Kristen’s Chickens and Farming Ventures

[Kris5902]

Well, today when I can face the heat and sunshine again I’m going to be working on yet another meat bird tractor. Andrew and I have decided to get 15 more mature hens, Barred Rocks and maybe some others... we aren’t 100% decided yet, but apparently a BCMxBR will yield a sex link bird, so I could be producing those loacally for other people, which would be a third potential income stream from the chickens. I’m stewing up my cockerels for pot pies (broth and meat pulling). Tomorrow I will be candling the eggs in the incubator at day 7. Andrew is visiting a friend who will be moving (probably permanently) back to the east coast soon who he hasn’t seen in about three years, so I’m all on my own again.

Sunday I weed whacked the septic tank area of the abbatoir, and Monday we/I dug up the tank with the pump in it (it’s working, and why it’s buried under 2 feet of sewage sludge or why you would want to pump it uphill is completely beyond me). Now I will have to dig up the rest of the system to try and figure out what is wrong. Andrew can only observe and advise due to his recent pacemaker replacement. Hopefully I’ll have some pictures to share with you tomorrow of baby eggs!

 

[rjohns39]

Afternoon Kris

 

[Kris5902]

Afternoon it is “Bob”, right? I saw on another thread someone referred to you as John ... if I’ve had your name wrong all this time

 

[rjohns39]

Afternoon it is “Bob”, right? I saw on another thread someone referred to you as John ... if I’ve had your name wrong all this time

It's Bob. A lot of folks call me by my user ID.

 

[Kris5902]

Phew! I was worried there I had it wrong... that would’ve been embarrassing!

 

[Ribh]

Well, today when I can face the heat and sunshine again I’m going to be working on yet another meat bird tractor. Andrew and I have decided to get 15 more mature hens, Barred Rocks and maybe some others... we aren’t 100% decided yet, but apparently a BCMxBR will yield a sex link bird, so I could be producing those loacally for other people, which would be a third potential income stream from the chickens. I’m stewing up my cockerels for pot pies (broth and meat pulling). Tomorrow I will be candling the eggs in the incubator at day 7. Andrew is visiting a friend who will be moving (probably permanently) back to the east coast soon who he hasn’t seen in about three years, so I’m all on my own again.

Sunday I weed whacked the septic tank area of the abbatoir, and Monday we/I dug up the tank with the pump in it (it’s working, and why it’s buried under 2 feet of sewage sludge or why you would want to pump it uphill is completely beyond me). Now I will have to dig up the rest of the system to try and figure out what is wrong. Andrew can only observe and advise due to his recent pacemaker replacement. Hopefully I’ll have some pictures to share with you tomorrow of baby eggs!

Oh man. Septic systems can be the worst! Ours is pretty good. It was built to deal with a large family but my in~laws' one overflowed every time they had house guests stay. I must say I don't miss being on tank water & either no pressure or the vagaries of of a pump system I never understood so if it failed, I was screwed. When we finally moved onto town water the kids would bleed the hot water dry because they could use all the water they wanted. Nothing like a little deprivation to make some people over compensate!

 

[Kris5902]

When we finally moved onto town water the kids would bleed the hot water dry because they could use all the water they wanted. Nothing like a little deprivation to make some people over compensate!

I am so guilty of this too! So far I haven’t been able to run a hotel tank cold... but every time I get to stay in town I try to... if I’m stranded and have to pay for a room I might as well get my money’s worth in showering for as long as humanly possible I’ve been known to manage two loooong showers on one 9 hour stay. And if there’s a suite with a proper bath... I now have my favorite bath salts in my little toiletry bag, and that and clean clothes always accompany any day trip, just in case!

 

[Ribh]

I am so guilty of this too! So far I haven’t been able to run a hotel tank cold... but every time I get to stay in town I try to... if I’m stranded and have to pay for a room I might as well get my money’s worth in showering for as long as humanly possible I’ve been known to manage two loooong showers on one 9 hour stay. And if there’s a suite with a proper bath... I now have my favorite bath salts in my little toiletry bag, and that and clean clothes always accompany any day trip, just in case!

There are a lot of us so we put a water saving head on the shower. No~one was happy. My mother always complains after any of mine have visited because she has a regular head & my kids adore it. They all live in rentals who wisely put the saver heads on & they go ballistic @ hers. And she has super pressure too!

 

[Kris5902]

Ok, plans changed... egg candling has been bumped to tomorrow night, as the kidlet has school on Friday. Normally they do Monday-Thursday, but there was a Stat Holiday on Monday, so the kids do Tuesday-Friday this week instead.

I made stock yesterday and packed up the pulled meat this morning for the freezer. The stock is now reducing, and I got 5lbs 14oz of mostly dark meat cooked. The boys were a little too old and the leg meat is a bit too toothsome for baking or frying, but this is the best broth I’ve ever done! Granted I will have to haul my pots down to the laundry to wash them, as I don’t have a big enough sink up here. I’m sure me trying to strain the broth with my giant pots in my mini kitchen was quite a sight.

In about an hour I’m planning on bicycling down to the far field to see if I can get some “big bird” pics... there was a lot of noise from the sheep out there last night when I was putting up the Chickens, so I investigated and found a dead ewe from yesterday afternoon or early evening. They will probably have most of it cleaned up by tonight.

 

[rjohns39]

Afternoon Kris I don't have time right now, but remind to tell you my stock story. It's a bit long. And if you'd like my recipe at the end happy to provide it. Also to avoid straining, look into soup socks. If you wash them, you can get about three uses out of them. I don't, I just toss them.