Homesteaders

[rancher hicks]

Not sure, we're in Frankfort, KY...you're in NY? How might we have met?

I meant here on BYC ?

 

[rosewellfarm]

I meant here on BYC ?

I don't think so? I joined back in June I think but only started posting in the last few days now that I'm inside more for the winter

 

[rancher hicks]

I don't think so? I joined back in June I think but only started posting in the last few days now that I'm inside more for the winter

Inside for the winter? How cold is it down there? Lord have mercy it's freezing up here. Going down to the teens this week.

 

[rosewellfarm]

Inside for the winter? How cold is it down there? Lord have mercy it's freezing up here. Going down to the teens this week.

Haha, it's not really that bad, especially the last couple of days. It's been in the 40s-50s but rainy. It's just that when it comes to January, I'm indoors a lot more because our gardening is all done and we're not dealing with new chickens. A few trips out to check on the ladies, dogs, and bees, but that's about it. This is the time of year I spend lots of time reading library books and all the internet forums

I'll be much busier in a couple of weeks- I start student teaching for my masters degree in education this semester.

I was actually colder on Thanksgiving than Christmas down here by about 25 degrees!

 

[rancher hicks]

Interesting. My DD is a math teacher in TX. She couldn't get a job here in NY. The education system is a big mess up here.

I've already hatched a few chicks. I like to start early so the lay before our short summer is over. Then too the broody hens will have their say and hatch out a few more.

I've berries in the freezer to make jam with during the cold too.

I wish you well in your schooling. Good teachers are rare. Teachers who love teaching, teach children to love learning.

 

[rosewellfarm]

Interesting. My DD is a math teacher in TX. She couldn't get a job here in NY. The education system is a big mess up here.

I've already hatched a few chicks. I like to start early so the lay before our short summer is over. Then too the broody hens will have their say and hatch out a few more.

I've berries in the freezer to make jam with during the cold too.

I wish you well in your schooling. Good teachers are rare. Teachers who love teaching, teach children to love learning.

Thanks, I think the teaching system is a mess just about everywhere Does she like TX? I have some friends who just moved back from Austin. KY is a hard place to stay away from

I've worked in education for the last 6 years- in environmental/outdoor ed and ran a program for k-12 schools for the state for a few years. I resigned in Feb so I could finish my masters. It would have taken 3 years of night classes, a "real" job, and all the homesteading work while trying to finish, and I just knew I wouldn't have the intestinal fortitude to slog through it that long. So, done in a little over a year since I could take classes full time. It also allowed me to really build up our business and get a decent plan going. Hopefully I'll find a job, if not, there's always chickens...and some day goats

We have had good luck raising chicks to start laying in late summer/fall. It seems that they lay all through the winter for us that way, which allows us to sell at the farmers market in the summer, and continue with egg shares in the winter for a bit more income. I hate the idea of feeding 50 birds for 4 months with not much laying happening. Getting an incubator (a Brinsea I think) this spring- so excited about trying to hatch our own!

 

[rancher hicks]

Thanks, I think the teaching system is a mess just about everywhere Does she like TX? I have some friends who just moved back from Austin. KY is a hard place to stay away from

I've worked in education for the last 6 years- in environmental/outdoor ed and ran a program for k-12 schools for the state for a few years. I resigned in Feb so I could finish my masters. It would have taken 3 years of night classes, a "real" job, and all the homesteading work while trying to finish, and I just knew I wouldn't have the intestinal fortitude to slog through it that long. So, done in a little over a year since I could take classes full time. It also allowed me to really build up our business and get a decent plan going. Hopefully I'll find a job, if not, there's always chickens...and some day goats

We have had good luck raising chicks to start laying in late summer/fall. It seems that they lay all through the winter for us that way, which allows us to sell at the farmers market in the summer, and continue with egg shares in the winter for a bit more income. I hate the idea of feeding 50 birds for 4 months with not much laying happening. Getting an incubator (a Brinsea I think) this spring- so excited about trying to hatch our own!

DD seems to like TX. She's in the Houston area.

I never considered the late summer/fall laying part. I hatch early but have some hens that were broody hatched in the summer and perhaps they're the ones laying the best now. Maybe I should reconsider and start hatching a few in early or late spring.

Goats are nice and there is the soap, milk , cheese thing. I just today found the brochure for the ALBC conference I attended a couple of years ago. DW says the Blue Cheese I brought back was heaven. I don't like Blue cheese but there were others that were very good.

If the ALBC does have a conference near you, I suggest you go. Worth every penny just for the food alone.

As for soap I make a special trip to our state fair just to buy soap from the lady who does the demonstration in the Farm building. Spend a bit, buying a years worth of soap, but she's very good. I've bought others so I know good soap makers.

I have about 50 birds too and it's a bit of work to water them in the cold. Still I enjoy it some days. I really should spend more time with them though. They really do like humans and are more at peace when I'm about I think. Less afraid of predators I think.

I

 

[farmerkevin]

Strangely enough, home grown and older varieties have a taste that we've become unaccustomed to.  Tomatoes and other vegetables have lost their flavor in exchange for a bigger harvest.  It is sad.  

And to add to that, eggs.

I've been getting a steady supply of 1 egg a day from my rir.

So delicious.

And the yolk doesn't break while cooking. With store bought eggs, while doing sunny side up, or just frying them, I would always end up breaking a yolk. With the ones from the backyard, none have broken yolks while flipping, and none have stuck to the pan. I am using my cast iron though

 

[mlongworth]

And to add to that, eggs.

I've been getting a steady supply of 1 egg a day from my rir.

So delicious.

And the yolk doesn't break while cooking. With store bought eggs, while doing sunny side up, or just frying them, I would always end up breaking a yolk. With the ones from the backyard, none have broken yolks while flipping, and none have stuck to the pan. I am using my cast iron though

Finally getting eggs again here too. Cant stand store bought eggs. But my old girls molted and my new heritage rocks hadnt started yet so we had a drought here. But ive had 3 pullet eggs in 4 days from my 4 pullets. Yay!

 

[rancher hicks]

And to add to that, eggs.

I've been getting a steady supply of 1 egg a day from my rir.

So delicious.

And the yolk doesn't break while cooking. With store bought eggs, while doing sunny side up, or just frying them, I would always end up breaking a yolk. With the ones from the backyard, none have broken yolks while flipping, and none have stuck to the pan. I am using my cast iron though

When I first got started with chickens I did a lot of reading. Store bought eggs come from chickens "designed" to lay a consistently similar egg. The exact size/weight, color of yolk,shell thickness and amount of water in the eggs. Which is why the all look the same.

Don't believe me ? Buy a carton, lay the eggs side by side. Then weigh each egg. Then crack them each side by side. It's all a very scientific.

There is even a reason we get White eggs commercially. It take less feed to produce a white egg than a brown, yet there is no nutritional difference as a whole. Also because for some reason Americans didn't like brown but preferred white. Whereas in Europe they prefer brown to white. It's all cultural.

Except of course in what we feed OUR chickens. This is why you may get a difference in the darkness or shade of the yellowing of the yolk.

In the commercial industry it's about production. If they can spray and get one more kernel of corn on the ear, they will do it. Even if it kills us all. The thing is, it not necessary. The amount of gain is so small it's not worth our health.

With cows it's how to squeeze one more drop of milk from Bessie. I swear it's a wonder their udders don't explode, poor things.

It's cold here today for sure, have a nice day folks.

Remember, eat less , eat healthy

Rancher

Now with Duck eggs the only thing I know about them is that their eggs have less water and that's why the consistency may seem thicker. I don't have ducks. Yet.