Minnesota!

[holm25]

I just found a chick under broody momma this morning! First ever chick to hatch under my care. I'm so excited I feel like it's the only chick alive on the planet and precious. I need to get a grip but omg I'm so excited. It's more exciting than anything I've had happen in a long long while.

Woo hoo!! Congrats!

 

[Minniechickmama]

@Minniechickmama I am pretty excited. I got a breeding pen set up yesterday in my shed. I will move my Cornish in there this tonight and hope to set eggs this weekend. They have been with my Dixie Rainbow rooster but I don't know if he has been breeding them or not. I'm a little tempted to put my Buckeye rooster in with them and see what happens. Either should sire some nice meat babies.

Try it! If they are bred to the DR, they will hold fertile yolks for several days, and if they aren't, then the Buckeye will be a good second option (better IMO )

 

[Minniechickmama]

30% less cholesterol I read, from free range eggs.

I think I might have to do a video of my leghorn. Aren't they so funny?!

I believe that is just more "BYC knowledge" being passed. Yes, the free range birds will produce a healthier egg than those caged factory birds, but be careful what you take for fact off sites like this. And as far as the value of eggs nutritionally is constantly going back and forth from they will kill you to they are the best, most perfect food in the world.

 

[Minniechickmama]

That really stinks! I hope u have better luck with the next batch! So do u still have the single Holland?

Nope, lost both of them.

 

[holm25]

Nope, lost both of them.

Thats to bad

 

[KlopKlop]

I believe that is just more "BYC knowledge" being passed.  Yes, the free range birds will produce a healthier egg than those caged factory birds, but be careful what you take for fact off sites like this.  And as far as the value of eggs nutritionally is constantly going back and forth from they will kill you to they are the best, most perfect food in the world.

I have been trying to back up any claims I will make in my posts. Check out this article

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/free-range-eggs-zmaz07onzgoe.aspx

It supports the reduced cholesterol claim. I plan to cite this in my next post.

 

[KlopKlop]

Try it!  If they are bred to the DR, they will hold fertile yolks for several days, and if they aren't, then the Buckeye will be a good second option (better IMO )

I am quite excited to see what happens but also being realistic. This is my first attempt at hatching so who knows how it will go!

Who knows what the resulting offspring of either will look like! If I find that buckeye over Cornish makes a great meat bird you will be made in the shade

 

[athalia17]

I believe that is just more "BYC knowledge" being passed.  Yes, the free range birds will produce a healthier egg than those caged factory birds, but be careful what you take for fact off sites like this.  And as far as the value of eggs nutritionally is constantly going back and forth from they will kill you to they are the best, most perfect food in the world.

I read that in an article. I don't site anything off of byc on byc usually unless it's supported.

Here's another good one after they updated their studies. http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/eggs-zl0z0703zswa.aspx

Just finished up making maple syrup. Short season, trees are pretty much done moving sap it appears. 70 degrees may feel nice, but it makes maple tapping tricky.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I thought about tapping but didn't get around to it. I just don't have a good place to boil it down and outside it is too windy and the pot doesn't heat well enough. I took my neighbor's advice and got an old Surge milker and used that last time. It was still a major PITA to get it down to syrup. I figured it was a short season when I looked at the forecast. My cousin has a business making it out in NY State. He has the tubes running through their woods and all over in Spring. His family has been doing it for a really long time, my uncle before him and I think my great grandparents before them.

I am going to remain skeptical on the cholesterol. I am sure they have to be healthier given that they are eating a more natural diet. "Up to 30% less", I can believe, but not all free rangers are fed the same, eat the same either, so any blanket statement like that does make me pause. In my lifetime the food experts have said that eggs are heart cloggers, to they are the best thing for you at least twice back and forth, and possibly three times. I think it depends on who is in charge of the FDA at the time a study is approved. Either way, I will stick with the eggs I pick out of my coop. I haven't bought eggs from the store in about 6-years now. Even if I don't have any, I go to a neighbor who does. That hasn't been a problem for me for at least 4 years though.

Here is a head scratcher...
I belong to a local "for sale" page on FB. There was a woman from a town 30 miles away advertising 'farm fresh free range eggs' in January and February. Really? I wonder what they find in the snow that makes them free range eggs? I believe that is false advertising. Just because some people let their birds out on the snow and ice, that isn't really free range in the sense of they are getting out and eating a natural diet by any stretch.

@KlopKlop the Buckeyes on their own are pretty stinking good for eating. When you see what the two together can do, you are going to be coming back for more Cornish in a year or two and some Buckeyes too!

 

[KlopKlop]

I thought about tapping but didn't get around to it.  I just don't have a good place to boil it down and outside it is too windy and the pot doesn't heat well enough.  I took my neighbor's advice and got an old Surge milker and used that last time.  It was still a major PITA to get it down to syrup.  I figured it was a short season when I looked at the forecast.  My cousin has a business making it out in NY State.  He has the tubes running through their woods and all over in Spring. His family has been doing it for a really long time, my uncle before him and I think my great grandparents before them.

I am going to remain skeptical on the cholesterol.  I am sure they have to be healthier given that they are eating a more natural diet.  "Up to 30% less", I can believe, but not all free rangers are fed the same, eat the same either, so any blanket statement like that does make me pause.  In my lifetime the food experts have said that eggs are heart cloggers, to they are the best thing for you at least twice back and forth, and possibly three times.  I think it depends on who is in charge of the FDA at the time a study is approved.  Either way, I will stick with the eggs I pick out of my coop.  I haven't bought eggs from the store in about 6-years now.  Even if I don't have any, I go to a neighbor who does.  That hasn't been a problem for me for at least 4 years though.


Here is a head scratcher...

I belong to a local "for sale" page on FB.  There was a woman from a town 30 miles away advertising 'farm fresh free range eggs' in January and February.  Really?  I wonder what they find in the snow that makes them free range eggs?  I believe that is false advertising.  Just because some people let their birds out on the snow and ice, that isn't really free range in the sense of they are getting out and eating a natural diet by any stretch.  

@KlopKlop
 the Buckeyes on their own are pretty stinking good for eating.  When you see what the two together can do, you are going to be coming back for more Cornish in a year or two and some Buckeyes too!

You are absolutely correct about not all free ranges being equal. The eggs from the same chicken will have different nutritional value day to day I would expect even. I would still feel comfortable telling people 'studies show that free range eggs may have lower levels of cholesterol and higher levels of vitamins and omega-3s'
It's vague but true I suppose.

By the way, I'm sure I will have a slew of questions about hatching in the coming weeks. I will be setting up my incubator tonight I hope and working on getting the temps level.