Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on the Northeast United States as I type this. Our hurricane preparations have been employed and we are as ready as possible, but I worry about my flock being bored and scared during the storm. My flock free-ranges all day and since they will be confined to the coop during the hurricane, I’d like to give them something to distract them and keep them occupied, so I decided to make them a homemade treat. 
The ingredients can all be substituted with other items. I used what I had on-hand. I happen to have Calendula petals (marigolds) on-hand and they’ll kick up the color of the yolks a notch. They’re inexpensive and readily available online.
The key to the success of this recipe is to make sure the mixture is moist enough to stick together in the end without being too wet that it never hardens. This recipe makes two blocks, but it can easily be halved for smaller flocks or the second block stored in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
FLOCK BLOCK SUBSTITUTE RECIPE™
Yield: two, 8″x8″ blocks
3 cups starter/grower, grower/finisher, flock raiser or layer crumbles
1 cup scratch
1 cup of any Omega3 feed supplement such as Omega Egg Maker
4 eggs, beaten well
2 cups oatmeal
1.5 cups cornmeal
1.5 cups wheat germ
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup Calendula petals
2 finely diced apples
1 cup applesauce
2 cups molasses
3 cups water
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (or any oil)
LET’S MAKE IT!
Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease 2, 8″x8″ pans well.
Mix all dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients together. Add wet to dry ingredients, mix well.
The mixture should hold together when squeezed without being squishy or oozing liquid. (If yours does not hold together, wet a few pieces of bread with water, squeeze out excess water and tear into small pieces. Add to mixture, combine well.)
Pour mixture into prepared pans and press down firmly, packing very well.
Create a small hole in the top for hanging if desired.
Bake for 2 hours. The entire house will soon smell great!
Leave blocks in the oven and turn the oven off. Allow to cool inside the oven several hours. Remove when pans are cool. If yours breaks or fails to hold together, don’t worry, the chickens will enjoy it just as much in a dish as they would have if it were hanging!
Kathy Shea Mormino
Affectionately known internationally as The Chicken Chick®, Kathy Shea Mormino shares a fun-loving, informative style to raising backyard chickens. …Read on
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Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on the Northeast United States as I type this. Our hurricane preparations have been employed and we are as ready as possible, but I worry about my flock being bored and scared during the storm. My flock free-ranges all day and since they will be confined to the coop during the hurricane, I’d like to give them something to distract them and keep them occupied, so I decided to make them a homemade treat.
The ingredients can all be substituted with other items. I used what I had on-hand. I happen to have Calendula petals (marigolds) on-hand and they’ll kick up the color of the yolks a notch. They’re inexpensive and readily available online.
The key to the success of this recipe is to make sure the mixture is moist enough to stick together in the end without being too wet that it never hardens. This recipe makes two blocks, but it can easily be halved for smaller flocks or the second block stored in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
FLOCK BLOCK SUBSTITUTE RECIPE™
Yield: two, 8″x8″ blocks
3 cups starter/grower, grower/finisher, flock raiser or layer crumbles
1 cup scratch
1 cup of any Omega3 feed supplement such as Omega Egg Maker
4 eggs, beaten well
2 cups oatmeal
1.5 cups cornmeal
1.5 cups wheat germ
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup Calendula petals
2 finely diced apples
1 cup applesauce
2 cups molasses
3 cups water
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (or any oil)
LET’S MAKE IT!
Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease 2, 8″x8″ pans well.
Mix all dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients together. Add wet to dry ingredients, mix well.
The mixture should hold together when squeezed without being squishy or oozing liquid. (If yours does not hold together, wet a few pieces of bread with water, squeeze out excess water and tear into small pieces. Add to mixture, combine well.)
Pour mixture into prepared pans and press down firmly, packing very well.
Create a small hole in the top for hanging if desired.
Bake for 2 hours. The entire house will soon smell great!
Leave blocks in the oven and turn the oven off. Allow to cool inside the oven several hours. Remove when pans are cool. If yours breaks or fails to hold together, don’t worry, the chickens will enjoy it just as much in a dish as they would have if it were hanging!
I guess I will have to try this recipe. I am always looking for new ways to spoil my flock. The egg skelter giveaway is awesome too! Fingers Crossed.
So many great ideas on your blog! Thanks so much! Going to make the flock block for my chickies!
Thank you for the recipe and for the giveaway! They both sound awesome. I love reading your blog, keep up the great work!
Kelsey aka RuralMama
http://ruralmamasandbox.blogspot.com
Wow this recipe sounds great! Thanks for the information and the giveaway! I always love reading your blog!
awesome i was also fearful that my ladies might get bored in during the storm i wish i had seen this sooner :( welll now i know.
thanks for all your wisdom :D it's a big help i only just started my flock this spring i have ten at present but i'm thinking i'll be adding to that in the coming months, i'm thinking of ordering some hatching quail eggs, any advice on that front?