Maine

[Tnic]

Awesome chick. Is that broody wearing a blue apron???

I picked my first small handful of blueberries, and raspberries today. They were every bit as tasty as they looked. Hubby went out and picked a few more tonight, and he had a bunch of girls lined up on the other side of the fence, watching his every move... and begging. Japanese beetle population has picked up. I harvested about 2 cups of beetles today.

Blueberries!

I remember years ago (my memory isn't completely gone yet) when a group of us would camp on Donell Pond every 4th of July weekend. Sunday mornings we'd pick the wild blueberries all around the campsite (some of the hardy souls would hike up Schoodic Mountain for them) and we'd make pancakes (and anything else in our coolers) for our farewell breakfast. It was on BLM land, boat access only. Hope to take my wife there on a kayak weekend sometime.

 

[The100AcreWood]

I haven't checked in here for quite a while! Seems lots has been in on! I moved my 1.5 month old guinea keets out with the chickens last week. I had been bringing them in a night to sleep - I didn't quite trust the bossy hens. Although,they slept outside the past two nights and done well! We are on egg watch with the hens as well! They are squatting, show interest in the boxes, their wattles and combs are quite large and red, and their pelvic bones have separated. This waiting stuff is hard! Hope everyone else is well!

 

[MustardTiger]

I have one more chick this morning and one more to come, I hope. I picked the chicks up and gave them a drink of water and put a little chick starter in the nest box. I hatched (hahaha) a plan to separate her once the last chick is out: I will move the teenager chickens (born in may) from the tractor to the coop - it is high time for that anyway, and move the mom and babies into the tractor. It is very secure and has shelter so it should work just fine. Now I am kicking myself for not putting more eggs under her. Not like I need more chickens.....

 

[lazy gardener]

Hubby and i processed 5 roosters today. I'm exhausted. he did the axe and kept the water going, I did the plucking... and all the rest of it, right down to packaging them, (cut up) to go in the fridge for a resting period. How long do you folks let them rest before freezing them? I have a dutch oven full of backs and necks that i will cook down and package up into quart sized containers of broth and meat. Just add veggies for an instant winter soup! I'm thinking i should throw some garlic scapes into the pot. What do you all think? Garlic, or plain??? I have 7 more roosters to process, as well as about 4 pullets.

I fashioned a catching hook from a plastic coated metal clothes hanger. It works quite well.

 

[buckabucka]

LG, I've always read to let them rest for a day or 2. DH insists this is mythology and the best safe handling practice is to freeze immediately. I must say, the meat has been plenty tender going directly from freezer to cooking without rest. Usually, we cook in the pressure cooker, which might make a difference, although we've barbecued too with good results. Perhaps the rest during thawing was enough, I don't know.

 

[The100AcreWood]

We just got our first egg from one of our leg horns this morning!exciting stuff!

 

[buckabucka]

Congrats on the first egg! Always exciting.

I recently moved my 10+ week old chicks to a sectioned off area in the coop. My intention was to put half the chicks in with one flock, and half with the other. I put the first lavender Ameraucana pullet in the pen, and the Ameraucana rooster did a little dance at her. I was walking away to get another pullet, when suddenly the rooster went ballistic, charging the chicken wire pen over and over. The pullet was trying to fight back, and I was worried he would kill her. He would not let up, and I had to kick him outdoors, to retrieve the little pullet. The rooster never shows any aggression towards me, but he seemed to think this little pullet was a serious invader.

I decided to put the pullet in the pen with the Basque rooster. He also did a little dance, but that was it. Every time I came in with another pullet, I had to shove it under some chicken wire, so the pullet would squawk. The basque rooster would come running at me, to protect the bird. He never touched me (I think he knows better), but he was very protective of these new pullets, so I'm letting his flock keep all of them. Unfortunately, I think I'll be doing in this Basque rooster to make room for the golden cuckoo. I could make room for another flock, technically, but I'm already overrun here.

 

[keesmom]

Anyone near Bowdoinham with ducks interested in a female Pekin?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/909340/pekin-needs-home-in-me-nh-ma

 

[suzMEchicks]

I don't know if anyone would remember my troubles with the dogs in my neighborhood. I used to let my chickens free range but the dog next door had gotten lose and attacked them 4 times. So I put up a fence for them. Basically to keep them out of trouble. A 75 foot square area . The dog officer had gone to warn them and things have been fine for a couple months. I just left for vacation this morning. My husband is watching the chickens for a week. I call this afternoon to check in and I immediately know something is wrong. The dog on the other side escaped the electric fence and dug under my chickens enclosure and got 2 of them and scared the others so they didnt come home for a long time. He says the black (sexlink) has no tail feathers. It's down to the nub but no blood. I hope they don't start pecking at her. The RIR got shocked he said but later she perked up. I wasnt even gone a day yet. I'm discouraged.

 

[Arcadia Chicken]

Congrats on your first egg!