Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[Rod-T]

That is how I do it.

Ok thanks

 

[Rod-T]

German radishes. .some grow 3 inches around. . I grew normal radishes too.

 

[Beekissed]

Or just add salt to each jar. And top off with water.. the the heat from pressure cooker with disolve salt?

Yep...that way you have a measured amount to each jar. It will all be tasty chicken broth when it's done in the pressure canner.

 

[Beekissed]

German radishes. .some grow 3 inches around. . I grew normal radishes too.

Do they get woody or hot when they hit that size?

 

[Rod-T]

Do they get woody or hot when they hit that size? 

No there a little milder then regular radish. . They take twice as long to grow. I imagine they could get woody if left too long.. I like them just for a snack.. I'm gonna grow more next year..

 

[Beekissed]

Was looking through my stock journal this morning and found that this cockerel in the pic was only 4 mo. old at the time the pic was taken....I had said he was 5 mo. old. My old head! So, only 4 mo. old in this pic and still growing....5 mo. now and mating well, is docile and calm, a great forager and flock master, gentle in mating but very thorough. Can't wait to see what youngin's he turns out next spring!

 

[RIR-YELLOWLEGS]

I have a side question.   I have been using my home raised chickens to create chicken broth and for some reason my broth seems to lack a certain amount of depth to the flavor.    If I leave the fat,  it tastes greasy and kind of waxy flavored.  When I skim the fat (like refridgerate it overnight, then skim the fat),  it doesn't taste waxy/ greasy but it doesn't have any depth to the flavor.  What am I doing wrong?   I would like to can/ freeze the broth but  want it to have great flavor.   I am using  Dorking,  Rocks,  or similar dual purpose and the flavor of the meat is excellent.  Just don't know what I am doing wrong.  I can't seem to make decent broth of any kind.  Ideas?  suggestions?      (PS.  I do cook it down with the bones, but I haven't tried using the feet)

Using the feet and neck and back vital organs such as heart and liver of the bird along wih some of the skin if too much skin is used this will make it to greasy tasting and spices as other have suggested wil help.

 

[Beekissed]

That must be an individual taste thingy, as I love the flavor and texture the organs and fat imparts to the soup. I even try to add extra fat from the greaer omentum to the jars or stock pot to render out even more of the fat from the bird. But then, the fat from chickens fed fermented feed seems to have an incredibly good flavor compared to otherwise.

 

[NanaKat]

So, how is your flock faring with the first signs of winter?

 

[Beekissed]

We've been having an unseasonably warm November, so the flock is still getting some good tucker out on range...they look great and are doing great. This spring's pullets and cockerel will be turning 6 mo. old the day after Thanksgiving, so I'll be looking for eggs soon from that lot. The cockerel is filling out and looking great...he's real sociable, confident and calm which I love and a much better flock master than his sire already. Breeding well, gentle for such a young bird but very thorough all the same. Quiet, like I like 'em.

The pullets are filling out well also and a few really catch my eye frequently as I watch them come and go in their chickeny lives. Last year's breeders are really showing their true colors as we go into winter and only one will make the cut in next year's culling. She was my favorite from the beginning and I'm glad to see my instincts on her were not wrong...she was the first to mature, had the best conformation and was the best broody, while laying the biggest and most consistent egg and is still laying daily after getting back to the coop nest from raising her brood. I'll be breeding her again, for sure, along with the best two of the pullets.

This next spring is the start of my own line, so I'm pretty excited to see how it all goes.

Winter coop is all snug and warm, sunny and airy. Taking 14 birds into the winter, feed mix is like I want it and many bags of leaves stored for bedding. I'm ready.

Looked at my records for when the last year's breeders went broody and will be planning my breeding schedule around those times next spring...got some new ideas for how I want my breeding pen set up and can't wait to try a few little experiments.