Dixie Chicks

[NotAFarm]

Love the clothesline picture. No laundry today!

The picture doesn't do it justice! Each of the lines has about 5 inches of snow attached. I have never seen anything like it. They are like super sized swimming pool noodles! Very cool looking!

I didn't even open the coop door today, just turned the lights on for them and gave them their fermented grains. I'll go out later and give them some sprouts. I put two bags of shredded leaves in the coop last night to give them something to do today.

 

[NotAFarm]

Nice pics NAF
Looks like that here

Thanks, Hen!

My DH put one of the pictures on the desktop. I said we can look out the window and see that, put on a picture of something warm and sunny!!

 

[vehve]

Hiya!

I just put the eggs straight from chicken butt (via nest and scale) to the egg skelter. No washing in between, if there's a loose piece of poop I might scrub it off with some tissue, but that's it. Then they sit on the counter in room temperature. The longest I've kept our own has been maybe 3 weeks, due to our low production, but I've eaten store bought eggs kept in room temperature about 2-4 months after they've been laid. Good thing about eggs is that you can tell when they've gone bad. If the eggs are older, I crack them individually in a glass before using them just to be safe. But then we're talking eggs laid over a month ago.

In other news, checked the mail today and noticed Sam's seeds and the first nipple package had arrived. Thank you Sam!

I also continued with my waterer, but when I made the holes in the bottom, there was some glue that hadn't dried (or something similar) there. I think the propellant in the PU foam has reacted with the glue and kept it from drying. I'll let it cure before continuing with the build.

 

[BriardChickens]

Good morning!  Happy Super Bowl Sunday! 

DH and little girl had a good time at the dance    We have not got hit by the blizzard they have been calling for-yet.  

I have been busy putting together a prepper list for my pantry.  We used most all we had last year with the electric and water outage for a week.  Just found out this morning that Hard cheeses encased well in wax can last 25 years!  But they say it is hard to find.  Pretty sure Jungle Jim's or Trader Joe's will have it.

Getting ready for work.  Last day of my 7 day stretch! e  

@BriardChickens
, How's it going?  Gas prices went up a bit here and I resisted the urge to complain-- thinking of you .  Have a good day.

Hope everyone is doing good.

Temperatures took another dip, -28c again this morning. Less then a month to go and we are heading for the sun!

Gas prices are still low, I think the dollar still hasn't come up. Filled up the truck for 76c a liter the other day.

We had an appraiser do an appraisal on our property. It came back lower then expected which then makes our construction budget lower. Crunching numbers again, hopefully we still get to built... Stressful times..

 

[minihorse927]

Hope everyone is doing good.

Temperatures took another dip, -28c again this morning. Less then a month to go and we are heading for the sun!

Gas prices are still low, I think the dollar still hasn't come up. Filled up the truck for 76c a liter the other day.

We had an appraiser do an appraisal on our property. It came back lower then expected which then makes our construction budget lower. Crunching numbers again, hopefully we still get to built... Stressful times..

oop, brrrr. At least the gas is cheap! Huddle down and start warm.

We've been given the opportunity to purchase the last of a friends flock of anconas and we are doing it. We are excited to add a chocolate pair, another blue, and 2 more blacks to our breeding program.

We are preparing here to@Outpost JWB we think we've got everything but need to go get some gas for the generator. I've got those expensive eggs in the incubator and I'm not chancing losing them! We'll get through if we get lots of snow. If things get to bad we will fire up our bulldozer and make our own way out.

 

[chickwhispers]

I haven't yet eaten a black chicken......


I actually think it would be fun to do at least once..

If anything happens to my silkies I'll ship them to you.

I can see it now.... Helmets for silkeys....

I was thinking the same thing. An upside down individual yogurt container with foam inside and straps!

Thanks! We love or birds, but after they pass they are chicken. At least we know ours had a good life before the end.

And he went out chasing tail, lol... What a way to go!

So Sorry about your loss. Such a great way to look at it!

Great score @perchie.girl !!!

X2! Awesome!

Culling, when do you Cull or decide not to Cull


Culling can be one of the least favorite aspects of chicken keeping for many ppl. Everyone has a different reason to cull or decision as to why they will not cull. What direction do you want your flock to go? Why would you decide to cull an animal in your flock? When you decide to make the decision to cull how do you go about it? If your culling for temperament what do you look for in an animal that you feel needs to be culled? What is a cullable behavior offense for you?
Are you breeding to Standard? Do you have a personal objective in mind for your flock that you specifically cull for? Besides genetic issues what other reasons would you cull for in your standards of birds you want to keep for breeders?
Are you culling your birds for weakness either in body type or to do with health? What about the misfits in your flock do you keep them or do you decide to cull them for your flock? Do you cull for not just your idea of standard but also how they may or may not integrate into your flock? Whatever your reason for culling ot not culling I'm interested in hearing what your thoughts are over the matter please share

So far we have culled for roos, birth defects and injury. And yesterday we culled for illness. My hen Naomi was getting worse by the day and was staring to be in noticeable pain. I believe she may have had egg yolk periotonis and not egg bound. Tomorrow I want to do a necropsy on her.

Duh... I just had one of those moments, lol... Thanx, Jem... I was trying to figure out how to get cat food to stick to the lever (we only feed ours dry food), and it finally clicked... canned cat food... I'll get some tomorrow to try...

We had a possum up on the deck a few years ago and used a live trap with dry cat food. For the trap if you want to set it today use your dry cat food moistened with a little water and oil.


@tntchix So sorry for you loss.

I have 2 silkies right now and plan on getting more. Lucie and Ethyl used to be inseparable but now they don't nest or roost together anymore. so I pay extra attention to them. I let them do their thing but make sure they stay warm. I am worried about the upcoming lows forcasted (-8 midweek) but the coop is generally 10 degrees warmer. So

.

@NotAFarm Awesome pictures! Love the clothesline! I love snow pictures. I will have some from here as well.

Wow took me so long to catch up!

@hennible and the rest of the "midnight writers" I have a really hard time keep up with BYC let alone the "pen" gang. So if you don't see me it's because i've already konked out for the night! Sorry!

I know y'all will have a great time! Don't forget: practice safe text.

 

[Amberjem]

@BriardChickens have missed you!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
when I get started processing birds I am going to take a class to learn the ins and outs and get me through the first processing experience. From there I will buy the tools that I think I need.

I am somewhat handicapped I get about with a walker and when it comes time I will have no help because I live alone. For those reasons I suspect using a Cone and a good sharp knife that can be sterilized in the dishwasher. I will probably buy my first couple of cones. and set the whole thing up so I can work from a seated position.

I am planning on "eventually" creating my own cones using HDPE (High density Polyethylene) in sheet form. It is food grade and can be cut with good sharp shears... and opened up flat for a good cleaning.

There are sites to look into processing of all kinds Its essential to have a very sharp knife and to not be hesitant.

deb

 

[Ravynscroft]

Wow, I missed a lot, lol...

So, Silkie meat tastes like chicken... It is really good, actually... richer flavor than regular, and definitely better than anything store bought, lol...

NAF, awesome pics... stay warm!

Yay, Felix, glad your seeds got to you... and thanks for the peasant cheese recipe, gonna have to try it as Jim loves anything 'cheese like', lol...

JW12, that is a great system you got going... Robin Hood, lol...

Chickwhispers, I am not gonna relocate these possums, the one I already shot was one I had done that with and she came back... these are going after my juveniles, so I am giving no quarter, lol...

Amberjem, we raise for meat and eggs, so we cull for food... we have pures and mutts, so any that don't meet standards go in with the mutts for eggs, or we try to rehome, we won't kill/cull just cuz they don't fit... but they will be first to go to the soup pot if we need the meat... quality of life is the other, we won't allow a bird to suffer in any way.... we have a crossbeak who is happy and healthy other than the beak, so he is our little mascot... have never had any sick, so not had that yet (knock on wood)...


Phew, that was a lot... I know I missed things, sorry... :/

Hope everyone is doing well and staying warm and dry! Raining and very windy here, blech...

 

[Outpost JWB]

I will add the eggs that we eat and from what everyone else says only stay around two weeks at the most before they are eaten. So I don't know how long they would last in the fridge fixed like that.

Me personally I wouldn't eat anything that has been sitting around for months. Blech!

Yea, that is what I meant by

. I seen a lady who coats hers in mineral oil and keeps them unrefrigerated at room temperature for 6 months on one of those Doomsday Preppers shows. I wash my eggs if they are dirty and they go to the frig, otherwise they go in a basket on my counter sitting at room temp for one week max. Every Sunday, the leftover eggs in the basket (if there are any) get washed and put in the frig for sale. I only get $2.50 a dozen. I work in a ritzy part of town too, but sometimes it's like pulling teeth to get paid. I have had customers not pay me, so I don't bring more eggs for them until they do. But it is really ridiculous to me. If they went to the grocery, I couldn't tell the person behind the meat counter that I will pay him later.....? Much easier to sell from the front door.