California - Northern

[CackleJoy]

Well, Nameless was in the nest box (did I mention that, of course, she's in the favored nest box?) this morning, though she did get out for fermented feed. When my daughter looked a little later, Nameless was back in the favored box

While Nameless was eating, I got the rest of yesterday's eggs. I don't have a rooster--is there any reason to not eat eggs that have been kept warm for a day? Or should I just make the dog happy?

I found someone down in Arcata with Marans using Craigslist, who might be willing to barter--and the person has bolted veggies as one of the desired items. If Nameless is truly broody, and if the person is agreeable, I might be able to test her out with eggs that I can pick up when my husband and I go to Harbor Freight next Monday.

Sorry, I wasn't done commenting.

We've had several 100+ degree days here which is more hot than a broody hen. We are not always home to get the eggs until late in the day. They have been fine. I start getting nervous if they have possibly been under a broody for more than that one day.

Anyone have something better than anecdotal evidence?

 

[AmyPaperlady]

Well, she's the one I told my girls that my husband got to name (to forstall a name I didn't like) and he hasn't yet. If this goes on, her name will probably be Mama.

 

[Aronia]

Does anyone live near St. Catharines, ON?

 

[AmyPaperlady]

 
Well, Nameless was in the nest box (did I mention that, of course, she's in the favored nest box?) this morning, though she did get out for fermented feed. When my daughter looked a little later, Nameless was back in the favored box While Nameless was eating, I got the rest of yesterday's eggs. I don't have a rooster--is there any reason to not eat eggs that have been kept warm for a day? Or should I just make the dog happy?

I found someone down in Arcata with Marans using Craigslist, who might be willing to barter--and the person has bolted veggies as one of the desired items. If Nameless is truly broody, and  if the person is agreeable, I might be able to test her out with eggs that I can pick up when my husband and I go to Harbor Freight next Monday.

Sorry, I wasn't done commenting.

We've had several 100+ degree days here which is more hot than a broody hen.  We are not always home to get the eggs until late in the day.  They have been fine.  I start getting nervous if they have possibly been under a broody for more than that one day.

Anyone have something better than anecdotal evidence?  

It's rarely been getting to triple digits in the greenhouse here, so nder a chicken is the warmest place raw eggs have been.

 

[ronott1]

Sorry, I wasn't done commenting.

We've had several 100+ degree days here which is more hot than a broody hen. We are not always home to get the eggs until late in the day. They have been fine. I start getting nervous if they have possibly been under a broody for more than that one day.

Anyone have something better than anecdotal evidence?

Yes!

The eggs can take heat and not go bad quickly. We had this stuff happen a lot growing up in the country. The Hens would often find a hiding spot for the eggs. On the North Coast, they will last a good 3 to 4 weeks outside the nest. Under the Broody, they should be good for a week or so.

If it has been a couple of days they will be fine. To be safe, crack the eggs into a small bowl before using them. If you do not know how long they have been out hidden somewhere, use the float test. Sinking is very fresh. As the egg gets older it will float more and more. All the way up is a bad egg.

I did have a hidden nest this year that was under a week old. None of the eggs were bad. There were about 20 in the nest.

 

[CackleJoy]

Many of you know that I was going to school to be a midwife and took a sabbatical to have our last baby. I'm anxious to get started again and have one more big tuition fee left to pay. (It's a biggie too

) Actually, not that bad considering my other option was SF school of medicine and that is truly horrific in price. Not getting a loan is important to me and I don't want to burden my family either. I was considering selling my car but since it's the only transport around here - that really wasn't a viable option

Anyway, I finally figured out how to raise the money with the resources we already have.

I need to sell apx 300 started pullets for $20. The trick is getting enough birds growing all at once to amass the fee instead of saving $20 at a time all year long. My chickens only lay a collective 2 dozen hatching eggs a week but I can set 5 dozen every week in my nice incubator. I had the idea to ask if people are done hatching their eggs if they'd be willing to sell some hatching eggs for a lower price (or donate) to help fill my incubator. I'd like to fill it a tray a week for 9 weeks straight. That should get my numbers up high enough to have all the pullets I'd need to grow out and sell.

Can any of you see a problem with trying this? My goal is to just have chickens for the average back yard flock - egg layers. I have the room and I think if I marketed to the home school and charter school groups that I could sell the chickens pretty quickly. All the young cockerels would just have to get taken to the auction. I don't have the facilities to raise that many for meat myself. Once I was done raising the money for school I would go back to my small breed preservation flocks and focus on breed improvement.

I'd love feedback.

 

[CackleJoy]

Yes!

The eggs can take heat and not go bad quickly. We had this stuff happen a lot growing up in the country. The Hens would often find a hiding spot for the eggs. On the North Coast, they will last a good 3 to 4 weeks outside the nest. Under the Broody, they should be good for a week or so.

If it has been a couple of days they will be fine. To be safe, crack the eggs into a small bowl before using them. If you do not know how long they have been out hidden somewhere, use the float test. Sinking is very fresh. As the egg gets older it will float more and more. All the way up is a bad egg.

I did have a hidden nest this year that was under a week old. None of the eggs were bad. There were about 20 in the nest.

Thank you Ron, I didn't know if the float test would work on broody eggs or not. I should have tried it this summer.

 

[CackleJoy]

Well, she's the one I told my girls that my husband got to name (to forstall a name I didn't like) and he hasn't yet. If this goes on, her name will probably be Mama.

You probably told everyone already - I've just been off line most of the summer. Who knew that summer vacation would be so hectic?

School starts a week from tomorrow.

 

[Audio51]

Byc unsubscribed me to this thread today!

I'm traumatized!!

Oh no!!! Glad you are back with us.

I have 3 frizzled showgirls chicks! Yay!



I'm looking forward to growing them out & how they turn out. Love them "ugly" chickies.

Awwww...they are very cute!

The DH and I processed our first chickens yesterday 3 16 wk BCM. The first one was definitely rough, but the other 2 went easier. It was a BIG step for us. He fishes but doesn't hunt and I've never butchered anything before in my life. 2+ hours including set up and cleaning. It feels good knowing that we are one big step closer to being self sufficient. And that we'll be able to do something with all those extra roos I seem to be getting.

Congratulations! Well done! I have not done any except the Cornish X meat birds, but will have some dark feathered ones to process in a month or so. I have to look up when they hatched, but they don't feel big wnough right now. I have 5 left of my mixed "meat" birds (one that died is the one I sent for necropsy). The others seem to be doing fine, but 2 of them appear to be EE. I don't know if they will get big enough, so I may give them to my daughter when they get their coop/pen built. Her kids love blue eggs..

Quote: My best broody and best Mom is a hatchery blue Wyandotte

Many of you know that I was going to school to be a midwife and took a sabbatical to have our last baby. I'm anxious to get started again and have one more big tuition fee left to pay. (It's a biggie too

) Actually, not that bad considering my other option was SF school of medicine and that is truly horrific in price. Not getting a loan is important to me and I don't want to burden my family either. I was considering selling my car but since it's the only transport around here - that really wasn't a viable option

Anyway, I finally figured out how to raise the money with the resources we already have.

I need to sell apx 300 started pullets for $20. The trick is getting enough birds growing all at once to amass the fee instead of saving $20 at a time all year long. My chickens only lay a collective 2 dozen hatching eggs a week but I can set 5 dozen every week in my nice incubator. I had the idea to ask if people are done hatching their eggs if they'd be willing to sell some hatching eggs for a lower price (or donate) to help fill my incubator. I'd like to fill it a tray a week for 9 weeks straight. That should get my numbers up high enough to have all the pullets I'd need to grow out and sell.

Can any of you see a problem with trying this? My goal is to just have chickens for the average back yard flock - egg layers. I have the room and I think if I marketed to the home school and charter school groups that I could sell the chickens pretty quickly. All the young cockerels would just have to get taken to the auction. I don't have the facilities to raise that many for meat myself. Once I was done raising the money for school I would go back to my small breed preservation flocks and focus on breed improvement.



That sounds like a great plan! If I had roosters I would happily send you some egg. But alas...the only one I have is from my Rock Island grocery store eggs and he is not mature enough to mate. If he was, he would be in the freezer....

 

[Aronia]

Cool...