Minnesota!

[The BlanchRanch]

Quote: My thumbs up is not working again. So Helz yeah to you my friend!

 

[Minniechickmama]

So...two things are glaringly apparent. Ralph could not possible haul enough Mikes, Peruvian coffee & peaches in a truck to hold him for a week. And I cant imagine him abandoning the Creamettes so long. After spending way too much time considering what could have befell to Ralphie, I'm reporting back to the Turkey Thread as follows :

Ralphie went hunting & fishing. When he ran out of his "special " coffe and Mikes (Harder) he realized he could ferment the remaining peached. Thus drawing the attention of Sasquatch. They are spending time planning their trip through Memphis to meet Elvis. (Ralph actually said they are tripping through Memphis in December ). He is brining me one of the criminal calico Jakes for my single (but looking ) turkey hens. If...that's a big if...Judy will ride shot gun with said jake.

Ok...that ought to satisfy the Turkey thread folks.....

Question for those with experience.
I plan on processing some of my geese. I was planning on smoking them and then freezing them. I am thinking that I can just take out of freezer and heat in oven with some glaze or sauce or something so it would be easier for me. Or am I thinking wrong. I haven't done goose before.
How long should I rest the bird after processing before smoking? How do I wrap a goose for freezer storage? Or would you just freeze it now and smoke them as I take them out of the freezer? I have about 6 geese to do. I have 2 smokers I can use at one time. What do you think?

I am a total newbie here as far as the whole thing goes. Never cleaned a goose, never cooked/smoked a goose. So any pointers here would be very helpful!

All I could think is good luck separating fowl and feed. My roosters are just going to have to suck it up and eat what's put in front of them.
At this point they are none the worse for the wear.

I knew there was something I forgot to remark on....
The whole thing about "you can't feed roosters lay ration" is hogwash. what you can't do with any bird, is overdose them on calcium, rooster, hen or other. If you force feed extra calcium, and you feed that to roosters, I can see it having a negative effect on their system. That is why you want to offer free choice on oyster shell, BUT ALWAYS read the label of the brand of feed you are giving them. Not all feeds require giving oyster shell with it, and it should say so somewhere on the label.
Not all feeds are created equal either, so protein and calcium aren't the only things to look at. Vitamin E/selenium are important components in their diet and can effect their reproductive system as well. I was struggling with an issue with my Buckeyes when I first started hatching, up until last year. I couldn't figure out what was wrong until last year, I discovered that the feed I had been feeding the ADULTS was too low in E/selenium, so the chicks from some of those birds were hatching with head problems. It was a correctable condition, but still, I needed to change feeds. Since doing so, I haven't seen the problem with the chicks being hatched. So, know the feed you are giving your birds, and if you are seeing problems that you think might be happening too often, look at your feed and see if they are getting all they need, or possible more than they need of a nutrient or mineral.

From my research, I believe ducks cannot migrate unless they go with a duck that has migrated before. Also, I am only letting one duck fly at a time now and keeping its mate on the ground. If I clipped their wings, would they still be able to fly a hundred feet or so?

I have heard they will join wild ducks if they come around, then fly off with them. I have a pond with wild waterfowl, so I would watch for the if I had any this year, but I skipped them this year.

I know I am posting way too much... But I feel a need to say, I did the Coffee 1st thing and put up plastic all the way around my run. When it got dark my chickens didn't know what to do. Eventually, they walked slowly into the run looking all around talking about how it looked like a spook house and how cool Halloween is. My chickens rock. Danzig has nothing on them.

If you don't post, we can't keep our numbers up! LOL

 

[lalaland]

I knew there was something I forgot to remark on....
The whole thing about "you can't feed roosters lay ration" is hogwash. what you can't do with any bird, is overdose them on calcium, rooster, hen or other. If you force feed extra calcium, and you feed that to roosters, I can see it having a negative effect on their system. That is why you want to offer free choice on oyster shell, BUT ALWAYS read the label of the brand of feed you are giving them. Not all feeds require giving oyster shell with it, and it should say so somewhere on the label.
Not all feeds are created equal either, so protein and calcium aren't the only things to look at. Vitamin E/selenium are important components in their diet and can effect their reproductive system as well. I was struggling with an issue with my Buckeyes when I first started hatching, up until last year. I couldn't figure out what was wrong until last year, I discovered that the feed I had been feeding the ADULTS was too low in E/selenium, so the chicks from some of those birds were hatching with head problems. It was a correctable condition, but still, I needed to change feeds. Since doing so, I haven't seen the problem with the chicks being hatched. So, know the feed you are giving your birds, and if you are seeing problems that you think might be happening too often, look at your feed and see if they are getting all they need, or possible more than they need of a nutrient or mineral.
I have heard they will join wild ducks if they come around, then fly off with them. I have a pond with wild waterfowl, so I would watch for the if I had any this year, but I skipped them this year.

sometimes I wonder how all this crazy ifo gets started. Its hard because most of us don't have a phd in poultry science, and hard because the feed companies aren't the best source of info either. Why would a feed company sell feed too low in vit E? Last year someone who lives near North Branch talked about feed from the local mill that had something off, and everyone's flocks quit laying!

drives me crazy.

rainy morning, off to work for the first time in a week (been down with a bad bad cold). So glad I'm better in time for the baby - I figure I will wear a mask just in case but will check with the nurses to see what they say. I was fine yesterday, so....keeping my fingers crossed I still get to help with labor.

Have a great Friday everyone!

thanks for clarifying the rooster and layer feed thing. and here for years I've switched to all flock.

 

[KlopKlop]

good morning all! off to start my grey day!

 

[FoxyChicken]

I love them! And I wouldn't call that a moment of insanity, I would call it ingenuity! Of all my ducks they are the most friendly and gently, and are beautiful birds. I got them from Metzer Farms in California, and I believe metzers will let you buy as few as 2 ducklings so that would be perfect.

I was looking at their site yesterday, it looked like 15 was their minimum? They sound like really nice birds though... where are you located and do you ever sell hatching eggs? OH MY GOSH WHAT AM I SAYING?? I DON'T NEED DUCKS!!

You're as much of an enabler as Minnie! that's all we need around here....another enabler.....

Edited to add: I looked at Metzer again and the minimum is actually 10, but you can do a special small order of 2 but it costs an extra $52. Those would be some expensive ducklings!

 

[Cebarmlds]

@Cluckies I had to look up Clear Lake and found out it's near Clear Water, I don't go in that direction hardly ever but thanks for that info! the zeolite I had been buying was from Azure Standard, 50 pounds for $14.something now it's 50 # for $27. crazy.

@Bogtown Chick Thanks! I got the PDZ and pine shavings flake

@aussiegal318 Would be nice to meet for coffee sometime, this trip was to my GS's choir concert, so handsome in a tux! Prayers to you and your hubby.


Very dreary day and I have leaves to bag up, not gonna happen today...

 

[lalaland]

ps: I forgot to thank everyone for best wishes and support about the baby! sorry, think I am a little rattled! and excited! I made sure there was plenty of feed and water for everyone before I left for work today just in case today's the day!

 

[Minniechickmama]

ps: I forgot to thank everyone for best wishes and support about the baby! sorry, think I am a little rattled! and excited! I made sure there was plenty of feed and water for everyone before I left for work today just in case today's the day!

Good luck, take a chill pill, and relax. You know it will happen when it happens. Also, I thought she wasn't due until next week anyway? I remember going into labor for our last, we were watching "Best In Show" (a freaking hilarious movie!!!) and my mother-in-law was here to watch the boys when I did go. I had been getting labor pains during the whole movie but waited to say anything until it was over. We were getting hit with the worst storm of the year, ice coming with it. I finally said, I think we should go since the weather is turning so bad. My MIL about freaked out. LMBO!! She wasn't able to have children, so they adopted 3, but her daughter had 4 kids right in the same town as she lived, so having a kid wasn't completely new, but still she was a nervous wreck. Lucky for her the boys didn't have school the next day because of the storm. I just thought it was so funny that she was so nervous and stirred up about the whole thing and all I was nervous about was the roads that were covered with 1/2" of slush already. LOL

 

[lalaland]

Right, not due til next week but they are thinking of inducing because she has some of the symptoms of preeclampsia. I think that is why I am jumpy....I had that, and back then they put you on strict bedrest. So...6 weeks of laying there, was allowed to get up once a day for a meal, the rest to be eaten laying down. No surprise, baby never dropped and I went into labor with her up by my ribs. So all the muscle contractions were below the baby. Useless labor for 24 hours and then a C section.

Now, they know bedrest doesn't make a difference. I tell you, it was a hard recovery not only from surgery but from 6 weeks in bed!

She is at the clinic now for assessment (blood and urine tests).

Thanks all for tolerating way too much information, and a total departure from our regular chicken programming.

 

[lalaland]

Still not about chickens but now about quail:

bobwhites are very different from other quails, they mate for life! live 7-10 years! mourn for a month or so if their mate passes. I didn't realize I was making a decade commitment to the little buggers.