Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[stake]

checked out this stark's that you all have been recommending. we have decided on a sweet cherry tree, now need some help on variety please.

Wing:

I have a Stella....its supposed to be self fruiting, but has never really delivered (in quality or quantity)by itself.....I've learned a couple of things: the quality of the cherry is greatly determined by where the tree is planted...although self fruiting, I am looking for another sweet cherry to cross pollinate...hope this helps.

 

[fisherlady]

For those of you who send your chickens to "freezer camp" do you do the work yourself? At first I couldn't stand the thought of eating one of my pets but since I seem to be a rooster magnet I've decided to reconsider. I just don't know if I can do it myself. There is a guy a few minutes away that processes deer and he also did my neighbors steer. I wonder if it would be worth it for me to pay him to do my roosters. I'm new to all of this so any info you can give me would be great. Is it better to do it at a certain age?

We do it ourselves... there is a good thread on here that has been running for the past month or so which covers a lot of the concerns that most folks run into when trying to decide...
It is now a long thread, but I think it is very much worth the time to read through it if you are wanting/considering processing your own birds....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ort-group-help-us-through-the-emotions-please

Does anyone else have an insane chicken? I am serious...ginger, was bawk , bawking sooo loud today before she laid her egg...in & out of the coop area. Finally she laid it, she starts "screaming" again, I go out, get the egg out of the coop, I tell she is a "good girl", throw her & Babs some scratch & she shuts -up...???

Is she just nuts or what? She has always acted a little stir crazy before she would lay, but this, this was NUTS!!!& LOUD!!!

We have 2 in particular that seem to want the whole world to acknowledge that they laid an egg! They are incredibly loud about it. Others barely make a fuss at all.

I have an insane husband that has been squaking most of the day, does that count ?

I just recently joined. Feel free to add me to your list of PA people. I just recently purchased four Buff Chantecler's. They are 12 weeks old today. What a difference from my other birds. I want to breed these for laying in the winter among other reasons. They are soooo docile. They would follow me inside if I would let them. Even my three year old can pick one up and pet it with no trouble. I was soo shocked. anyone with any information would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome! Glad to have you onboard! I have considered the Chanteclers as one of our 'foundation' breeds, but haven't found any close by yet. Still researching too.... glad to hear about them being so friendly. Where did you get yours and how are they maturing for you?

 

[wingstone]

gardeningmama....that size is the reason I went with the pekin, they are also friendlier, atleast mine are....
Stake...thanks for the input, the kind of tree he is looking at is one of those 2 in 1 trees
Silkie...there's lots of pips in there, they are just being lazy,,,the runner justed hatched a couple hours ago and still not fluffed,,kind of looks grayish...will pm you the e-mail..

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

We do it ourselves... there is a good thread on here that has been running for the past month or so which covers a lot of the concerns that most folks run into when trying to decide...
It is now a long thread, but I think it is very much worth the time to read through it if you are wanting/considering processing your own birds....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ort-group-help-us-through-the-emotions-please
We have 2 in particular that seem to want the whole world to acknowledge that they laid an egg! They are incredibly loud about it. Others barely make a fuss at all.

Welcome! Glad to have you onboard! I have considered the Chanteclers as one of our 'foundation' breeds, but haven't found any close by yet. Still researching too.... glad to hear about them being so friendly. Where did you get yours and how are they maturing for you?

well, I am glad to know I am not the only one with a Drama-Queen!...but I am sorry you have to deal with it too

...crazy birds...I find myself saying that more & more..

....I really need to read that "processing" thread too, Todd said he would "handle-it", but, I am interested in the whole package of raising chickens. I have done alot of hunting, so I don't "think" I will be too bad...but, you never know. Venison didn't have a name...

 

[SilkieSensation]

Quote: We don't name birds until we are positive we are keeping them. No roos get names except our breeder boys & meaties just get called Nugget, Drumstick, Leg, Thigh, Lunch, Dinner, Fat Bird, etc. We don't specifically name any of the meaties they just randomly get called whatever food or descriptive thing that comes to mind at that moment.

 

[SilkieSensation]

gardeningmama....that size is the reason I went with the pekin, they are also friendlier, atleast mine are....
Stake...thanks for the input, the kind of tree he is looking at is one of those 2 in 1 trees
Silkie...there's lots of pips in there, they are just being lazy,,,the runner justed hatched a couple hours ago and still not fluffed,,kind of looks grayish...will pm you the e-mail..

Got it. Headed to get pix now. Tell those duckies to get it in gear. I wanna see pix...LOL

 

[fisherlady]

We don't name birds until we are positive we are keeping them. No roos get names except our breeder boys & meaties just get called Nugget, Drumstick, Leg, Thigh, Lunch, Dinner, Fat Bird, etc. We don't specifically name any of the meaties they just randomly get called whatever food or descriptive thing that comes to mind at that moment.

We got this run of meaties in two batches, a couple of weeks apart.... we don't name them either. We refer to the two groups as 'the sumos' and the 'mini meaties'. We are planning to butcher the last of the sumos on Tuesday, and maybe a couple of the minis who are ahead of the rest of the gang.
Knowing their purpose and keeping them in a group seperate of the rest of the flock helps to reinforce that they are meaties and reduces any attachment tendancies. It also helps that the Cornish cross all look so similar we don't really recognize individuals in the group.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Quote: My meaties are scattered over about 4 weeks in 4-5 batches, but the youngest batches are the cornish crosses so they are ready before some of the blacks that were from batches 2 & 3. We have a couple we can tell from the others due to some strange red color patterns in the black broilers' feathers but other than being able to tell which are the roos & which are hens we really don't pay much attention to which is which. Some are red, some are black, some are white, they will all be pink once the feathers are gone & the skin is removed (I like boneless, skinless breasts so will be fileting the breasts & sectioning the legs, thighs & wings on most of mine). They also fit in the icebox much better in pieces than left as whole roasters.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Quote: Pix are sent.

 

[MButerbaugh]

Q

• 
  Incubator/broody question.... We have 2 broody hens currently, I'm worried about the eggs under them because I think we let them have too many (they each have 14). Should I just take a few away and toss them? Or can I still put them in an incubator if I go get one? They've been sitting 1 week now, or should I just let nature take its course? I'm worried that the ones on the outside aren't warm enough and they'll all end up not hatching due to getting moved around... Thanks! Any advice is appreciated, we are totally new to this... Thanks!