New Mexico

[TwoCrows]

Thank you for the link. Spent day going over our requirements and what breed would suit, and it has circled right back around to the Ameraucana. Just read an article about them and Easter eggers. I will be back to having chicken dreams again. Lol

Btw, 6 deg sounds too cold. We will be seeing single digits with this Siberian express. High winds on Friday. My heart hurts for the people in California knowing more Santa Ana winds coming.

So sorry I missed your post, I've been struggling with Flu, my brain has been fried.

So you have settled on Ameraucanas? Beautiful birds and they lay gorgeous colored eggs!

Cold air is coming in today, it's dry air and isn't supposed to last too long. Stay warm over there!

 

[WilderSkye]

So sorry I missed your post, I've been struggling with Flu, my brain has been fried.

So you have settled on Ameraucanas? Beautiful birds and they lay gorgeous colored eggs!

Cold air is coming in today, it's dry air and isn't supposed to last too long. Stay warm over there!

Wow! That really sucks. I hope you are on the way to healing. My favorite flu/cold toddy is a thyme, lemon, honey hot tea concoction. It is like Riccola in a cup and clear congestion and soothes throat. You just steep a teaspoon of dried thyme in hot to near boiling water for 5 minutes. Then add juice of half a lemon and honey to taste. If you have manuka honey that super charges it.

The dry air here is awful. We are hunkering down for next few days. I need to figure out some sort of big pot of something to eat on, chili, or posole, or stew. My husband wants me to make tamales....as strong and fit as I am....I really have to think hard before I embark on that one. Lol

Yeah, I did more searching on breeds and the Ameraucana and Eggers keep percolating to the top. I really, really do not want a broody hen. What I looked at yesterday and would love to have for the funny factor and they are so darn cute, is the Polish or Houdans. They are just the cutest things ever but totally don't fit due to winter, lack of predator awareness, low egg production, and they don't forage. But I think they blow the fun factor out to the water.

Get well soon and stay warm! I can't wait for the time change and warmer weather. We garden sans clothing, and I hate having to bundle up.

 

[TwoCrows]

Wow! That really sucks. I hope you are on the way to healing. My favorite flu/cold toddy is a thyme, lemon, honey hot tea concoction. It is like Riccola in a cup and clear congestion and soothes throat. You just steep a teaspoon of dried thyme in hot to near boiling water for 5 minutes. Then add juice of half a lemon and honey to taste. If you have manuka honey that super charges it.

The dry air here is awful. We are hunkering down for next few days. I need to figure out some sort of big pot of something to eat on, chili, or posole, or stew. My husband wants me to make tamales....as strong and fit as I am....I really have to think hard before I embark on that one. Lol

Yeah, I did more searching on breeds and the Ameraucana and Eggers keep percolating to the top. I really, really do not want a broody hen. What I looked at yesterday and would love to have for the funny factor and they are so darn cute, is the Polish or Houdans. They are just the cutest things ever but totally don't fit due to winter, lack of predator awareness, low egg production, and they don't forage. But I think they blow the fun factor out to the water.

Get well soon and stay warm! I can't wait for the time change and warmer weather. We garden sans clothing, and I hate having to bundle up.

Thanks! This is actually day 10 of the flu, I felt better last week and then I seemed to slide backwards. Been sleeping much of this week. Today my head finally isn't as foggy and I have a tad more energy. Flu is exhausting!

Every breed has a potential for one bird to go broody, broodiness has been bred out of many breeds. So there is no guarantee but if you chose a breed that seldom goes broody, you may never have a broody. One good thing about broodies is, egg laying is high on the list of reasons birds don't live long lives, egg laying is quite draining on their bodies, egg layers are prone to reproductive cancers and other issues. Broodies tend not to lay many eggs during their lives. Once their broody hormones die back, these birds are still quite healthy and can go in to live into their teens. So I'd stick with the Seldom Broody type breeds.

High today of 38, wood stove is chugging away! Have a great day out there!

 

[WilderSkye]

Thanks! This is actually day 10 of the flu, I felt better last week and then I seemed to slide backwards. Been sleeping much of this week. Today my head finally isn't as foggy and I have a tad more energy. Flu is exhausting!

Every breed has a potential for one bird to go broody, broodiness has been bred out of many breeds. So there is no guarantee but if you chose a breed that seldom goes broody, you may never have a broody. One good thing about broodies is, egg laying is high on the list of reasons birds don't live long lives, egg laying is quite draining on their bodies, egg layers are prone to reproductive cancers and other issues. Broodies tend not to lay many eggs during their lives. Once their broody hormones die back, these birds are still quite healthy and can go in to live into their teens. So I'd stick with the Seldom Broody type breeds.

High today of 38, wood stove is chugging away! Have a great day out there!

That is good to know on broodiness.

10 Days! Geez, that is horrible. I opened YT and found this:

Had no idea it was that bad. I am going to stay in our little snow globe (what we call our little piece of private heaven) until spring. Hubby has to go to Galveston mid Feb, and refuses to fly because he doesn't want to get sick; he still has to worry about low white cell count. He would rather drive 10 hours. Now I think that is a great idea.

Btw, I spent a couple of days seed shopping for our garden and medical grow. Seed catalogs this time of year keep me from going crazy.

Here are some carrots I grew a couple of summers ago. I was so proud of myself as I had never grown carrots before.

 

[TwoCrows]

That is good to know on broodiness.

10 Days! Geez, that is horrible. I opened YT and found this:

Had no idea it was that bad. I am going to stay in our little snow globe (what we call our little piece of private heaven) until spring. Hubby has to go to Galveston mid Feb, and refuses to fly because he doesn't want to get sick; he still has to worry about low white cell count. He would rather drive 10 hours. Now I think that is a great idea.

Btw, I spent a couple of days seed shopping for our garden and medical grow. Seed catalogs this time of year keep me from going crazy.

Here are some carrots I grew a couple of summers ago. I was so proud of myself as I had never grown carrots before.

View attachment 4030846

Yes Flu is really bad this year. I usually never get sick, this was the first flu in a decade. But I think it's time to start getting a flu shot every fall.

Delicious looking carrots, you did good! I grew them one year, the taste was incredible! Lately all I've been growing besides flowers is Tomatoes. I want to try Bell Peppers this year and now that you brought it up, maybe carrots. I had great luck with potatoes one year, I canned up a big pot of them, we ate them all winter!

 

[WilderSkye]

Yes Flu is really bad this year. I usually never get sick, this was the first flu in a decade. But I think it's time to start getting a flu shot every fall.

Delicious looking carrots, you did good! I grew them one year, the taste was incredible! Lately all I've been growing besides flowers is Tomatoes. I want to try Bell Peppers this year and now that you brought it up, maybe carrots. I had great luck with potatoes one year, I canned up a big pot of them, we ate them all winter!

I hope this finds you well on the way to healing. Last time we had flu was 12 years ago, and it was the first year we skipped vaccinations. Won't ever do that again.

Last year tomatoes were insanely productive. I didn't get a garden started until late June. I was only allowed to have one tomato plant, due to the previous year planting over 20 of them for two people. So, of course, we ended up with two volunteers and two store bought plants. And way more squash than we would ever eat.

I have spent days on garden planning and seed ordering. A big hit for me last year was the brown Sikim cucumber. Nothing compares! I started growing white bitter melon a couple of years ago and that is almost an addictive thing to eat. I end up craving it about now. Luffa has been a fun one to grow. The flowers are the most deep intense buttery yellow ever.

Still doing a lot of chicken breed research, and the Ameraucanas and Eggers are the top ones that tick all boxes. Am looking at bantams and quail, too. AND as luck would have it, I checked our chicken ordinance, I thought I could only have 2-3 hens but the total number is TWENTY FIVE! If all goes well this year with chickens, we may can think of an entire flock. If I can sell the eggs, which I think I can. Chickens must be the barnyard potato chips, you can't have just a few.

Stay warm! It was 11 deg when I woke up. Tonight will be down to 4. But after this, it is going to warm up. I am dying to get outside and get garden ready.

Edited: I waited until after July 1st to plant squash, as I had read if you do that you won't get squash bugs. It works! Not a single squash bug. Did battle harlequin beatles late summer and fall with my mustard and collard greens.

 

[TwoCrows]

I hope this finds you well on the way to healing. Last time we had flu was 12 years ago, and it was the first year we skipped vaccinations. Won't ever do that again.

Last year tomatoes were insanely productive. I didn't get a garden started until late June. I was only allowed to have one tomato plant, due to the previous year planting over 20 of them for two people. So, of course, we ended up with two volunteers and two store bought plants. And way more squash than we would ever eat.

I have spent days on garden planning and seed ordering. A big hit for me last year was the brown Sikim cucumber. Nothing compares! I started growing white bitter melon a couple of years ago and that is almost an addictive thing to eat. I end up craving it about now. Luffa has been a fun one to grow. The flowers are the most deep intense buttery yellow ever.

Still doing a lot of chicken breed research, and the Ameraucanas and Eggers are the top ones that tick all boxes. Am looking at bantams and quail, too. AND as luck would have it, I checked our chicken ordinance, I thought I could only have 2-3 hens but the total number is TWENTY FIVE! If all goes well this year with chickens, we may can think of an entire flock. If I can sell the eggs, which I think I can. Chickens must be the barnyard potato chips, you can't have just a few.

Stay warm! It was 11 deg when I woke up. Tonight will be down to 4. But after this, it is going to warm up. I am dying to get outside and get garden ready.

Edited: I waited until after July 1st to plant squash, as I had read if you do that you won't get squash bugs. It works! Not a single squash bug. Did battle harlequin beatles late summer and fall with my mustard and collard greens.

I need to start planning on what I'm going to plant this year. With all this cold, day dreaming should be pretty easy! It was -6° over night, light dusting of snow but the sun will be up soon, it's supposed to crack 30° by noon, we shall see!

Sounds like you will have a big flock this year, I think you will enjoy the breeds you chose! They are seldom if ever broody, the lay pretty eggs and they are very cute birds!

Time to go feed the wild birds, poor things are freezing out there! Have a great day out there!

 

[WilderSkye]

I need to start planning on what I'm going to plant this year. With all this cold, day dreaming should be pretty easy! It was -6° over night, light dusting of snow but the sun will be up soon, it's supposed to crack 30° by noon, we shall see!

Sounds like you will have a big flock this year, I think you will enjoy the breeds you chose! They are seldom if ever broody, the lay pretty eggs and they are very cute birds!

Time to go feed the wild birds, poor things are freezing out there! Have a great day out there!

-6 OUCH! We got down to 3 last night. Water line to our toilet and shower, which both are on a northfacing wall were frozen. Fortunately other sinks, toilets, and laundry are okay. It has thawed out now. Forecast on out shows to be warming.

Our Chicken Picking discussions have been fun. Latest bird on our radar is the barnevelder. I also realized I was putting too much weight into whether a hen was broody or not. I really think a rooster would be a valuable asset for a flock. When we get our chicks, which will be somewhere in April or May, we won't have to worry about a broody hen until next spring anyways. If we have had good go at it, and want to increase our flock, and get a broody hen, we can order eggs for her to sit on. We have discussed the rooster conundrum. I told Himself that if we hatched out chicks, we would have to face the fact that half will be roosters. And we would need to nut up at some point and cull them. I grew up as a toddler watching my babysitter, kill a chicken, then me and my sister chased it down and plucked it for her. This was about three times a week. And I grew up quail hunting so I can deal with them. However, I told him, we cannot make a pet out of something we would eat.

And this angle, which I hope doesn't sound too horrible: I had looked at black sex links and liked them. Until I read they are shorter lived birds at 2 - 3 years old; which in our case would end up being something like 12 - 13 years. I told Himself, "ya know, we can get a few sex links, and see how well we do at this whole chicken business, and if we like it. If it is a bit too much for us, well, we know the birds have an expiry date."

And there is the angle of eggs, we would be fools to not sell them and make a little back.

Chicken Coop discussions ongoing and in depth.

Stay warm!

 

[WilderSkye]

Woke up in the middle of the night thinking " can roosters be neutered? Is a capon a neutered rooster? Who would....."

 

[TwoCrows]

-6 OUCH! We got down to 3 last night. Water line to our toilet and shower, which both are on a northfacing wall were frozen. Fortunately other sinks, toilets, and laundry are okay. It has thawed out now. Forecast on out shows to be warming.

Our Chicken Picking discussions have been fun. Latest bird on our radar is the barnevelder. I also realized I was putting too much weight into whether a hen was broody or not. I really think a rooster would be a valuable asset for a flock. When we get our chicks, which will be somewhere in April or May, we won't have to worry about a broody hen until next spring anyways. If we have had good go at it, and want to increase our flock, and get a broody hen, we can order eggs for her to sit on. We have discussed the rooster conundrum. I told Himself that if we hatched out chicks, we would have to face the fact that half will be roosters. And we would need to nut up at some point and cull them. I grew up as a toddler watching my babysitter, kill a chicken, then me and my sister chased it down and plucked it for her. This was about three times a week. And I grew up quail hunting so I can deal with them. However, I told him, we cannot make a pet out of something we would eat.

And this angle, which I hope doesn't sound too horrible: I had looked at black sex links and liked them. Until I read they are shorter lived birds at 2 - 3 years old; which in our case would end up being something like 12 - 13 years. I told Himself, "ya know, we can get a few sex links, and see how well we do at this whole chicken business, and if we like it. If it is a bit too much for us, well, we know the birds have an expiry date."

And there is the angle of eggs, we would be fools to not sell them and make a little back.

Chicken Coop discussions ongoing and in depth.

Stay warm!

Hatching can definitely yield lots of boys. I used to hatch a lot of quail and some hatches were 75% boys! It definitely helps if you know to and can process your birds, it's actually healthier for the flock to pull out the undesirables and ones that can't keep up for physical or health reasons.

Black SexLinks and other high production birds don't live much past 2 or 3, and usually die from some reproductive ailment or cancer. 2 years passes very quickly and if you have a lot of high production birds, somebody is always dying. So keep that in mind.

As for taking the crow out of a rooster, it's really not possible to tame down the crowing. Surgery usually kills birds that undergo anesthesia as well. There are some breeds that have the potential to crow less, although every bird is different and crowing is just what roosters like to do. After a while you don't even hear the crowing.

Oh gosh, sorry to hear you froze up last night! We rarely freeze up, I think one time about 14 years ago we have -30 for 3 days straight and we did freeze up then. Good grief it was cold, wildlife died, trees exploded, I had every heater and heat lamps running in the coops, everybody survived!

Well stay warm out there, hopefully this Arctic blast moves on soon!