Chickens, Ducks, and Geese… Oh My!!!

Hi Everyone!

We’ve had some interest lately in what we feed our chickens, their environment, and how they are treated.  So I wanted to make things simple for all and address these questions in today’s blog post!

To begin, we label our chicken eggs “farm fresh,” “cage free,” and “free range (or pasture raised).”   What does that mean?

All these egg labels can be confusing sometimes… or intimidating!  And they are different depending on if you’re talking about grocery store eggs or local farm eggs.  Let me tell you… there is a lot of biased, make-you-feel-bad-about-buying-eggs-from-a-grocery-store information out there! 

But I’d like to give you a brief low-down on why we label our eggs the way we do!

Farm Fresh…

For eggs you buy at the grocery store, this probably actually means nothing.  Just a hook to get you reeled into buying the $1 more carton.  Some say it has no substance whatsoever to the quality of the eggs.

For Rush Acres Farm?  This is what we do!

We literally walk out to the roost, hand-pick the sometimes still warm eggs from the nests multiple times a day, wash them so there’s no unsightly, lingering excrement attached, and carton them up for you to enjoy. 

You can’t get much more farm fresh unless you raise your own chickens!

Cage Free…

“Cage free” can be a little controversial. 

Speaking of commercial sellers, it can mean that the chickens are yes, “technically are not in cages” but still housed in cramped living quarters.  Not exactly the most humane, but technically…

But for us… it means they are not in cages at all and given ample area inside and outside their roost to run free to their hearts’ content.

Free Range…

To be precise, “free range” means the chickens are free to walk around in the wild.  If you were to buy grocery store eggs, this means the chickens are “cage free” and are given limited access to sunlight and outside areas.

For our chickens… no, we do not let them completely roam free.  Why?  Because there are predators, and we want to protect them from the evil raccoons and coyotes that roam the woods. 

This is why we have a fence around their yard. 

Do we call our eggs “free range?”  Heck yeah we do! 

You could also call them “pasture raised” as they spend most of their time outdoors.  They are free to go inside if they want to, but we also lead them inside at night for their own protection.

Here’s what our chicken yard looks like. 

And here’s the chicken house… We put them inside the house each night for their protection.

Our chickens’ diet consists of four things…

1. Homegrown Layer Pellets--- This blend offers the balanced nutrition that laying chickens require

2. Purina Scratch Grains--- We use Scratch Grains as a supplement for our adult chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys.  This blend encourages natural pecking and feeding instincts.

3. Table Scraps--- We also give our chickens table scraps. 

4. Bugs & Worms--- This is fairly self-explanatory… it’s what they naturally do and we don’t want to stop them!

What about our ducks, geese, and turkeys? 

They get Purina Game Bird Feed and the Purina Scratch Grains, as well as foraging for bugs and worms and table scraps.

Here’s what their enclosure looks like…

We house our ducks and geese at night in a double fenced area for added protection.

So there you have it!  If there are any other questions, we welcome them and enjoy educating the community.

Next time you’re in the area, stop by for a dozen or two… $2.00 per dozen!

 What’s the Big Deal about Essential Oils?

            At Rush Acres Farm, we are proud to be able to offer soaps that contain 100% pure therapeutic essential oils.  While we do also offer excellent fragrance oil soaps, our essential oil soaps seem to be a favorite of our customers!  Probably because they offer added benefits aside from just a great scent.

             Look for our next few blog posts to see more, but here are some of the more popular ones flying off our shelves!

 Now, I could use a lot of big, scientific-like words…but I’m going to refrain from that!  Cause that won’t tell you anything at all!  So, with the help of www.organicfacts.net, here’s a layman’s list of essential oils and their benefits!

Anise Essential Oil is a sweet, warm, spicy oil that relieves stress, anxiety, depression, anger and insomnia.

 ᵒ          Has a narcotic and sedative effect; slows circulation, respiration and nervous response

 ᵒ          Aids in the faster healing of wounds

 ᵒ          Effectively clears congestion in the lungs and respiratory tracts

Calendula Essential Oil is slightly sweet smelling and is the source of great healing properties. The reason we use it?  For its great effect on the skin: it diminishes wrinkles and age spots, reduces the visibility of scars, and encourages smooth, glowing, even-toned skin.  Calendula oil also reduces pain and discomfort from inflammation or muscle cramping.

Cedarwood Essential Oil has a strong, warm aroma, yet again, excellent in the treatment of acne and oily skin.  It has also been beneficial for eczema and psoriasis.  A favored concoction we’ve assembled is Cedarwood & Sandalwood.

 ᵒ          Lessens inflammation

 ᵒ          Relieves spasms, including restless leg syndrome

 ᵒ          Tightens and tones muscles, skin and nervous system

 ᵒ          Stimulates regular menstruation

 ᵒ          Eliminates cough and removes phlegm

 A favored concoction we’ve assembled is Cedarwood & Sandalwood.

Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil smells warm, sweet and spicy, as its name suggests, and has a bunch of great properties.  However, please use caution; some people are overly sensitive to cinnamon!

 ᵒ          Boosts brain function and reduces nervous tension and memory loss (check out this study)

 ᵒ          Improves circulation and helps ease stiffness in muscles and joints as well as cramping; effectively treats external infections and promotes healing

We are happy to be a vendor at the Lake St. Louis Farmer’s Market this year!  If you have a chance, come out and see us (details below)! 

Throughout this summer, we will be adding various new scents and products… including Activated Charcoal Soap, Goat’s Milk Shampoo, and hopefully fiber products from our very own alpacas!!!

We’ll see you there! J

When- Every Saturday 8am-1pm (Rain or Shine!) from Apr 2^nd to Nov 5^th

Where- The Meadows in Lake St. Louis, MO

It's almost that time of the year again at Rush Acres Farm!!!

SHEARING DAY!!! – Sunday, May 1^st @ 7:00 am

It is our 2^nd annual and we will be open to the public.  So feel free to bring the family!

For those of you who don’t know what this is… Shearing Day is when all of our beautiful alpacas get a haircut! :)

Some FAQs about alpaca shearing!

Q: Why do alpacas need to be shorn?

A: Since they’re cold weather animals originating from the Andes Mountains, alpacas are shorn for their health once a year right before summer to help them survive the warmer months.

Q: After an alpaca is sheared, what happens with its fiber?

A: The raw fiber can be used by spinners and crafters; or by joining Fiber Co-ops, the fiber can be pooled with other North American breeders and made into apparel.  It can also be processed by mills and made into yarn or you can spin it yourself for your own nifty crafts and needlework!

Q: Is alpaca fiber valuable?

A: Alpaca fiber is a rare specialty fiber that is 5x warmer than sheep wool and more luxurious than cashmere.  Alpaca fiber comes in more than 22 natural colors but can be easily dyed.  It is hypoallergenic, flame resistant, durable, resilient and strong yet super soft!  It is very warm yet lightweight (thanks to its the microscopic air pockets).  And…its more desirable trait…it’s not itchy like wool because it doesn’t contain lanolin. 

Q: Does it hurt the alpaca?

A: No!

Q: How much of the animal gets shorn?

A: Neck and body!  Legs, head, and tail get a trim.

Q: Do they spit?

A: Yes, they spit, but rarely do!!!  Only when they feel agitated, annoyed, or threatened.