INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[SallyinIndiana]

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Loved this post! I have learned to grind a lotta stuff to make it more workable. We do homemade summer sausage with the hogs, and DH is building a smoker so we don't have to borrow his buddy's lol. Its so very much better in flavor, you can adjust seasoning and spices.. regrind for firmer sausage etc. So many things to try! I am dying to try mozzarella with the goat milk this year, so far, looks like both does are expecting too!

Have you picked out any recipes for the mozzarella cheese yet? I was thinking of trying to get something together to attempt a batch next weekend. The weather is not looking favorable for a trip to Salem's festival so why not make cheese?

Wade has made mozzarella cheese for us in the past. If you want, I can ask if he'd show you.

That sounds great. I can wait till I have goats milk as from what I have read, store bought milk does not make the best cheese. I can bring him all the extra milk too as I know you both like it.

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One last post... Some of us are so intrigued by our poultry, waterfowl and livestock we have begun looking at other breeds. If you open your mind to whats out there, a lot of good heritage breed animals have been forgotten. Some of us are making an effort to keep and preserve even one of them. Here is a list from the Livestock Conservancy that may trigger a breed you didn't know about, and might consider keeping.
http://www.livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/conservation-priority-list
If you have a desire to add to your flock, or your farm, why not take a look? After looking at this 2 years ago, Midget White Turkey became a priority for me. Household sizes are dwindling, and a smaller bird is easier to cook, frequently. They are exceptional at free ranging and foraging, and keep easier, like an average chicken, just bigger! Its not the same to process a younger turkey, I wont go into the details but a heritage poult is still developing bones, not muscle until they reach 8 months to a year old.
Modern game became of interest to me last year thanks to @bradselig and I adore them. I currently only keep bantam.

A big X2 here! I picked Mottled Javas as the heritage breed I want to work with, and am very happy with them. I also have MW turkeys and will be working with Jchny2000 and others to make sure we have a sustainable flock of them in the Indy area. It is very rewarding to know you are stewarding a piece of history (and still getting eggs in the bargain!) I'll admit to having my share of 'modern' breeds too, but If I had to reduce to just one breed, I'd make sure it was one of the heritage breeds that need preserving.
I got my Heritage RIR after being so disappointed with the hatchery RIR and realizing that there was a large difference between buying from a show quality flock instead of the feed store. Now the only feed store or hatchery chicks I buy are the ones I plan to sell as started chicks.

Beef fat and pork fat are both really great for making soap! If you can get it from the butcher go for it! When your soap recipe calls for oil use your rendered fat!!!

I know I have seen recipes out there for 100% of the oils being lard or tallow but is there a good mix of oils to use with the tallow? I'm thinking it will be less than a week before I just have to test out the tallow. Right now I have two different requests for the soap. My boy wants me to make him a special batch of soap that is just for him. He wants blue soap but I'm thinking I'll try and talk him into brown. Brown is easier to get by adding a bit of honey and vanilla. Kind of funny as I have come across a dye to use with the honey to keep the soap white as many people like it.
Then there is my DH that would like the soap to be as moisturizing as possible but still hard as can be too.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Well, I think this morning will result in me having lavender roos with combs as smooth as a baby's bottom. I have heat, but not enough heat for subzero for this many days, and I just keep seeing more black and gray. It's really a shame. I should have taken more photos of the boys in the fall, but they were still babies then (late May hatch). Ugh.

People who show must spend a fortune on electricity to keep enough heat to 100% protect those combs.

I am frozen half solid myself, and need to go throw more straw out there. I have to warm back up before I go back out there again! One waterer is frozen and there isn't a ****** thing I can do about it except give them fresh water every hour. I can't even open it, it's frozen shut, even with all the exterior ice chipped away.

I did not sign up to live in Outer Siberia. I can't wait until we retire and can move further south!!! I'll take an occasional ice storm in exchange for all these months of subfreezing weather.

Sorry to carry on, but I know all of you have got to be frozen, too, unless you have completely heated coops/barns. And if you do, are you robbing banks to pay the bills to heat them these last two winters?

You aren't kidding! I completely understand how you are feeling. Its already down to 10 degrees here, and the suns still up. I am starting to see frostbit combs. I don't heat coops, but many of my flocks are still free range during the day. Even with this cold they are out and about. So far, its in the large single comb breeds like the WL, RIR. After trying to protect the combs with vaseline last season, I decided against it, seemed to cause more harm than good. I am doing water changes 3x a day to make sure they have it!
For me, the drastic temp swings is difficult to manage with a little arthritis in my hands. I also think its caused a lot of issues with my birds in the last week or so. ITs also really delaying getting my ducks and geese separated for breeding, grounds too froze to set posts!

i viewed the livestock consrvatory link of endangered animals - we have a few Chanteclers & 1 Delaware (both on the list) - i was suprised that Iowa Blues weren't listed - maybe since they arent an officially recognized breed by the APA .

Oh that's great you have thise breeds! I am surprised the IB aren't APA.

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I had watched an emu hatch last year on a live cam someone on BYC had set up. It was just thrilling to watch!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Out of ovations so

excellent post!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Winter seems so long and cold this month. I keep looking at the forecast hoping for spring temps. I don't remember it being this cold before last year. Snow sure but not so many negative temps days and nights. I surely don't remember thinking why is spring not even in the forecast. We had the chickens in the winter of 2012/2013 and they had standard waterers. Still I did not crave spring that season like I have these past 2 winters.

 

[bradselig]

Total of 3 silkies and 3 showgirls! I had 100% development on these shipped eggs (bought 6, received 8, all 8 made it to lockdown). It looks like only 6 will hatch, but can't complain! Here are 2 of the 3 little uglies!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Winter seems so long and cold this month. I keep looking at the forecast hoping for spring temps. I don't remember it being this cold before last year. Snow sure but not so many negative temps days and nights. I surely don't remember thinking why is spring not even in the forecast. We had the chickens in the winter of 2012/2013 and they had standard waterers. Still I did not crave spring that season like I have these past 2 winters.

Agreed, I don't enjoy winter a bit. I love to be outside! I know we had a bad cold snap last year, think it was Feb also. Being cooped up inside has me bored to death

We got our campground letter today, water will be turned on & trash pickup resumes April 11th so I am really excited about that! Dying to go fishing this year.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Total of 3 silkies and 3 showgirls! I had 100% development on these shipped eggs (bought 6, received 8, all 8 made it to lockdown). It looks like only 6 will hatch, but can't complain! Here are 2 of the 3 little uglies!

oh my, how precious!

 

[Skunkspit]

Cheers Hoosiers . I am new to BYC and new to Indiana! I have 9 girls and Roger, the infamous rooster. They are Amber Whites. We just settled north of Terre Haute, in the Otter Creek area, and I would be willing to host or drive somewhere to meet up with BYC folks. Do you all ever get together?

 

[bradselig]

Cheers Hoosiers . I am new to BYC and new to Indiana! I have 9 girls and Roger, the infamous rooster. They are Amber Whites. We just settled north of Terre Haute, in the Otter Creek area, and I would be willing to host or drive somewhere to meet up with BYC folks. Do you all ever get together?

Welcome! The last 2 years we have held an Indiana Chickenfest with plans of another this year. More details can be found on this thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/909604/indiana-bycers-chickenfest-2015

It is being held in northern indiana this year with plans for a southern chickenfest next year. We have changed the location each year to try and make it so everyone has a chance to attend.

 

[Skunkspit]

Wow! This sounds great! Sounds like a good time for sightseeing . Thanks for the quick response!