Getting Ready for the New Chicks

It's that time of year to consider hatching and raising chicks. Like many others, we decided to try our hand at raising some chicks this year to add to or maybe even replace some of our current flock. We decided to go ahead and build a chick brooder instead of using cardboard or something like an aquarium or even a storage tote. There is absolutely nothing wrong with these types of brooders, building a large, wooden one seemed to be a better fit for us. We already have an old shed where we keep our rabbits, so building a brooder and placing it on a table in the shed seemed like a great idea to us.
                                                                             The boys and I took Saturday to build the brooder and it came together in just a few hours. The materials are simple and cheap. We framed the brooder up by using 2x2 studs, making a simple box construction. We did add extra 2x2 framing in the middle also to prevent sagging with time. The box is covered with cheap OSB board we actually found off of the Internet. We made the box 4 feet long, two feet wide, and two feet tall. We left a small window at the top of the back and front side of the box for ventilation. We also added a large window to the door of the box for easy viewing. All of the openings were covered with 1/4" hardware cloth to keep out all of the unwanted critters that love chicken nuggets. Finally, by adding a heat lamp, feeder, waterer, thermometer, and some newspaper we are ready for our first run of chicks.
     Since our brooder is actually in a shed, I did not attach the metal to the roof. I chose to place the metal on top of the box just in case we have a few leaks. This will provide a little more protection for the OSB boards. If you are considering building your own chicken brooder, check this one out. We are well pleased with how it has turned out.
      Taking the time to build a chicken brooder this weekend was definitely a good decision for us. The boys really enjoyed the hands on build and we all enjoyed some great family time. Later on in the season, we can throw a coat of paint on it.  Now bring on the chicks.

Old Time Recipe for Chicken-n-Dumplings

           As I get older, sometimes I find myself reflecting on the way things "used to be". I can remember the days of going to the store which would be just a few minutes down the road to a small, local country store to get gas, snacks, and catch up on what's going on in the community. I realize now that my children will never know or be familiar with some of the simple things that I took for granted unless I teach them. 

          One of the things that stick out in my mind the most from my childhood was my grandmother's cooking, especially her Chicken-n-Dumplings. 

         I remember the family gathering back at my Grandparent's house after church on Sunday and on Holidays. Sometimes it's almost funny what you remember, sometimes a laugh or a smell as you walk through the door. I remember the smell of dinner cooking on the stove which was usually followed by someone smacking my hands to "Stay out of that until it's on the table". We all usually ate till we were ready to pop, then sat around and either listened to the men tell stories or run off and play till someone called for us. I have been very lucky to have my mom stick around long enough to hand down some of these recipes and things I remember from growing up. One of my favorites, is my Mamaw Hazel's Chicken-n-Dumplings. It's pretty simple, so don't over think this recipe. I have found that some of the best tasting food maybe almost to simple to make. 

              First you want to par boil your chicken. I prefer the whole chicken with the skin (ads more flavor); however, once you get high cholesterol you can use boneless, skinless chicken breast, lol. Boil it hard for a good hour or two till it's good and done and is falling off of the bone. It's better if you use chicken stock and cubes when boiling rather than just plain water. Once your chicken is boiled, remove the bird and set it aside to rest. While your bird is cooling, add about a tablespoon of butter to your stock (2 is better) ha ha, then return the stock to a hard boil. The dumpling is as simple as it gets. Regular self rising flour, I don't really measure but probably at least a good 4 cups in a large mixing bowl. Flavor your flour with a generous amount of salt and pepper, then mix enough of your chicken stock from the pot to make your dough. Be careful when you mix the stock into your dough because it will be very hot. Once you have worked your dough down, roll it out pretty thin, cut it in strips and in half, then back into the pot it goes. Make sure your stock is at a hard boil when you return your dumpling to the stock or it will fall apart. Fill it full of dumplings. Try not to stir it to much at all because this may also cause them to fall apart. Cook approx. 25-30 minutes, shred your chicken, then throw the bird back into the pot for about the last 5 minutes or so, and they will get happy, happy, happy. Good luck. This recipe will make a thin, sort of tough dumpling. This is not a drop dumpling, which might I add that my wife likes. Remember as you work your dough for your dumplings, the more you "whoop it" or roll it out and knead it, the tougher the dumpling will be.  

               If you are looking for an an old fashioned recipe for Chicken-n-Dumplings, I hope you consider this one. It has in my mind, always been one of my favorites. Thanks for reading and have a great day.