Cutting up the tree that fell on the Tractor and this years cost to raise pigs.

I left the tractor outside after working on the fence posts. We had a storm come through and a tree fell on the tractor. Luckly the tractor wasn't damaged. Now I need to cut this tree up into camp firewood. We also got our pigs back from the butcher and I have calculated the final cost of raising pigs this year. The feed cost and the butchering cost.
Forester Chainsaw Chaps: amzn.to/3q8N7VL
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[@w.a.stewart3191]

Great seeing you wearing safety gear when you use the chain saw.

[@maggiesue4825]

My son often works alone on some remote property he owns, and he definitely uses chaps like yours. Gloves, eye protection, ear protection - SO important to take safety precautions!!

[@marygates8567]

Glad you got your pork back and are happy with the savings. I've raised chickens on and off now for nearly 45 of my 62yrs. I was actually impressed that you are getting any eggs being its so late in the season. My childhood training was that chickens and birds in genrl are like fruit bearing trees in that they need the winter months to "recoup" from producing or laying and expect them to completely stop (here in Michigan anyways) around early Nov if not mid Oct. I have found this to be true in all my chicken raising years although in truth we have had many warm days in Feb where they would be fooled into laying one or two even though I've always had 20+ hens. So maybe you need't worry so much about the lack of laying if the weather has been colder or cooler? In addition, the sun is a factor as well even if you do have a light for them. When the days get cooler and darker, they know to stop so they can put all of their efforts into surviving the upcoming winter; at least that's what I've always found to be the truth here in Michigan.

[@robertnelson8479]

Those ducks knew to wait to get out of the water.

[@richardhutchings921]

I bought a new Sthil, all the tools for the saw, Helmet, and the Chaps. Best purchase I ever made.

[@rockeerockey6941]

Stihl rules

[@batpherlangkharkrang7976]

Hi..... Evan and Rebecca nice to see you both, thank you for sharing your video homestead chicken farmer garden 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 👕🐔🐓🐥🐕🐖🐈🌱🐐🎥👍👍👍

[@TheUserid82]

Chainsaw chaps have layers of Kevlar or a similar fiber that is designed to jam the blade to stop it. The cheaper ones use ether less layers or a looser weave meaning there is less there to stop the blade. It is very cheap insurance in case of a blade slip but also good to have one of the one hand tourniquet on hand/nearby when you are working by yourself. Sounds like you need to build some hoppers in one of the barns to store the feed for next year. Also might be good to get a 3rd or 4th pig and just find someone that knows how to do the butchering in trade for one of them.

[@lunakatt429]

If I was at your farm , I'd be sitting in the barnyard loving on the cats , watching and listening to the chickens cluck , and scratch , and pet a goat or two . That would be like heaven to me .

[@aldrennan5254]

Hi make sure the chickens have at least 14 hours of light or the egg production will drop .Also it will take a month or so with the extended light to start them laying again if they were not getting that before .Good luck cheers

[@greatscott6971]

Thanks for being transparent on your costs. I recently looked back at my costs from a couple years back. You get a good price on feeders compared to here in MI. I fed tractor store bought pig feed with lots of garden veggies and kitchen scraps. I came to $3.79 a pound. But it really wasn’t about the costs so I was happy.

[@martinmusgrave4701]

Great videos :0) I have had chickens for 15 years. Only feed layers pellets and no extras. They are free range and forage. 10 chickens 7_9 eggs daily in summer and 4-7 winter. Martin :0)

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Thanks for sharing with us Evan and Rebecca, the place sure looks great. Glad you’re happy with the tally on the pigs and the meat you got back from the processor. Good luck with your chickens, chicken and dumplings are really good in the winter, along with chicken pot pie, enchiladas. You get the picture 😉. Be safe, pull that willow before it falls in the pond. Fred 👍👍👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@johnathonneal603]

Might need to monitor the temp in the coop. Ideally, you want the temp between 50 and 80 degrees for good laying weather. Anything less than that and they probably won't lay too often. Not sure if you have a couple heat lamps in the barn already. But it might be worth a shot.

[@vinnypinatelli221]

Great video and advice man great job!!

[@burtonwillis6454]

This sounds crazy but, take your laptop to the barn and youtube a rooster crowing and play that a couple of times a day for about three to four days and see if that don't get things moving.....love the channel from georgia. B

[@billclaussen5255]

Nice return on the pork Evan. Knowing what you're eating goes a long way per cost. Thanks...Peace!!! Bill

[@dwaynekoblitz6032]

I’m really going to enjoy your channel. I can already tell.

[@bobjoncas2814]

,,,good way to cut firewood down..lol..stay safe and have a great week...

[@wearne6]

Leave the light on at night, paint the inside of the coop white. Brighten it up.

[@corydriver7634]

Good information on the chaps they are definitely worth the small investment. Hearing protection is another good investment...trust me I wish I’d have taken it more serious when I was younger, tinnitus sucks.

[@lorenmeyer5290]

Wonderful video Evan and Rebecca! Beautiful homestead! God-bless!

[@teresaoftheandes6279]

Wow, chain saw chaps to look cool? What a concept.

[@bethstuart7448]

Glad to see your pig processing went well. The quick turnaround from drop off to pickup, would be a huge plus in savings to me!

[@rockeerockey6941]

Tell the chickens if they don't straighten out, they'll be in the freezer beside the pigs

[@wymershandymanservice9965]

Great content 👍. But you might consider filling around the septic area now so after the spring rains your last fill in should be your last fill in. Deep excavations can be a bear if you don’t get enough dirt above it. Removing a little settled dirt leaves a better surface.

[@Brookside975]

You have a nice place. Thanks for sharing.

[@bduff5004]

Great vid. Good info. Thank you

[@kenmorford6156]

I think you did awesome on the pigs, remember you did a cost of your pigs per pound of the total hanging weight, what you pay in the grocery store is based on the cut, some cuts of pork are higher than others, it is the same with us raising beef, beef in the store depend on the type cuts where as we pay a single price per pound processing for the entire beef. I bet if you sat down and did the math you would be surprised how much you save and most likely a better quality pork product

[@jacktomberlin7976]

I was having the same problem with egg production. Up until about 8 days ago (November 21st), I was only averaging 2 eggs per day for the last 1 1/2 - 2 months from 8 laying hens. But then it was like a switch. I’m now averaging 5 eggs per day. Plus I have some replacement hens that are finally starting to lay. I really believe it’s a natural thing where the chickens instinctively will not lay when new chicks are more difficult to keep warm. I would think you should start to see an increase. Maybe a little later than mine since I live in zone 7 weather. Good luck and keep up the great work!

[@roscoejones4515]

Nice to see one person on KZbin wearing chaps when using a chainsaw. I wouldn't get out of the truck without 'em.👍

[@stephensaasen8589]

I actually called my dad about your chicken issue. Chickens do go through a 4 to 6 week cycle every 6 months where they kind of molt and stop laying. So maybe give it 3 or 4 weeks just to make sure. With all that calcium and protein you're giving them, before long you might have more titanium shell eggs than you know what to do with and won't be able to crack them.😁 He did say your white leghorn hen will lay about every day to every other day and should be your best layers. (We had a white leghorn several years ago and she laid eggs about every day except for that 6 month down time she'd have for several weeks.) Rhode Island Red hens should be your next best layers with an egg about every other day or 2. They all just might be on that 6 month down time. Good luck.

[@jimlashbrook5429]

You can feed whole shelled corn and then supplement with soybean meal on the side. Should be cheaper. Let the pigs grind the corn.

[@dcct1905]

Two farmers around me buy pigs from a farm that raises pigs. They have over the years established a good rapport with 2-3 pig farmers and get their pigs this way. Last year they were running 250# average. Cheaper and less trouble than raising your own. In your area and over in to Indiana there should be several pig farmers happy to sell you 2-3.

[@ArtGardenFoodExpressions]

I grew up around Pigs, hogs, and we slaughtered them on our Homestead. My mother fed them leftovers of what we ate, etc. I was thinking with your high-yielding garden, can you make decomposing food from that along with some of your table scraps to feed them? Maybe a supplement every now and then. Our hogs were huge from eating like that. They weren't fat. They were very lean. Great video as always. Thank you!

[@CentralNH]

We know you parked it there hoping tree would fall on it so you could borrow dad's tractor more👍 keep up the good work.

[@joannak4640]

Or buy a new one 😂😂😂

[@andyteohockguan2235]

Awesome 👌

[@bevnelson3678]

Awesome.

[@danaparsons4894]

If you're going to raise pigs next year check out your food banks for waste to feed the pigs also go to your bread store for day old bread to mix in with your grain it will stretch your grain a lot further and fatten your pigs up a lot quicker and it will sweeten the meat that I know because I helped many a pig farmers raise pigs and that should bring your class down to under a dollar a pound

[@Noah-qi3ct]

Here in Alberta Canada ground pork is 4 dollars a pound. I would say you did real good there👍

[@deakzoltan5546]

Thx for the price share dont know feed prices but the one thing i know from you tube that if you buy feed in touths like 1000lb is much cheaper.

[@sharonallen805]

Evan if you didnt have bad luck you wouldn't have any luck at all. I can't believe this happened, all the places to park your tractor, and all the trees you have and THAT one fell where you parked. Also everyone is complaining that they're chicken aren't laying. Might be the weather.

[@josephbrown-ut9ty]

JudithB I was worried about hail or a tree falling on my truck while it was out of the carport all the time, waiting for me to restack and stack the firewood in the driveway. My sons fathernlaw thanked me for his great workout, stacking wood! LOL Had frozen water outside this am, so winter is here! I think I would have asked for some of the fat and rendered and canned it myself for cooking and for the dogs. You are getting much better, cleaner meat then you would at the store, plus is selling some hay would cover the cost of raising the pigs and probably feed for everyone else! My Easter eggers are still on vacation, but the new Rhode Island hens are all laying well!!! I plan to incubate some of their eggs this spring, and the Easter eggers are going somewhere!! LOL Have you ordered new piglets yet???? Happy Holidays!!!

[@Warcity777]

The odds of that damn tree hitting the tractor is astronomical lol

[@GWAYGWAY1]

Oh no it isn't I dropped tree it bounced over and hit my new quad which wasn't where it was meant to go.

[@Warcity777]

@@GWAYGWAY1 Ouch lol

[@ronsmith1364]

Thanks for sharing & this year had started out to be pork free 😃 Keep Well All

[@arjenhillenius1917]

The chicken have a rest season. When you want eggs all the time you've got to get production hens and replace them every one and a half year and see to it the always have at least thirteen hours of light. The chickens you have, have to start up again. The light will help. They will for sure start in the first two weeks of January if they are not very ( that is three years or over) old. Older chickens lay less eggs and start later in the season. The oldest chicken I ever had was eighteen. She laid just five eggs in the spring in the end.

[@johnzink3309]

Thx

[@auntym4729]

Start feeding those chickens the cracked corn and I think the soy meal is good too. More light than they are getting will help too. How old are those birds, maybe time for freezer camp. Do you have a dust bath of diatomaceous earth for them? That helps with mites etc.

[@michaelgardner7124]

Don't know if anyone has said this before, but try putting your chickens up for 3 or 4 days to see if they will lay more eggs. If this works then there may be something going on in there pen that is causing them not to lay eggs.

[@frenchysandi]

Love my chainsaw I have same brand.

[@marceltrudel2131]

Growing up we had a couple of pigs and my mom would take the potatoes from last year to make room for new crop and boil them and feed to the pigs like 3 weeks before slaughter, you would not believe the weight gain in them 3 weeks

[@colene77]

Are your chickens laying outside somewhere? My daughter has chickens and now and again she finds a surprise stash!! Love your videos!! Thanks

[@adamcook2208]

I never did this with my chickens but I have heard that you can put some hot sauce (cayenne pepper) in their water or feed and that will get them to lay eggs in the colder climates. Best of luck

[@paulbrandanger9049]

Lock them inside for a few days to a week and leave the light on then you should see results. We had the same problem now we are getting eggs.

[@beechnasty]

I think those end prices are pretty good. I know this is late from when you posted, but here in Tx, bacon was $4.50/lb and i usually get shoulder when it goes on sale for $3/lb. Hams were on sale a couple weeks ago for thanksgiving also around $3/lb. Its been a while since i looked at tenderloin, ribs, or steaks, but those would all be more anyways...

[@JohnMartinez-sm1sk]

Have you tried growing your seed that you purchase, sprouting seeds is good for your animals. A couple ponds of seeds turns in to triple the amount of food.

[@ArtGardenFoodExpressions]

Yesss, here you are. Yes indeed. I will set this aside and look at this when I am done with my chores. Hope you and All had a great Thanksgiving.

[@gilbertmick62]

C'est magnifique chez vous tu à beaucoup de travail mais vous êtes formidable 😊🤗🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷bisous de France

[@margaretbedwell58]

I think the chaps are a great idea...especially for a chain saw. Good for you to realize it is cheap insurance. It seems to me that Justin Rhodes had a couple of brothers who were professional butchers, come to his place and teach a class to several people, on how to butcher pigs. I am sure you could pull it up on you tube. The people paid to take the class. If you have neighbors who also raise pigs it might be worth it to see if these men would come to your place and teach a class. Just a thought. It might also be worth finding a company that delivers those huge 1000 lb. totes of feed. Apparently it is cheaper in the long run. Have a Blessed day.

[@dennisdaniels2387]

Shop around and buy some white Leghorns ,you might have too call a poultry hachery get you some 18 week old leghorns they will lay eggs daily !

[@frrapp2366]

ive gotten to like using our electric pole saw for trimming evergeen trees and Hedge or Osage orange trees (keeps you away from the thorns) just keep our generator on a little trailer(i use it when i put seed in our drill for planting). BUT DAD i just want to play with the ducks!!! we scheduled a calf to be butchered last july its in april 21 lots of places will grind meat if you bone it out lots of hunters doing deer that way.

[@georgedavidson1221]

Evan make your own pig feed. Cracked corn and soybean meal and minerals

[@Frosty52045]

Are you sure you don't have a snake around there getting in to steal the eggs your chickens lay? Maybe you should check around to make sure a snake, or a small animal, isn't getting to your eggs. I enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work.

[@MrBigblueford]

Cheaper way to get feed, purchase gravity box with cover, purchase your feed directly from a feed mill, they will mix everything for you and load it right into your gravity box, when you need feed load a bunch of 5 gallon buckets at a time (5-10 buckets or about a weeks worth of feed, you will notice that your feed costs go down dramatically.

[@Dan.Whiteford]

Great practical idea as Evan could easily tow it with his truck home afterall he doesn't have to have it filled full with only a few animals eating it! Or since they are considering other stock just buy cracked corn and add soya plus anything else as they wish for the pigs or poultry or anything else. Providing the gravity box is of sound construction with decent tyres the key issue is a weather proof lid which keeps out all birds and vermin which is easy to open and close and is of course secure.

[@joannak4640]

It's too bad you didn't weigh the meat when you brought it home. That would've been a much better way to see the real price. Also, you need to start butchering them yourself. It would be soooo much cheaper. I wish we could've seen so much more of the pigs like last year. I laugh at people thinking you wore the chaps to make you would look cool. If anything, they look un cool but are super necessary. Great video today! Nice and long ❤️👍

[@OpunktSchmidt1301]

What a piece of luck that the tree fell on the tractor and not on a person...😮👍🏻

[@jamespotter936]

Are any of the local farmers still shelling corn? If they are drying it, you might be able to get a deal on the cracked corn that comes out of the dryer. If they don't have animals it will just be a burden to them....

[@waynevista]

I replace my layers every two years with young ones because they slow down so much I order new Pullet chicks when my layers are 12 to 14 months old good luck

[@timidater4803]

look up heart girth measurement for pigs, we used to always do that to determine butcher weight, we had almost 600 head years ago and used to tape em to find out

[@loriconley3890]

With bacon over $5 # you came out saving a lot.

[@marcerivest6204]

I you want to cut the price of feed down more you'll have to get a couple of small gravity boxes and buy the corn in bulk and get yourself a hammer mill. I use to take 3 bushels of corn, 5 bushels of oats and 1 bag of hog grower. My hammer mill also had a mixing tank that held 2 batches o this mix . Another way to als

[@JohnMartinez-sm1sk]

You need to build a duck house area with fencing which goes down to the water, they need somewhere safe to lay free from predators.

[@sherry2836]

Scout was just practicing his herding skills, lol! Nice intro with the chix, goat and cats socializing. Glad the fallen limb didn't land on any resting animals. Ice skating on the pond this year?

[@CountryViewAcres]

Wait an see if it freezes with thick enough ice.

[@brianrotach3153]

Sounds like the chickens are molting. Leave the light on all the time

[@ericheise4051]

Evan most corn 🌽 farmers will welcome you to pick up knocked down corn in fields after combining because of field rotation to soybeans it becomes a problem. Corn is still harvesting if you have the time .

[@waynew237]

Did you ever try the flock block for your chickens? I get them from tractor supply. It works with mine when they wear not laying very good. It is worth a try. Good luck. Missed seeing you guys lately hope y’all had a great Thanksgiving

[@benjaminbailey531]

You need more laying box for the hens.

[@csnanny1882]

The pond and the ducks looks so pretty in this video. Did you get a deer ?

[@CountryViewAcres]

Not yet

[@loriconley3890]

When farm auctions come up look for a feed mill/ grinder. Then just buy shelled corn and beans and crack your own. Would save on cost but does eat up your time.

[@AlexPomesky]

The cracked corn you got is 25 cents cheaper per 50lbs than shelled corn at the feedmill i work at

[@g.r.4853]

I have heard it said that ti takes a cord of willow wood to boil a pot of coffee. Same with punky (near rotting) wood.

[@BillCoSmith]

Look for day old bread to supplement feed

[@dunkilos3632]

The pigs came back!! Now its Y'als turn to feed :D

[@janicecaves1496]

Glad the tree didn't land square on the tractor. It sounds like there might be some roast chicken and chicken pot pie on the menu in the not too distant future. *G*

[@bryanbaker1000]

I've heard that adding some ground pepper to their diet would increase egg production in the winter.

[@shaniaa9287]

I have two roosters and 12 hens. I should have more hens for one of the other roosters but my hens began laying at 5 months and still aren't slowing down. I actually have one that has just begun to lay and one that is giving me double yolks. I'm really enjoying my flock. I'm not sure if you need a rooster for them to lay and I didn't want any roosters but it's just turned out that way. I'm new with chickens and hope you'll figure it out and get the hens to lay again. 👍

[@cathiwim]

You don’t need a rooster for them to lay, only if you want to have fertilized eggs to hatch.

[@Dan.Whiteford]

Please remember that the pigs get bigger and in particular older their ability to convert pounds of food fed naturally becomes much worse. At the size they were at slaughter they are likely converting at about 3:1. The previous ones would probably been only doing about 4.5:1 - this has a massive effect on the costs of feeding them to those higher slaughter weights.

[@ralphsullender2474]

Saw a tree fall into a radiator once just one more argument to keep equipment in a shed.

[@ArtGardenFoodExpressions]

The same people asking about those Chainsaw chaps are probably the same ones making those lame comments about that tree limb. That is NOT a small tree limb. Even the smallest tree limb is not small. I have seen plenty in my yard and I can attest. (Will comment as I watch)>>>>That pond is STUNNING. I remember that algae bloom and the couple of times you work to get rid of it. GREAT JOB.

[@williamkn621]

Somewhere my girlfriend read black sunflower seeds inhibit laying. I've been looking and seems the opposite is true. I've given our girls lots of greens and off they went laying.

[@localsouptalks]

I don’t think the whole tree is dying. It looks to me that it’s a Black Willow tree. They grow by creeks and lakes and it’s in their nature to send out new trunk members as the older members age, die back, and fall (on things like your tractor).

[@cathiwim]

I would just cut the whole thing out. You have such a pretty shoreline!

[@Chris-to9qn]

Are they 2 or more years old? If so they will start in the spring at a less rate. I have seen some of your breeds, They typically will not lay during the winter months in the area you are.

[@nathanieldietrich140]

you can plant and grow your own field corn to feed the pigs. That will bring your cost way down.

[@jimlashbrook5429]

If you put any value for your time you can't grow it for what you can buy it from a local farmer. And don't forgot you then have to harvest and shell it.

[@danielheartsill4269]

I don't know how far you are from the state line, but you may check feed cost in another state. I know you are in Illinois and my sister-in-law lives up near Rockford and tax is very high there. The World According to Briggs says Illinois is one of the highest taxed states in the union. This came from his video The worst states to retire in. So if the trip would not be too long you may save because the feed people may not be taxed so heavy and can sell cheaper.

[@coyotiess]

Where do you get the plastic milk cartons?

[@shellinolte1220]

Got lucky with the tree and tractor. 🍀 I think I’m paying around $4 a lb. for pork.

[@ahnilatedahnilated7703]

Evan, your boat looks a little worse for wear.when you were talking about the pigs coming back. Did someone forget to leave the plug in?

[@jaksmith6465]

how do you stop the ducks from leaving ?

[@ssfoste]

There is an old saying about Dairy Cows, if she aint putting it in the bucket then she is ready for the cooking pot. May be the choice you need to make with the chickens.

[@kingfishjrb]

bacon and sausage running 3.75 too 4.99 lb

[@brianrotach3153]

Just my opinion... But I would just buy the premade pig feed. The feed mill has already calculated the protein content and minerals required for the optimal growth.