BYC Café

[Shadrach]

When my MIL is visiting we print out a calendar page that we keep propped up next to her bed. It has our picture on it & will say something about "Your CA vacation" with all of our names on it. It has the date that she arrived & the date that she's leaving highlighed on it. Every night when she heads in for bed I go in with her. I write down whatever we did that day (even if it was only eating a piece of pie) & then I lightly cross it off. I say, today was Thursday & we ate key lime pie. That means tomorrow is Friday...

This sounds so basic, but it has been an amazing help. No more long panic attacks when she wakes up & cant figure out where she is. No more wandering the house in the middle of the night feverishly packing for a return flight that wont happen for another week. Also, when she goes home she takes it with her & can tell people about her trip "On Thursday we ate pie. On Friday we went shopping..."

Well... it happened.
Captain mounted one of the pullets, Brittany, right at my feet. Brittany only protested a little but there was certainly enough squawking involved to get Fabio's attention. He came running into the run and gave both of them a mild peck and did a half shuffle around Brittany.
Captain walked about 3 feet away and plunked down into the wood chips. Fabio walked over to him and stared him down until Captain got up and left.
That's it.
Big deal.
Seems as if Fabio is okay with Captain having the pullets as longs as he stays away from his hens.

Sounds about right. There is some variation in how protective they are of their hens from junior roosters, especially if they are related.
There is a problem with having two roosters and this the two roosters often fight/contest each others matings. I get this quite a lot here and the result is a reduction in egg fertility.
Basically during the fracas the rooster doesn't stay on target.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

I've got to laugh reading you and DL describe your roosters with such affectionate language.
A month without flogging is good.................
I like the name Cheap Shot Charlie.

Ha! I hear ya, Shad. He's heard far more colorful language and idle threats than I care to recount here A month IS good, isn't it?? I feel like we're doing a slow walk by each other, not facing up but eyes semi locked and possibly looking for a place to escape (maybe that's just me)...the more I think about this the more embarrassing it is But if we can't laugh at ourselves!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Thanks Shad



How do you do that Penny?

We did post it on the bakers index but here is the recipe I used best part adding back the starter you pull out for more flavor
Sour Dough Starter from Scratch
Ingredients
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk ( skim, regular or buttermilk) 1/2 cup unbleached flour
Directions
1. Mix the milk and yogurt together in a glass or pottery container (Do not use metal).
2. Place lid on it, but don't seal it (sealed starters have been known to explode).
3. Put mixture in a warm place (80 to 90 degrees) for about 24 hours.
4. The yogurt and milk will separate forming a large curd, when adding the flour just stir it all back together.
5. Add the flour stir, and put back in warm place for 3 to 5 days; stirring daily.
6. It will bubble and have the odor of fermentation it is ready to use.
7. Remember the starter is a living thing and needs to be fed and fed frequently when an infant.
8. I feed the "infant" weekly by placing it on the counter for several hours and allowing it to come to room temperature.
9. Then remove 1/2 cup starter, discarding the remainder.
10. Feed the 1/2 cup with equal amounts of milk (buttermilk will produce a stronger sour taste) and unbleached flour; i.e. 1 cup flour and 1 cup milk plus 1/2 cup of starter.
11. If you would like, you can feed the starter with 1/3 cup dry milk powder and 2/3 cup bottled water in place of the 1 cup milk.

 

[DobieLover]

Are you officially on holiday now DL?

Not really! I still have to work my normal schedule.

 

[Shadrach]

Ha! I hear ya, Shad. He's heard far more colorful language and idle threats than I care to recount here A month IS good, isn't it?? I feel like we're doing a slow walk by each other, not facing up but eyes semi locked and possibly looking for a place to escape (maybe that's just me)...the more I think about this the more embarrassing it is But if we can't laugh at ourselves!

That sounds fine to me Meg.
On the farm where I spent my youth there were a few groups of free range hens in a field.
Each group had a rooster. The man who collected the eggs from the free range hens was a large very strong man. He could hold down a sow on his own.
You should have seen him collecting the eggs. Talk about quick on his feet.
I think for some of the less mobile elderly people on BYC who have rooster troubles are just not quick enough or aware enough of what the rooster is doing. I read about people getting raked from behind. What are they doing with their back to a potentially aggressive rooster I can't help wondering.
Despite my love of roosters and the relationships I've established with all of them here (each relationship is different) I'm still very aware particularly when I break up fights. Luckily I'm still pretty quick but I've had plenty of roosters forget for a moment who the other rooster is. I don't usually get spured but I've had plenty of claw scrapes down my boots. They can look just like dogs when they know they messed up.

 

[igorsMistress]

We did post it on the bakers index but here is the recipe I used best part adding back the starter you pull out for more flavor
Sour Dough Starter from Scratch
Ingredients
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk ( skim, regular or buttermilk) 1/2 cup unbleached flour
Directions
1. Mix the milk and yogurt together in a glass or pottery container (Do not use metal).
2. Place lid on it, but don't seal it (sealed starters have been known to explode).
3. Put mixture in a warm place (80 to 90 degrees) for about 24 hours.
4. The yogurt and milk will separate forming a large curd, when adding the flour just stir it all back together.
5. Add the flour stir, and put back in warm place for 3 to 5 days; stirring daily.
6. It will bubble and have the odor of fermentation it is ready to use.
7. Remember the starter is a living thing and needs to be fed and fed frequently when an infant.
8. I feed the "infant" weekly by placing it on the counter for several hours and allowing it to come to room temperature.
9. Then remove 1/2 cup starter, discarding the remainder.
10. Feed the 1/2 cup with equal amounts of milk (buttermilk will produce a stronger sour taste) and unbleached flour; i.e. 1 cup flour and 1 cup milk plus 1/2 cup of starter.
11. If you would like, you can feed the starter with 1/3 cup dry milk powder and 2/3 cup bottled water in place of the 1 cup milk.

Thanks!

 

[Shadrach]

We did post it on the bakers index but here is the recipe I used best part adding back the starter you pull out for more flavor
Sour Dough Starter from Scratch
Ingredients
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk ( skim, regular or buttermilk) 1/2 cup unbleached flour
Directions
1. Mix the milk and yogurt together in a glass or pottery container (Do not use metal).
2. Place lid on it, but don't seal it (sealed starters have been known to explode).
3. Put mixture in a warm place (80 to 90 degrees) for about 24 hours.
4. The yogurt and milk will separate forming a large curd, when adding the flour just stir it all back together.
5. Add the flour stir, and put back in warm place for 3 to 5 days; stirring daily.
6. It will bubble and have the odor of fermentation it is ready to use.
7. Remember the starter is a living thing and needs to be fed and fed frequently when an infant.
8. I feed the "infant" weekly by placing it on the counter for several hours and allowing it to come to room temperature.
9. Then remove 1/2 cup starter, discarding the remainder.
10. Feed the 1/2 cup with equal amounts of milk (buttermilk will produce a stronger sour taste) and unbleached flour; i.e. 1 cup flour and 1 cup milk plus 1/2 cup of starter.
11. If you would like, you can feed the starter with 1/3 cup dry milk powder and 2/3 cup bottled water in place of the 1 cup milk.

I might try this. I've never made sourdough before.

 

[DobieLover]

Sounds about right. There is some variation in how protective they are of their hens from junior roosters, especially if they are related.
There is a problem with having two roosters and this the two roosters often fight/contest each others matings. I get this quite a lot here and the result is a reduction in egg fertility.
Basically during the fracas the rooster doesn't stay on target.

The hens, and Fabio, have nothing to fear from Captain trying to court them. He's terrified of those girls!! They've been whomping on him since he was a 4 week old chick! He knows not to get too close to them.

One interesting outcome is that, Cali, the former bottom of the pecking order hen, has firmly planted herself among the pullets at roost time. Cali is one of Fabio's favorite three hens. It will surely be interesting to see if Captain makes a go for her!

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Like the names yes I agree I end up with Randy or Stew normally have a EE cockerel I am growing up still have not found a name View attachment 1885879

Too funny, Penny

 

[drumstick diva]

A great thing about having snow white hair, is no man has dared to called me "little girl." Which is okay because then I don't have to cast a lowered eye at him and say "little boy!"