly selected as our winner.

Congratulations

mybabyjohn/Delores

You are our winner!

Please email me with your mailing information at melissa@tillysnest.com

Thank you so much everyone for entering. If you would like to order a copy of this book, click here. Later this week, we will be running a giveaway from our sponsor, Treats for Chickens.

Photo Credit: Holly Berkley

Cooper Boone Visits Tilly's Nest

2012-05-06T16:31:00.000-04:00

I was so excited. Here I was, finally sitting in a dear friend's Bed and Breakfast, waiting for Cooper Boone and his team to arrive. He was on his way to pay me a visit after I won his Christmas Tree Contest last December. We had mutually decided it was best to wait for a visit closer to Springtime. As it all worked out, Cooper came just as the leaves on the trees began to unfurl, clams were waking up from their Winter slumber and the gardens were beginning to come alive.

With a knock on the door, there was Cooper. It was so nice to see him again. It had been a few months since I had first met him at the Country Living Blue Ribbon Blogger Award ceremony. Somehow, I felt like I was meeting up with an old friend. Instantly, it was as if we had picked up where we left off. Yet, the visit was short, as it was late in the evening and we both needed our rest to begin filming the next day.

Saturday morning arrived and Cooper came over in his "jam jams"! I could not believe that he came bearing gifts for me including an awesome Cooper's Kitchen tote bag filled with his own Cowboy Coffee, two signed CDs, coffee mugs, a cup cake in a jar and a beautiful loaf of crusty bread. Then, he cooked me a delicious breakfast of corny french toast, Canadian Bacon, and eggs drizzled with Vermont Maple syrup.

Next, we went outside for a chat in my gardens. Over our cups of Cowboy Coffee, we talked a lot about cyber-bullying and our similar experiences taking care of the elderly in both our professions. It was so nice to know that I had a friend who understood what I was going through and also one who shared some wonderful advice that I have taken to heart.

Clamming was up on the agenda next. I changed into my clothes and we were off. Cooper had not clammed since he was 7 years old. I gave him a quick tour of the gear, we put on our boots and headed out into the low tide. I shared some simple tips of technique and within seconds Cooper dredged up two clams on one pass. He was a natural. Within no time, we had a full basket of clams and our bellies were grumbling. We were off to make a delicious lunch back at my house.

Once again we were in the kitchen, chatting and cooking together. From clams, chorizo, fennel, onion, garlic, chicken stock and white wine, magic happened, and we were soon dipping our crusty bread into a little bit of Cape Cod heaven.

After filming wrapped up for the day at my house, Cooper graciously agreed to a meet and greet at my house and then we were off to tour some amazing local establishments on the Cape. We had so much fun and I could not believe how fast the day flew. Before I knew it I was getting a huge Cooper hug and he was off. I will never forget this day and I know that Cooper will be in my life now for years to come. There is something about people like Cooper that is magical. His energy, enthusiasm and lust for life exudes from every inch of his being and you can see people's moods and attitudes transform right before your eyes when he enters a room.

This morning my son and I missed him already. We did the next best thing to substitute for Cooper's absence, we decided to eat his cupcake in a jar. It was delicious!

Cooper will be sharing all of his recipes that he cooked with me on his website, once this episode airs. Thank you so much to Cooper Boone and his team for coming to visit me! A very special thanks to 4JPhotography for filming and photographing the event. A huge thanks as well to Lewis and Weldon Custom Kitchens and KAM Appliances for all their help in making my dream kitchen a reality. Finally, a huge thanks to everyone who voted for us in the Christmas Tree contest. This never would have happened without you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.~Melissa

Photo Credits: 4JPhotography, Tilly's Nest

Habits

2012-05-03T18:56:00.000-04:00

Robins return each year habitually to hatch eggs.

Habits can be classified as good and bad. I think that we all tend to have both. Good habits can benefit us directly and some are even chore-like. When I think of good habits, I think of brushing my teeth, setting a bed time, eating healthy (or at least trying to), catching the school bus in the morning, going to church, or regularly meeting a friend for coffee. Good habits can also be chores, such as paying the bills, mowing the lawn, cleaning the house and cooking dinner every night. Unfortunately, we all have bad habits too. I think of young kids picking their noses. Biting our nails. Chewing with our mouths open. I happen to pick my cuticles and hangnails. Interestingly, I have noticed that chickens also have both good and bad habits.

Their bad habits include kicking shavings into the water, emptying their feed dish, hogging the roosts, sleeping in the nesting boxes and eating eggs (gasp)! Their good habits include rising early in the morning, running out first thing to have some scratch, going to sleep at night and carrying on conversations with me.

Tilly's best habit is the job she does as head hen. Every evening, she is always rounding up everyone and making sure that they are all in for the night. Her bad habit is being mean to the Silkies. Sometimes, she tends to overreact.

Oyster Cracker's best habit is always being first to greet me at the run door. Her worst habit is repetitively jumping into my lap when our quality-time session was only supposed to last a few minutes.

Sunshine's worst habit is pecking my hand very hard when I hand feed the girls scratch. You'd think she had to make a kill before she ate. Her best habit is being Oyster Cracker's inseparable best friend.

Dolly's best and worst habit is always being broody.

Autumn's best habit is surveying the run first thing in the morning before dining on any scratch. She seems to be checking that the perimeter is secure, or...she could be trying to escape. Her worst habit is sleeping in the nesting boxes.

Feathers' worst habit is pecking at my jewelry. Her best habit is being my most friendly Silkie.

Fifi's worst habit is pretending to be broody and faking me out at least once a week. She sure does put on a show, complete with growling, tail in the air and the classic poufing up. Her best habit is taking care of her feathers. She is the fluffiest little girl for a non-show quality chicken.

If you look closely and observe most species, you will find that they over time develop patterns and repeat things. Some say that routine is familiar and familiar feels good. Others say that sometimes things are merely according to schedule. Animals instinctively fill roles that aid in survival. People, I believe, are the only ones with the power of insight to change them or at least add one new good habit to out-number our bad ones.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Scaly Leg Mites

2012-04-30T10:23:00.000-04:00

Did you know that there are mites that specifically love to live on your chickens' legs and feet? They like to burrow underneath of the scales on the legs and feet and live in this moist environment. Unlike the mites that live on the chickens' bodies, they cannot kill your chickens. However, they can make the chickens irritable, decrease or cease the production of eggs and lead to permanent leg deformities. They are important to treat once discovered in your flock.

You will see the scales on your chickens' legs and feet will have a "lifted up" appearance. Some cases are mild, while others are severe.

Photo Credit

Treat your chickens

1. Soak your chickens' legs and feet in a warm soapy bath to soften and loosen any dead scales. Some people add a flea and tick shampoo to the water. After the soak, dry the legs and feet.

2. These mites are killed by suffocation. Apply Vaseline to the legs and feet of your chicken. Try to rub it underneath of the scales that are lifted. Repeat every couple of days for a couple of weeks. It will take at least 10 days to break the life cycle of the mite. Some people who keep chickens with feathered feet suggest using Adams Plus Flea and Tick Mist with IGR (Insect Growth Regulator). However this has chemicals that you may not want your chickens to be exposed to. Manna Pro Poultry makes an all natural Scaly Leg Protector that treats for these mites as well. In addition, Campho-Phenique has also shown some results when people have applied topically.

3. For severe case, some veterinarians prescribe Ivermectin. This is a very potent medication.

4. Inspect all of your flock members for signs of scaly leg mites. If you are concerned or in doubt, it does no harm to spray their legs with a product like the Scaly Leg Protector from Manna Pro.

4. Healthy scales will grow back but it can take up to one year.

Treat your Coop:

1. Clean out your coop and thoroughly disinfect it. Lock your flock out of the coop after you treated each chicken. In a one gallon bucket create a soapy bleach solution by adding warm water, a couple of capfuls of bleach and a bit of Dawn dish detergent. Scour the inside of the coop and all of the roosts. If you can, remove the roosts and give them a good scrub. Allow the coop to air dry and then apply food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) to every nook and crannies that you see. The Pest Pistol works great for this. Be sure to sprinkle some in the nesting boxes too. RECLEAN your coop in this manner in 10 days again, to break the life cycle of the mites.

Resources:
http://indianapublicmedia.org/eartheats/bugs-winter-protecting-chickens-lice-mites/
http://poultrykeeper.com/chickens/health/scaly-leg-mite.html
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/farmlife/msg0708531424810.html
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/623306/ivermectin-for-scaley-leg-mites
http://poultryqa.com/questionsand-answers/diseases-question-answers/476-what-is-a-good-remedy-for-scaly-leg

Giveaway: Mommy, Me & My Chickens

2012-04-29T16:44:00.000-04:00

Holly Berkley is the author and illustrator of the book, Mommy, Me & My Chickens and is one of Tilly's Nest's newest sponsors. Up until recently, keeping backyard chickens was outlawed in the town where Holly lives near San Diego, California. Recently, backyard chickens became legalized and Holly could not resist getting a flock of her own. She was inspired by her family's journey in keeping and raising backyard chickens that she decided to pen a children's book.

When I received the book for review, I gave it to one of my toughest critics, my five year old daughter. She brought it over to her big brother and they read it together. They both commented that the story was cute and were eager to point out that we too have had similar experiences. It was nice to have made that connection. Holly's story touches upon incubators, hatching and hatch rates, the brooder, chicken diet, composting, eggs, free ranging, dust baths, the chicken coop and nesting boxes.

The book is very colorful and her drawings are whimsical. Holly does a fantastic job sharing just enough information to little ones about chicken keeping. She keeps it simple, yet covers all the basics. There is even a glossary and chicken fact section in the back. This book is perfect for families who have not yet started chicken keeping. It is also perfect for classrooms hatching their own eggs. I would recommend this book for ages 8 and under. Mommy, Me & My Chickens would be well suited in preschools and elementary schools. It would also make a great gift for any chicken lover who has little ones around.

Here is how you can enter to win a copy!

1. You must leave a comment on this blog for entry. Only comments here on this blog post will be
accepted as an entry. Be sure to leave an email address so that we can contact you if you do not have a blog. (1 entry) If you are doing any of the below actions to increase your number of entries, please let us know in your comment. You can earn 4 entries in this amazing giveaway!

2. Visit the Mommy, Me & My Chickens Facebook page and tell them Tilly sent you. (1 entry)

3. Don't miss out on future giveaways. Follow our blog, Tilly's Nest (1 entry) Following options are on the right hand side of this website. Current fans will already qualify for this entry.

4. Follow Tilly's Nest on Facebook.

Good luck!

This contest ends on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 11:59 pm East Coast Time.

Items ship to US address only.

Photo Credit: Holly Berkley (book cover), Tilly's Nest

NPR, The Chickens are Interviewed

2012-04-28T08:34:00.000-04:00

I received a phone call from our local National Public Radio (NPR) radio station. They had read that I learned to speak the chickens' language. They came to create a Sonic ID. If you listen to NPR, you will know the Sonic IDs to be the small, under two minute, stories that assist in transitioning the main stories together. My favorite part, is that I recognize each and everyone of my girls talking to me in the background. I'm so proud of my girls! Click here to listen. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Chicken Potstickers

2012-04-27T10:02:00.000-04:00

When I lived in Southern California, I become close friends with many wonderful people of Asian decent. Tradition and family go hand in hand in their culture. Often, I would visit one of my Chinese friends and find their entire family sitting at the kitchen table on a Saturday afternoon making dumplings. The Grandma, Auntie, Mom, Dad and brothers and sisters would all sit around for hours, talking while creating the perfect dumplings. On days they knew I was coming, there was always an empty seat waiting for me.

Ingredients:

Potstickers

1/2 pound ground chicken
1/4 cup minced scallions
1/4 cup Napa Cabbage-minced into fine pieces
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg- beaten
1 teaspoon fresh ground ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons soy sauce
30-40 wonton wrappers (refrigerated section of grocery store)
4 tablespoons Canola oil
water

Dipping Sauce

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce You can add more to your liking but beware, this is a very hot sauce.

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, scallions, cabbage, black pepper, egg, ginger, garlic and soy sauce. Mix until well incorporated. I use my hands for the best results.

Add water to a small dish. On a plate, place one wonton wrapper. Dip your finger in the water and rub water around all the edges of the wonton wrapper. Transfer the wrapper to the dumpling press. In the center of the wonton wrapper, place 1/2 tablespoon of the chicken mixture. Close the dumpling press. Open and remove the finished potsticker. Repeat until you have finished using all of the meat mixture. If you do not have a dumpling press, Dip your finger in the water and rub around all the edges of the wonton wrapper. Fill the wonton wrapper on the plate. Fold the wonton in half and then rub your finger on the edges to seal the meat into the wonton wrapper.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the dumplings one by one. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pan for approximately 3 minutes. Do not touch them. After a couple of minutes, check the bottom of the potstickers. Once they are golden brown, turn the potstickers and add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and return the lid. Steam for approximately 10 minutes. Once done remove from the pan and start the process again with the remaining potstickers.

To prepare the sauce, add the soy sauce, vinegar and Sriracha to a small dish and whisk until well incorporated.

Click here to view our cookbook.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Winner: The Fresh Egg Cookbook

2012-04-26T11:55:00.000-04:00

This morning, one winner was selected at random to receive a copy of this fabulous cookbook provided to Tilly's Nest by Storey Publishing. Without further ado...

Congratulations

Mara Lansky

You are our winner!

Please email me your information so we can get this book to you~melissa@tillysnest.com

Thank you to everyone that entered!

Stay tuned for another giveaway starting soon.

Photo Credit: Storey Publishing

Visiting Turkey

2012-04-25T21:50:00.000-04:00

I had just finished dropping my son off at the bus and returned home to find four male turkeys on my front lawn. At first, I did not see them but I knew something was askew. All the girls were hiding in the coop while sounding the chicken alarm. I looked up and scanned the sky for hawks. Nothing. Then I looked around the coop for a brave squirrel. Nothing. Then I looked out in the front lawn and saw them. Wild turkeys were walking toward me! Last year on the Cape we had one that kept attacking the mail truck down by the Kennedy Compound. Click here for video. Eventually, it was claimed by Ethel Kennedy, but boy was it aggressive and made headlines quite a few times before the saga ended. I decided to go inside and grab my husband. I had seen the video and listened to the locals that were interviewed. I was nervous. My husband came out and was able to take a few photos of the boys. By the time we had found them, the chicken alarm had ceased and they had set off across the neighbor's driveway.

Last year the girls were visited by a lone male turkey. I wonder if he was in this year's group?

Photo Credit: Mr. Tilly's Nest

Spring in the Gardens: After the Rain

2012-04-23T14:12:00.000-04:00

Whatever happened to April showers bring May flowers? This April we have set a new record for dry weather on the Cape. It has been over two weeks since we have had any rain. Living on this little strip of land jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, many of this year's Spring storms somehow seem to have just missed us. The grass is dry. Flowers need watering and the gardens have been slow to emerge from the ground. However, last night a storm arrived.

All night, I listened to wind and rain beating against the bedroom window. I was pulled from my sleep by the sound of torrential rains drumming down on the skylights. It was hard to return to sleep. All I could think about was visiting the gardens after the rain. We needed this so badly. The morning light could not come fast enough, as I yearned to explore the gardens.

On the other hand, the chickens had been living the good life over the past two weeks. Putting it mildly, they are not fans of rain and wind. Thank goodness I believed the rumor of rain last night and covered their run before the storm began. This morning, happy as can be, one by one they popped out into their dry run. They had no idea how a good rain seems to make the gardens miraculously grow overnight. I kept my flip flops on and explored the yard. I could feel the rain from the grass collecting between my toes as a fine drizzle still fell from the sky. I could feel it kissing my cheeks and my hair beginning to frizz. I too felt incredibly alive.

The pansies held up in the rain.

Overnight the potted peas reached to the sky twirling tendrils of support.

Finally the Turkish fig unfurled its leaves. I had been staring at buds all week.

The crab apple's buds are ready to burst.

The lettuce in the garden grew at least 2 inches.

The kale's leaves guided the rain drops to its roots.

A fallen oak leaf hid amongst the creeping phlox.

Spring blooms are arriving in the back garden.

Even the agave welcomed the rain.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

This post is linked up to Homestead Revival's Homestead Barn Hop.

Soul Food

2012-04-20T16:34:00.000-04:00

The eyes are the window to the soul.
~traditional Proverb

Today, I stole a quiet moment. It had been long overdue. The kids were playing so nicely and quietly together that I took time to sneak off into the gardens and brilliant sunshine where I have been working all week long. I found a place in the grass and sat. From my vantage point I could see the chickens, the garden and the new beehives. As hard as it was, I refrained from calling out to the flock.

Tilly and Oyster Cracker were wing to wing just sitting in a huge dusty crater they had made; a perfect bath for two. I felt like a spy. There I was like a fly on the wall, peeping into their moment together. What were they doing in there?

There they sat. I could hear them talking a low sort of muttering under their breath. Then one would see something on the other's back and they would gently remove it with their beak. It would be quiet and then their conversation would resume. There were no awkward moments of silence. There was no rush to jump up and grab treats from me. Their guards were down. They too were just chilling out relaxing. This was their stolen moment.

Moments like today are so few and far between for so many of us. It was strange, this realization that the chickens needed time for themselves too. They needed quality time for themselves, without the pecking order in the way, other family members showing up trying to squeeze their way into the dust bath or any unplanned visitors to interrupt their day.

Sometimes by doing nothing at all, we accomplish what we truly need. Hearts are filled. A sense of peace is restored and we are enveloped in the warmth of the sun's arms. Our souls come alive. If I pay close enough attention, I swear sometimes I can feel it dancing in my heart.

Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you. ~Oscar Wilde

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

Giveaway: The Fresh Egg Cookbook

2012-04-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back, I received two copies of The Fresh Egg Cookbook from Storey Publishing. One for me to review and one to giveaway to our blogging friends. This cookbook is part chicken memoir and part cookbook. Jennifer Trainer Thompson shares personal stories from her flock and from her kitchen where cooking is truly a family affair. She even interlaces some general chicken information, which is always fun to read. Whenever I review a cookbook, it is important for me to create a few of the recipes that intrigue me. I love to see how they turn out in my kitchen and I love to see how they taste. Here are three delicious ones that I made during the review of this cookbook.

Shirred Eggs p.40

Creamy Italian Dressing p.18

Southwestern Egg Burrito p. 117

I found the recipes to be simple and easy to prepare with short cooking times. A few recipes will require an extra trip to the grocer for items that you may not necessarily stock in your pantry, but can be found at most grocers across the country. From what we sampled, everything had nice fresh flavor and accented the fresh eggs. The author shares all sorts of recipes, some expected and some new. Appetizers, main courses, vegetarian dishes and desserts as well as snacks are all included. This cookbook is wonderful. I am always looking for new ways to serve eggs to my family. It certainly exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a flock of backyard chickens.

Ms. Thompson does include quite a few dishes that include serving raw or under cooked eggs. Readers should be aware of the implications and risks associated with consuming eggs that have not been cooked to 160 degrees F.

Here is how you can enter to win a copy!

1. You must leave a comment on this blog for entry. Only comments here on this blog post will be

accepted as an entry. Be sure to leave an email address so that we can contact you if you do not have a blog. (1 entry) If you are doing any of the below actions to increase your number of entries, please let us know in your comment(s). You can earn 3 entries in this amazing giveaway!

2. Visit Storey Publishing's website and tell me your top "wish list" book. (1 entry)

3. Don't miss out on future giveaways. Follow our blog, Tilly's Nest (1 entry) Following options are on the right hand side of this website. Current fans will already qualify for this entry.

Good luck!

This contest ends on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 11:59 pm East Coast Time.

Items ship to US address only.

Photo Credits: (book cover) Storey Publishing, (food photos) Tilly's Nest