Lets play a game – chickens or ammunition. You can pick one or the other, but not both.

Chickens – 5 laying hens that are one year old and in good health. The 5 hens would include a mixture of barred rock, rhode island red, buff orpington and australorp.

You can probably expect around 200 eggs a year from each hen, for a total of around 1,000 eggs.

No roosters are included with the hen package.

Or

Ammunition – A box of your most needed (or favorite) rifle caliber. This is a box of 20, and not a case or brick of 500 or more.

This can be any caliber you may need – 22 long rifle, 223 Remington, 7.62×39, 30-30 Winchester, 270, 280, 30-06, 7mm magnum, 300 Winchester magnum,,, any caliber you want.

Forum thread – Lets play a game, chickens or ammunition

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There are all kinds of articles out there talking about meat after SHTF.  You want to know what is missing in a lot of those articles?  Exact details.

Awhile back we talked about how many chickens would be needed for SHTF.  I would like to do this article in the same manner as the chicken article.

Lets start with one very important question, and that is how much meat does the average person eat?  To find the answer lets turn to the US census.

Per Capita Consumption of Major Food Commodities

Average US meat consumption in 2009:

For right now lets exclude eggs and focus on red meat and poultry.  We will talk about eggs later.

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As I said in a previous post, 2013 – 2020 is going to be an interesting phase in American history.

China is set to surpass the United States as the worlds largest manufacturer.

North Korea is starting up a nuclear reactor that in one year can produce enough weapons plutonium for a nuclear weapon.  This puts the world on a one year timeline.  Either something has to be done about North Korea within the next year, or the world sits back and allows this rogue nation to develop more nuclear weapons.

Sanctions are not working against Iran.

Social Security disability is going broke, with around 14 million people already drawing benefits and 250,000 new applicants every month.

Eurozone facing historic unemployment rates.

Russia set to increase trade with Europe to $500 billion.

In other words, the United States and Europe are going broke, while Russia and China are poised to become world financial leaders.

BRICS

United States dominance in the world financial market is about to come to an end. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have come together to form BRICS; which is going to offer developing nations financial security without having to go through the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

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A few days ago I started reading a new book, it’s called “War on the eastern front by James Lucas.” War on the eastern front is a collection of personal experiences based on diaries from German soldiers.

The majority of books I read are non-fiction. This is because I like to know what real-life experiences people faced during times of hardship. For example what were some of the issues that were faced during the Black Death?

Why did I pick a book on the eastern front? We know the German army failed to defeat the Russian army due to two things – the harsh Russian winter, and resupply issues. Those are the two main issues taught in just about every world history class.

On page 4 of “War on the eastern front”, it is noted that author A.J.P Taylor said “while his opponents were rearming for a great war in depth, Hitler rearmed Germany in breath. Everything for the front lines, but nothing for a second campaign.”

Hitler was so sure the German army could defeat Russia in a single season, there were no plans for a long drawn out battle during the Russian winter.  Nor were plans made for the following year, much less a war that lasted another 4 years.

How does this relate to survivalism

If you have adopted survivalism as a way of life, a lot of what you see, read, hear and do is somehow related to survivalism.

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There was once a time when Uncle Sam (the U.S. Government) wanted people to raise chickens. This was especially true in times of war when our troops needed food.

Unfortunately those days are far behind us. If a city dweller tried to raise chickens today, they would probably be sued by the city and forced to get rid of the flock.

What does that say about us as a nation when we turn away from time honored traditions of raising our food, only to become dependent on a grocery store?

I often wonder how the typical city dweller would act if the grocery store shelves were empty? How would society react if the government started rationing food like what happened in World War II?

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While shopping at the local wal-mart here in Jasper Texas, I noticed a couple of things that made me stop and think.  One issue was the availability of ammunition, or rather the lack of ammunition.  The other issue I am deeply concerned about was the price of a whole fryer chicken.

Ammunition – Everyone and their brother and sister is panic buying all the ammunition they can get their hands on.  If civilians can strip the market of all available ammunition, where would this leave the United States if we entered a real war?  Iraq and Afghanistan are not “real” wars, they are minor conflicts.  The Iraq military is not bombing New York, L.A., Houston or Dallas, tens of thousands of US citizens are not dying every week, its not like in World War II when food and fuel were being rationed,,,.

The United States has some minor conflicts going on, but for some reason the store shelves have been empty of ammunition for close to a month and a half?

How would this translate if/when we have a major war with China?  The conflict does not have to be with China.  Lets replace China with <any major world power>.

Over the past few decades firearm manufacturing has been consolidated to a just a handful of companies.  there are a lot of companies out there, but very few of them manufacturer all of their own parts.  the situation is much worse with ammunition manufacturing.  Part of our national security depends on our ability to produce weapons of war.  The question I am asking myself is if the manufacturing base can keep up with demand.  Since the Sandy Hook shooting demand has been outstripping supply.

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There is so much stuff going through my head it’s difficult to stay focused.  There is the new gun ban being introduced by Dianne Feinstein, ammunition shortages, magazines shortages, Iran advancing its nuclear program, tension between the US and China increasing, and then there are the ever present tensions in the middle east.

A couple of days ago AIM surplus got a some DS Arms FN/FAL magazines in stock. They were $17.95 each, and I was seriously considering ordering some. Think about this, the gate I want for my chicken yard is $79.99 from Tractor Supply. For the price of 4 FN/FAL magazines plus shipping would have paid for the gate.

Which is more important, having extra FN/FAL magazines, or having a gate for the chicken yard? My wife and I get eggs from our chickens everyday. Will I be using my FN/FAL everyday? Its highly doubtful.

Walmart here in Jasper Texas got a shipment of 9mm in. Which is more important, buying an extra box of 9mm, or buying some T-post?

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How viable are your long term SHTF survival plans?  That is a question I kept asking myself while a buddy of mine and I were talking.  The discussion was about water, livestock, food storage,,, just your basic stuff.  In reality, how viable are those plans for a complete collapse of society?

There is an old saying, “plan for the worst and hope for the best.”  My TEOTWAWKI survival plans are based off of a complete collapse scenario – no water, food, electricity or fuel from the outside world.

One way I am looking at arranging my farm is like a medieval farm, that is the only way I know how to describe it.  The goal is to supply our own water and food, but in a primitive format.  Today it would be called organic gardening.

Water

The first issue we have to address is water. Without safe drinking water life as we know it can not exist.

The plain is to have a well drilled, and to have an electric water pump put on the well.

For when the power goes out I want a pitcher pump to manually pump the water.

Having the well dug requires a rather large financial investment. We are talking in the $5,000 or more range.

There is a stream which runs on the edge of the property.  But, people live up stream from homestead.  When you have people or livestock up stream, then the water must be made safe to drink.  Even though I would not give the water from the stream to my grandkids to drink, I am considering the stream as a source of water for my chickens.

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Just as times change, so must survivalist adapt and change.  There comes a point when one project is finished, and its time to start another one.  My life has reached such a point.

If you have been following my youtube channel and this blog, we have covered fishing, gardening, running trotlines, juglines, camping,,, just all kids of stuff.  Now its time to move to the biggest project of my life.  That project is getting back to basics.

It is time to stop buying bullets, and to start putting down fence post.

For the price of 100 rounds Federal 223 Remington, that would almost pay for the chicken yard gate.

Which one would better serve my family, another 100 rounds of 223, or a larger chicken yard?  I have plenty of 223, but my chickens need more room.

Would it be better to buy ammunition, or put down a septic system at the homestead?

It would be nice to have unlimited funds.  But as with most working people I have to decide which project needs attention.

Post your comments, suggestions and questions below.

As 2012 is drawing to a close, lets take a few minutes to reflect. What did we learn and where do we need to go from here?

What did you learn in the past year?

I learned a lot about chickens – difference in the various breeds, how much room they need, chicken coop design, chicken yard size and nutrition requirements,, only to name a few.

What I learned in the past year is only a drop in the bucket. After my wife and I get moved to the homestead we plan on almost doubling the size of our chicken flock. Currently my wife and I have 13 hens and no roosters. After we get moved we will probably increase the size of the flock to around 24 or 25 hens, and one rooster.

The next step in my chicken project will be to develop a self-sustaining chicken flock.

Once the flock size is increased, the chicken coop will probably be too small. One of the next steps after getting moved will be to build a larger coop. But we are getting way ahead of ourselves.

Learned some general information on goats – my wife and I are not ready to get goats as of yet.

A couple of months ago I talked with a man who teaches agriculture at a local high school.  He told me about the Nigerian dwarf goat, which I am considering.

How fast things can go downhill – the Newtown shootings and the venom filled words of the gun haters drove panic buying. What surprised me was how fast physical stores and internet stores sold out.

AR-15 and AK-47 prices – doubled and tripled in a just a few days. Colt 6920 that sold at walmart for $1,100 was selling on auction sites for $3,000. Sig Sauer M400 that walmart had on black friday for less then $900 is selling for $1,900. WASR-10 that used to sell for $400 is now selling for $700 – $900.

Magazine prices – 30 round aluminum AR-15 magazines went from $10 each to $100 each.  Pmags went from $16 to $150 each.

Ammunition availability – not only were people buying guns, bolt carriers and upper receivers, they were also buying all the ammunition they could get their hands on.  For the first time in my life I have seen ammunition supplies stripped.  And its not just 223 Remington and 7.62X39 that people were buying, they were buying hand calibers and 22 long rifle.

The simply fact is, if you did not have it, you were not going to get it.

Never underestimate human greed, and underestimate large numbers of people panic buying.

Its a good thing were panic buying buns and ammunition, and not food.  If food had been stripped like ammunition, there would be a lot of hungry people.

Forum Thread – As 2012 draws to a close, what did we learn in the past year?

My Google Profile

Maybe “dividing resources in your long term survival plans” is a good title for this article. But its all I could think of at the time.

Like a lot of people my wife and I have limited resources. We are just everyday middle class people trying to get by. Just like everyone else we pay our taxes, pay the electric bill, internet, health insurance,,,,. Once everything is paid we try to decide how to save money.

The issue we are running into, my wife and I are looking at moving away from Jasper Texas to a rural area. Jasper is already rural, but we want to get further away from town.

We need to put a water well on the land, sewer system, build a chicken yard,,, and a few ether odds and ends to get our new life started.

Then came the Adam Lanza incident and renewed calls for an assault rifle ban.

I am finding myself pulled into some of the panic buying. There was a short period of time between the shooting and Dianne Feinstein calling for more gun control and prices going through the roof. During that short time period I picked up another AR-15 for less then $1,000.

A gun store has some AR-15s for $1,300 each. As I consider buying another AR while I still can, I keep thinking about what that $1,300 could pay for at the homestead. We could probably put down a septic system for between $1,500 and $2,000.

But then again, we are not looking at a ban on septic systems.

When you have X amount of resources, and two projects that need funding, how do you decide which is the best long term investment.

I see the AR-15s as an investment into security for my family and my property.

But then again, if all I wanted is a firearm, I already have those bases covered.

Will a new assault rifle ban really ban military type weapons?

For those of you old enough to remember the 1994 – 2004 ban, all the assault rifle ban did was affect the appearance of the rifle. Companies were still making AR-15s, just without a bayonet lug and flash hider. I currently own a Bushmaster XM-15 that was made in the assault rifle ban. The only difference between my old AR and the new AR, is the flash hider and a bayonet lug.

I might buy the other AR, then after the first of the year focus on getting moved.

What do I “really” want in life? To live in peace and quiet.

I want my chickens to be able to scratch through the leaves, roam around looking for food, to live as chickens are supposed to live.

I want to be able to sit on the back deck and listen to the win blowing through the trees.

Buying another AR-15 does not help me obtain that goal. All that rifle will do is help me protect what is mine.

Forum Thread – Dividing Resources

As liberals and gun haters dance in the blood of children in their call for new gun laws, survivalist need to wake up. SHTF comes in a wide range of disasters. Sometimes its hurricanes, earthquakes or other natural disasters, sometimes its losing a job or financial collapse,,,.

In the case of December 2012, it was a crazy kid with a gun that gave liberals and gun haters the needed fuel to call for more gun laws.

Over the course of a few days gun stores were stripped of every AR-15 they had, and all of the ammunition they had in stock.

The following days people became desperate to get their hands on an AR-15, magazines and ammunition.

Some examples include:

Colt 6920 for $4,000
Ebay – (2) (TWO) AR-15 NEW, Aluminum NATO 5.56 AR15 M4 30 Round .223 Magazine Magazines Winning price: $315.00 (24 Bids)
Bushmaster patrol rifle – $2,299.00
PTR-91 – $2,275
S&W M&P 15 – $2,000
Ebay – Magpul PMAG 30 MagLevel, Black with Window & Dust cover NWT $65.00
Ebay – 3 Magpul PMAG 5.56×45/.223 $165.00
Ebay – Two BRAND NEW IN BAG black Magpul PMAG 30 5.56/.223 $95.00 (sold)
Ebay – Magpul PMAG 223 5.56 Black High Cap Mags 30 Round $39.95 (10 available / 40 sold)
GunsAmerica – Colt 6920 M4 rifle $3,400.00

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Beans, Guns and Seeds – the three things that are key to surviving a long term SHTF situation. Water should be a given, there there is no real need in discussing that. If someone needs to be reminded that they need safe drinking water, then natural selection needs to take effect.

Why do I put Beans, Guns and Seeds in that order? Why not have it GSB, or BSG,,, or some other combination?

Beans – your food stockpile

Guns – security

Seeds – renewable and sustainable food sources

A few weeks ago a buddy of mine and I were talking about food during a long term SHTF event. Most survivalist have some kind of food stockpile. But once those food stores run out, what then?

Group 1 – Bug out to the wilderness to live off the land.

Group 2 – Have some kind of homestead setup with a garden, livestock, fruit trees,,, renewable and sustainable food sources.

Chances are group 1 is going to develop dysentery, and either starve to death, or die from some kind of infection.

Group 2 will have shelter, fresh food, safe drinking water, security, private property,,,.

Ask yourself, if society as we know it right now, where would you rather be, camping in the wilderness, or safe at home in your bed.

Some examples of my BGS theory:

Beans Category

Freeze dried foods
Canned foods
Food stored in mylar bags

Guns

AK-47
AK-74
Mini-14
AR-15
FN/FAL
PTR-91
M1A
Remington model 700
Ruger 10/22

Seeds

Black eyed peas
Corn
Onions
Pinto beans
Squash
Snap beans
Spinach
Zucchini

Feel free to share any comments and suggestions.

List of things I plan on doing on doomsday, December 21, 2012. I usually have Fridays off.

Sleep late.

Go back to sleep.

Wake up again.

Take shower; wash hair, wash face, wash butt,,,,.

Brush teeth.

Fix breakfast.

Check on chickens.

Turn on computer

Check forum, check facebook, check blog.

Check various news sites; foxnews, RT, BBC, yahoo, cnn,,,.

See who is on steam.

Maybe play a game of Left 4 Dead 2.

Steam holiday sale is supposed to start soon.  If the sale has launched before December 21, see what games are on sale.

Make a post on the blog about how the world has not ended yet.

Maybe update twitter and google+.

Sometime that evening I plan on going to bed and hopefully will wake up Saturday December 22.

What is your long term plan for fresh meat after SHTF?  Do you plan on hunting, trapping or raising your own?  What about a combination of all three?

This article is going to focus on 4 sources of fresh meat – chickens, pigs, goats and rabbits.

Chickens

In a previous article we discussed how many chickens would you need for SHTF.  If you have not read that article, please do so. Here is a recap of the important information.

Lets start with 10 people in our group, now lets estimate that those 10 people will be eating 2 eggs a day, which equals at least 20 eggs a day.

During the winter time egg laying can drop after a cold front passes through, or while the hen is molting.

For the sake of discussion, lets use my lowest egg count of 3 eggs from 13 hens. The 3 eggs were laid after a cold front passed through, and the hens were around 9 – 10 months old.

7 X 3 = 21 eggs.

7 X 13 = 91 chickens.

91 chickens is a lot.

Now lets go with my average egg count of 5 eggs a day from my 13 chickens for the month of December 2012.

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