Minnesota!

[Rhetts]

Thanks! Betty white seems to be doing ok but I still feel terrible

I hate it when the group picks on one or two until the point of blood. Never fun! I love the name too BTW! I named my two white rocks Dolly and Bo. (Dolly Parton & Bo Derek) Oh, and the blu-kote, I bought the spray kind and the pour out of the bottle kind. The spray kind works WAY better IMO

 

[KlopKlop]

We try and pick all old lady names for our hens. We also have Lucille, Gloria, Henrietta, Harriet and Betty. The ones with names are the ones that we can pick out of the flock by distinguishing features

 

[Rhetts]

We try and pick all old lady names for our hens. We also have Lucille, Gloria, Henrietta, Harriet and Betty. The ones with names are the ones that we can pick out of the flock by distinguishing features

Sounds like us.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Chickening and chicken mistakes keep us humble that's for sure. Blue kote is a good thing to keep in the chicken first aid kit. I love themed chicken names. I started out with flowers and such: Lily, Rosie, petunia, Fern etcetera. But I thing any new ones I get I'm going to go for old country western singers: Patsy cline, Peggy Lee, and so on.

Sorry about the chicken raid LaLa. I've ran down to the coop in my underwear and sloggers. But regretted it immediately when the rooster came after my shocking white thighs one spring day. He was not appreciative of the glare in his eye.

 

[gofeedthegirls]

Its almost go time! I used to like storms, but now after getting chickens I worry about them. And the sheds, the shingles, the quanset, the vehicles...man it stinks growing up and having responsibilities and liabilities and stuff.. I wanna be 8 again lol. Anywho the weather man is saying 60 mph winds :/

 

[The BlanchRanch]

Only one was poking its head out so far

What a great picture! Congratulations! I too would love to watch my chickens hatch eggs!

60 pages. I'll go back in read but first.....came home and let the chickens out. They forage in the garden, in the raspberry patch - there are fences about 3/4 way around this field.

went in the house to change and heard a ruckus so bad I came flying out in my underwear. I stopped to put shoes on though to my regret. Chickens hysterical and everywhere. On top of the shed, on top of fences, in corners, up trees, totally scattered. I thought hawk, so kept looking up while I tried to get them together. Finally got them close enough in the run that I could count, came up one short.

Found a few feathers, then a few more. followed a trail but lost it. Spent an hour in the woods, up the road, etc. no sign. That was Grace, my sweet pratically rumpless black ee. She was a hefty girl, I don't see how a fox could have taken her but that is probably what it was. A dog would have likely just killed her and gone for more, right?

If I hadn't stopped for shoes....I might have gotten there in time.

That had to be scary!! Sorry you lost one. Hope you catch him soon!

Wanted to share a fun resource:

When you commute as much as I do, Scandia <~> Minneapolis, and dislike commerical radio, podcasts make a great option.

Found the Urban Chicken Podcast, which is not ony about urban chickening, but chicken breed history and other cool stuff.
Today I learned that the Buckeye Chicken is the only breed developed by a woman!
The feminist chicken!

I listened to a couple today. The first one was about molting. I really liked it. The person that does the podcast is easy to listen to. The second one was about fermentation. One of the guests drove me nuts. She seemed so full of herself. I didn't make it through that one but I will definitely be listening some more.

Ralph, I bought a store chicken to try your brown sugar brine. Found some recipes online. 1/4 cup salt 1/4 cup sugar and 4 cups water sound good? I am going to let it soak over night Saturday and grill it with some smoke on Sunday. Any tips? Well besides growing my own CXs. They won't allow that in hell......

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Another thing we've done with turkey's on the grill is injecting the meat with melted butter and broth. Then smoking after washing off the salt on the skin. Mmmm so good. I'm sure it would work the same for chicken.

 

[The BlanchRanch]

Its almost go time! I used to like storms, but now after getting chickens I worry about them. And the sheds, the shingles, the quanset, the vehicles...man it stinks growing up and having responsibilities and liabilities and stuff.. I wanna be 8 again lol. Anywho the weather man is saying 60 mph winds

Hope you come out good on the other side!!

 

[The BlanchRanch]

Another thing we've done with turkey's on the grill is injecting the meat with melted butter and broth. Then smoking after washing off the salt on the skin. Mmmm so good. I'm sure it would work the same for chicken.

Awesome. I have done this with cajun seasoning in deep fried turkeys. I have wanted to try it without the deep fryer. Not something I ever took to.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Also wanted to comment on crested breeds and free ranging: highly susceptible to aerial preds.

Molting diet for us: back off on "treats". Keep pretty strict on feeder pellets or granules. Can go to higher protein like game bird or even have bought the feather fixer. I also throw out a can of tuna fish for 10 birds once a week. I swear I see those feathers grow over night after a fish day. The birds look less bedraggled after a fish day too. Higher energy. I get the 8 packs of tuna at Costco pretty cheap. Less than a dollar a can/week through molt season.

Our Sylvia is molting right now. Her neck is all pin feathers. I can just tell she's highly sensitive and protective of her little chicken bod. She's also been knocked way down the pecking order. She's usually top hen.