Nevadans?

[vegaschick]

Okay I will try it. Hopefully baby will be able to get back down! Its about three feet up...

Down is not a problem....up...sometimes is. I'm always amazed to see how high those littles can go. My roosts are all at least 4' high. I do try to have smaller 2' poles carefully placed when I have littles. They get up here no problem w/out the board in the second photo. AMAZING! Click to see larger photos!

 

[chickee]

That is adorable! What a dad!

WOW, that is extra super cute!!!!
reminds me of this photo i posted on facebook yesterday (NOT my photo)


tee hee hee!


Sheesh so now i am just toying with EVERYONES emotions! Went to go put Banana BACK in the coop and mama cochin had all three tucked under her chest and was probably FINALLY comfy. three little heads poking out, with banana in the middle and the two little ones on either side of her.
But she is back in the coop and I am confident that she will stay warm in there. Probably wondering what the heck just happened!

Thanks all!

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Down is not a problem....up...sometimes is. I'm always amazed to see how high those littles can go. My roosts are all at least 4' high. I do try to have smaller 2' poles carefully placed when I have littles. They get up here no problem w/out the board in the second photo. AMAZING! Click to see larger photos!

whoa I LOVE that outdoor coop!!! bet that stays a lot cooler during the heat of the day than our coop.

We built a kind of "stepladder" perch. bottom perch is one foot up, then two feet, three feet, then the top rung is four feet. I cant imagine why banana couldnt get up there. Although I have noticed that Banana is not much of a listener. Ive watched poor Millie pace the door to the coop for a half an hour calling for her baby to come to bed while Banana just runs around not giving a snot until Millie just gives up and goes and watches over her until Banana goes into the coop. So maybe she tried and Stubborn baby just went into her usual corner and didnt think anything of it, who knows. Probably learned her lesson though, as she was quite the eager beaver to dive under Cochin and get warm!

Do any of you ever notice that birds on a higher perch will try to peck the heads of birds on a lower perch?

 

[vegaschick]

Okay...here goes.


Spiced Caramel Pear Jam

4 cups chopped peeled and cored pears, about 8 pears
1 package powdered fruit pectin
3 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon butter, optional

Grind or finely chop the pears; measure 4 cups into a large kettle.
In a bowl, combine the fruit pectin with 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar; mix well. Add the pectin mixture to the pears and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, until the mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Gradually stir in the remaining sugars and spices. Add the butter, if desired, to keep foam to a minimum. Stirring constantly, again bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil for exactly 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and continue stirring for 5 minutes. Skim excess foam from the mixture, if necessary.
Fill jars with hot fruit mixture, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
Makes about 6 to 7 half-pint jars.
Recipe by Diana Rattray, http://southernfood.about.com/od/jamsjellies/r/r80810h.htm



Pear Orange Marmalade*

1 orange
1½ - 2 cups water
3 cups sugar
3 pounds firm, ripe Bartlett USA Pears, cored, peeled, and sliced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 tsp real butter, if desired (to reduce foaming)

Use a peeler and peel skin off the orange; julienne or make small sticks. Remove and reserve (see option) excess pith (the white part between the orange skin and the fruit) from the orange. Quarter and seed orange; slice fruit very thinly.
Combine water and orange peel, orange slices, pears and lemon juice. Simmer until peel is translucent. Add sugar, heat until sugar is dissolved. Boil rapidly, stirring constantly until mixture is 9 degrees above the boiling point of water and is very thick. Skim. Ladle into clean hot half pint canning jars to within ⅛-inch of tops.
Makes 4 or 5 half pints
Option: Can use pith and seeds in muslin bag to add natural pectin. Remove bag before adding sugar.
http://www.usapears.com/sitecore/content/Common/Recipes/Pear%20Orange%20Marmalade.aspx

*after making this I changed the recipe directions to treat the orange differently, making the rind/peel softer and less bitter (darn pith). Haven't had a chance to make it yet again...let me know how it turns out! It was decent as is...will hopefully be even better.



Gingered Pear Jam

3 pounds fresh Bartlett USA Pears
1 orange
½ lemon
½ cup diced candied ginger*
1 package (1 ¾ ounces) powdered fruit pectin
5 cups sugar
½ tsp real butter, if desired (to reduce foaming)

Core and coarsely dice pears to make 4 cups. Put orange and lemon through food chopper or finely dice (slice thin first, then process). Combine pears, orange, lemon, candied ginger, and fruit pectin. Bring to boil. Add sugar and bring back to full rolling boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim with metal spoon. Cool 5 minutes, skim again. Put in sterilized jars and seal. Process according to manufacturer's directions.
Makes approximately 6 half pints
http://lasaan.tripod.com/canningrecipes/ginpear.html

*Substitute 1/8 tsp. of ground ginger for every 1 tbsp. of candied ginger that is called for in the recipe. There are 8 tbsp in a ½ cup.



Pear Butter

4 pounds ripe USA Pears, preferably Bartletts, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
5 cups apple cider
2 ½ cups light brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon powdered cloves
2 tablespoons vanilla extract (optional)

Bring cider to boil over high heat. Cook until reduced to 2 ½ cups, or half.
Add pear chunks and cook until fruit is soft and translucent, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a food processor. Puree until mixture is smooth.
Wash original pan, or use another. Add fruit puree, brown sugar, and spices, and stir to dissolve. Bring mix to a simmer, stirring frequently to avoid scorching. Cook until very thick, 30 minutes or more.
Remove from heat, cool to room temperature. Add vanilla, if using it. (Taste at this point; you may not want to add it.)
Makes about 7 half pints.
http://superfreshgrowers.com/pears/recipe.html?recipeid=11
(I've seen crockpot versions of this that I want to try)



Pear Lime Jam

4 cups pureed pears, peeled and cored (about 8 pears)
5 cups sugar
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp grated lime peel
1 pkg powdered pectin
½ tsp real butter, if desired (to reduce foaming)

Peel and core the ripe pears and buzz them in the food processor or blender until smooth. Measure 4 cups puree pour into a heavy kettle (at least a six-quart kettle). Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, and pectin. Cook over high heat until it reaches a rolling boil, then dump the sugar in ALL AT ONCE. Return to a rolling boil and boil hard for one minute.
Makes about 7 half pints.
http://lasaan.tripod.com/canningrecipes/pear-lime_jam.htm



Pear Vanilla Jam

8 cups chopped Bartlett pears
2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
4 cups sugar
1 packet liquid pectin

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, combine chopped pears, sugar and vanilla beans (and all that bean-y goodness you scraped out). Cook over medium heat until the fruit can easily be smashed with the back of a wooden spoon. Use a potato masher or immersion blender to break the fruit down into a mostly-smooth sauce (remove the vanilla bean solids before blending).
Add the pectin and bring to a rolling boil. Let boil for a full five minutes in order to active the pectin, so that the finished product will have a nice jammy consistency.

Note: Often you can substitute vanilla extract for the more pricey beans. However, that is not recommended it in this recipe. Splurge a little and get the two beans. They are a vital ingredient in this recipe and you won’t be happy with the outcome should you make a substitution.
Makes 7 half pints.
Recipe by Marisa McClellan http://www.foodinjars.com/2011/02/pear-vanilla-jam/


Well...hopefully that works! Let me know how you like them.

 

[vegaschick]

whoa I LOVE that outdoor coop!!! bet that stays a lot cooler during the heat of the day than our coop.

We built a kind of "stepladder" perch. bottom perch is one foot up, then two feet, three feet, then the top rung is four feet. I cant imagine why banana couldnt get up there. Although I have noticed that Banana is not much of a listener. Ive watched poor Millie pace the door to the coop for a half an hour calling for her baby to come to bed while Banana just runs around not giving a snot until Millie just gives up and goes and watches over her until Banana goes into the coop. So maybe she tried and Stubborn baby just went into her usual corner and didnt think anything of it, who knows. Probably learned her lesson though, as she was quite the eager beaver to dive under Cochin and get warm!

Do any of you ever notice that birds on a higher perch will try to peck the heads of birds on a lower perch?

Thanks. That's my summer Utah coop. We are about 7,000 feet up and it would be way to cold during winter but for summer it's just great. So far we only make recycle coops. That camper was one we used at least 25+ yrs ago. Add pallets, tons of screws and voila! We also have several old rabbit hutches we use in UT too as the ladies like to go broody there...well, and the hutches are there and not in NV. The important thing about this coop this year was that it stayed dry inside. It rained nearly everyday from the first week of July on. I had standing puddles of water in the run (like lakes) and strangely the coop floor was dry as a bone.

I think you're right about the chickie not paying attention. Most likely what happened. My chickens have LOTS of drama at bedtime! They certainly seem to have their favorite spots and other chickens to be next to. I also have several trouble makers that aren't happy by anyone. It's like a soap opera every night!

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Thanks. That's my summer Utah coop. We are about 7,000 feet up and it would way to cold during winter but for summer it's just great. So far we only make recycle coops. That camper was one we used at least 25+ yrs ago. Add pallets, tons of screws and voila! We also have several old rabbit hutches we use in UT too as the ladies like to go broody there...well, and the hutches are there and not in NV. The important thing about this coop this year was that it stayed dry inside. It rained nearly everyday from the first week of July on. I had standing puddles of water in the run (like lakes) and strangely the coop floor was dry as a bone.

I think you're right about the chickie not paying attention. Most likely what happened. My chickens have LOTS of drama at bedtime! They certainly seem to have their favorite spots and other chickens to be next to. I also have several trouble makers that aren't happy by anyone. It's like a soap opera every night!

Yeah I super duper love the pallets as a fence. Its looks really neat. ill have to do that for sure! Maybe when we put a garden in the backyard.

 

[Lacy Blues]

whoa I LOVE that outdoor coop!!! bet that stays a lot cooler during the heat of the day than our coop.

We built a kind of "stepladder" perch. bottom perch is one foot up, then two feet, three feet, then the top rung is four feet. I cant imagine why banana couldnt get up there. Although I have noticed that Banana is not much of a listener. Ive watched poor Millie pace the door to the coop for a half an hour calling for her baby to come to bed while Banana just runs around not giving a snot until Millie just gives up and goes and watches over her until Banana goes into the coop. So maybe she tried and Stubborn baby just went into her usual corner and didnt think anything of it, who knows. Probably learned her lesson though, as she was quite the eager beaver to dive under Cochin and get warm!

Do any of you ever notice that birds on a higher perch will try to peck the heads of birds on a lower perch?

Yep! I haven't figured out the exact spacing so that they're too high to do that. All my girls look HORRIBLE. I had my perches all at the same level and decided maybe they need to be at different levels so that they can't peck each other so much. My son said... "you won't even be able to tell when they start molting!" And he's right!

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Yep! I haven't figured out the exact spacing so that they're too high to do that. All my girls look HORRIBLE. I had my perches all at the same level and decided maybe they need to be at different levels so that they can't peck each other so much. My son said... "you won't even be able to tell when they start molting!" And he's right!

LOL! I love molting time. It is my absolute favorite thing, watching these poor girls at their worst, hahaha

 

[Lacy Blues]

Spiced Caramel Pear Jam


Pear Orange Marmalade*


Gingered Pear Jam


Pear Butter


Pear Lime Jam


Pear Vanilla Jam

Those sound really yummy! Thank you for sharing!

 

[vegaschick]

I have been way chatty tonight! I wonder if you can tell that I'm nervous about school starting Monday and that I actually have a ton of stuff to do before then. HA! I'm so good at avoiding stuff I don't wanna do...especially when I HAVE TO do it! I'm stressing and chickens chill me out. I may even have to watch my fish tonight. *sigh* I wish I could be like these ladies...just chillin' and layin' around doin' nuthin'!






I'm also in chicken withdrawl. My girls are still livin' the good life in UT until it cools down here a bit more...like maybe OCT and I miss them already!

That's 2 whole months w/out them. My chicks are gonna be HUGE. I'm so sad. I hate missing the important things. JOBS! They suck all the fun outta life! Booooo! Hissss! ...... yuck.

Sorry. I'll stop ranting now. I do like my job. Honest!