Colorado

[Pozees]

 Clipping is easy, Just cut off about 1/2 the primary flight feathers using a pair of shears.

I don't like to clip the wings, personally. With my Doms, I have to be able to identify potential breeders, and with clipping, I lose the feather on the wings. SoP thing. I will finish the rest of the yard tomorrow.  

Yes, wing clipping is simple, but I also don't like doing it, because there may be a time they need to be able to fly up to the top of their 6' run to evade a four legged predator. Flight is a bird's only defense against a larger predator.

 

[wsmith]

Yes, wing clipping is simple, but I also don't like doing it, because there may be a time they need to be able to fly up to the top of their 6' run to evade a four legged predator. Flight is a bird's only defense against a larger predator.

That too!

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Anyone interested in my Silkie boys? For a wonder none of my boys are crowing yet but there is zero interest on Craigslist and I would like to get at least one into a new home before the new year.

 

[coloradogal]

I've been busy with Turkey Day so not on the last couple of days.

Bumblefoot update: She's walking almost normally. There is still a scap for the medium bumble but the pad is soft so I believe it is healing nicely. The large bumble is still ugly looking but I am continuing to soak it, only once last night and apply antibacterial cream followed by methylene blue. I'm still waiting for the tricide-neo.

On another unrelated note: Below is my latest attempt at a mild cheddar. I just demolded it today and am pleasantly surprised. We had cheese curd last night and it was divine. i'm going to try Costco milk this weekend to see if I can get the same affect.

It's on the drying stage now. It has to dry a couple of days before waxing.

 

[dennarahl]

I keep meaning to ask about your kit shed, now that it's up are you happy with it?

Yes and no. We wouldn't buy another one because the wood isn't the greatest, but we would use the plans again with a few minor changes. The changes have little to do with construction and more to do with the customizing it to be a chicken coop. We'd like to put vents in in the center of the peak on the peaked side, but we can't because a support piece is there and it's too late to move it now. We're adding windows to it and have to add some window framing, but that hasn't been hard. The other thing that we hate is that a lot of the wood was 2x3 instead of 2x4. Kind of a pain when adding the window framing and all you have is 2x4, so the window framing is poking out because we're too lazy to cut down the 2x4s.

 

[dennarahl]

Yes, wing clipping is simple, but I also don't like doing it, because there may be a time they need to be able to fly up to the top of their 6' run to evade a four legged predator. Flight is a bird's only defense against a larger predator.

There is that. One other drawback is that it makes the wing feathers SHARP! Picking up a bird who then freaks out and flaps her wings all over the place trying to get away has quite often gotten me scratched in the face and man does that hurt.

 

[Pozees]

Yes and no. We wouldn't buy another one because the wood isn't the greatest, but we would use the plans again with a few minor changes. The changes have little to do with construction and more to do with the customizing it to be a chicken coop. We'd like to put vents in in the center of the peak on the peaked side, but we can't because a support piece is there and it's too late to move it now. We're adding windows to it and have to add some window framing, but that hasn't been hard. The other thing that we hate is that a lot of the wood was 2x3 instead of 2x4. Kind of a pain when adding the window framing and all you have is 2x4, so the window framing is poking out because we're too lazy to cut down the 2x4s. 

Oh yeah, I forgot about them using all 2x3s. Thanks for the reminder

 

[Pozees]

I've been busy with Turkey Day so not on the last couple of days.
Bumblefoot update: She's walking almost normally. There is still a scap for the medium bumble but the pad is soft so I believe it is healing nicely. The large bumble is still ugly looking but I am continuing to soak it, only once last night and apply antibacterial cream followed by methylene blue. I'm still waiting for the tricide-neo.
On another unrelated note: Below is my latest attempt at a mild cheddar. I just demolded it today and am pleasantly surprised. We had cheese curd last night and it was divine. i'm going to try Costco milk this weekend to see if I can get the same affect.

It's on the drying stage now. It has to dry a couple of days before waxing.

I know this is not on topic of chickens, but would you mind sharing how you did this? That cheddar looks lovely, and I love cheese curd

 

[coloradogal]

I know this is not on topic of chickens, but would you mind sharing how you did this? That cheddar looks lovely, and I love cheese curd

I used 2 gallons farmcrest milk (2%) and a liter of whole cream and 1 tsp. calcium chloride. Heated to 90 deg. very slowly. Turned off the burner and added mesophillic starter and left it alone for about an hour. Added a half tablet of vegetable rennet dissolved in about 1/4 cup water. Stirred slowly for only about a minute and left it alone again for about an hour. By then it was a clean break. I cut the curd. This is where improvisation comes in. I use a huge stock pot and do not have a pot that it can fit nicely in. So I take a large skillet, add one of those bottom metal things used when you can and add water. I then put my pot in the water and turn the heat on. This is the beginning of the long process for me. I gently stir, removing whey into another pot to be made into ricotta afterwards. I slowly raise the temperature, stirring, removing whey until it hits 100. It's important to not go too high as the bacteria are active and alive and too hot will kill them. It takes about a half hour to get most of the whey out and then I drain the rest. I salt the cheese, 1/2 tsp. per gallon, during the final step. This is where you can either just remove the curd and put in a brine of salt water or press into a mold. The cheese tastes just like the cheese from upstate NY from the Amish. The salt is the key to a good cheese curd.

I use to make cheese all the time before moving here. Then the first couple of times making mozarella just didn't turn out right so just stopped. Last month, I ordered all new cultures and rennet and just waited until I had extra milk. I'm going to try Costco milk this next time. I get about 2 pounds of cheese per 2 gallons of milk and maybe 1.4 cups of ricotta. Milk at Costco is still running about $2 a gallon, but I'm not sure for much longer. So my plan is to make a bunch of cheese, put up for the next year in case I need it. My offer still stands if anyone would ever like to come up and go through the process one weekend on any of the hobbies I have. I know people are so busy and finding the time is tough. No charge for learning a skill that might come in handy someday. Only thing I can't show right now is anything baking so no artisian bread. My oven isn't heating right. Anyone have a used one just sitting around for the price of cheap?

 

[Pozees]

I used 2 gallons farmcrest milk (2%) and a liter of whole cream and 1 tsp. calcium chloride. Heated to 90 deg. very slowly. Turned off the burner and added mesophillic starter and left it alone for about an hour. Added a half tablet of vegetable rennet dissolved in about 1/4 cup water. Stirred slowly for only about a minute and left it alone again for about an hour. By then it was a clean break. I cut the curd. This is where improvisation comes in. I use a huge stock pot and do not have a pot that it can fit nicely in. So I take a large skillet, add one of those bottom metal things used when you can and add water. I then put my pot in the water and turn the heat on. This is the beginning of the long process for me. I gently stir, removing whey into another pot to be made into ricotta afterwards. I slowly raise the temperature, stirring, removing whey until it hits 100. It's important to not go too high as the bacteria are active and alive and too hot will kill them. It takes about a half hour to get most of the whey out and then I drain the rest. I salt the cheese, 1/2 tsp. per gallon, during the final step. This is where you can either just remove the curd and put in a brine of salt water or press into a mold. The cheese tastes just like the cheese from upstate NY from the Amish. The salt is the key to a good cheese curd.
I use to make cheese all the time before moving here. Then the first couple of times making mozarella just didn't turn out right so just stopped. Last month, I ordered all new cultures and rennet and just waited until I had extra milk. I'm going to try Costco milk this next time. I get about 2 pounds of cheese per 2 gallons of milk and maybe 1.4 cups of ricotta. Milk at Costco is still running about $2 a gallon, but I'm not sure for much longer. So my plan is to make a bunch of cheese, put up for the next year in case I need it. My offer still stands if anyone would ever like to come up and go through the process one weekend on any of the hobbies I have. I know people are so busy and finding the time is tough. No charge for learning a skill that might come in handy someday. Only thing I can't show right now is anything baking so no artisian bread. My oven isn't heating right. Anyone have a used one just sitting around for the price of cheap?

Really want to do this - now that all we have left is the chain link roof, which will probably get done next Saturday, I should be able to free up a day. I could even do a Friday if that helps anyone else or you.