Mahonri's 3rd Annual, BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[LarryPQ]

OMG those pictures are soooooooooo coool. I love that sorta stuff.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Michelle, I don't know of anyone around where I live who processes (probably are plenty but I don't know my neighbors all that well) so I learned by going to an internet site. If you have done a chicken, I find turkeys even easier. There is a lot more room inside to work your hands in to get the innards out. If you google butchering a turkey, there are plenty of sites and I am sure there are plenty of videos.

We learned out of an old issue of backyard poultry. They had nice pictures and decent directions. There's a few good youtube videos too.

Home from work, got the chickens shoveled out more (boyfriend did most of that), changed everyone's food/water, scraped poo, tended to my seedlings... is it bedtime yet?

 

[LarryPQ]

Turkeys are easier to process, but harder to kill. One almost took shane out once, hence his rule that he have two helpers. A big tom clawed him across the throat, and I think it scared him a little.

 

[The Chickeneer]

Someone has to watch the kids. NO ONE volunteers for that.

so true!

 

[ChestnutRidge]

Those photos are soooooooooo cool ! I wish I could read the article!

Hmm. Just so you know, the whole article isn't about the pictures but trying to preserve eggs with salt water. I'm going to throw the dice and go ahead and put it up on my Google Docs so you can read it if you want.

This morning's snow (it's already melting):


Chicken coop. They refused to come out!

That's just beautiful, buckabucka: your land, your trees, the snow, the greenhouses, your little trail, the wood siding on your coop, the sweet coop and mini-greenhouse...

Gorgeous place you've got there.

 

[Arielle]

I showed my DH the examples and said, "Help me think of something!" He said, "Does it have to be G-rated?"

"YES!", I said. Him, "Sorry, you're on your own."

(catching up)

 

[superchemicalgirl]

We have a new contest for week three!!

Crazypetlady's Poultry Short Story Contest WEEK THREE CONTEST
Write a less than 500 word short story regarding and starring poultry. You must include a picture or a drawing of one, some or all of the characters. Post your short story on the hatching thread and PM it to crazypetlady between 31 March and 6 April. A BYC poll will be made with the entries for voting. This contest is open to hatchers and non-hatchers, alike.
Prize: 6+ serama hatching eggs courtesy of crazypetlady!


Hopefully you guys have found at least one contest and prize that interests you. Thanks again to everyone offering prizes and sponsoring contests.

 

[Arielle]

Laree, you know I love you,but I have freak turkeys (and some artificial motivation). 3 of my turkeys started laying in December (or maybe November, I should have written it down.)
I have a midget white who gives me about an egg a week, a royal palm who lays daily, and of the 5 blue slate hens in the pen with the Tom I get 1 or 2 eggs a day.
They are in a heated environment, usually about 60*, and they have added "daylight" and, as I've said before (insert broken record sound effect) they get cayenne pepper in their feed. I have yet to try this on a bird near laying age and it NOT work. It works every time. I don't put in every time I fill the feeder (I forget sometimes) but I usually manage to remember every second or third bag. But it's easy, inexpensive and worth a shot.
I'm spoiled and have a super-deluxe barn, but it's Alaska and hauling water in the cold sucks. The barn was kept at a much lower temp, between 45 - 50*, for most of the winter, I only turned it up when I fired up the incubator.
Of the 5 turkey eggs I set, 4 hatched.

Nice hatch rate!!!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

And just as a reminder, we have plenty of contests open THIS VERY MINUTE... don't forget to check out our contest page.

1. CayuseRanch's

Total Number of Eggs Set Contest
2. Kathyinmo's

Calendar Photo Contest
3. Notafarm's

An Opportune Time Award (if you're participating in the thread, you're automatically entered)
4. Notinoz2007's

Random Entrant Award (if you're participating in the thread, you're automatically entered)
5. The Sheriff's

Egg Art Contest

 

[Arielle]

I thought you guys might like to see this. It's from this article, but I'm not sure where you can see the whole article. I am poking around on my university's online database.


ETA: The outside of the shell is on the bottom, and that netting-type stuff is the inside membrane.

THought this was the White Cliffs of Dover!!