Maine

[hoppy]

if you have something unique or of quality you will be able to sell eggs and babies.

They were sold to me from a Sanford swap. I spoke to the man on the phone and he said they were blue IR. They are not. It is the second time someone thought they could trick me. I told him he didn't sell me the right bird and he got offended so I kept them and have not had good things to say about him since. Word of mouth still has some power. My gf down there picked them up for, as this was shortly after I moved, and she brought them up to the new house. They are alright. I like ducks. I don't like... tricksters. I am sure they will lay lots of nice eggs. I just have to satisfy bf's decree that the animals have to make money here. I fear I will lose most this way but if I pare things down to the one or two breeds I really want to work with then that might be kosher. I had hoped to sell eggs but there are so many people here already doing so. Its too bad. I have a lovely arrangement of colors. I was just missing the Marans and the OE... I have Marans now but still not OE. Or Langshan. But they are hard enough to get much less get good eggs out of so ... by the wayside. Did I mention that my Welsummers are laying very lovely speckled eggs? I really enjoy the many shapes and colors of the birds too.

 

[Gallina Sarda]

Gallina Sarda, Yes, sorry I didn't use your pen name.  How's the hoop house working for you?  Is it just tarped, or insulated?  How are the girls doing?  If you're interested in sharing an order in the spring, give me a yell.  Am planning to share an order with a gal from Orrington, most likely early March from m mc.  She's well experienced, has the usual poultry plus guineas and peacocks.  My wish list is 2 each Dominiques, Australorpes, and preferably Ameraucanas (but will settle for EE), realizing that true Ameraucanas are scarcer than hen's teeth (pardon the pun) unless you know a breeder.  Also amused with the idea of making an incubator just for the challenge (have a friend with the standard styrofoam unit).  Would be a great learning project for myself and the kids. I have plans to build a 4x8 double decker tractor, plus a smaller more mobile 4x8 that will stand alone (great over raised bed) or attach to larger tractor.  I built a cattle pannel 8x8 hoop house with 4 mil poly this fall, and am very pleased with how that is working.  May add an other to provide winter run space for birds next fall.  Am big into deep mulching gardens and see eggs as a by product of having a good source of organic fertilizer, mulch, and pest control.  not to mention the entertainment value.  Currently researching the topic to death.

Hey LazyG, the hoop house is working out really well so far. I have it covered with a greenhouse poly then tarped. I've made it so only the upper third is "permanently" affixed to the hoop house framing so I can roll it up as needed. So far I haven't had any problems with draftiness. I also seem to have adequate ventilation. I put down a really nice layer of pine shavings and plenty of dried maple leaves inside the coop. They seem to be doing a great job of shredding it all up. We put the hoop house on an unused deck so I won't be having to worry about a muddy coop in the spring and predators won't be able to dig under unless very very determined! I also wrapped the hoop house in welded wire - again to keep predators at bay. The girls and Hamlet the Roo seem to be fine. I find them on their roost in the morning all snuggled up. My B-in-L has a coop in hampden built of wood and his is also uninsulated. He's has his flock several years with no problems as far as cold. I did buy a water heater platform thingy fromTSC and it has worked really well so far. Per someone else's idea here on BYC, i made a poop board to collect their poo for composting. It is working out really well. Are you doing the deep litter method? Thanks for the sharing an order offer, I would love to! As far as an incubator - there are tons of great plans here but I think I might like to let a broody hen do the work for me! Do you think youll build your own or purchase one? also have you seen the info on Dry Incubating on BYC - it is a very interesting article right here on byc. Maybe I should get a Silkie, I hear they are great moms . How many girls do you have & what kinds?
Take care,
Melinda.

 

[joanie_maine]

Even though I wasn't at the meeting, I guess I should chime in......

If you are, or are about to be a club member, please remember that the club has a Facebook page, which I understand is now "Club Approved".

https://www.facebook.com/CentralMaineBirdFanciers?ref=hl

 

[hoppy]

and the page has been approved to post our for sale items and poultry wants as well.

Even though I wasn't at the meeting, I guess I should chime in......

If you are, or are about to be a club member, please remember that the club has a Facebook page, which I understand is now "Club Approved".

https://www.facebook.com/CentralMaineBirdFanciers?ref=hl

 

[ashandvine]

rumor has it that the cage is coming back for the next meeting.

I still wouldn't have the truck. The van maybe... but that is a huge gas hog and terrible in the snow.

if you have something unique or of quality you will be able to sell eggs and babies.

Uh huh. I hope you are right. I want to clarify: I have nothing good to say about tricksters, not the ducks. The way I wrote it before it sounded like I didn't like the ducks. They are fine. I just resent being tricked and that taints my feelings about them a little bit. Which brings me to meat ducks. My intentions are to get Saxonies with Widget but so many people have Pekins. Anyone know what the reasons are to have one over the other??

 

[annabananaandfamily]

I wpuld love to try eating duck someday. Where does one buy duck? And how do you cook one?

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I wpuld love to try eating duck someday. Where does one buy duck? And how do you cook one?

You can buy a duck at Emery's Market on the corner of 17 and Church Hill Road in Disgusta.

They're delicious just baked with some olive oil and butter on the skin with salt, pepper and garlic. Or, you can grow your own! This is one of my Pekins, it was very delicious.

 

[Keric]

We raised rouens. They look like mallards but they are a meat breed. Very yummy!! We got them from a hatchery. Very greasy to pluck though! wow!

 

[Mainechick168]

I love duck. I have never cooked it myself though. Has anyone ever been to Duckfat ( restaurant) in Portland? I want to go...I hear lots of awesome things about it...like french fries cooked in duck fat!!

Someone mentioned seed catalogues! I got my Johnny's not long ago...I'll place an order soonish, I missed out on my favorite potatoes last year...won't happen again! I looove love love browsing the pages on a snowy day- imagining how the garden will be laid out next spring... speaking of which- I'm going to experiment with lettuce on my sun porch this winter- i'm going to plant some in a window box and see what happens.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Someone mentioned seed catalogues! I got my Johnny's not long ago...I'll place an order soonish, I missed out on my favorite potatoes last year...won't happen again! I looove love love browsing the pages on a snowy day- imagining how the garden will be laid out next spring... speaking of which- I'm going to experiment with lettuce on my sun porch this winter- i'm going to plant some in a window box and see what happens.

I am the same way... love browsing the pages and plotting/scheming. I always have waaaay too many seeds because I buy a little something new each year, but I can't help it. I'm going to need more land to be truly happy, but I'll settle with what I have now.

By the way, extra seedlings (because you sound like me so you probably start 4x as many seeds as you'll need) sold really well at the first few chicken swaps.