How Long Does it Take to Build a Chicken Coop?

So last week we finally got around to building the new chicken run. We really should have done it sooner, but it’s so easy to put off jobs you know will be a bit of a faff, and probably take ages. We are expert procrastinators if the sun is shining and we could be enjoying what might be the last day of summer (in Britain you just never know when it will end and simply must make the most of every warm day). But how long does it really take to build a chicken coop? For us, in all honestly […]

The Secret To Getting Your Chickens To Lay More Eggs

In a way this post is a mild rant. Here we try to give lots of great tips on becoming more Self Sufficient and one of those ways is by keeping Chickens. I have given tips on Chicken nesting boxes, building Chicken Coops and much more. What I am amazed at is some of the things people want you to pay for. Yep, E-Books! While I know there are some great E-Books there are also some dodgy ones. For some reason Chickens  seem to be one topic that has generated lots of them. Here we give the information we know […]

How to Make Yogurt at Home

Or as we would say: How to Make Yoghurt at Home.  This is a really simple Homemade Yoghurt Recipe. To make yoghurt or yogurt at home you need no fancy equipment or machines.   To make great yoghurt you certainly do not need an expensive yoghurt maker.  You can make your own healthy natural yoghurt just as it has always been made – cheaply and naturally. Making Yoghurt at Home – Simply The ‘Starter’ The starter is simply a small batch of yoghurt which will supply your milk with all the right yeasts and bacterias to get it to turn itself […]

How Long Do Chickens Live And How To Kill Them Humanely

We learnt how to build a Chicken House for free and have our almost free Chicken nesting boxes for the lovely Eggs but there is a VERY important thing to bear in mind when raising Chickens and egg laying. Are you going to keep them for ever? What will you do if one gets ill or hurt? The reality is that Chickens raised for Eggs will not keep on laying indefinitely. As Hens get older Chicken egg laying will slow, they start to lay less and less. Chickens will lay well for about two years and even by then you […]

Homemade Insecticide – Soap Spray

If you’re gardening for fun or to provide your home with sustenance there are times when insect pests can really threaten garden plants and crops.  A simple homemade preparation for the garden will save you cash, help the environment and cause you less worry if children and pets share your garden space. One of the most effective fungicides and insecticides you can use in your garden is a simple soap spray. Homemade Insecticide – Soap Spray Recipe Simply mix one part homemade soft soap or bought liquid soap with 100 parts water. Add to a cheap plastic plant spray bottle. […]

Chicken Nesting Boxes Made Simple

Anyone who follows this Self Sufficient site knows that we like to keep things as simple as possible. If we can do something cheaply or for free then that is what we will do. A big part of a Self Sufficient Life is getting the best quality food at the cheapest prices.  This is where keeping Chickens is so invaluable. Chicken nesting boxes or Chicken Laying boxes can be a simple affair if we wish. Hopefully you have read How To Build Chicken Houses For Free and are now on your way to the freshest Eggs imaginable. Here is a […]

Making the Most of the Vegetable Plot

I often hear vegetable growing enthusiasts bemoaning the small size of their carrots or cabbages.  Later they will be disappointed at the short season of their cauliflowers – failing to eat them before the curds start to open out and flower truly. This is why it pays to be greedy in your veggie garden.  Start to eat things as soon as they are edible.  One, small, perfectly formed cauliflower a week for a few months, can bring much more enjoyment and sustainability to your life than two weeks getting bored of continual cauli consumption.  Particularly when the produce is past […]