California - Northern

[debs_flock]

Deb
Congrats on all the baking! I bet you did well what recipe do you use for your baking powder biscuits? I've been looking for a good one and trying a few different ones and no luck. Also same with sweet rolls. I love big fluffy sweet dinner rolls and can't seem to get them to turn out! Anyway sounds like you have had a very busy weekend, relax

Thanks. For BP biscuits, I just use the recipe from the old Betty Crocker cookbook.
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/baking-powder-biscuits/e70c261e-066e-434d-8176-6721805a8031?p=1
The secret is to mix in half your shortening until very fine, then mix in the other half until you have pea size clumps of shortening. Also, add in 1 T of sugar to your dry ingredients. This is an absolute must for competition. They are going to be tasting them cold and stale the next day. The hint of sweetness helps. But it also improves them for at home, fresh and hot. I think I've won the biscuit class every year for at least the last five (probably jinxed myself now for next year, LOL).

This is the recipe I use for dinner rolls.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Unbelievable-Rolls/Detail.aspx

Don't forget, you can take any bread dough recipe you like and make rolls from it. Mostly look for one that includes milk, egg & sugar to get a light fluffy roll. And use AP flour, not bread flour for a lighter texture.

Stupid phone put my response in the box:

So how much of each item do you have to bake to enter it? A dozen cookies? Two dozen? I am guessing one pie would be enough but really 49 different things exhausts me just thinking about it.

Is almost 7 weeks too soon to see the pointier feathers parting? These don't look to be parting like that. I am crossing my fingers because that one is just beautiful.

The toes were completely straight on all my hatched babies. They just started curling like this gradually over the last 10 days. First the outside toes then the next one goes. And only on the Wheaten Ameraucanas. I am getting the B Complex tomorrow. When I watch them walk on them they actually look kind of soft. I am hoping they respond to my wrapping job. I take pics when I do it IF I can do it.

You just have to read your rule book carefully. At my fair, they require six cookies, half a cake, half a loaf of bread, third of a loaf of quick breads, ten pieces of candy, a whole pie (but it only has to be 6"). The rules will tell you exactly what you need. People will get their entry DQ'd if they don't follow the rules of submission. The finer points of what to do to win, that comes from experience, but if you truly would like to try, you're welcome to PM me for advice. I'm sure everyone doesn't want a class here on fair competitions, LOL

I do notice the change in crest shape very early. I'd post an example, but I haven't been able to post photos lately. I thought it was just me, but someone on another of my threads is having the same problem.

If the toe problem came on this late, then I would try the vitamins. I don't think taping would help at this point. Taping is really for when the bones/joints are still soft at hatch. Good luck though.

Ron, are You going to breed any of your heritage Rhode Island Reds..I would love to Incubate a few, grow out some pullets for my rhodebar rooster.
I really like the shape of the heritage Rhode Island Reds.

Molly, my RIR all came from Dick Horstman originally and I've hatched quite a few chicks from them. Let me know if you'd like some eggs from them.

 

[BCollie]

Help! What's going on with my SL Polish? I haven't seen anyone picking it...They're 6 weeks old and this chick is the only one with this problem. Please click the top picture to see the full size version so you can better see what it looks like..If needed I can get better pictures.

Looks like feather picking to me.

So I just put some Blue Kote on it?
I'm curious, if the bare spot is due to feather picking, why is it not bleeding like it did when they picked at his tail?

 

[Miss Molly]

Yes Deb....when I get things in order around her, I would love some.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

For those of you new to California and free Necropsy, I am posting a copy of the one that came back today:





This is the second Australorp from Cackle that I have lost to Fatty Liver Disease. The first one died at 9 months old.

Great report! Tomorrow I will get the rest of the results, Salmonella and etc.

I'm sorry about this. Is it something you could change their diet with? I'd call Cackle and ask if they've had any other issues. How many other birds do you have from the same source?

Quote: I use the soil of course, from our compost pile but my secret is I use a 10

10

10 fertilizer. I overuse it by putting it on every week (or more)! You can watch the plants grow and they still have fruit on them.

On the Polish....they can be hard to sex but from just these pictures, I'd guess pullet on the top and cockerel on the bottom. The male will have more pointy and spikey although the bottom ones tail feathers are starting to box up like a girls. Is this bird older then the other one?

Has someone been pecking the top ones crest? Looks like she's missing some feathers in the middle of her crest.

 

[SilkiesForEver]

So I just put some Blue Kote on it?
I'm curious, if the bare spot is due to feather picking, why is it not bleeding like it did when they picked at his tail?

I've found that 'bigger' feathers, such as tail feathers, or foot feathers, will bleed if picked out unlike hackle feathers or saddle feathers. If you continue to see feathers being picked, remove the bird and allow time for the feathers to grow back. Do you know who the feather picking culprit is?

 

[debs_flock]

Okay, my fair results this year. (I'm not trying to be "uppity", LOL, but some of you asked). I just love doing the Fair competitions. I've made great friends with many of the other exhibitors, we all sit together during judging, laugh, whisper, swap recipes, root each other on and hug goodbye until next year.

I'm good friends with the woman that runs the food program at the County jail. They train inmates to cook so they'll have a skill when they are released. They have their submissions brought in for them (obviously, LOL) and are quite excited to get ribbons in return. She said their rallying cry is "Beat Debbie" and they have a banner on the wall that says that, LOL She said when they are feeling lazy and don't want to bake, she tells them "Debbie is doing it and more things than you!" One year, the jail contingent all walked in wearing shirts that said "Beat Debbie". She had a shirt made for me that read "I'm Debbie". I have that shirt hanging in my closet and it's one of my dearest possessions.

Yeast breads
First places - Graham, Raisin, White, Sweet
Second places - Buttermilk, French, Wheat, Rye
Quick breads
First place - Zucchini
Biscuit/Rolls
First places - BP biscuits, Cinnamon Rolls, Bran muffins, Yeast rolls, Muffins
Third place - Other (I made homemade Poptarts for the heck of it)
Cake
First places - Bundt, Angelfood, cupcakes
Second place - Pound cake
Third place - Gingerbread, banana cake
Cookies
First places - Brownies (was considered for BIS), Drop, Oatmeal, Sugar
Second places - Peanut butter, Rolled, Snickerdoodle
Third place - Bar cookies
Pies
First places - Cherry, Apricot, Lemon meringue (this won BIS for the last four years straight, but I changed my crust recipe this year for the heck of it and got dinged), banana cream
Second place - Chocolate cream
Third place - Blackberry
Confections
First place - Caramel (was considered for BIS)
Second places - Hard candy & fudge
Fiery foods
First place bread (which went on to take Best in Show)
Third place cookies

Out of my 49 entries, I only had nine that fell out of the ribbons. I also won the Overall Sweepstakes. I did well, I've done better in the past. This is my first serious baking in my new ovens, it takes awhile to get used to them.

Oh and in Preserved Foods, I only had ten entries since I was without a kitchen during the height of canning season. But I got 4 firsts, 3 seconds, 1 third and 2 no place. I won BIS dried foods.

I won't know on my Photography until I pick it back up on Monday, but I'm not expecting anything. It was just a snapshot and the competition is STIFF, like 100+ in each class.

There you go, my fair for the year, now I can take a break and next week start canning/testing recipes for next year

 

[Miss Molly]

Congrats Deb, I Am so impressed with how many entries you had... Dear Lord! Way to go!

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Congrats Deb, I Am so impressed with how many entries you had... Dear Lord! Way to go!

x2! I don't I could ever do that!

 

[lawatt]

wow, nearly a clean sweep! congratulations, Deb!!!!

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Quote:
It's not a Polish thing...at least not one I've ever seen and I've been breeding for about 3 years. Have you checked for mites? It's an odd spot to see them pick, they usually go for the crest and this looks more worn off then picked at. I wouldn't hurt to dust her and see if you see a change.