Updates and Chicken Video!

I am ready for Spring! Although I like winter, by February I am ready for it to be over. One thing that I can't stand is being cooped up inside all the time. I am a outdoor person! I'm ready to plant a garden and get started on some other projects. 

Here are some updates around the Homestead.

• Our chickens are now back in the swing of egg laying! When winter starts, they always slow down. But now they are starting to get back to laying eggs. We usually sell 3 or 4 dozen a week, but when winter hits, that doesn't happen. Selling the eggs pays for the feed. We usually get 10 or so eggs a day when they are laying eggs normally. Yesterday we got 11 eggs and today we got 8 so they are almost back to normal.

• We are also getting ready to hatch some more chicks in a couple months. We started incubating chicks last year for the first time and it was fun. The kiddo's loved it! Once the chicks hatch, it is about 20 weeks until they will lay their first eggs. 
• Meat chickens are on the horizon! We will probably order our first batch in May. Looking forward to that. We absolutely love raising them. We raise them with help from our good friends. We usually split a batch and then all get together for butchering day. 
• We are hoping to finally put in a large garden this year. This will take the investment of a tractor. We have been waiting until our van was paid off to make the investment in a used tractor. It is something that we really need at the Homestead. We have a couple garden tractors, but we need a full size tractor. We are praying for the Lord to provide something that we can afford. 
• I will be building a new bridge over the creek this spring. My old bridge finally got washed away. It held up good for 4 years, but it was only a matter of time before it needed replaced. I am going to build a nice secure bridge that can withstand the beating it will take with the weather and creek overflows. Our creek can get roaring during rain storms or when the snow melts off. 
• Janel is battling like a trooper through this pregnancy! This has been a rough one for her. Please continue to pray for her. I am blessed to have her by my side in this life. Although this has been rough for her, we are still very excited about the baby! God is so good and we praise Him!
• Finally, we are still mulling over personal decisions that we may be making in the future. There is a lot to weigh out and we would appreciate all of your prayers. We are trusting in the leading of our Father in Heaven. We believe strongly in the power of prayer and we are so thankful that we can come before the Throne of God! 

Thanks for checking in and watch the video update below on the chickens! God bless! -Steve