Consolidated Kansas

[sharol]

How does guinea taste? We have one that relentlessly chases our turkeys and chickens.

Love it. (the comment, not guinea (never tasted guinea))

 

[chicken danz]

I've heard guinea is pretty good if it is young.

You don't want to eat an old one. I was told it was dark meat. My guess King Bee is he is just being a typical guinea. I had one chasing geese just a couple weeks ago. Triple his size but the geese were running from her.
I spent my entire afternoon out working in the garden. I got it all torn out and raked all the vines and stuff in a pile and burnt it. I dug up some weeds and burnt those as well. I hope that keeps some of those squash bugs away next year. I pulled up tomato and pepper plants and gave the birds all bunches of it along with a lot of green tomatoes. I only kept back the ones that were firm and had no spots. I may attempt to make salsa verde out of them. I've got lots of peppers but need onions. I also have a wheel barrow full of pumpkins. Does anyone know if a picked pumpkin that isn't ripe yet will ripen off the vine??? I hate to waste the ones that are still green or not quite ripe.
All I need to do in the garden now is run the tiller. DH said it is supposed to rain for a few days so I would have to get it done before that happens. All the work sure wore me out. I had to feed and water after I got all the garden stuff done.
I put a heat lamp out in the old garage and moved some of the older red star chicks out there. I hope they do okay. I just had to get some of these chicks moved out of here. The last 4 red star eggs I set are due to hatch tomorrow. I wish they were all old enough to go out.

 

[Trish44]

I've heard guinea is pretty good if it is young.

You don't want to eat an old one. I was told it was dark meat. My guess King Bee is he is just being a typical guinea. I had one chasing geese just a couple weeks ago. Triple his size but the geese were running from her.
I spent my entire afternoon out working in the garden. I got it all torn out and raked all the vines and stuff in a pile and burnt it. I dug up some weeds and burnt those as well. I hope that keeps some of those squash bugs away next year. I pulled up tomato and pepper plants and gave the birds all bunches of it along with a lot of green tomatoes. I only kept back the ones that were firm and had no spots. I may attempt to make salsa verde out of them. I've got lots of peppers but need onions. I also have a wheel barrow full of pumpkins. Does anyone know if a picked pumpkin that isn't ripe yet will ripen off the vine??? I hate to waste the ones that are still green or not quite ripe.
All I need to do in the garden now is run the tiller. DH said it is supposed to rain for a few days so I would have to get it done before that happens. All the work sure wore me out. I had to feed and water after I got all the garden stuff done.
I put a heat lamp out in the old garage and moved some of the older red star chicks out there. I hope they do okay. I just had to get some of these chicks moved out of here. The last 4 red star eggs I set are due to hatch tomorrow. I wish they were all old enough to go out.

I'm sure somebody somewhere eats guinea, but I haven't heard of anyone eating them here. They can be pretty bossy birds I know that, they shove my peafowl out of the food trough on a regular basis as big as they are. You make me tired Danz, I thought I was doing well just to get what I did done today, I'm still not up to par yet with this crud I have. I'll bet your birds enjoyed all of the spoils of your cleanout though. I have no idea if a pumpkin will go ahead & ripen off the vine or not, I have never grown one myself. I managed to get my smaller brooder cleaned out today as well as what I did outside, so when I have new chicks in about 3 weeks give or take that will be ready for them. I have the bigger ones in the bigger brooder now. Are your chicks you put out feathered out yet? Mine I put outside in the growout pen seem to be doing OK out there, but then they're fully feathered. Just when I thought I might get chicks out of the house soon I had to put more eggs in to hatch, it's a never ending cycle it seems like. These are replacement eggs for some others that didn't do well that were shipped or I wouldn't be hatching anything now. They're all Cream Legbar eggs.

 

[HEChicken]

Danz, congrats on getting the turkey pen done, and I'm with Trish - just reading about all the stuff you do makes me tired

. I'm still not done cleaning out my garden patch from this year. Last week I did harvest most of the green tomatoes and spent a day making and canning a huge batch of green tomato salsa. But I still need to do a lot of clearing out there.

KsKingBee, I've eaten guinea - and for the same reason. I had 13 guineas and one day they decided to chase my rooster. They chased him relentlessly and it was July and I was worried he was going to get heat exhaustion so I grabbed one and processed it right then and there. I would say I couldn't tell that much difference from chicken, honestly (and I know the joke about everything "tasting like chicken"). After that, Danz or someone on here pointed out they are probably worth more to sell than to eat so I advertised the remaining dozen on Craigslist and within and hour had two people willing to take them all. I let the first guy who responded come and get them and it was a great transaction. He came and cooed lovingly to them the whole time he was loading them and was clearly thrilled to have them join his existing flock, and didn't haggle over the price at all.

I've had a busy weekend. Not much that is really noteworthy but just finishing up little projects around the place.

I have question about ovaries. I processed an older hen this week and her ovary showed absolutely NO sign of egg production. She was 2 1/2 years old. My question is: would a hen who is in molt (and not laying) have an ovary that shows no sign of eggs even though she might still lay some after her molt, or is an ovary with no sign of eggs just totally done?

 

[chicken danz]

HEChicken I had never thought about that. I would guess that unless it was going to be a really long molt there would be some signs of egg production. I honestly don't know. I think the clue there lies in what breed the chicken was. Were her legs yellow again? I am told after they are done producing the legs turn more yellow again. A production hen would probably be about done at that age. Others I doubt it. Let me know if you find out.
Trish the chicks I put out in the garage are young and some have feathers...some don't. But I did put a heat lamp in there and they can roam out of a little enclosed area if they want. DH built it for goats originally to keep babies warm, but it has had puppies, ducks and chickens in it. I did find a bunch of eggs in there. I didn't think the hens that stayed in the garage were laying. Now I need to feed back a ton of eggs.
I forgot to go to town this weekend to deliver some eggs and stuff. I am such a ditz these days. I haven't even gathered my eggs for a few days. I hope no one started sitting on any. I'm not getting much in the way of eggs any way. Most of my better breeders have quit right now.
I was thinking DH had another week off from work but his alarm went off this morning at 5:00 AM. I was awake anyway so I just got up. So much for hoping to get some more projects worked on this week.
I didn't get the turkeys moved yesterday because I spent all that time in the garden. I need to do that earlier today so they have time to get used to their new pen before night time. I need to see what I can dig up for metal to put around their old pen for the peafowl. I don't want to chance them sticking their heads out. I also need to start working on that water line for those pens. Sure seems my projects never end.
I also realized I told my propane guy I would have the keyboard to operate the gate installed before the 1st of November so he could get in to fill the tank this winter. That hasn't been done yet...nor has the electronic latch been installed. I think I can do the keyboard but DH will have to do the latch. At some point we are going to have to trench across the driveway to install a hard wire. I've got some more chicks due to hatch today. I'm not sure how many. I haven't candled the eggs I had set.

 

[tweetybaby2005]

Hi All! Not to rub it in or anything but I am enjoying some 80 degree weather down here in Houston.

Having a nice visit with my son and daughter in law, eating way too much food. Trish, you, Danz and me, being Leo's need the warmth of the sun. I am a cold weather hater, my toes and fingers freeze and I don't like putting on all the layers of clothes just to have to take them back off. I do like seeing a pretty snow and having a fire in the fireplace.
I guess I need to read up on making ACV, still have a lot of apples and I use it in my FF. Do any of you put it in the chickens' drinking water?
Trish sounds like you had a wonderful vacation. Being sick is not a good thing but at least it waited until you were on your way home.
LizzyGSR the nursery is looking great, I do believe you will have it ready. Give yourself some last minute "me" time, life is about to get interesting.

Here are some pictures that I didn't get posted before I left.


The Marans chicks hatched.

Had a midnight visitor to the pond.

Nice batch of chicks you got there! Hope you have a brooder outside of your home because the chick dust are terrible!

We caught a possum early Spring... coon and possum are just not welcome on our property! LOL

 

[tweetybaby2005]

Josie - Nice to see you popping in here. Guess I'm the odd one since I like winter.

Danz - Nice job on getting the pen done. I'm still dragging my feet...

Well... it has been quite a busy weekend for me since I had to work Saturday. One of my Shelties got sick. He would not even eat. That was unusual of him because he always tried to find ways to get to food on the kitchen counter, trash can, etc. He tried to drink water but then he promptly threw that up as well. I called the vet and she said to keep an eye on him and if he still couldn't keep food down the next day, he will need to be seen. Well, he got better the next day. Ate a tiny bit of food and kept it down. He didn't throw up any more either so another good sign. Wonder if he ate something he shouldn't while outside.

Anyway, Here are the pictures I took while I was making salted duck eggs last night. I soaked 3 dozens this time. This will last us a while.

Eggs are clean and in the glass jar.




I put the start and end date on the lid so I know when the soaking period is done.




Filled the jar with salt water and some peppercorns were floating in it.




Put the lid on and ready to be put away.

 

[lizzyGSR]

. I also have a wheel barrow full of pumpkins. Does anyone know if a picked pumpkin that isn't ripe yet will ripen off the vine??? I hate to waste the ones that are still green or not quite ripe

We had to harvest our pumpkins early they vines were dying from lack of moisture, and the pumpkins weren't quite ripe yet. The ones that weren't ripe did eventually ripen. I left them outside on the sidewalk in a very sunny, warm spot, and that seemed to do the trick. Once they were ripe, I took them to the cool, dark pantry in the basement. So far, I've processed a little more than half of them and am not only running out of time but my DH thinks we've got enough pumpkin in the freezer to last us a year or more. I guess that means that the remaining ones will become bird food, which is why I grew the pumpkins in the first place. Do I need to cook them before I give them to the birds?

Good luck with y our pumpkins! I hope they ripen for you! After we harvested the pumpkins, we had several nice, warm days to help ripen them. I hope your weather is warm and sunny enough to do the job for you!

HEChicken I had never thought about that. I would guess that unless it was going to be a really long molt there would be some signs of egg production. I honestly don't know. I think the clue there lies in what breed the chicken was. Were her legs yellow again? I am told after they are done producing the legs turn more yellow again. A production hen would probably be about done at that age. Others I doubt it. Let me know if you find out.
Trish the chicks I put out in the garage are young and some have feathers...some don't. But I did put a heat lamp in there and they can roam out of a little enclosed area if they want. DH built it for goats originally to keep babies warm, but it has had puppies, ducks and chickens in it. I did find a bunch of eggs in there. I didn't think the hens that stayed in the garage were laying. Now I need to feed back a ton of eggs.
I forgot to go to town this weekend to deliver some eggs and stuff. I am such a ditz these days. I haven't even gathered my eggs for a few days. I hope no one started sitting on any. I'm not getting much in the way of eggs any way. Most of my better breeders have quit right now.
I was thinking DH had another week off from work but his alarm went off this morning at 5:00 AM. I was awake anyway so I just got up. So much for hoping to get some more projects worked on this week.
I didn't get the turkeys moved yesterday because I spent all that time in the garden. I need to do that earlier today so they have time to get used to their new pen before night time. I need to see what I can dig up for metal to put around their old pen for the peafowl. I don't want to chance them sticking their heads out. I also need to start working on that water line for those pens. Sure seems my projects never end.
I also realized I told my propane guy I would have the keyboard to operate the gate installed before the 1st of November so he could get in to fill the tank this winter. That hasn't been done yet...nor has the electronic latch been installed. I think I can do the keyboard but DH will have to do the latch. At some point we are going to have to trench across the driveway to install a hard wire. I've got some more chicks due to hatch today. I'm not sure how many. I haven't candled the eggs I had set.

Gosh, it sounds like you're always so busy! I don't know how you do it!

 

[sharol]

Two years ago when we actually had some pumpkins, my birds ignored them until after we had a hard freeze and they got mushy. Then they went nuts over them. I tried baking some of them with no success, but after the freeze they must have tasted better to them.

 

[chicken danz]

If you want the worming benefits from the pumpkin seed it has to be raw. I don't think we have warm enough or sunny enough weather to ripen them outside now, but it is good to know that they will ripen. Maybe I'll just stick them somewhere and see what happens. I need to make some more puree as well. I really like pumpkin but DH doesn't particularly. Looks like I'll be making pumpkin pie for my kids or something.
My birds ate them last year but only if I cracked them open. It took them a while to catch on to eating them. They liked the seeds and the guts but hesitated to eat the rest. Maybe I'll leave some out to freeze and see if it is more to their liking.
It's super foggy out this morning. I sure hope the rain doesn't come early. The news last night said it should start about 3:30 or 4:00 then it's supposed to rain for about 3 days. I wish we could have gotten rain when we needed it for the garden. I just looked and accuweather doesn't predict rain until after midnight. Big difference. I hope accuweather is right this time. (they usually aren't!)
I want to get the duck pond drained and cleaned today before the weather changes. I may not get it done again until spring if it is a cold winter. At least I have fewer birds in there right now so maybe it won't get green as fast. I may feed the Mandarins some water lily leaves. They froze a few nights ago so I might as well let them eat what is there. They'll make more leaves in spring. There is nothing green at all in their pen so surely they would like them.