Monday, November 12, 2012

Taking care of animals during a crisis

When it all hits the fan and you can't buy feed for your animals what do you do?  Hopefully you have planned your food storage to take care of your animals.  I have created a good diet for our dog.  I'm certain I've already posted that but I will repost it here as this is labeled for animal crisis care.

Here's my recipe...Makes enough for 10 days of meals.
Dahlia's All Natural Dog Food

2 cups brown rice
2 cups barley
6 cups rolled oats
2 cups millet
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 small sweet potatoes
1 cup dehydrated or cooked carrots, diced
1 cup dehydrated or cooked spinach, chopped
1/4 cup sea kelp
1/3 cup beef liver, chunked

In a pressure cooker, cook the 2 cups brown rice and 2 cups barley on high for 24 minutes with 8 cups water.

In a large pot, cook the 6 cups rolled oats and 2 cups millet with enough water to cover for 12 minutes or until millet is cooked through.  Add 1/4 cup coconut oil to the hot oatmeal mixture.

Meanwhile, combine the sea kelp, cooked or dehydrated spinach and carrots in a large mixing bowl. (You can divide the food into 2 large bowls, for easier stirring.) Once the rice and barley mixture is done, add it to the  mixing bowl. 

Add the rolled oat mixture and mix well. Don't strain the extra water from the pot. Cut the sweet potato into 1/2 inch cubes, and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes or until tender. Add those in as well. If you need more liquid, use the water from the sweet potatoes. 

Mix all ingredients well, and allow to cool slightly before filling your storage containers. I use about 1 1/4 cups per portion.

Add chopped up liver or other meats to it as you serve it.

Our dog has become much less hyper and his coat is shiny now.  And more important he loves it!  

Now the cats is a new thing all together.  Cats require a meat diet.  They don't eat grains or grasses.  They eat mice, birds and other small critters.  I can't afford to store meat for the cats.  I do try to store cat food.  We only give them 1 small scoop daily for the 3 of them to share.  We count on them eating all the mice they can find.

Now for the chickens, etc.  They require at least 13% protein and they need calcium to produce eggs.  I have finally settled on making cornbread for them.  We have GMO free cornmeal in our storage and I grind wheat up for the flour.  I use their own eggs fully.  I run the eggs throught the blender with water instead of using milk.  I save all egg shells to add to the ones I use making the cornbread  I add what ever fat I have available.  I never waste fat when cooking meats up.  I save it all to use in the chicken feeds.  I don't add sugar.  They don't need it and it's unhealthy for them.  

My chicken cornbread recipe:

3 cups Corn meal
3 cups flour
4 Tablespoons baking powder or soda 
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup fat (off meats or shortening, etc)
3 to 6 eggs
3 cups water

Mix dry ingredients.  run eggs through the blender with 2 cups of water.  Add to dry ingredient and then rinse blender out remaining water to get all the egg shell into the mix.  Add fat and mix, add more water if needed.  pour into bread greased bread pans and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 35 minutes.  
After cooled down break each loaf into half and break each half into pieces and run through food processor.  I do this to keep the chickens from grabbing pieces and running off to eat it.  I feed in the evening so they all come in and I can lock them all up for the night.  

If you have horses or cattle you will need to know what they need and store that.

Horses will need hay for the winter time and oats.  Not rolled oats but oat groats.  Yes you can buy oat groats in 50 lb bags. 

Cattle will also need hay for winter time (lucky is the person who lives in the warm areas that don't have winter!)  They also like corn.  Not corn meal or popcorn but field corn.  

If it all hits the fan you need to be able to feed your animals.  Make sure you have them taken care of.  I didn't mention pigs.  They are so easy to feed table scraps to.  Anything and everything you have left over they will eat.

You also should learn how to butcher your own meat.  Knowing how and having the right equipment will make your life more livable.  Also knowing how to preserve it and having what you need to do that.  

Have fun taking care of your animals!
Cherlynn
brchbell@yahoo.com                                                 



















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