California - Northern

[ronott1]

Quote: Beautiful girls....the chickens and your daughter!

These two remind me of my three black EE's. Two of them are broody and when one of the broodies went out to take a dirt bath I took away her bad eggs (just in time, one exploded like a fire cracker in the bag I put them in to take them in the house to candle!) and gave her good eggs from the other broody. When I came back in I see this black EE sitting on the batch of eggs my layers are laying about 8 feet from her eggs so I pick her up an try to put her back on the other eggs. She seems confused......about that time the real mom comes back all fluffed up and bawlking at the other girl for trying to steal her eggs!

I swooped her up and we got out of the way! I swear, it's "who's on first" around here!

On Saturday I watched two of my Black Australorps squeezing into one nest again! It is funny how they all pick one nest even when another one is next to it.

I am trying to get the Marns to GomezBantams(Lucas). They will do very well for him.

Ron

 

[MonsterClucker]

I'm watching my first hatch right now! Got 2 pipped. I can see ones beak its white. It's funny how excited we all are over here lol. There's 14 eggs I think. All are RIR x Dorking/Americuana and 1 is Golden sex link x Dorking/Americuana. Hopefully we get some good layers of green eggs!

Aaaand! Yesterday Me and my brother went over to papabrooder's house. Met his wonderful family. And saw his flock. I was really impressed! The pictures of his pens do it no justice. It's really impressive! That was the first time I've ever seen a lot of those breeds in person. I definitely enjoyed the visit. Thanks Jeff and family for the hospitality and for coming off 2 of those EO chicks lol It was a real favor.

We got 4 silver laced Brahma 1 gold laced Brahma 1 blue orpington and 2 Euskal Oiloa chicks. I'll put up pics when they all finish uploading!


Is there anyone close to shingletown? I read they evacuated parts up there from the ponderosa fire. There is Soo much smoke here I'm getting a little nervous. If anybody is up there hope you guys are safe.

 

[Meg2000000]

That chick did not survive. Right after that one didn't make it another one was crushed about half as bad but it made it. Then a couple hatched and I found one dead with the egg stuck to it's bottom. I think it took her awhile to stop stepping on them! When I was out there this morning, one had just hatched and mom and chicks crawling all over it and the egg next to it that was trying to hatch. I heard a crunch when she got out of the box and then went back in trying to readjust everything.....I hope it was ready. I can't believe she has stayed committed to the eggs for 5 days after the first ones hatched.

What a commited mama hen!

When my daughters were Toddlers, dried fruit was their snack!

They knew where the dried prunes were in the freezer and would help themselves to them like they were candy. I really do not understand why the prunes in the store as so wet and weird. Well probably because if they are fluffed up with water they weigh more.
I will post the recipe and upload the file:




[ATTACHMENT=247]Prune Cake.DOC (42k. DOC file)[/ATTACHMENT]


Hi make this for socials and do not tell people what it is until they taste it. Some people do not think they like prunes! 

What a surprise they have when I tell them.

Prune Cake



[SIZE=10pt]2C.  Flour[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1C.  sugar                    [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1T   Cocoa                                                                                           [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1t.   Salt                                               [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]2t.   Soda  [/SIZE]
1T.   Corn Starch[SIZE=10pt]                               [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]2c.   Prunes[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1C.  Prune Liquid                                                                                  [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]2t.    Cinamon[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]½t.   nutmeg[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]¼[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]     cloves[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]½[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]c.  Oil[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10pt]Stew Prunes until soft. Finely chop prunes. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Bake in a 9X13 Baking pan.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Bake 25-35 minutes at 350[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]°[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt].[/SIZE]

Yum! Thanks for sharing Ron! You always have great recipes!

Yes helpful. I just jotted this down in my notebook (is that sad or what- I have a notebook for this lol!). Ok so I will scratch Cream Legbars off my list (bummer hehe maybe later down the road I will buy a pullet or 2 just for fun though). Basques are left on the list and I went ahead and added Leghorns - I do understand that hatchery LH will lay better, but I really cannot get over preferring heritage breeds if I can obtain them. I can't help it! LOL

I like the EEs- they add a little spunk to the flock and they actually aren't huge eaters so far. So even having a few in the flock for a few brightly colored eggs is worth picking some up every couple years. Maybe people will like a surprise colored egg nestled in their usual eggs they get from me? My kids fought over the EE egg you gave us! rofl!

I have currently:
Dual Pupose:
Buff Orps
BC Marans
Black Orp/BC Marans mix (4 of these- 2 females and 2 males)

For Egg Laying:
Easter Eggers

For Consideration Spring 2013:
Dual Purpose:
*Marr Basques- heat hardy. this is my top choice.
White Faced Black Spanish- said to be heavy layers, heat hardy.
Chocolate Orpingtons (dropead gorgeous. haha)- this is only if I can get my hands on a couple. just because i want them. 


Egg Layers:
Easter Eggers
Leghorns
Andalusion - these are said to be heat hardy

That's my work up so far. In my notes I have other breeds scribbled down with random remarks to help guide me too

I'm trying to be strategic too. I'm an overthinker lol. 

I have Buff Orps which are said to be great winter layers and in our area during Summer heat I have read egg laying wanes a bit until Fall hits again. So if I have a heavy heat layer- the 2 could off-set each other. One of the reasons I am looking at Andalusions at all.  

Wow you are so organized Amy Beth! I really need a notebook too! I've been taking screenshots of info I want to remember and then email them to myself. There's too many to go through now and a notebook would work way better!

 

[ronott1]

I'm watching my first hatch right now! Got 2 pipped. I can see ones beak its white. It's funny how excited we all are over here lol. There's 14 eggs I think. All are RIR x Dorking/Americuana and 1 is Golden sex link x Dorking/Americuana. Hopefully we get some good layers of green eggs!

Aaaand! Yesterday Me and my brother went over to papabrooder's house. Met his wonderful family. And saw his flock. I was really impressed! The pictures of his pens do it no justice. It's really impressive! That was the first time I've ever seen a lot of those breeds in person. I definitely enjoyed the visit. Thanks Jeff and family for the hospitality and for coming off 2 of those EO chicks lol It was a real favor.

We got 4 silver laced Brahma 1 gold laced Brahma 1 blue orpington and 2 Euskal Oiloa chicks. I'll put up pics when they all finish uploading!

Is there anyone close to shingletown? I read they evacuated parts up there from the ponderosa fire. There is Soo much smoke here I'm getting a little nervous. If anybody is up there hope you guys are safe.

My Mom has a house in the Lake Mcumber area and was evacuated yesterday. The house is on the North side of 44 so I hope the house is OK!

We are all anxious

Ron

 

[Happy Chooks]

Iy, yI, yI.......I SO want to understand this! I haven't looked at this type of language since I was breeding horses 16 years ago!

Here's what I'm trying to figure out. So far I have 15 Polish chicks (one more is hatching right now but don't want to count my chickens before they hatch!

I crack me up...no pun intended).
In hens, I have one black, one white splash and two silver laced. In roos I had (sold two) 3 WCBlack and one Black w/gold leakage. My surprise is the red that look like they'll be gold laced and the distinct brown I'm seeing in some of the White Crested black and some that look like White Crested Blue??? Can I get chocolate or blue from any of these combos?
Is this a silver laced? It almost says Splash to me.

I'm still trying to understand it too........someday!

That chick isn't splash though. Looks like silver laced to me. (though I do not have any polish) This is what a splash chick looks like, though this one is an Orp.

 

[Meg2000000]

thanks -- i'll give the chick a more thorough cleaning, and try them on some yogurt, when i get home this afternoon (they are also getting ACV in their water).  that one basque is the smallest of the six, and her wing feathers look the most raggedy/incomplete so far, so i want to keep an eye on him/her & make sure the others don't give it a hard time...

ugh, why must classes be starting this week?

You're doing so great Laura! You sound like such an attentive and great new mommy! Lucky chicks!

Bummer about classes starting! There's never a good time for anything to happen when you have baby chicks around!!

I'm watching my first hatch right now! Got 2 pipped. I can see ones beak its white. It's funny how excited we all are over here lol. There's 14 eggs I think. All are RIR x Dorking/Americuana and 1 is Golden sex link x Dorking/Americuana. Hopefully we get some good layers of green eggs!
Aaaand! Yesterday Me and my brother went over to papabrooder's house. Met his wonderful family. And saw his flock. I was really impressed! The pictures of his pens do it no justice. It's really impressive! That was the first time I've ever seen a lot of those breeds in person. I definitely enjoyed the visit. Thanks Jeff and family for the hospitality and for coming off 2 of those EO chicks lol It was a real favor.
We got 4 silver laced Brahma 1 gold laced Brahma 1 blue orpington and 2 Euskal Oiloa chicks. I'll put up pics when they all finish uploading!
Is there anyone close to shingletown? I read they evacuated parts up there from the ponderosa fire. There is Soo much smoke here I'm getting a little nervous. If anybody is up there hope you guys are safe.

Eek so exciting!! Keep us updated and happy hatching!

That was so cool that Jeff gave you two EO chicks! What a great guy Share some pics when you have a chance! There's three of us now with little EO babies!

 

[Meg2000000]

My Mom has a house in the Lake Mcumber area and was evacuated yesterday. The house is on the North side of 44 so I hope the house is OK!

We are all anxious 

Ron

Oh no Ron! I'll keep your family in my prayers. Fires are no fun.

 

[Meg2000000]

We let the baby chicks out in the pen for the first time today to get their forage on.. They were loving it!! You can definitely see the roosters now in both breeds. So far I see 3 Marraduna Basque roos and 2 Pita Pinta roos.

Eating the alfalfa:

King of the hay:

This little on jumped up on my arm and decided to roost there. What a sweet baby!:

 

[zooweemama]

We let the baby chicks out in the pen for the first time today to get their forage on.. They were loving it!! You can definitely see the roosters now in both breeds. So far I see 3 Marraduna Basque roos and 2 Pita Pinta roos.
Eating the alfalfa:

King of the hay:

This little on jumped up on my arm and decided to roost there. What a sweet baby!:

Woohoo! I am looking forward to doing this and terrified at the same time. They are sooo cute!

 

[zooweemama]

I'm sorry, Ron. I have been very careful NOT to complain about the smoke. People are having to walk away from their homes, find homes for their animals....it's awful. <3