Peeps in Europe!

[BDutch]

I didn't realize they were a dutch breed. Literally translated from German it means "featherfooted dwarfs"

I didnt know ether (and I am Dutch).

I had to search the internet to figure out what booted Dutch where. Cause whe don’t name them like that here.

We call them sabelpoot here. Which means saber leg.

 

[Papa John59]

Well done @Erba! And the status of the big egg?

 

[abpatchy]

I candled a couple of eggs with my cell phone light. I saw chicks!!! In some of them anyways. It seems like the Bielefelder are a no go... the two that I checked were clear. But I am getting a candeling light today in the mail... so I should be able to get pictures tomorrow morning!! So cute!!! When you see those little eye dots thru the shell.... omg!!! I just want hug them and squeeze them and call them all George!!!!

Yes @Erba what's the status? Any more chicks???

 

[Papa John59]

George!

 

[abpatchy]

Hello everyone!!!
Excitement!! I candled the eggs this morning.
Of the 15 Bielefelder eggs that stayed in freezing temperatures over night... 5 are fertile!!
Of the 10 wheaten Sulmtaler that I purchased from a breeder, 9 are fertile.
Of the 20 white Sulmtaler eggs purchased from the same breeder 19 are a go.
Of the 32 wheaten Sulmtaler from my own chickens, 15 are fertile and 14 where I wasn't sure. They are getting a few more days.
So... here a couple of pictures.

 

[Erba]

So folks this weekend I butchered my first home grown cockerels! It was actually a family affair. My daughter's boyfriend actually killed them with his grandmother, and his mum and I plucked all three of them. Amazing to find a family who has passed down the know-how now four generations. The grandmother learned it from her mother... I sure hope they keep it going. So at the moment my flock has the original number I started with, 1 Rooster and 5 hens, I'll have to wait to see what the chicks will be and determine how many I will keep.

 

[abpatchy]

Cool!! I still have to learn... in theory I'm ok...let's see how things will work out this year. The chick is totally adoreable!!!!

 

[Papa John59]

It has been at least 45 years since I harvested a chicken. However, I have been duck hunting during that time and cleaned them up....so I'm good to go! My son wants to learn, so I guess I'll be making a trip to my chicken lady. She breeds only to sell them, not for show. Obtain 2-3 cockerels and teach him how to do it. I just hate all that plucking of the feathers...esp. with my wurst fingers! Enjoy your week!

 

[abpatchy]

Hey John, what you got them kids for??
But I understand... it's a mess. I still don't know where I am going to do it... the majority will be done for me by a paid butcher I guess. But I am sure there will be some where I'll have to swing the axe or knife. Wish you'd be closer to show me! I just got videos to go by.

For an egg update... 4 Bielefelder left. One had a blood ring and there was no further development. Oh well... with my luck they are all roosters. I also removed all of my sulmtaler eggs but 15. The rest as definitly not fertile. It could be that it was too cold during some of the time... or maybe the rooster is not doing his job well enough. I'll see in the next hatch. I am already collecting eggs for the next hatch.

 

[Erba]

Actually I found the killing and plucking the fastest part, eviscerating took ages, because they wanted all the parts in portions. If I had done it for me, I would have just gutted them and left them whole. Here is us plucking them.