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  1. Maeschak

    What Ate Rat Caught in Trap?

    Hello All, I caught a good sized rat in my weasel box yesterday. (My weasel box is just a wooden box that contains bait and a Victor rat-sized snap-trap). I chucked the dead rat and re-set my trap. I caught a tiny rat in the same trap this morning (very odd to get one right after the other)...
  2. Maeschak

    Hen Leg Coloring/Egg Laying Question

    Hello All, Does anyone happen to know how long it takes for a hen's leg coloring to return after she has stopped (or slowed down) laying? I have a hen whose leg color is returning during her molt. I am wondering if that means she has been a poor/no layer for a very long time (pre-molt) or...
  3. Maeschak

    Modifying Chicken Feed(ing) Due to Naturally Rich Environment?

    Sorry for the weird title, Im just not sure how to say it... Does anyone modify how they feed their chickens based on the environment the chickens live in? My DP flock are pastured along-side my two freezer beef Holsteins. The chickens free-range all day on about 60 acres. The area is mostly...
  4. Maeschak

    Good Skinning Videos?

    Can anyone point me to some good chicken skinning videos? I have been Googling and watching but wanted to see if anyone had any educational treasures hidden in their bookmarks. I need to start culling my laying hens soon and most are molting right now. Not a good time to pluck! I tried skinning...
  5. Maeschak

    Chickens Eating Inky Cap Mushrooms?

    Saw one of my chickens eating the heads off Inky Caps growing in cow poop. Anyone know the effects? I know humans CAN eat inky caps as long as there is no alcohol in their system. Thanks!
  6. Maeschak

    Broody Hen Wont Leave Rotting Eggs

    Hello All- I have a broody who would not quit so I finally gave her a dozen eggs (eggs were only hours old). She has sat and sat for 24 days. The eggs have exploded, gone rotten, etc but she just wont get off the nest. When will a broody leave the a nest when no babies come? I have never had a...
  7. Maeschak

    Broody Hen & Moving Brood Nest

    Im not sure if I'm posting this in the correct place so please let me know if I need to move it. Background: I have a broody hen that just won't quit. She was moving from nest box to nest box messing up my egg collection so I moved her to her own nest in a secure dog crate right outside of the...
  8. Maeschak

    5 week-old chick piggies?

    I have a batch of 25 DP (and a few hybrid) chicks that are almost 5 weeks old. I am looking for one replacement rooster and unfortunately now a few replacement hens due to serious predator action lately. The rest I will be eating but had intended to eat them all, but for the 1 replacement...
  9. Maeschak

    On-the-mend-hen won't leave the 'hospital?'

    I have a hen that I found limping and hiding a few days ago... I placed her in a large cage/metal dog crate and found that she had something horrendous happen to her side which was hiding under her wing. I still can't tell actually what happened to her but the wounds were such that I just...
  10. Maeschak

    Chick ID'ing: nail polish/marker/food coloring

    Does anyone have experience ID'ing baby chicks with nail polish, sharpie, food coloring, or something similar? I have several one-week old chicks that I'd like to keep track of over the next few weeks, but decided zip tie banding would be onerous at this age/size. I only need to keep track of...
  11. Maeschak

    Euthanize get Partially Hatched Eggs w No Chance

    Hello All - I am looking for suggestions as to how folks euthanize partially hatched eggs? I have two eggs where I can see beaks gulping for air and tweeting once in awhile but the chicks don't have much chance of survival so I'm at a loss for what to do. (Shrink wrapped and inability to move in...
  12. Maeschak

    Culling Layers - Time of Year

    Hello All, I had expected to cull my layer flock last fall (thin shelled, small eggs, lack of laying, etc) but found that most of them were molting (starting in early September) so I over wintered them all. I am now again eager to cull my laying flock- does anyone know what time of year (or...
  13. Maeschak

    Deep Dark Brick Red Poop

    Hello all- I have a chicken (no clue which chicken) with really oddly colored poop. I've looked through hundreds of pages of chicken poop pics and haven't seen anything similar. The poop overall looks very healthy in shape and consistency (firm, minutely grained, shaped like the top of an ice...
  14. Maeschak

    Deer Heart and Liver

    I hope this is an appropriate place to post my question... Please let me know if not. I got a deer this morning and am keeping the heart and liver. What is the best way to process them before freezing? Before I have always just washed, trimmed, dried and vacuum packed the same day. Deer liver...
  15. Maeschak

    Pressure Cooking Old Hens/Roosters

    Hello all, I've got 7 old laying hens butchered and in the fridge (spatchcocked for quicker cooking). I have read that some folks pressure cook their old birds and the meat comes out good enough for enchiladas or the like. Can anyone give me instructions? Do they need to rest before cooking...
  16. Maeschak

    Experience w Broomstick or C. Dislocation?

    Hello- I have a bunch (8 or so) 13 week old DP cockerels I will be butchering for the grill next Sunday. They are so small (I usually butcher around 18-24 weeks) that I thought this might be a good time to learn the broomstick or dislocation (by hand) methods of killing. I really like the idea...
  17. Maeschak

    Schmaltz - OK to Use Skin from Old Layer Culls?

    I have to cull 7-10 older layers - will the skin from older birds be useful for schmaltz? I can't think of any reason the skin would be unsuitable, but just in case it is, I don't want to waste my time scalding and plucking and will just skin the birds instead. Going to start culling Saturday...
  18. Maeschak

    12 wk old cockerel dirty dancing for the ladies?

    I have a 12 week old cockerel starting to crow and trying to mate - trying to mate other 12 week old pullets as well as full grown hens. I was trying to wait until 14 weeks before butchering him for the grill, but if he is causing trouble already he might not make it that long! Anyone else...
  19. Maeschak

    Red Faced Cockerel at 4.5 Weeks?

    Hello All, I bred some sex-link chicks (prod RIRxDelaware) to get some hybrid laying hens and cockerels to eat. I have at least one young guy, only 4.5 weeks old, that has a VERY red face and baby comb. He is one of the bigger boys for sure, but nothing crazy. I'm not sure if I have ever seen a...
  20. Maeschak

    Advice on Removing and Adding Large # of Flock Members

    Hello All, I have a flock of a little over two dozen chickens including 2 roosters in the mix. I am about to cull 25% of the current flock (dominant roo being one of them for at least 6 chickens to cull) and will be adding about 10 pullets. My question is this: is it better for the flock to...
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