Homestead Life One Month In: Chickens, Snowstorms, and Big Plans Ahead
It’s been a little over a month since we moved onto our new homestead, and life has been anything but quiet. From navigating a surprise snowstorm that left our free-range chickens stranded to preparing for an exciting expansion of our flock, we’ve been busy turning this land into a fully functioning farm.
With more chickens, ducks, and goats on the way, a brand-new chicken coop and run arriving soon, and plenty of farm projects on our to-do list, this homestead is growing fast. Here’s what’s been happening over the past few weeks and what’s coming next.
Snowstorm Survival: Our Chickens Had an Adventure
Winter came in full force last month, dropping over three feet of snow on our homestead. While we knew snowy weather was a possibility, we weren’t expecting it to strand our free-range chickens in different parts of the farm!
Our three hens and rooster ended up separated, each taking shelter in a different area. It took some searching and a few rescue missions, but we were able to gather them all and move them into a temporary enclosure—a three-walled carport acting as a makeshift chicken run.
While the hens still return to their chicken coop at night, our rooster has decided that the carport is his new home and has been staying there overnight. Despite the temporary setup, things have settled down. The best news? Two of our hens, who had been constantly fighting, seem to have made peace.
With warmer temperatures and rain over the past few days, the snow is finally melting, and the flock has started free-ranging again.
Growing the Flock: More Chickens and Ducks on the Way
We’re not stopping at just a handful of hens—this homestead is about to be bustling with more feathered friends!
This weekend, we’ll start introducing our four new chicks into the flock. They’re currently four weeks old and will be moving into a juvenile brooder today or tomorrow.
In early March, we’re expecting the arrival of 11 more chicks to expand our laying flock.
In early April, we’ll welcome four Muscovy ducklings to the farm, adding fresh duck eggs to our future offerings.
To accommodate our growing poultry operation, our new chicken coop is set to arrive in mid-March. Once it’s in place, we’ll be building a secure chicken run to give our birds more protection while still allowing them the freedom to roam.
Farm Projects: Building for the Future
With spring approaching, we’re shifting our focus toward major farm projects to get everything in place for our growing homestead. Our upcoming priorities include:
✅ Building the new chicken run as soon as the new coop is on the ground.
✅ Upgrading our pond to create a healthy, natural space for the ducks.
✅ Constructing a duck house so our Muscovies have a cozy, secure home.
✅ Building the goat shelter and milking parlor in preparation for our Nigerian Dwarf goats arriving in June.
✅ Fencing the pastures to create safe grazing areas for our goats and poultry.
It’s going to be a busy few months, but every project brings us closer to building a fully operational homestead that supports both our family and our growing farm business.
Bootsy Garden: Expanding Our Homestead Business
As our flock and farm grow, so does our vision for Bootsy Garden, our homestead business. We’re not just raising animals for our own enjoyment—we’ll be offering farm-fresh eggs, poultry, goat milk, and handcrafted products to our local community.
Coming Soon from Bootsy Garden:
🥚 Farm-fresh eggs from our free-range hens and ducks
🐔 Chickens and ducks for backyard flocks
🐐 Nigerian Dwarf goats for milk and breeding
🧼 Goat milk soap, lotions, and other skincare products
🌿 Handmade farm goods and specialty items
We can’t wait to start offering these products, and as our business grows, we’ll be looking into local markets, direct sales, and potential online options.
If you’re interested in farm-fresh eggs, backyard poultry, or goat milk soap, keep an eye on our updates—we’ll be sharing product availability soon!
Final Thoughts: Spring is Bringing Big Changes
Looking ahead, the next few months will be packed with hard work, new additions to the farm, and exciting progress as we continue building our homestead dream. The winter snowstorm gave us an early challenge, but it also showed us just how resilient our animals—and we—can be.
If the past month has been any indication, homestead life is unpredictable, exciting, and endlessly rewarding. We’re so grateful to be on this journey, and we can’t wait to see what’s next!
Follow along as we share more updates, projects, and farm-fresh products coming soon!
