Consolidated Kansas

[Kansas Prairie]

I wanted to comment about the deer meat. I really had problems eating it for, well... forever. I didn't like it, it tasted gamey and strong. I basically had been refusing to eat it because of the few times I'd had it here and there. My dh recently processed one for us, he'd been telling me all along it's all in how it's processed, I guess I'm saying he's right, shhhh. They bleed it out INSTANTLY and thoroughly and soak it in salt water for a few days, rinsing and replacing the water each day. It really is good, eating things like this doesn't come naturally to me, but seriously now I can't say it has anything to do with the taste, it tastes good.

Knowing deer meat is not pumped up with hormones some how improves the taste for me. We enjoy the back strap, we wrap in bacon and grill it. Sometimes I make jerky out of it. Some of the roasts I also make into jerky. Everything else goes into "hamburger" and is used for chili. We've donated to some local events that are making chili, and to some families that are very pleased to receive it.

 

[mommahen10]

My chick that pipped yesterday morning, zipped a little yesterday afternoon is still at a stand still. It's zip connects to the tape applied a few days earlier. No other chicks are pipping, I did see one rocking yesterday evening. I'm getting really nervous. We've had more temp fluctuations with the furnace going out and I'm scared we've lost them all. I'm tempted to take the incubator to the bathroom and get it super steamy in there so I can open it and check on the one trying to hatch. But the temp is quite cooler in there so I think shrink wrapping the others would be a problem. I didn't want this to happen again. I haven't opened it at all.

 

[mikeksfarmer]

Havent been able to post for a few days. Danz wow thats an awesome chipmonk cage. Never seen one like that. Very cool. I work with a bunch of people from Kenya and they love to eat goats. Several are looking for Goats to eat now. I told them I would keep my eyes open for them. We have talked about various ways to cook them.
My mamma chicken that got off the eggs for a whole night ended up hatching 4 chicks. I am still so amazed.
My nighbor has a pond and had a pair of Muscovy ducks. The hen just got eaten, probably by a coon. He really wants a new hen or two. Any one know any one near Bonner Springs Kansas that has Muscovys for sale? I am sorry to hear so many of you are having sick chickens. I have never had to deal with a sick chicken except for fox injured, egg bound, or sour crop in 10 years. Any way I welcome any help on the ducks.
Thanks all!

 

[chicken danz]

I got some more eggs yesterday. Only about 10 brahma eggs and a dozen Breda fowl eggs from the same guy as before. I ended up spending another chunk of change on them. I did inspect the eggs and there are some shell problems. A little porous and one even had a hairline crack in it. I taped the crack hoping the egg hadn't become contaminated or dried out yet, but I normally just toss those porous shells. I have another dozen Breda eggs coming from California next week so hopefully between the two bunches and the one chick I hatched earlier I will have enough to start breeding some day. The brahma chicks I hatched earlier are doing quite well even if it was a poor hatch. I guess I will see what colors I have when they get older. It's kind of hard to tell at this point. Josie how are your little buff laced brahma chicks doing, anyway?
Mammahen I would think you could take the zipped egg out long enough to candle it and check it out. If the internal temps stay up in the eggs they will be fine. Just take the one egg out and close the incubator. If it is still viable then pop it back in there just as quickly. I open and close my incubators to add eggs or water. Yeah having a fairly constant outside temperature helps with an incubator. But I know people who keep them in an outside building or unheated garage and do fairly well. I'd be afraid to try it.
If I ever do get my enclosed deck added on though I intend to try my incubators out there. I figure I can set up a space heater on a thermostat to warm it a little at the coldest times. I am counting on the sun adding a lot of radiant heat to it.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Knowing deer meat is not pumped up with hormones some how improves the taste for me. We enjoy the back strap, we wrap in bacon and grill it. Sometimes I make jerky out of it. Some of the roasts I also make into jerky. Everything else goes into "hamburger" and is used for chili. We've donated to some local events that are making chili, and to some families that are very pleased to receive it.

Deer meat is gamey when you get an older buck like people who trophy hunt, which is not something I do, and the way you treat that animal as you process it. I am a meat hunter and go for young bucks and first and foremost a doe. A doe is tender and fresh and the best meat ever, no gamey flavor at all. I have fed it to people who swear they hate deer and they didnt even know that they were eating deer.. You can get around some of the gamey flavor from an old buck by other prep methods. I have been cooking it for a very long time.



Danz are you selling any of the porcelain? I have been looking..

 

[chicken danz]

Havent been able to post for a few days. Danz wow thats an awesome chipmonk cage. Never seen one like that. Very cool. I work with a bunch of people from Kenya and they love to eat goats. Several are looking for Goats to eat now. I told them I would keep my eyes open for them. We have talked about various ways to cook them. My mamma chicken that got off the eggs for a whole night ended up hatching 4 chicks. I am still so amazed. My nighbor has a pond and had a pair of Muscovy ducks. The hen just got eaten, probably by a coon. He really wants a new hen or two. Any one know any one near Bonner Springs Kansas that has Muscovys for sale? I am sorry to hear so many of you are having sick chickens. I have never had to deal with a sick chicken except for fox injured, egg bound, or sour crop in 10 years. Any way I welcome any help on the ducks. Thanks all!

Mike, Chickies-duckies-etc has lots of muscovies. I am sure she'd be thrilled to sell some. She lives over by Admire but they could take the turnpike and be there fairly quickly. She doesn't have a dependable vehicle so they would have to go to her. Send her a PM.
I never had sick chickens until last winter when the migratory birds were bringing in disease. They were starlings but this year I have found a few dead house sparrows around. I used to feed wild birds but am thinking it might not be wise. If I could control which ones come to eat I would be much happier. Of course I believe the warmer winter last year contributed to less virus and bacteria being killed off.
I'd never seen a cage quite like this one either but they are really loving it. Just grabbed some quick pictures. The screen hides the view with the camera.

 

[chicken danz]

Maidenwolf I won't have any porcelains until spring. Mine are just babies. All of my birds except 2 older pullets came from excellent lines so they should be SQ for the most part. I also have several lines so there shouldn't be in-breeding. I've noticed the SQ birds are much smaller than those you get from hatchery lines.

 

[mikeksfarmer]

Thanks Danz I will try to send a PM last one failed this old computer and dial up I have a question; how often does tape on a cracked eggs work? for hatching

 

[chicken danz]

I have dropped several eggs early on moving them or candling them and used scotch tape on them for at least 2 out of the 3 weeks and still had hatches. I don't think I have ever tried one from the beginning before. All you need to do is make sure the outside of the crack is sealed so the egg is protected from bacteria and drying out. Hawkeye has even used nail polish to mend hers and I think it may have worked. The chemicals there might worry me a little. The only thing I would caution is to make sure you are leaving room for the chick to pip. Those fish bags that let air in and don't let the water out work as well. Also onclusive bandages like they use on burn patients are great too but they are very costly. I think someone once mentioned using candle wax as well but of course you'd have to watch the temperature on that pretty carefully. You're a biologist so I am sure you could come up with all sorts of ideas to serve the purpose. The scotch tape is just the most common item to get your hands on.
I would guess maybe 50% of the time the tape works. It all depends I'm sure on the conditions, bacteria, the seal you get etc. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It certainly beats throwing an egg away if you have the room to hatch.

 

[Kansas Prairie]

My chick that pipped yesterday morning, zipped a little yesterday afternoon is still at a stand still. It's zip connects to the tape applied a few days earlier. No other chicks are pipping, I did see one rocking yesterday evening. I'm getting really nervous. We've had more temp fluctuations with the furnace going out and I'm scared we've lost them all. I'm tempted to take the incubator to the bathroom and get it super steamy in there so I can open it and check on the one trying to hatch. But the temp is quite cooler in there so I think shrink wrapping the others would be a problem. I didn't want this to happen again. I haven't opened it at all.

What kind of incubator do you have?