California - Northern

[lawatt]

Just be careful moving a eggs around, that you know the day the egg was due....I did alot of swapping between 4 broodies, lost track of the due dates, opened an egg to eggtopsy and the chick was still alive!!!!!!!!!

And I 2nd that broodies steal chicks! I had two hatching buddies and one stole all the chicks. The other broody would give up but took the back seat. We called her the look out because she did all the guarding but the other mom wouldn't let her too close. She was the last to spot hanging with them.

i don't mind if they steal all the chicks, as long as they a) don't hurt the chicks in the process, and b) don't end up fighting each other over them -- Speedy and Eleanor have already been flaring their neck-feathers at each other through the exclosure pen screen (that Speedy and her chicks are inside), down in the run of the coop -- and Frances has been tucked away in a nesting box that's off of the main henhouse, not in the run, but today or tomorrow will likely be bringing her little troop out into the run... not sure what will happen once she's added to the mix. (and Daisy's eggs should hatch this weekend sometime, and Bella's a week after that)

 

[debs_flock]

Quote:

Quote:
Can you post the recipe here too please? This sounded delicious!

Will do

 

[debs_flock]

Quote:
Can you post the recipe here too please? This sounded delicious!

Will do
Okay, this is my recipe that I sent.

*************************************

This is what I do with meat I think might be tough (older birds).

Brown the meat until golden on all sides and put in a baking dish.

In the same frying pan, sauté a sliced onion until softened, then add a couple of cups of sliced mushrooms and continue to sauté until cooked through. Add minced garlic to taste and sauté briefly.

Add a couple of cups of chicken broth (I use a spoonful of chicken base and some water), then season to your preference. I don't add salt because the base is very salty. So I add pepper, chopped parsley always and anything else I might be in the mood for, sometimes a cup of white wine. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to the consistency of a thick broth (you still want it pretty loose though). At the very end I add a few tablespoons of cream and simmer another minute.

Pour the whole thing over your meat, cover tightly with foil and bake 1.5-2 hours at 275-300.

That's it. You can tweak it anyway you prefer, because it's just a throw in a little of this and that dish. Sometimes I do it red by adding a little tomato paste and red wine. I never really started with a recipe. Of course if I'm putting it over a roast, I switch to beef broth.

You could also do all the first part on the stovetop and put the meat/sauce into a crockpot and let it cook all day.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

All of these pictures are great! I think I am the worst chicken photographer there is Hope everybody has a nice day

 

[lizanne]

Hatching Question:

I set eggs on April 18th at 11A, so today (or tomorrow?) is day 21. Yesterday afternoon I heard lots of peeping from the eggs, this means they have internally pipped, right? I looked this morning, and I can't see any pips in the shell, and I don't hear any more peeping. Should I be worried? Are they just resting? Is internal pipping part of the 24 hour then help them, or just after pipping the shell?

 

[OR4-hmom]

All of these pictures are great! I think I am the worst chicken photographer there is Hope everybody has a nice day

I'm right there with you. I swallow hard and post anyway.

 

[chiqita]

i don't mind if they steal all the chicks, as long as they a) don't hurt the chicks in the process, and b) don't end up fighting each other over them -- Speedy and Eleanor have already been flaring their neck-feathers at each other through the exclosure pen screen (that Speedy and her chicks are inside), down in the run of the coop -- and Frances has been tucked away in a nesting box that's off of the main henhouse, not in the run, but today or tomorrow will likely be bringing her little troop out into the run... not sure what will happen once she's added to the mix. (and Daisy's eggs should hatch this weekend sometime, and Bella's a week after that)

I have only ever had one broodie BATTLE. And that was when I moved the head hen. A week later she got lost while she was going on her constitutional and went to the old spot and thought everyone had stolen her eggs and went hulk.

Since they all have chicks, they should just scream at each other and puff up. My guess is they will be outside with the babies so they can get farther away from each other. You have big hens with not a ton of chicks so you should be OK.

Remember if your docile broodie wants to get up today move the eggs to the next broodie and ninja chicks! (I'm guessing its day 3 today)

 

[lawatt]

I have only ever had one broodie BATTLE. And that was when I moved the head hen. A week later she got lost while she was going on her constitutional and went to the old spot and thought everyone had stolen her eggs and went hulk.

Since they all have chicks, they should just scream at each other and puff up. My guess is they will be outside with the babies so they can get farther away from each other. You have big hens with not a ton of chicks so you should be OK.

Remember if your docile broodie wants to get up today move the eggs to the next broodie and ninja chicks! (I'm guessing its day 3 today)

fabulous, you've set my mind more at ease -- although today i need to be on campus ALL day and will not be home to do any ninja'ing until 6 or 7pm...

and because the baby chicks have been getting all the attention lately, here are a couple of grown-up snaps:



Max with Amelia #2 (CLxpene) and Lucy (CL) way up on the roof of the nesting box (about 5 ft off the ground) -- they've become obsessed with flying up there lately. one of my cuckoo marans then decided to out-do them all -- flew up onto my shoulder, and then onto the roof of the entire coop -- and looked VERY pleased with herself. silly chickens.



chicklets in the tall grass

 

[Happy Chooks]

Hatching Question:

I set eggs on April 18th at 11A, so today (or tomorrow?) is day 21. Yesterday afternoon I heard lots of peeping from the eggs, this means they have internally pipped, right? I looked this morning, and I can't see any pips in the shell, and I don't hear any more peeping. Should I be worried? Are they just resting? Is internal pipping part of the 24 hour then help them, or just after pipping the shell?

They are just resting. Give them time. The 24 hours before helping is after they pip through the shell.

The only time I will help an egg hatch is if they have zipped, then got stuck. In the past I have helped some chicks and I ended up having to put them down later. So it's just not worth it to me.

 

[PetRock]

The first pic they're discussing the photo shoot....second one, the blue is giving the dance steps, third one, the two on the right and the far left are on step, second to the left is trying to remember the dance and the blue is the lead singer!

Gladys Night and the Peeps!

How clever! Thank you! I love starting my day with a laugh!