Granny's gone and done it again

[Cynthia12]

My pop up ads settled down. I had one pop up saying a virus had been detected. Must have taken care ifof it. I already had a virus protector on it but A few months ago Bronwyn said I needed the one she had and put it on for me.

 

[SourRoses]

Morning, youns. Time for chicken chores. Gonna leave them confined to the large runs today, I believe. Just to make sure everyone is using the nests. About time for the lavender pullets to start laying, I'm thinking, they are right at 16 weeks. Usually I turn them out to free range about this time of day. Going to be very nice this week, low 80's, low humidity.

Last night DH and I went out and put yellow bands on three big fellas we are pretty sure are cockerels that have been running with gen. pop. and the lavender pullets. Not sure what to do with them. If I put them in with the other five cockerels I may have a blood bath. But even though they are very large and imposing looking, they seem to be all feathers! Not much meat there for the freezer .... idk.

With the breeds involved in the Lavs, you may be waiting a while longer, unless you're seeing signs? Are they finished growing their adult feathers out?

We culled 3 cockerels the day before Moms surgery since she wouldn't be able for a while. They were nowhere near meaty enough to do anything with, so we just disposed of the bodies. I feel guilty for the waste when we do that, since lives were lost, but processing is hard work + time and sometimes your flock just needs less drama and you need less feed waste more than the principle of the thing.
In the past, I've had some success just putting an add on craigslist for free half grown cockerels. Some really poor folks appreciate that they're so much closer to finishing and they can feed them for a few weeks or months and then process. At our previous location we had a local who was grateful for every one, so that made it seem less like a waste to have fed the birds that long. But after a year the guy starting asking us to grow them out all the way for him, his wife didn't like all the crowing... so we had to say "sorry, not possible".

 

[h2oratt]

Good morning!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Hello

 

[BigBlueHen53]

People eat quail and that’s really not much meat!!! LOL

True dat! Good point, thanks. They are starting to bully the lavender pullets, the smallest, sweetest one in particular.

With the breeds involved in the Lavs, you may be waiting a while longer, unless you're seeing signs? Are they finished growing their adult feathers out?

I don't think so. They are really hard for me to sex! They are a completely uniform color all over. No red shoulder patches, for example. And they don't hold still, lol! The five in the cockerel pen are easy, it's a small pen and I can stand and study them as long as I want, so I can see a few sickle feathers on one or two .... saddle feathers on another ... hackles on another. None have ALL the male feathers, but all have some. The Wild Ones, as I call them .. much harder.

We culled 3 cockerels the day before Moms surgery since she wouldn't be able for a while. They were nowhere near meaty enough to do anything with, so we just disposed of the bodies. I feel guilty for the waste when we do that, since lives were lost, but processing is hard work + time and sometimes your flock just needs less drama and you need less feed waste more than the principle of the thing.

Even if they don't have much meat, they will still make broth, so I won't consider them a waste.

In the past, I've had some success just putting an add on craigslist for free half grown cockerels. Some really poor folks appreciate that they're so much closer to finishing and they can feed them for a few weeks or months and then process. At our previous location we had a local who was grateful for every one, so that made it seem less like a waste to have fed the birds that long. But after a year the guy starting asking us to grow them out all the way for him, his wife didn't like all the crowing... so we had to say "sorry, not possible".

I have only heard one or two half-hearted crow attempts and I actually like it anyway so no problem. No neighbors out here!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I see saddle feathers on this guy....

... . And either hackles or sickles on these four. These are the ones in the cockerel pen. If anyone sees an obvious pullet in this group, please let me know, but I am about 100% sure on these guys.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'll try to get individual pics of the other four.

 

[Bonkerelli]

any pictures?

I actually don't. I lived it for about 3 years and partially for an additional 3. Currently not anymore.

My family built a place but it was roughing it for awhile. Eventually did get solar power. I remember that during the winter the pipes froze and had to fetch water 1/4 mile down the road to gravity feed from our cistern. We had to make several trips to fill up a 2nd water system in the house (that was not frozen), because the water jugs we only had were the 5 gallons.

Once I met and married my husband, we lived in a log cabin for our first 3 years. No insulation, no heat, no cooling system and no dryer. We hiked in for a about 1/4 of a mile to get to the cabin in the winter. Peak winter and summer were the worst. Power would frequently go out.

Sounds good but ... where is the artichoke in this recipe? Do you use the stuff that comes in the glass jar?


I did an egg wash on mine, one egg and a tsp of cream. But the bread really expanded in the oven so part of the bread does not show the dark color from the egg wash where the braid opened up. I used sesame seeds.

I do use the canned artichokes. Though I make my own mayo.

 

[Bonkerelli]

so where are the artichokes in this recipe ??

They are canned artichoke hearts. You can use half or whole sized

 

[ShrekDawg]

True dat! Good point, thanks. They are starting to bully the lavender pullets, the smallest, sweetest one in particular.


I don't think so. They are really hard for me to sex! They are a completely uniform color all over. No red shoulder patches, for example. And they don't hold still, lol! The five in the cockerel pen are easy, it's a small pen and I can stand and study them as long as I want, so I can see a few sickle feathers on one or two .... saddle feathers on another ... hackles on another. None have ALL the male feathers, but all have some. The Wild Ones, as I call them .. much harder.


Even if they don't have much meat, they will still make broth, so I won't consider them a waste.

I have only heard one or two half-hearted crow attempts and I actually like it anyway so no problem. No neighbors out here!

You’re welcome!!!! LOL