Everything You Need To Know About Raising Baby Chicks On A Budget (VIDEO)

Baby chicks…they’re adorable, fluffy, and incredibly delicate!  Despite their fragility, they’re actually pretty simple to raise. If you have some outdoor space and live in an area where it’s allowed, fresh eggs and meat (if you’re interested in that) can easily be yours!

This week’s self-reliance strategies are all about getting started with baby chicks.

I don’t have 20 years of experience with baby chickens, but I’m now on my 4th batch of them.  Each new batch has been more successful than the one before.  Just like any other new skill, it works best if you simply find a reliable guide, plunge in, and learn “on the job.”  Below, we’ll talk about how to get started on the most adorable hobby around. Trust me – anyone can do this! This article is long, but it contains basically everything you need to know to get started raising baby chicks.

Before you start

We’ve all read about the war on self-reliance. It seems like feeding yourself is becoming increasingly illegal. People are forced to rip out thriving front-yard vegetable gardens, raw milk is illegal in many states, and some states require an “egg handler’s license” before you can sell, give away, or otherwise distribute fresh eggs. We’ve come a long way from the days when being self-reliant was seen as your patriotic duty.

Because of this, if you live in an urban or suburban area, be sure to check the bylaws before bringing your birds home. Often, you can find information on this forum about your town’s specific chicken bylaws.

It would be irresponsible to recommend breaking the law, of course. *coughs* I’ve heard that although chickens aren’t exactly stealth animals, sometimes if you pay protection in eggs, neighbors will look the other way as long as there are no roosters crowing at 4 am or hens enjoying their rosebushes as an afternoon snack. Discretion is the better part of valor, to borrow a phrase from Shakespeare.

I really love having a source of organic meat and eggs in my own backyard. Don’t be intimidated! I started as a total newbie just about a year ago, and thanks to the internet, my personal library, some knowledgeable friends, and the motivation to try out a new skill, we’re now successfully producing protein for ourselves. If I can do this, you can do this. Don’t wait until after a disaster to get started. It took the better part of a year before I had a reliable source of food from my chickens.

Where to get your baby chicks

Baby chicks are everywhere at this time of year. You can get yours mailed to you from a reputable hatchery (that’s where my current flock of 25 Freedom Ranger babies came from) or you can pick yours out at your local feed store. (That’s where I got most of last year’s babies.) Sometimes you can even buy older chicks which are closer to laying age and out of the fragile stage. (I got 3 Barred Rock girls that way last year, too.)

Here are some articles that go into more detail about acquiring your fluffy new babies.

How to Order Hatchery Chicks

Where to Buy Baby Chicks

Mail Order Chicks and Delivery Options

However you get them, it’s very likely that the baby chicks are only going to be a couple of days old when you get them home.  Like any newborn, they’re exceptionally fragile.  You may lose a few. It’s very sad when this happens, but most of the time, it isn’t your fault. Sometimes there is a physical issue with the chick that doesn’t allow it to survive, sometimes they get sick, and sometimes an accident occurs. (They’re prone to drowning in their water, for example, but we’ll talk about precautions.)

What supplies do you need before bringing them home?

Before you bring your babies home, you need to have a few things on hand. Here is my own list of must-haves.

A Brooder

Mine is very similar to this one, but I had someone local build it for me.  We keep it in the laundry room for the first week if it’s cold outside, then on the porch, then we move it out to the coop. The good thing about using something like this as a brooder is that it can pull double duty as your infirmary if you ever need to separate a sick or injured chicken from the flock.

I plan to raise chickens for meat a couple of times per year, which makes a permanent brooder a good investment for me.  Here’s my brooder out on our back deck.

However, if you are just raising a few backyard laying hens and not planning to raise new chickens every year, you don’t have to go crazy expensive. Below, you can find some really awesome DIYs.

Here’s one you can make for less than $12!

Before I got my big brooder, I made one similar to this, except I didn’t fasten the hardware cloth to the top. I cut the hardware cloth bigger than the opening of the Rubbermaid container where it would hang down over the edges, and simply snapped the lid with the hole cut out on top of it. I’m all about the shortcuts and not always the handiest soul around.

Here are more articles about a brooder set-up.

Build a DIY Brooder Box

This link has some videos about incubating eggs and brooding the chicks once they hatch.

How We Brood Chicks (there’s another really cool DIY brooder in this article.)

A heat source

Baby chicks must stay warm, or they’ll die. If they were being raised by their mama, they would huddle underneath her to stay cozy. Since you are the mama, and if you sat on them it wouldn’t end well for anybody involved, you have to go with other methods. The least expensive way to keep them warm is by using a standard heat lamp and a red bulb. A red bulb is recommended instead of a white one so that the chicks sleep better.  This is the method that I have used for all my chicks.

But please use extreme caution when heating this way. Many a tragedy has started with a heat lamp. I had a near fire from one out in a wooden chicken coop my first year raising chicks. Luckily, I caught it just as it began smoking, but it could have been a disaster. It can’t be touching anything flammable or meltable, nor can it be too close to the babies. Be sure to hang it in a way that the chicks can get away from the heat if they get too warm.

Another excellent heat source is the EcoGlow.  This piece of awesomeness has far less risk of fire or harm to the chicks but it costs a lot more than the standard heat lamp. A friend of mine owns one and it’s a really great method of brooding chicks. You can raise it up as they grow, allowing more room underneath.

Invest in a cheap digital thermometer so you don’t have to guess about the temperature in the brooder. Here’s the rundown on the minimum temps the babies need:

Week 1:  95-100 degrees

Week 2: 90-95 degrees

Week 3: 85-90

Week 4: 80-85

Once they’re fully fledged (that means they have all their feathers instead of just fluff) they can handle lower temperatures.

Aside from a thermometer, here’s how you can tell if the temperature is right in the brooder.

If they’re all huddled together and making a lot of noise it means they’re cold and distressed.

If they’re spread far apart, lethargic, and panting, they’re too hot.

If they’re active, randomly spread out, and making happy little peeping noises, they’re just right.

My dog paid an unnerving amount of attention to the baby chicks in their brooder under the heat lamp.

Bedding

I use wood shavings for bedding, but you can also use straw. Be sure not to get something artificially scented, as this can cause respiratory problems for the delicate babies.

For the first couple of days, I put paper towels on top of the bedding so I can see their poop. See the section on health issues for the reason why.

Feeders and waterers

You’ll need some containers for feeding and watering your babies.

First, a note. Baby chicks are adorable, but they’re messy and they poop everywhere. That includes in their food and water containers. Initially I don’t like to use an open bowl for feeding for this very reason.  It doesn’t seem to bother them much, but ew.

I have a couple of different feeders for the littles.

These are awesome because they are inexpensive and they simply screw on the bottom of a regular mouth quart jar. The jars can easily be sanitized in the dishwasher afterward. (They’re less than $5 at the time of publication.)

I also have one of these. I had so many chicks in my last batch that I had to set out 3 feeders for them to be certain everyone got something to eat.

For water, it’s really important to note that a lot of baby chicks die from drowning. It’s heartbreaking to see (thankfully it hasn’t happened to us!) There are two ways to avoid this.

#1.  First, you can get a water container that doesn’t have enough room for them to fall in and die. I like the kind that you screw on to the bottom of a mason jar. You can also get them in plastic but it’s only a few cents less.  You’ll have to fill these several times throughout the day, depending on how many chicks you have.

#2. You can use a bigger one-gallon water dispenser, but line the trough area with pebbles. this way, they can still get a drink but there isn’t room for them to fall in and be unable to get out. You will only have to do this for a week or so before they’re too big to fall in.

I like to raise the water dispenser up just a little bit to keep it from getting filled with bedding. The bedding can soak up the water like a sponge, leaving you with thirsty babies. You can use just about anything to raise it up. I have a couple of pieces of scrap wood beneath my waterers.

What to feed baby chicks

There are several different types of food on the market for baby chicks. You can get some inexpensive starter, but you probably aren’t giving your chicks the best beginning with it. It’s like feeding them fortified cereal. Instead of food with actual nutrients, the nutrients are artificially added to a stripped product. They’ll probably survive, but they won’t be as healthy as chicks fed a better quality of food.

The next debate is whether or not to give them medicated feed. Some people swear by giving them medicated feed for the first few weeks of their lives, claiming that all of the medication will be out of their systems by the time you consume the eggs (or the chickens if you’re raising them for meat.)  It provides them with an immunity to coccidiosis.

Many people are raising chickens to provide them with organic eggs or meat at a better price. If that is your goal, you’ll want to go with an organic food. This starter is a high quality organic product at a reasonable price.

Another option is GMO-free feed if you aren’t worried about strictly organic. It’s a good happy medium between the low-quality “Doritoes” chicken feed and the expensive organic feed. You can usually find a good quality GMO-free crumble at your local feed store.

I always start out with crumble, which is coarsely ground, and as they get bigger, I mix the crumble with the pellets. I like pellets because there is far less waste. I also like to supplement them with fresh fruits and vegetables. However, if you are supplementing them, be sure to provide a little dish of grit to help with their digestion.

Baby chick health issues

Obviously, prevention is key. One great way to prevent illness in your chicks is to add 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar to a gallon of water. (Get the good kind with the mother – the cheap stuff does absolutely nothing.) You can also get those little packets of probiotics to add to their water, but mine have been just fine with the ACV.

Coccidiosis: Remember how I said I put paper towels over the bedding for the first few days? That’s so I can check their poop. It’s important to check that on a daily basis. You’re looking for anything bloody. ( Turn off the red heat light if you’re using one because you can’t see bloody stool under a red light.) If you see anything with even a tinge of blood, you need to act immediately. This is a symptom of coccidiosis.

It’s not difficult to treat. Although this medication is labeled for use with calves, it can be used for baby chicks if you water it down sufficiently, as per my local feed store. Add 2 teaspoons of Corid to a gallon of water. They’ll generally consume enough if they aren’t too sick to drink.

Here’s an article with more information about coccidiosis in poultry.

Pasty butt: I lost several chicks in my first flock to pasty butt and it absolutely broke my heart. This is evident when their vent gets sealed shut with poop. If it becomes clogged, the waste backs up in the chick’s system and they can’t pass their waste. It’s essential during the first week or two after bringing them home to check everyone’s bottom on a twice daily basis. If there is a little clump of poo on the bottom, you have to act.

You will have to very gently remove the clump on their bottoms. BE CAREFUL. Just pulling on it can actually disembowel the poor baby. Also, you need to be certain it’s the vent and not the umbilical stump.

This video shows you how to clean the chick’s bottom.

This article gives you more information about pasty butt.

This article discusses a variety of chicken illnesses and symptoms.

How to raise your new babies.

So…you’ve got your babies home. They’re safely ensconced in the brooder. What now?

You need to keep them fed, watered, and warm. That’s about it!

• I free feed my chicks and try to make sure there is always food available for the first month or two.


• There should always be fresh water in the coop or brooder.


• Keep the temperature at the right range for their ages.


• Handle them briefly and gently a couple of times per day so they get used to you. It’s much easier to raise them if they aren’t terrified of the giant human.


• Check their bottoms 2x  a day for signs of pasty butt. (You can do this while you handle them.)

These excellent resources can help you learn more about raising your baby chicks.

My absolute favorite resource is this course which teaches you how to raise them naturally even if you’re on a budget. It’s fantastic!

Here are some articles and books:

Chickens from Scratch

How to raise baby chicks naturally

Chickens: Naturally Raising a Sustainable Flock

Raising Day Old Chicks

How to Get Ready for New Baby Chicks

9 Things You Need for Starting Baby Chickens

Introducing the Chickens

Raising Baby Chicks

Raising chicks for meat? There are a few differences

This time around, I’m raising chickens for meat instead of for eggs. Since this is a first for me, I did a bit of research. While the basics are the same, there are some breed differences of which you should be aware. These articles can help you.

Getting Started with Meat Chickens

8 Pounds in 8 Weeks: Raising Day Old Chicks for the Dinner Table

When they’re big kids…

Once they graduate from the brooder, it is time to introduce them to the rest of the flock. This can entail some bloodshet, so you need to be careful and supervise them well.

My most recent batch of chicks was housed in a dog kennel inside the coop with the Bigs. We had an awful storm the other night and the kennel began to flood. I had no option but to mix the flocks immediately, and fortunately it went well. That was, in part, because they were already accustomed to one another through the safe barrier of the kennel.

Here is an article about introducing baby chicks to your flock

Why should you raise your own chickens?

First, let me get on my animal-lover soapbox for a minute. The poultry and egg industries are enough to make you sick – both physically and emotionally.

More and more information is coming to light about the horrible mistreatment of the birds that provide us with meat and eggs. It’s enough to make a carnivore turn vegan. Even if you don’t care about the well-being of the animals, don’t even get me started on the food safety risks or raising animals the way that they do. If the creatures you consume for sustenance are ill then how can you expect to be healthy when you eat them? If they must be on antibiotics their entire tortured lives to survive, then is this really something you want to feed your family?

If you want more details, here is a horrifying, graphic article about the chicken industry. (No, it’s not by PETA – it’s by a friend who eats meat.)  If you aren’t choosy about the chicken and eggs you purchase, you are, by default, endorsing this horrific abuse. *climbs off soap box*

If you can’t or won’t raise your own chickens, please, please consider finding a local farmer who raises his or her animals the traditional way and buy from them. Your business means a lot to them, and voting with your dollars is the only way to make Big Agri change their horrific practices.

On to more positive reasons.

When you raise your own chickens, you learn first-hand where your food comes from. You know what your birds ate, that they are healthy, that they haven’t been given risky supplements or medications, and that they were treated humanely.  Unfortunately, the labels at the grocery store are basically meaningless, with the exception of “pasture-raised.”  That’s a lot closer to what folks envision when they think about ethically raised poultry.

It’s also very economical to raise your own chickens. Have you checked out the price for organic, pasture-farmed eggs recently? Ouch!  My hens eat about $20 worth of food per month and spend their days controlling the bugs and weeds for me. In return, I end up with 3-4 dozen eggs per week. Now, we can’t eat all of those eggs, but they are lovely gifts for friends without farms, and our Great Pyrenees loves them as a delightful addition to his dinner.

I get a lot of joy seeing my goofy hens frolic around the backyard. Each one has a distinct personality, and because they were hand raised, they’re all pretty friendly. If I walk out into the yard, I’m instantly surrounded by happy, feathered friends.  My laying hens are like pets that provide us with eggs.

Questions or comments?

If you are a veteran chick raiser, please provide your best tips below! If you are new to chickens, let me know what’s holding you back from starting your own flock! Do you have any questions that I might be able to help with? I hope this article encourages you to take the plunge!

 

The post Everything You Need To Know About Raising Baby Chicks On A Budget (VIDEO) appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Survival Condos: A Tour of Bunkers for Rich People in the Middle of Kansas

This article was originally published by Daisy Luther at The Organic Prepper

It’s time for another episode of Doomsday Bunkers of the Rich and Famous. You can find the last article about a doomsday neighborhood in Germany right here.

This time, we’ll travel a bit closer to home – right in the middle of…Kansas. In the small town of Glasco, Kansas, population 473, lies the ultimate in luxury bunker destinations: Survival Condos.

So, if you’re curious about how the other half intends to ride out the apocalypse, let me tell you: they’ll be living it in high style. But there’s always something to learn when you look at the preparedness plans of others. Let’s explore the Survival Condos of Kansas.

What are the survival condos like?

Survival Condos are fortified and equipped to withstand all your basic apocalypses, such as nuclear bombs, earthquakes, tornadoes, enemy invasions, and pandemics. The condo community lies 200 feet underground in an old Atlas missile silo, which was clearly hardened to withstand all types of catastrophes.

Each condo has every possible amenity, including high ceilings, windows looking out at imaginary views, and high ceilings.

Here’s the price rundown:

Penthouse Condo:

$4,500,000

• 3600 sq. ft.


• Two levels

You can only get the details if you make a personal inquiry.

Full Floor Unit: 

$3,000,000

• Approx. 1820 sq. ft. of Living Space (accommodates 6 to 10 people)


• High-end floor and trim packages of your choosing.


• 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Kitchen, Dining room, and Great Room.


• LED Big Screen TV in every unit.


• State-of-the-art Kitchen: Stainless steel kitchen appliances include refrigerator, dishwasher, dual-fuel (electric & propane) professional range, wall oven, professional ventilation hood. Granite or custom concrete counter-tops.


• State-of-the-art energy efficient washer and dryer in each unit.


• Built in recessed full spectrum LED lighting.


• Kohler bath fixtures and jetted Jacuzzi tub in each master bath.


• Digital HVAC controls.


• State-of-the-Art Home Automation System with structured wiring throughout including closed circuit security system camera viewing, public address/intercom system, digital weather station access, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, satellite TV feeds, public and private Internet access.


• Outdoor “simulated view” window in each unit. Window simulates “Life-Like” outdoor views complete with varying light levels that reflect time of day, creating a normal living experience as if you were above ground.


• Biometric Key locks (you won’t need to worry about losing a key).


• Elevator and Stairwell Accessibility to all Units.

Half Floor Unit:

$1,500,000

• Approx. 900 sq. ft. of Living Space (accommodates 3 to 5 people)


• High-end floor and trim packages of your choosing.


• 1 or 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen, and Great Room.


• LED Big Screen TV in every unit.


• State-of-the-art Kitchen: Stainless steel kitchen appliances include refrigerator, dishwasher, dual-fuel (electric & propane) professional range, wall oven, professional ventilation hood. Granite or custom concrete counter tops.


• State-of-the-art energy efficient washer and dryer in each unit.


• Built in recessed full spectrum LED lighting.


• Kohler bath fixtures and jetted Jacuzzi tub in each master bath.


• Digital HVAC controls.


• State-of-the-Art Home Automation System with structured wiring throughout including closed circuit security system camera viewing, public address/intercom system, digital weather station access, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, satellite TV feeds, public and private Internet access.


• Outdoor “simulated view” window in each unit. Window simulates “Life-Like” outdoor views complete with varying light levels that reflect time of day, creating a normal living experience as if you were above ground.


• Biometric Key locks (you won’t need to worry about losing a key).


• Elevator and Stairwell Accessibility to all Units.

Every condo has:

• Maximum occupancy for full & half floor layouts are 10 and 5 respectively.


• Full kitchens with High-end stainless appliances.


• Full Spectrum LED lighting throughout.


• Kohler fixtures throughout.


• 50-inch LED TV and home automation system with remote off-site access.


• Biometric Keyless access.


• Each unit is fully furnished and professionally decorated.


• Washer and dryer in each unit.

The master bathrooms even feature jacuzzi tubs.

Armageddon? What Armageddon?

What else do you get?

When you buy one of the condos, you get more than just a place to hunker down.

According to the website:

This “Package” is much more than just a “Survival Condo Unit”. This “Package” includes mandatory training, a five-year per person food supply, fully furnished and custom designed interior, special equipment for registered members, computer access to condo systems, and much more. Only a portion of the total fee is for the actual Survival Condo Unit.

Basically, they prep for you and you only have to learn some stuff.

Here are the shared features that all condo members may access:

• Elevator & Stairwell Access throughout the facility.


• Over 20,000 square foot of floor space in the monolithic dome.


• Redundant electric sources.


• Redundant water supply with minimum of 75,000 gallon reserve tanks.


• Redundant air filtration including Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) filtration.


• Organic hydroponic and aquaculture food production.


• General Store.


• Indoor Pool & Spa, and a complete workout facility.


• Custom theater.


• Custom Bar & Lounge.


• Library & Classroom.


• Command & Control Center.


• Medical First Aid Center.


• Communication Center complete with on-site Internet subset access.


• Digital weather station.

Here are some photos:

• Walls 2.5 to 9 Feet Thick


• Monolithic Dome Cap


• Wind Turbine


• Diesel Generators


• Indoor Shooting Range


• Hydroponic Food


• Aquaculture


• Military Grade Security


• Indoor Pool


• Exercise Facility


• Rock Climbing Wall


• Dog Park


• Arcade


• Classroom


• Library


• Movie Theater


• Digital Weather Station


• High Speed Elevator

Just in case you didn’t click on this picture, here’s the pool.

Photo Credit: SurvivalCondo.com

How about a tour?

Watch the video below to see what a $3 million bunker is like.

While most of these luxuries are out of reach for the middle-class prepper, there are always ideas to be gleaned from the most outrageous survival designs. What could you duplicate for your own survival retreat?

Please feel free to share any information from this article in part or in full, giving credit to the author and including a link to The Organic Prepper and the following bio.

Daisy Luther is the author of The Pantry Primer: A Prepper’s Guide To Whole Food on a Half Price Budget.  Her website, The Organic Prepper, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca</e

Selco: The Shocking Reality of SHTF Medicine and How to Prep for When the Medical System is GONE

This article was originally published by Selco at The Organic Prepper

Editor’s Note: Something difficult to plan for – or even wrap your brain around – is a world in which medical care is not available. Even though it’s outrageously expensive here in the United States, we can still access care. We may be in debt forever, but it exists.

So, what do you do in a world in which it no longer exists? A world in which there aren’t emergency rooms or doctor’s walk-in clinics? A world in which there aren’t any well-stocked pharmacies?

Today, Selco shares the brutal reality of SHTF medicine. ~Daisy

Since there were no hospitals, how did you treat people who were ill?

Organized (system) of professional medical help ceased to exist.

Hospitals, health centers, EMS, and everything similar was gone. The most advanced medical help that you could find in the hardest period was more or less primitive medical care that some military units had, such as medics and low-level trauma care. But this was not available to common folks.

People with medical knowledge became very important because of this fact, but even the most skilled people were often completely useless because all of the other help that the system offers you is simply non-existent.

One of my old colleagues told me story that could point out some things.

His friend called him to help him with his father, who had fallen from the roof. The man climbed on the roof to repair broken tiles, and he was there in the middle of the night (which was the safest way). He fell down, and his sons found him unconscious. They brought him in the house and called my ex-colleague, a nurse, for help.

When he arrived, he checked the old man, then called his sons in other room. He explained to them that their father was going to die very soon because most probably he had internal bleeding.

The sons were mad at him and they started to threaten him, asking him that he help the old man in any possible way.

My colleague told them that only way possible was to ask for help from the local paramilitary unit who had some medical stash, but even that was very questionable because man need specialized medical care, and at that moment that kind of care was not available in the whole city.

The sons took a trip that night to the headquarters of that unit, and guys there told them to visit the “hospital” which was situated in the basement of a destroyed apartment building.

They later told my colleague that the “hospital” actually was 3 basement rooms with oil lamps and a stench so bad that they both immediately vomited.

The “doctor” who listened to their story about the old man’s injuries asked the two of them ” Do you have weapons?” They answered  “Yeah, sure”.

They were surprised, and started to yell at him, then “doctor” pulled a gun and said, “Get the f…. out of here or I’ll shoot both of you. Your old man is already dead”

They went home. Their old man was not yet dead but he died in the morning.

Some things can be taken care with basic knowledge and a little bit of inventiveness, for example, taking care of a broken rib or similar, but other conditions and traumas were simply too much to take care for most of the folks.

The point of this story is not to scare you. Maybe in your case, the whole situation is going to be much better. Maybe there is going to be some organization, some kind of bigger system when SHTF. I do not know.

Usually, a person who was ill was placed in a separate room and people did as best as they could to help him.

If we managed to get real medication we did that, if not we tried natural remedies.

Honey was one ingredient that was in most of the home remedies, or at least people stated that, pine needles were sometimes there, chamomile mixture, garlic…

Where did you acquire medications? Were you able to buy things like antibiotics on the black market?

Just like all other resources, they were there ( in very low amounts, of course) to take, steal, or barter.

Antibiotics were very valuable on the black market, and usually, you could dictate the price with if you owned any.

Antibiotics were used even with expired dates, and people did not care because sometimes it was the only medicine that you could find.

Natural remedies also jumped in, and yes people who had any knowledge about herbal remedies became important. Also, there were a lot of scams. For example, you heard that some man had a good herb mixture for asthma, and if that was your only choice, of course, you would try it.

A lot of people used that and scammed people with “homemade herb mixtures”.

Sometimes you could find a man who offered you 15 pills, not packaged, not in a box, just 15 pills, which he stated were antibiotics, and you really need them, so what could you do?

Did people with chronic illnesses like diabetes die?

It was a full scale collapse. People were dying from a lot of things (even if we do not mention violent death). There were no doctors, no hospitals, no X rays no lab results.

One day you are good, next day you feel sick and you are vomiting, your skin is yellow, you have a fever…

And then a few days later, you are dead.

Maybe you died from food poisoning, maybe renal failure, maybe your blood sugar went down or up. Who knew?

Lot of ordinary folks did not know why someone died.

A lot of people with chronic illnesses died.The majority of them did not have a stash of medication needed for their condition, and when you add to that fact that overall life quality went down very sharply and very deeply, people who were chronically ill and needed medical attention had serious problems.

In some cases and for some illnesses, certain people managed to pull through with acquiring medication from the black market or using some substitutes like herbs. But for example, if you were an older man who lived with his older wife, and you had insulin-dependent diabetes, and you do not have friends or family to help, and you had no stash, your chances were really low. 

Was there an increase in mental illness?

Yes, but if we are talking about real mental illnesses, people who had serious mental problems that were under control by medication simply lost it without their meds and went completely “mad”.

You could see people hallucinating out in the street more often than in peacetime, or breaking down in their rooms. I knew cases when families locked in their loved one who had mental illness in a room, controlling him in that way because there was no other way.

A lot of those cases were connected to the people who were heavy drug users (addicts). When the SHTF some of them simply went “wild” or, even worse, some groups used those people for very dirty jobs in exchange for a drug supply. Bigger organized groups had more power and more connections, which meant they could find drugs even in those circumstances. This meant drug addicts were ready to do whatever they had to for them, and very violent things were usually what was needed for a gang to keep power. It is not too different from “peacetime” criminal organizations, but when the SHTF stakes are higher. Violence is much worse and much more frequent.

If we are talking about people who simply went crazy because the world as they knew it collapsed around them, then no, not really. Not too many people lost their minds because of the eruption of violence and collapse.

Of course there was increase in suicides and cases of people simply giving up because they thought it was not worth it to continue to live on that way, but not in numbers that people would imagine.

I think the instinct to fight for survival is stronger then we think.

People mostly pushed through, day by day. There was an increase in alcohol consumption or marijuana, sedatives were good thing to have or some herbal substitutes… but people pushed on. 

What diseases became common when the SHTF? How did you treat them? 

When the SHTF, all aspects of life changed, and that included aspects of life that you did not even think about, simply because the system had always taken care of those aspects of life.

For example how much physical work you are doing today-if you are average citizen who work as an clerk somewhere, or truck driver, or housewife or whatever, you are used to some physical activity and certain food quality and quantity.

You are used to having an operating bathroom, and to being pretty warm in your home, etc.

When the SHTF, all that changed.

Food became different. The quality and quantity of it went down. Physical activities went up very sharply. Add to that fact that one day, it was stressful not to find your favorite yogurt in few stores. Then suddenly, the next day when the SHTF, the levels of stress were about seeing people shot for fun or asking yourself whether your kid was going to survive eating plants only.

All of that contributed to people getting sick simply because people were almost always exhausted.

If we are mentioning the most common illnesses, then those were gastrointestinal illnesses connected with bad food, bad water, and low hygiene (both personally and in the home).

Second to that, a lot of problems were connected with secondary complications of a minor injury.

For example, you might get some nasty cut while you were working in some abandoned storage, trying to scavenge some useful material.

That cut looked nasty, but basically it could be taken care with iodine, peroxide, sterile dressings and antibiotic treatment. But you did not had any of those so you bandaged it with a dirty bandana. Then, a day later you got a nasty infection which was a huge problem.

A small cut could kill you.

Homemade remedies were used a lot, again with varying levels of success. Home mixtures were used for cuts and infections, and of course, people searched for antibiotics.

If someone broke his arm, for example, you could try to find someone who had a clue about setting the bones, but you can still today find people with funny looking fingers, or bit twisted arm, or not so functioning leg, simply because they splinted it alone at home during that time without any real medical help.

How can we prepare for medical issues?

We can be prepared to some extent, but it is more important to understand that very often ( in case of serious collapse) you can not do too much.

Much more important is to understand “from what end” you need to start your medical preparedness.

Most of the discussions about medical preparedness in prepping community today have few common characteristics. They are talking mainly about:

• Taking care of patients in short period of time in until advanced help arrives


• Specialized training is given by very specialized instructors (for example combat medics will train you how to take care of a wounded person until evacuation helicopter arrives)


• Students who are driven to learn things that look “cool and flashy”, for example, you’ll be given the task of stopping bleeding on mankind  (or animal meat) while instructors pointing a flashlight in your eyes or using firecrackers to simulate gunshots.

Those are only examples, or one analogy could be that medical preparedness experts teaching you how to suture wounds even if that wound can be taken care of with simple Steri strip (adhesive tape that gonna connect wound edges).

Nobody mentions the complications that can occur from the wound, prolonged care of an infected wound. This is the material and knowledge that you are gonna need.

One of the reasons is that it looks cool to suture a wound or to train how to use tourniquet untill help arrives in form of an ambulance or a helicopter. The other reason is that most of the trainings assume that help is 10 minutes or one hour away.

It may not be like that when real SHTF happens and it is completely different. Then, most probably nobody is going to arrive, and you’ll have to take care of everything.

You need to start with basics and go gradually to more complicated things.

Do not misunderstand me. I know how to suture, and I am combat medic and nurse, too, so I am not talking against that knowledge.

But before learning how to suture as a part of your medical preparedness you need to learn what to do with your waste when SHTF, how to build latrine, how much water you need, and ways to have it in order to keep a minimum of hygiene.

Before you buy 20 suturing kits you need to learn wound care in prolonged terms, including antibiotic treatment for that wound.

You need to know ways to keep yourself clean and protected in order to minimize the risk of getting injured or getting ill.

Another example would be that lot of  people are fixated with buying antibiotics without real knowledge of how antibiotics work and the differences between groups of antibiotics.

Get gloves, face masks, working gloves, hand sanitizers, and alcohol pads. Then go with antibiotics and tourniquets.

It is about preparation and common sense. So if you have, for example, a person with high blood pressure problems in your family, you need to learn all you can about that condition including proper diet, natural remedies, what to do in a possible crisis, and you need to have serious stash of medications for that condition.

Think outside of the box.

Just like with all other fields of prepping, here too, you need to think a bit outside of the box.

A lot of medical skills can be learned. Some of them are online, free to research and learn.

For example, sometimes it is simply not enough to give oral antibiotics, sometimes you’ll have to give it through an IV or intramuscular, or sometimes best choice is to rehydrate person through IV solutions.

Yes, it is probably illegal to do that if you are not a medical professional, but when the SHTF, that is gonna be not so important. On the other side, your skills are gonna be very important.

Learn skills no matter what system says about who can practice those skills. You are preparing for a time when system is gone so it makes sense.

About the Author

Selco survived the Balkan war of the 90s in a city under siege, without electricity, running water, or food distribution. In his online works, he gives an inside view of the reality of survival under the harshest conditions. He reviews what works and what doesn’t, tells you the hard lessons he learned, and shares how he prepares today. He never stopped learning about survival and preparedness since the war. Regardless what happens, chances are you will never experience extreme situations like Selco did. But you have the chance to learn from him and how he faced death for months. Real survival is not romantic or idealistic. It is brutal, hard and unfair. Let Selco take you into that world. Read more of Selco’s articles here: https://shtfschool.com/blog/ And take advantage of a deep and profound insight into his knowledge and advice by signing up for the outstanding and unrivaled online course. More details here: https://shtfschool.com/survival-boot-camp/

Please feel free to share any information from this article in part or in full, giving credit to the author and including a link to The Organic Prepper and the following bio.

Daisy Luther is the author of The Pantry Primer: A Prepper’s Guide To Whole Food on a Half Price Budget.  Her website, The Organic Prepper, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca</e

What Do They Know? High-Level Govt Officials Reportedly Flocking to ‘Doomsday’ Camps

High-level government officials and national security officers are reported flocking to "doomsday camps" around the country citing "inevitable" events as the impetus behind the move.

The post What Do They Know? High-Level Govt Officials Reportedly Flocking to ‘Doomsday’ Camps appeared first on The Free Thought Project.

What You Need To Know About Using Old Medicine For Survival

When it comes to survival medicine, I make no claim of being an expert.  I am, after all, a mere layman with no medical training.  On the other hand, I do possess a good deal of common sense so when something seems a bit off, I do my own research and make decisions based upon data and not upon supposition.

Something that has always been “off” to me are expiration dates on pharmaceuticals.  Why is it that drugs always expire exactly one year after the date they were filled?  The truth, as I wrote about in The Myth of Expiration Dates on Drugs and Prescription Meds, is that those expiration dates are often bogus.

In that article, I referenced the following statement from the the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide:

Most of what is known about drug expiration dates comes from a study conducted by the Food and Drug Administration at the request of the military. With a large and expensive stockpile of drugs, the military faced tossing out and replacing its drugs every few years. What they found from the study is 90% of more than 100 drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, were perfectly good to use even 15 years after the expiration date.

The question of whether outdated drugs are viable beyond their expiration date is a heated topic within the prepper community.  I get that because there are some medications that absolutely should not be taken when they are old and expired.  Some common examples include nitroglycerin, insulin, liquid antibiotics, and epinephrine but there are others.

Still, if the choice is to take an old, outdated medicine or die, I know what I would do.

In order to continue the discussion, and to shed further light on the myth of expiration dates, I am sharing an article by contributing author, Joe Alton.  Joe, also known as Dr. Bones, is a medical doctor who is well versed in survival medicine.  Here is his take on using old drugs for survival purposes.

Straight Talk About Expiration Dates

Years ago, I wrote an article about the truth relating to expiration dates on medications. Lately, I’ve seen some confusing information on the internet that tells you how dangerous they are while telling you that, in a survival scenario, you should probably use them. So I think it’s time to set the record straight with regards to expiration dates on medications.

Before I start, I want to tell you that my focus is medical preparedness for major disasters and long-term survival. That means a strategy of putting together stockpiles of supplies that might save a life in times of trouble.

Now, what you need to know.

Expiration dates were first mandated in the us in 1979.

They are the last day that a drug company will guarantee 100% potency of a medicine. These medicines do not, by and large, become toxic after the expiration date. I promise you that you will not grow a horn in the middle of your forehead if you take a pill the week after it expires.

In many cases, drugs in pill, powder, or capsule form will be 100% potent for years after their expiration date. How do I know this?  FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Department of Defense stockpiles millions of doses of medications used in emergency settings. In the past, when those drugs expired, they were discarded.

This gets to be pretty expensive, so a study was performed called the shelf life extension program, something I first wrote about years ago. This program found that most medications, as long as they are in pill or capsule form, were still effective after their expiration dates, sometimes for years.  As such, I recommended not throwing them away but, instead, making them part of your survival medical storage.

This, by the way, was not the case for medicines in liquid form. They lost potency quickly after their expiration dates, so are not useful for long-term survival settings.

These findings led the government to put out extensions of expiration dates for certain drugs as needed, such as the 5 year extension given the anti-viral drug Tamiflu during the 2009 swine flu epidemic.

Despite this, you’ll see quotes, often from academic types, that medications are dangerous when expired and should be tossed. These opinions are fine in normal times, but if you’re reading this article, you’re probably a member of the preparedness community or at least interested in the subject. You might even be the person that would be medically responsible in situations when the rescue helicopter is heading the other way.

Good, you’re exactly who I want to talk to since you may one day have to make a decision in a true disaster setting about whether or not to use an expired medication.

Let’s say a loved one is fading from an infection. Something bad has happened and you’re off the grid with little or no hope of getting to modern medical care. You have an expired bottle of antibiotics. What are you going to do? Someone you love is dying. Are you going to use the expired drug or not? Exactly.

Of course, medicines should be stored in cool, dry, dark conditions. Their potency will fade twice as fast if stored at 90 degrees as if stored at 50 degrees. Freezing them, however, is rarely helpful. Even if stored in suboptimal conditions, a capsule or tablet that hasn’t changed color or consistency is probably still worth keeping for austere settings.

Sometimes, in a true disaster, the issues that will facing the medically responsible will be very basic.

What’s the problem? Do I have medicine that will treat it? Could this medicine, although it has expired, possibly save a life? When it comes down to it, can you really choose to not use it to prevent a death because it may possibly have side effects or not be quite as strong as it was?

I say: In this situation, don’t withhold a drug because some professors said it wasn’t a good idea to use it. Believe me, they weren’t seriously considering a time when an expired medication might be the only option you have left.

Let’s hope it never gets to that point, but preparing for the worst, while hoping for the best isn’t a bad strategy to deal with the uncertain future.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Final Word

In our heart of hearts, we would never purposely do harm to a loved one.  Talking that one step further, we would do everything we could to ensure their health and their safety when the chips are down.

These days, my own preference is to use herbal remedies and essential oils to take care of my loved one’s health care needs.  But in times of distress, who can predict what we will have available following a disaster or other disruptive event?  For that reason, I have stockpiled old, no longer used drugs.  This includes both prescription and over-the-counter meds.  They are tucked away with many of my other “I hope to never have to use” preps.  The only cost to keeping them is the space they take and what the heck?  Why wouldn’t I do that?

I know I have said this before but it bears repeating:  knowledge is power and the best piece of survival gear you will ever own is the gray matter between your ears.  Read and study as much as you can about survival medicine and always, use common sense.

To read more from Joe and his wife Amy, you can visit their website at www.doomandbloom.net.  There you will find hundreds of articles related to medical preparedness in wilderness, disaster, or other austere settings.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!

The post What You Need To Know About Using Old Medicine For Survival appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

The 9 Best Essential Oils For Your Survival Kit

There are many reasons why learning about essential oils is useful for preppers.  Not the least of those reasons is to lessen the reliance on expensive and often ineffective and toxic pharmaceuticals.  How often have you filled an expensive prescription only to have side effects or find that the drug simply did not work.  Other than add these meds to your SHTF barter kit, you are out of luck.

On the other hand, most essential oils are quite inexpensive and have the added bonus that a prescription is not required.  With essential oils you have the freedom of where to shop, how much to pay, and how to use them.  You can dilute essential oils in a carrier oil or salve, use them in a compress, or diffuse them, or use them in a myriad of other ways suitable to your situation.

With that in mind, today I want to answer one of the most frequently asked questions I get regarding essential oils: what are the best essential oils to set aside for my survival kit?   In other words, what are the specific “set it and forget it” oils that are on par with emergency food and water storage?

Nine Essential Oils for the Long Term Survival Kit

There are many factors that have gone into my choices, including an oil’s versatility and its ability to resolve multiple woes.  I have also taken into consideration price and shelf life.  More about that in bit, but first, here my own list of the nine best essential oils for the long term survival kit along with my top 4 uses for each of them.

1.  Lavender

Treats cuts, scrapes, and burns and works to promote healing

Induces calm, relieves anxiety and stress, promotes sleep

Eliminates the sting of bug bites

Relieves pain and soreness caused by sprains and muscle aches

For more uses: The Miracle of Lavender Oil: 25 Amazing Uses for Survival

Resource:  Lavender Essential Oil

2.  Peppermint

Relieves headache pain

Topical treatment of allergies

Repels ants, spiders, mice and other pests from home and garden

Treats digestive disorders such as heartburn, bloating, indigestion, and constipation

For more uses:  The Miracle of Peppermint Oil: 20 Practical Uses for Survival

Resource:  Peppermint Essential Oil

3.  Melaleuca (Tea Tree)

Use as an antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial and fungicide.  Kills germs and prevents infection!

Eliminate mold and mildew

Fights colds, sinus infections, respiratory ailments and bronchitis

Treats wounds

For more uses:  The Miracle of Tea Tree Oil: 80 Amazing Uses for Survival

Resource: Melaleuca (Tea Tree) Essential Oil

4.  Rosemary

Improve concentration and memory plus provide increased mental and physical stimulation

Relive anxiety and stress by calming and relaxing the nerves

Sooth and heal skin disorders by reduce itching, dryness and irritation

Treat respiratory problems and congestion through inhalation

For more uses: The Powerful Healing Qualities of Rosemary Essential Oil

Resource:  Rosemary Essential Oil

5. Frankincense

Reduce inflammation and relieve conditions where pain and inflammation are present

Heal wounds from cuts, scrapes, and burns

Mitigate depression and feelings of helplessness

Boost and supercharge the effectiveness of other essential oils when used in tandem or layered on top of other oils

For more uses:  22 Powerful Uses of Frankincense Essential Oil

Resource:  Frankincense Essential Oil

6. Clove

Relieve toothaches and reduce the pain of canker sores and gum irritation

Disinfect hard surfaces and utensils

Freshen foul or stale air

Treat wounds, cuts, scabies, athlete’s foot, fungal infections, bruises, prickly heat, insect bites and stings.

For more uses:  20 Ways To Benefit from Clove Essential Oil

Resource:  Clove Bud Essential Oil

7. Lemongrass

Provide immediate relief to “clenched” and knotted tendons and muscles

Reduce fevers

Eliminate body odor and other foul smells

Reduce bacterial around the home by using it in DIY cleaning products

For more uses:  23 Awesome Uses for Lemongrass Essential Oil

Resource:  Lemongrass Essential Oil

8. Roman Chamomile

Promote sound sleep (especially when nothing else works!)

Create a sense of well-being by reducing stress, anxiety, and fearfulness

Heal skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema

Treat nausea, vomiting, heartburn, and gas

Resource:  Roman Chamomile Essential Oil

9. Shield Protective Blend or other “Robber’s Blend”

Use as an effective hand sanitizer

Blend into DIY cleaning products for extra disinfecting power

Create an anti-viral spray to eliminate both airborne and surface micro-organisms

Prevent or relieve the symptoms of colds and flu

Note:  “Robber’s Blend” can go by many names, including Shield, Thieves or simply “Protective Blend”.  The components are similar and include various amounts of clove bug, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary oil.  Although you could make it yourself, having it ready-to-go in your survival kit will save you time and eliminate the need to store the variety of oils needed.

Resource:  Shield Protective Blend

What About Shelf Life?

Something that preppers struggle with is shelf life, especially under climate conditions that are widely variable.  This not only applies to food storage, but also to essential oils.  That being said, essential oils have been known to stay viable for years, even when kept at room temperatures.

The issue, so it seems, is that once opened, if not tightly sealed, they may evaporate or oxidize.  Certain oils, and especially citrus oils and some coniferous essential oils, are rich in a hydrocarbon class called “terpenes” tend to deteriorate more quickly.

The thing to remember is that in a survival situation, storage conditions will not be optimal.  Besides evaporation, signs that your oils have degraded include a drastic change in aroma, intense thickening, and cloudiness.  I personally have not had this occur with any of my oils, many of which are over five years old.  In addition, I keep a bottle of lavender oil in my vehicle and even after sitting outside in the sun for the past six months, it smells as fresh as the day it was initially opened.

For more information on the shelf life of essential oils, there is a balanced discussion in this article on the AromaWeb website:  Essential Oil Shelf Life.

A Word About Essential Oils

After a significant amount of research, for health, first-aid, and wellness purposes I use essential oils from Spark Naturals.  There are a lot reasons, the most important being their commitment to both quality and value.  I am satisfied that the raw materials used in Spark Naturals products are tested and authenticated to be of pharmaceutical grade purity.

In addition, the Spark Naturals commitment to customer service is unsurpassed.  They take care of their customers, period.  If you decide to make a purchase from Spark Naturals, please know that you will enjoy a 10% discount on your order when you use the code BACKDOORSURVIVAL at checkout. (Note:  I do receive a small commission on your purchase and for that I extremely appreciative.)  

The Final Word

This article is in response to the many comments and emails I have received asking which oils I personally stockpile for the long term.  This is that list; a list I like to call my “ultimate essential oil survival kit”.  In my experience, all of these oils have proven themselves over and over again in my own use, and, with the exception of Frankincense, are reasonably priced if not downright cheap.

My recommendation?  When one of these oils goes on sale, purchase two or three and set them aside for the long term.  If the stuff hits the fan, not only will food become scarce, so will medications and essential oils.  In my own household, we are stockpiling both, with a heavy emphasis on essential oils.  We do this with the blessing of our personal health care provider who is tracking our progress and weaning us from pharmaceuticals when practical.

As with all things related to survival first aid and healthcare, your mileage may vary.  The best you can do is learn is much as you can now to determine what works best for you and your family.  Something that works well on one person, may work differently on someone else.  Use essential oils neat, in a diffuser, or diluted with a carrier oil or simple salve.  Have fun with them and embrace the use of plant-based oils to foster good health!

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!

The post The 9 Best Essential Oils For Your Survival Kit appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Selco Explains How (and Why) to be the Gray Man

This article was originally published by Daisy Luther at The Organic Prepper

by Selco 

In our interviews with Selco, he has frequently mentioned the Gray Man principle. This is something that people in the preparedness community mention a lot, but many don’t fully understand it. In this week’s interview, Selco explains how – and why – we should embrace being the Gray Man, even before the SHTF. ~ Daisy

In your articles, you frequently mention being the Gray Man. What exactly does this mean?

It is a simple concept that comes to be very important when SHTF, and it is often completely opposite of how a lot of preppers are planning to look or act.

In the shortest definition, it is staying uninteresting or simply looking and acting like most of the people around you in a particular moment.

It can be used in a lot of situations when SHTF, during prolonged periods of time, or during short-term events.

How can you use the Gray Man concept for your home so it is less likely to be targeted?

It depends on the situation, but in case of a serious collapse in urban settings “home invasions” (especially in first period) happens based on opportunity and what can be achieved from that invasion.

In other words, yes, if your home is less protected then it is easier to get inside, but in terms of SHTF the more your home looks like a place with valuable things inside, the higher chances are for being attacked.

Remember it is a time without (at least without proper working) law and police force. That means there are no police coming to help after a few shots. There is only you and the attacker.

Having a home with visible cameras, expensive equipment, attack dogs, alarms and similar (especially in a neighborhood where that is not usual) clearly makes you different and gives attackers the idea that there are valuable things inside.

Having all that equipment in times when there is law and order makes sense because police and help are only a couple of minutes away.

When the SHTF in Bosnia, the first houses that were robbed were known rich guys’ houses. It didn’t matter that they were defended and had steel bars.

When 70-100 people (who are mostly armed and not disturbed by the police) start attacking a house with only a few people inside, there are no steel bars and no smart strategies.

Not if the attackers have a strong enough motivation to get inside.

Do not give that motivation to them.

I am not talking against alarms and dogs, but I am advocating a more “subtle” way of home defense, and more fluid, more Gray Man type.

Just making your home “gray” alone is a big topic, but here are a few suggestions:

Deterrents

This is the first step of home defense of the Gray Man principle. Using your weapon should be the last!

In one of the previous articles, there was a comment along the lines of “If I make my home look abandoned, then it is going to be targeted, so it is a wrong suggestion.”

The concept is to look like everything else around you. In a prolonged urban SHTF, there are going to be houses around yours that are going to be deserted, ruined, looted.

Sometimes it makes sense that your home looks like that too. Like if 50 people are coming through your neighborhood looking for useful things, it makes sense if your home and yard look on “first glance” looks like someone already looted it (like most of the houses on the street).

Sometimes the best defense is to look like there is no defense. You still can be prepared and ready.

There is no universal advice. In case of prolonged collapse, different tactics will work for different regions, based on the situation.

For example, in my case, it was very useful (and still is) to put few “mines” signs as a deterrent. In your case maybe it is cool to have a few biohazard signs that you may put in front of your home, or in case of a pandemic, a sign that says “bodies inside.”

It works in drastic situations. In my case after some time, people simply avoided going inside places where they suspected bodies were.

Think about what can work in your case.

Think in layers

Your defense should not start at your house door because by that time you have lost some of your advantage. Think in layers.

For example, the first layer is a neighboring house, the second layer is your yard, and the third layer is inside your home.

Use advantages (and disadvantages) in your favor

Example: if you have a yard in front of your home, look now for possible ways that intruders could approach. How many of those ways are there? If there are 4 potential ways, is it possible to watch all of them? Can you minimize that to only one way by funneling the attackers by using obstacles, garbage, etc.? Simply put yourself in the attacker’s mind and see what he sees.

Sometimes something simple like planting a bush or tree on a spot in the yard will funnel an attacker to where you want him to be. But at the same time, that bush or tree may obstruct your view, so use your common sense.

Alarms or traps

Popular opinion says that deadly traps need to be used when defending your home during the SHTF.

It is a final solution, because once when you use deadly force (with trap) you are bringing everything a new level. Often, it is simply wrong and you have gone too far.

Think about traps and alarms in layers too (I’ll call them traps, some of them are alarms actually). An entire book could be written about using them when the SHTF, but for this article think just consider these ideas.

• An alarm that will let only you know when someone is approaching without letting the attacker know he has triggered something (for example in order to approach your home he need to move from his way something noisy that simply stay there)


• An alarm that will let you know someone is approaching and also let the attacker know he has triggered the alarm so he clearly understand someone set it there and that the place is probably guarded.


• Traps that are combinations of above-mentioned with the option of hurting the attacker.

There is a situation for each of the above, but using the wrong one can be dangerous. For example, do you want to use a deadly explosive trap for two guys from the neighborhood who are just checking whether you have something to trade?

It is cool to know how to construct something from scratch, but sometimes a cheap Chinese “purse alarm” in combination with a fishing line will give you an SHTF alarm that may help you a lot.

Think about using these in layers, too. If someone clearly ignored your warning devices, perhaps closer to home it is the place and time for a “hurting” trap.

All of this gives you precious time to get organized inside your home, to decide what to do and how to act.

One popular opinion is that “I will have a shotgun. Nobody will come through my door”

For the people who have not experienced a violent collapse in urban settings, remember that other people will have weapons too, and other people may come in bigger numbers than you have.

You need to think in layers in order to maximize your chances of success.

How can you use the gray man concept personally?

OPSEC

“Operations Security, or OPSEC, is the process by which we protect unclassified information that can be used against us. OPSEC challenges us to look at ourselves through the eyes of an adversary (individuals, groups, countries, organizations). Essentially, anyone who can harm people, resources, or mission is an adversary.” (USDoD)

OPSEC is a very good word, but like a lot of other things in the prepper world, some folks have turned it into a parody.

It is not about immersing yourself into the world of conspiracy theories; it is about how it“…challenges us to look at ourselves through the eyes of an adversary…”

Just try to look at yourself through the eyes of your adversary, whoever that might be in your opinion.

So, for example, if you are driving a car with a sticker that clearly shows your opinion about something, ask yourself, is that information that can be used somehow against you?

Tomorrow, if a riot starts, will that make you a target?

Maybe if you are going to prepper conventions then discussing openly at your work place about that and about your latest investment in buckets of dried food, will that make you perfect target when the SHTF?

The examples are many, but it’s all down to how you look and act today or when SHTF.

One big signs during SHTF was to have very clean clothes and to smell nice.

It is a drastic example, but you need to understand that in those times if you looked like that it meant you were doing very well, because the essentials were food and water and weapons, and most folks had problems securing that. So obviously you were doing really good, way better than most of the folks.

It is a drastic example, yes, and it may not be like that in your case but you get the idea.

A trained man can learn a lot about you by watching you for some time, no matter if the SHTF or not.

He can learn from the way you walk, how you leave your car, or how you are standing in a bar. He can learn from if you are carrying a weapon or not, with your choice of footwear or clothes, by your hobbies, etc.

Understand that by your look and activities you are giving up information that can cost you way too much when times get bad.

How can you use this when you are out with your family?

Your family should follow your basic rules about staying gray, again without turning life into a conspiracy theory.

There is no use in trying to blend in if your kid talks in school about how his dad is preparing for the end of the world with enough food storage to last for 40 years.

A good example of being gray and still solving the problem of preparing your family for hard times (and making them preppers) is by practicing skills without the story.

They do not have to believe that society will collapse, but you still can teach them useful skills through activities that they understand and reasons that they understand: camping, fishing, team building, martial arts (sport, health) car repair, cooking meals at home, buying more food (money saving), or hunting (weapon use)…you get the idea.

Is this something you should only use during a crisis or should you practice this all the time?

It is a good thing to use the gray man mentality even today, and not just because of practice. But also because once when SHTF it may be too late to go gray because some people will already know important information about you, and it is too late to hide it.

What’s the easiest way to suddenly become forgettable if you are caught up in a crowd?

You need to set up a clear list of your priorities in case something bad happens and go by that list. It is easy to become forgettable in crowd because crowds have their own psychology. Very often you need to “flow” with the crowd because you cannot act differently than the folks in the crowd. It can be dangerous, and it can turn you into a target.

I often use the words “if everybody is screaming you need to scream too”, because, otherwise, if you are with a bunch of scared people you will look way too confident. They will think either you are the leader (if people are members of your group) or you are a target for them (if they are not connected to you).

It is about how you look to other people, not about how you really are.

Are there different levels of “gray”? If so, can you explain them?

Yes, it is more about thinking outside of the box and about the different applications of gray.

Example one:

Something bad happens in your city (pandemic, dirty bomb, civil unrest…) there is curfew and nobody is allowed to leave city until order is restored, but you see it is bad and you want to leave city to your BOL.

There are people in streets confused and waiting to see what is going on ad what will be. You will mix with them with your backpack with food and ammo inside, lot of people do carry small backpacks, students, athletes, etc. You want to blend in.

But if you put sleeping mat on your backpack, you are sticking out. A simple sleeping mat gives away you.

(This is a real-life example from one of my bugging out courses).

Very often even trained people stick out simply because they confuse necessity and comfort.

Example two:

One of the often-mentioned questions is:” how will I figure out (when SHTF) if I should carry my weapon openly or hidden?”

The simplest answer is to check the situation and understand which of those two options makes you a more probable target.

Sometimes running out with an assault rifle means you’ll be seen as a threat and shot down, but in other cases running around unarmed will make you easy prey.

Do you have any personal stories about people who used this strategy vs people who did not?

I knew a man (I still know him) who in the early days of the SHTF understood some things. He went the station and fill 4 barrels with 80 liters fuel each. He brought them in trailer and hid them in his garage, and nobody saw him.

A week or two later, fuel became rare 50 times more valuable. He used only it as heating fuel very frugally.

And then he gave 10 liters to his relative and asked him to be quiet, then other relative heard from first man and asked him for 10 liters. He gave it to him too because how he could refuse him?

Then 20 days later in the middle of the night, a couple of guys broke into the garage. The man went out and they beat him badly. They took his fuel, searched his house, and took all food (he was smart so he bought lots of food too). He ha a lot of problems ensuring them that he did not have more interesting things hidden somewhere.

He is still alive, an old man now. He thinks the S. is gonna hit the fan again, but all his discussion about prepping and similar stops right there.

And…anything to add?

The gray man philosophy is nothing elaborate, but it should affect all of your fields of prepping, from simple things like where you are buying your stuff for preps (and in what quantity and what reasons) to who you choose to discuss your visions of tomorrow’s collapse with.

In short, as far as the people outside your circle are concerned,  you are not a prepper, you are like majority of folks and trust in the system. You do not believe that something bad is gonna happen, and when it happens you have to act surprised like them.

More from Selco 

• Selco on Martial Law: Forget your “movie illusions about being a freedom fighter”


• How the SHTF in Bosnia: Selco Asks Americans, “Does this sound familiar?”


• SELCO: The Brutal Truth About Violence When the SHTF


• Selco: The Reality of Barter and Trade in an SHTF Economy


• Selco: Who Survives and Who Dies When the SHTF?


• Selco: How to Stay Warm During a Long-Term SHTF Situation


• Stories from an SHTF Christmas: An Interview with Selco


• Selco: What an “Average Day” Is REALLY Like When the SHTF

About Selco

Selco survived the Balkan war of the 90s in a city under siege, without electricity, running water, or food distribution. In his online works, he gives an inside view of the reality of survival under the harshest conditions. He reviews what works and what doesn’t, tells you the hard lessons he learned, and shares how he prepares today. He never stopped learning about survival and preparedness since the war. Regardless what happens, chances are you will never experience extreme situations like Selco did. But you have the chance to learn from him and how he faced death for months. Real survival is not romantic or idealistic. It is brutal, hard and unfair. Let Selco take you into that world. Read more of Selco’s articles here: https://shtfschool.com/blog/ And take advantage of a deep and profound insight into his knowledge and advice by signing up for the outstanding and unrivaled online course. More details here: https://shtfschool.com/survival-boot-camp/