New Year, new beginnings! There's a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel which brings a wave of relief. And the new year brings a new forever home and life for a special rooster. Meet Dude, our Christmas Roo.

Since we got the Fuckityclucks, we've been more open to the idea of having a rooster in our flock. There have been a few close calls with hawks, the new chickens are maniacs, and Butterberry has turned into a monster. A rooster protects the flock and regulates flock dynamics to reduce bullying and squabbling overall. Roosters have a bad reputation. Many city ordinances don't allow them, homes generally aren't spaced far enough apart to have the appropriate distance. The city shelters are full of unwanted roosters. Grouchy neighbors don't enjoy the sound of a rooster's crow in the morning, all day, and sometimes even in the middle of the night. We were worried that a rooster would be mean and attack us. So many unknowns, we were nervous. 

But then we saw Dude's hairdo and couldn't resist. He had been at the shelter for over 30 days, was adopted once but returned after a few days. We paid $17 and took him home sight unseen on December 27. He was sick, emaciated, covered in lice, and so depressed that we didn't know if he'd make it through the week. After just 5 days, he showed us how wrong we were about roosters. Earning his love and trust has forever changed me. I'm never giving him back. 

Watch the video below to see marshmallow boi's story and the magical moment he expressed pure love.

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Christina

Sweater Weather Cookies

I've been working on cookie recipes inspired by winter drinks that make you feel all warm and cozy inside. These cookies are soft and chewy in the center, crispy on the edges, and best enjoyed warm. I like to pop them into the microwave for 10-15 seconds before eating.

The first three recipes are up on bakingwithchickens.com. Coming up next are Hot Toddy, Chai Latte, and Hong Kong Style Milk Tea cookies. Pick your drink of choice: 

Baking Science Lesson

Baking Soda: A Leavening Agent

While tinkering with the Sweater Weather Cookies I learned a whole lot about Baking Soda and how it's used in baking. My London Fog Cookies were coming out flat and thin in every batch, it was infuriating! I learned that it needed an ACID with the baking soda to make the cookie dough rise. D'oh!

Baking Soda + Acid = Fluffy Cakes and Cookies 

*Remember your exploding volcano school science project? Yep, that's the reaction.

Baking soda is a leavening agent that becomes activated when it's combined with both an acidic ingredient and a liquid. Upon activation, carbon dioxide is produced, which allows baked goods to rise and become light and fluffy. Baking SODA is 3-4 times stronger than Baking Powder. Baking Powder contains both baking soda and an acid, like cream of tartar. Both can expire so it's best to test them to see if they bubble and fizz if you've had some in the pantry for a long time. 

Acids Used in Baking: lemon juice, natural cocoa powder (not dutch process), cream of tartar, brown sugar, molasses, buttermilk, yogurt, vinegar, and applesauce.

Best Baking Soda Substitutes: Baking Powder (use 3x the amount of baking powder in lieu of baking soda), whipped egg whites, or carbonated club soda. 

Now you know! Bok-bok-bake on. 

Why Chickens Don't Need to Wear Sweaters and Other Oddly Fascinating Chicken Facts: 

Chickens have their own down jacket. Sweaters are cute but unnecessary! They regulate their own body temperature with their feathers.  

Hens don't need a rooster to lay eggs. They'll lay unfertilized eggs regardless. A rooster with a flock of hens could produce fertilized eggs. 

Fertilized eggs will hatch into a baby chick only under very specific conditions. The temperature must be 99.5 degrees at all times during incubation. The eggs will hatch 21 days from incubation.

Roosters don't have a penis. To procreate, chickens press their cloacas together to "do the deed."

Chickens have 3 eyelids. The third eyelid closes horizontally and protects the eye from dust and debris. 

How and Where To Adopt Rescue Chickens

We're big proponents of Adopt Don't Shop and prefer to rescue our animals rather than buy whenever possible. If you're interested in starting a flock or adding more to your coop, consider checking your local shelter, rescues, and chicken communities/message boards before you start buying mail-order chicks or looking for breeders. Avoid Craigslist and shady people selling backyard chickens. If you're set on raising baby chicks, your local feed store will likely have chicks from spring through early fall. 

City and county shelters have unwanted chickens for various reasons. If you don't have space for a chicken coop, a house chicken wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. Adopt-a-Bird Network is a great place to find adoptable chickens near you. 

But what do you do about chicken poop in the house?! Chicken diapers are a real thing.