Kat’s Journey into Chicken Keeping

[LaFemmeKatia]

Any plans for today ?

Well, I am going to the gym. I’ve been going to the gym since January. Gotta stay strong for my chickens.
After that, I think I am going to Walmart. I am looking to purchase some canning equipment. I want to start with water canning, tomatoes, etc.
My mother and grandmother were avid canners, and although I canned some tomatoes years ago, I never got into it.
I have been watching instructional videos on canning on YouTube.
Does anyone here can food?

 

[Grammy60]

Well, I am going to the gym. I’ve been going to the gym since January. Gotta stay strong for my chickens.
After that, I think I am going to Walmart. I am looking to purchase some canning equipment. I want to start with water canning, tomatoes, etc.
My mother and grandmother were avid canners, and although I canned some tomatoes years ago, I never got into it.
I have been watching instructional videos on canning on YouTube.
Does anyone here can food?

Bob does

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Bob does

Advice will be appreciated!

 

[Grammy60]

Advice will be appreciated!

He said he will pop over in a bit, he's working

 

[rjohns39]

Kat, I like this website a lot. They are very good and thorough. https://pickyourown.org/canning_tomatoes.htm

Be wary of some of the YouTube channels as some color WAY outside the lines. I too color outside the lines but I also understand the risks and how to mitigate them. I do both water bath and pressure canning. And I do some canning without either (risky).

If you're looking for a water bath canner, bigger is better. You an always finish filling it with jars of water and the truth be told, the long pole in the canning process is getting the water to a boil.

If you have questions, fire away or feel free to PM me if you' rather do that.

 

[drstratton]

Good morning to all my friends!
I am determined to be in a happy mood today even though it’s dark, damp, and gloomy AGAIN!
I swear the sun is on strike!

Good morning Kat! That's a good attitude to have. Hopefully the sun will come out soon!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Just when I think my life is too boring, sh!t happens.
My ducks. Remember my ducks?
The ones who I nurtured and fed and pampered, and then when they grew up they left home?????
Well, we have neighbors, a retired couple, who built a home on the land behind ours. They have a little homestead going on there, with Pekin ducks, geese, goats, two little donkeys...
Well the guy brought me a coffee can filled with eggs. Not unusual, because they give me eggs from their ducks all the time, and I give them chicken eggs.
Except these eggs are not from their ducks.
Apparently, MY ducks made TWO NESTS in their donkeys’ shed and laid 17 eggs!
The neighbor said the ladies aren’t sitting on the nests however.
So...

I put them in cartons for safe keeping. Then off to TSC I went, and I came home with THIS
What else can I do???
They are my grandchildren!

So now Hubs and I are putting it together and pouring over directions.
I never did this before, and I never really wanted to.
(But they are our grandchildren!)

Any and all advice will be appreciated.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Kat, I like this website a lot. They are very good and thorough. https://pickyourown.org/canning_tomatoes.htm

Be wary of some of the YouTube channels as some color WAY outside the lines. I too color outside the lines but I also understand the risks and how to mitigate them. I do both water bath and pressure canning. And I do some canning without either (risky).

If you're looking for a water bath canner, bigger is better. You an always finish filling it with jars of water and the truth be told, the long pole in the canning process is getting the water to a boil.

If you have questions, fire away or feel free to PM me if you' rather do that.

Thank you! I plan to do both eventually. I figure I’ll start with water canning to get my feet wet. I always have access to tomatoes!

 

[drstratton]

Just when I think my life is too boring, sh!t happens.
My ducks. Remember my ducks?
The ones who I nurtured and fed and pampered, and then when they grew up they left home?????View attachment 2575223View attachment 2575224View attachment 2575225
Well, we have neighbors, a retired couple, who built a home on the land behind ours. They have a little homestead going on there, with Pekin ducks, geese, goats, two little donkeys...
Well the guy brought me a coffee can filled with eggs. Not unusual, because they give me eggs from their ducks all the time, and I give them chicken eggs.
Except these eggs are not from their ducks.
Apparently, MY ducks made TWO NESTS in their donkey’s shed and laid 17 eggs!
The neighbor said the ladies aren’t sitting on the nests however.
So...
View attachment 2575236View attachment 2575237View attachment 2575238
I put them in cartons for safe keeping. Then off to TSC I went, and I came home with THIS
View attachment 2575242What else can I do???
They are my grandchildren!

So now Hubs and I are putting it together and pouring over directions.
I never did this before, and I never really wanted to.
(But they are our grandchildren!)

Any and all advice will be appreciated.

It's been many, many years since we hatched chicks. It was a very simple setup. Just follow the directions that came with your incubator, rotate the eggs & keep the temp and humidity where they need to be. I hope you have a good hatch...I'm excited for you!

 

[cavemanrich]

I'm following this other thread that is duck hatching. Less than IDEAL results .

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/first-time-with-an-incubator.1447531/

You may want to go over those posts. @aart gave some good info of possible reasons for problems.

The better you inform yourself,,, the better results are possible.