For a long time I have wanted to get chickens, so I decided to do something about it, and instead of buying them, I am going to try and raise them myself in the hope that I will learn more as I go. I know absolutely nothing, and am hoping not to be bogged down with a plethora of information. I have an incubator - I candled two eggs I bought at a market yesterday and put them in. No, I don't expect anything to come from them, it is more to test how to use the incubator. I candled 6 and in those two I saw a small spot floating around. So I ran with it.

I will be buying a clutch of fertilised eggs. Will I need a brooder (summer) how big, and could I use a wooden wine case with an infrared lamp?

I think I will build a chicken coop, as they seem fairly expensive around here, are there any plans that somebody would recommend (easy to follow, basic but good).

What are good feeds, what can I give them and what should I not give them, that I may not know.

Finally, do i need mats, bedding and what else am I missing?

TIA.

What is everyone doing for rodent control?

Happy 2026! The Eco-Libre project published our 2025 Annual Report for last year.

Eco-Libre is a volunteer-run project that designs libre technology for sustainable communities.

Eco-Libre's mission is to research, develop, document, teach, build, and distribute open-source technology that sustainably enfranchises communities' human rights.

We aim to provide clear documentation to build low-cost machines, tools, and infrastructure for people all over the world who wish to live in sustainable communities with others.

Executive Summary

• Continuing search for land in Ecuador
• New Eco-Libre Logo
• First Release of Life-Line Project
• Two Prototypes of Life-Line Project

Read the full report here.

Contribute to Eco-Libre

If you'd like to help Eco-Libre reach our mission to enfranchise sustainable communities' human rights with libre tech, please contact us to get involved :)

Join Us
eco-libre.org/join

Cheers,
The Eco-Libre Team
https://www.eco-libre.org/

We’re happy to announce the release of the Eco-Libre Life-Line version 2025.10.

• https://www.eco-libre.org/life-line-2025-10-released/

Who is Eco-Libre?

Eco-Libre is a volunteer-run project that designs libre technology for sustainable communities.

Eco-Libre's mission is to research, develop, document, teach, build, and distribute open-source technology that sustainably enfranchises communities' human rights.

We aim to provide clear documentation to build low-cost machines, tools, and infrastructure for people all over the world who wish to live in sustainable communities with others.

Contribute to Eco-Libre

If you'd like to help Eco-Libre reach our mission to enfranchise sustainable communities' human rights with libre tech, please contact us to get involved :)

Join Us
eco-libre.org/join

Cheers,
The Eco-Libre Team
https://www.eco-libre.org/

I dug up some of my ginger crop and started a ginger bug for making ginger ale.

You can definitely tell the ginger roots that just camped out in the sand vs the new growth. I'm not even upset that some of it didn't do anything. It stayed fresh and usable. Sand outside is the best storage system for ginger.

Over all between this and the previous harvest I have 50% more ginger than I started out with. A pretty good return. Next year I'll go bigger than a single square foot of planting.

I know in my heart that I could dry those leaves out and weave something with them but that's not a project for this year.

I'm curious if anyone came to homesteading from a traditional career. How did you start? How much did land cost you? What are your monthly costs and do you have an income that can sustain them?

Does anyone here know any good books on the subject of making a Hyperadobe home?

YouTube has lots of videos, but most people leave things out. I really want a few books on the topic and gather as much information as I can.

Hello, i'm not sure if this is the right place to ask, but i'm going to anyway.

I have two apple trees from which rabbits ate the bark off from almost all the way around during winter / start of spring. The ground is frosen right now and animals can't get food easily.

The trees are now protected with metal mesh to hopefully save them from further damage, which admittedly should have been done sooner.

There are still small slivers of bark left on both of them, so we haven't lost all hope on them.

My question is, what steps can be taken (if any) to save them? There is still couple of weeks left of sub zero temperatures so i'm thinking we have to move fast with this, before spring officially starts.

Thank you for any advice.

I was curious how many of you have root cellars and what worked/didn't work for you when using or making them.

I'm in the process of turning a large concrete room (including roof) under our porch into a root cellar. Currently it's just used for storage and I suspect that was the originally designed purpose for the room. Right now the main issue is not having vents. It's literally a concrete box with a single door into the basement and no other openings. The room manages to stay between 32-40 F with 50-60% humidity in the winter from the readings I have taken so far.

Having put in a temperature/humidity sensor in the room has been invaluable for that; best $30 I have spent in a while. Getting data passively about the highs and lows and some information on how our weather might be impacting it is going to help a lot I think.

I was hoping to find other nuggets like that to help with the planning/setup before we get too far into it. So, what have your experiences been?

Looking for any advice/recommendations for cameras in remote area.

Here's what I'm looking for:

1. Doesn't need to be connected to any type of network like WiFi or cellular to record video.

2. Solar powered or battery operated

3. Stores video locally. No cloud storage requirement.

4. Can connect to phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to access videos.

My preliminary searching has pulled up reolink but those are cellularly connected. I don't want to have to rely on a company being in business for these cameras to work. Let me know your setups.

Having a big shade tree in your yard can provide a cooler hangout spot in the summer and cut back on the AC bill. But choosing and planting the right tree so it will grow to full height and provide the shade you want can be tricky. Some trees that are hardier and better suited for this than others, and there are some things you can do to help it have a healthy start.

Before you choose a tree, keep in mind that the best strong, tall, and shade-giving trees take awhile to grow. If you want a quicker solution, an awning or shade sale is a better option. Also, make sure to take root base into account when planting trees in the yard. Make sure the tree will have enough space to grow healthy roots that won’t damage your home’s foundation or walkways. Oak trees

Oak trees are one of the most frequently recommended trees in North America partly because there are so many native varieties to choose from. Depending on your region, you can almost always find an appropriate oak to plant, and they will grow slowly, but tend to be sturdy. An average oak will grow between a foot and a foot and a half a year, reaching maturity in about 60 years. Elm trees

Elm trees are also a popular choice for shade, and they grow more than twice as fast as oaks, at three to six feet per year. The American Elm can be found throughout the U.S. and parts of Canada in areas that are considered temperate, although because of a fungal infection called Dutch Elm Disease, there aren’t as many as there used to be. The roots of an elm tend to be a little bit shallower than other trees of their height but they can spread several feet past the size of the tree’s crown, making them unsuitable for smaller yards. Tulip Poplar trees

For the Eastern and Southeastern parts of the U.S., Tulip Poplars are a good choice for shade. It will grow between three and five feet per year and reach about 70 feet in height. In addition to their size, Tulip Poplars have tulip-shaped flowers that are brightly colored and flower from mid-May through June. Because of their substantial size, Tulip Poplars should be kept well clear of foundations. Maple trees

Maple trees are a good choice for most of North America, and there are plenty of varieties to choose from. Maples will grow about a foot to a foot and a half per year and reach varying heights depending on the species. Since maples come in a variety of sizes and types, they can be a good choice in many different yards, with dwarf maples being well-suited for smaller spaces. Make sure to get all of the information on whatever species of Maple you plant so you won’t be surprised by the size of the roots or crown. Hawthorn trees

Hawthorn trees can be grown in most parts of the U.S., and while they’re known as smaller trees, they can sometimes grow to be as tall as 30 feet, and grow one to two feet per year. Hawthorn trees have small flowers in early spring and produce berries in fall. They tend to be good habitats for small birds, as their thin branches aren’t strong enough for predators to land on. The berries also provide a food source for wildlife.

First time growing zucchinis and surprised to see how big they can get. It's around a foot and half!

I'd like to step away from Reddit, but not lose out on the benefits of the Homestead community--I imagine that you're in the same boat. I appreciate your help in building our own community here