Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

Shame you couldn't tell Fred to stay out in the water. A very unwelcomed visitor

Heartily agree. Looks like its going right thru Mexico City Beach, which got mostly destroyed two years back. They are (were) almost done rebuilding...

Low lying area, and Fred is slowing down to look about - typical tourist - I expect more severe flooding in the coastal areas.

For my part, I'm on a hill, the generator is fueled up, the chainsaw is fueled up, two more gallons of chainsaw fuel fresh mixed, a gallon of bar and chain oil, and five gallons of fresh fuel for the generator. Car is full of gas (13.7 gallons) and both propane tanks are full.

Baring that, I'f enough cut, split, dried wood to cook for several weeks, before I drop the first tree. 550 gallons of water to wash with, and about 10 to drink.

Its almost like I've lived in FL most of my life. None of this was "hurricane prep", its the normal state of being around here. Topped a few things up, that's all.

 

[Molpet]

Its almost like I've lived in FL most of my life. None of this was "hurricane prep", its the normal state of being around he

And this is one of the reasons I don't care to live in the deep south. Although the snow I get can cause some of the same problems. . But the weeds don't grow then

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Blame Scouting. "Be Prepared".

and anywhere I have to heat my eggs to keep them from cracking is too cold for me.

 

[3KillerBs]

Its almost like I've lived in FL most of my life. None of this was "hurricane prep", its the normal state of being around here. Topped a few things up, that's all.

Amen, Brother!

I've never in my life lived anywhere that I didn't need to be able to cope with a few days to a week of no power from time to time.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

ALready refilling the Incubator for next hatch. Honestly, the worst thing about this storm coming is that I only got seven eggs yesterday, and four so far today. What kind of flock has 50+ birds, and less than 10 eggs a day???? Some of these birds aren't that young!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

ALready refilling the Incubator for next hatch. Honestly, the worst thing about this storm coming is that I only got seven eggs yesterday, and four so far today. What kind of flock has 50+ birds, and less than 10 eggs a day???? Some of these birds aren't that young!

Well, I have around 60 and only find around 5 or 6. Bit to be fair, like 30 are under 6 months and are bantams and another 30 or so are free range and dont always lay in the nest boxes. Then I've got the one brooding and I'm just not touching her until she's off the nest since she'll break at the drop of a hat, so I'll have a ton to pit ch then since I know a certain Cochin is laying in that clutch

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Well, I have around 60 and only find around 5 or 6. Bit to be fair, like 30 are under 6 months and are bantams and another 30 or so are free range and dont always lay in the nest boxes. Then I've got the one brooding and I'm just not touching her until she's off the nest since she'll break at the drop of a hat, so I'll have a ton to pit ch then since I know a certain Cochin is laying in that clutch

I have to remind myself that roughly half the flock is below laying age, I still have males to cull, and I have one silver lace (still) which is broody and refuses to break - If by broody you mean "sits on a fake egg, refuses to sit on real ones". ...and I'm still finding no duck eggs, which would normally provide for my wife and I, so we could sellt he others.

Honestly, I've given thought to buying a small order of (Brand Undecided) Ranger hens to bulk up numbers of layers w/o introducing to many negative genetics into my culling plan - but it sort of defeats the purpose of this whole project to do so.

 

[NatJ]

Honestly, I've given thought to buying a small order of (Brand Undecided) Ranger hens to bulk up numbers of layers w/o introducing to many negative genetics into my culling plan - but it sort of defeats the purpose of this whole project to do so.

If you want more eggs now, without introducing any new genes to your project, you could add females that lay eggs of a different color, and not hatch the new-color eggs. I remember that yours are laying brown eggs, so maybe white or blue/green eggs.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Require either laying hens from an npip certified flock which are few and far between locally or buying pullets and waiting. My own hatchlings will get me there faster. Or so I keep telling myself.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

So, back at the bottom of page 39, I was talking about two birds from P1-03, near identical but for weights - one clearly a cockerel and another clearly a cockerel (though I wished it wasn't). Weights at that time were 5.95# and about 4.5#

The bigger boy is pushing 6.3# now, at 26 weeks. His smaller sibling was 5.1# today live weight, about 3.5# processed, and will be bathing in the soup pot tommorow. We are thinking garlic-y cream of chicken (with heavy cream) and wild rice in sourdough bread bowls, with some root veg - carrots and mushrooms mostly, maybe onion or leeks.