Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[Blarneyeggs]

Anyone else doing the NYD Hatch? I find it an amazing way to get through the holidays.

Also, anyone else having issues rounding up the chooks? This early dark messes our plans up a LOT, I'm not home most evenings, in the summer, that's ok as I can 'coop in' when I get home at 9 or so, but it's sometimes a struggle to get everyone back into their coops this time of year before I leave when it's still light out. I find that I'm leaving them out more and more with their runs open for hours before I'm back….It's only a matter of time before a predator hits us….HARD.

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

I was just cleaning out the rest of my meat bird pen (chickens)....ChiquesChicks was bringing over his turkey's to process, went pretty fast for a cold day, they do cool off quickly in this weather.....wish I could of helped more with the turkey's but my hands are so cramped after doing 17 birds the last 2 days....

he now has some nice sized turkey's that are processed and ready to go for t-day

and yes that number was right, customer cleaned me out for the year, she is taking 15 birds with her for thanksgiving as she visits her family members they are each getting a few birds, she has 10 siblings (all I can say is WOW ) and hope this is a repeat customer

WOW!! hope she is a repeat customer for you too!! Glad the bird count was right-on!! Todd is seriously talking about doing turkeys...just a couple hens.

***This question is for anyone really...What breeds do you all recommend? especially for beginners with turkeys? When would you start them if you wanted them "good to go" for "T" day? Thank you all in advance!!!

Italian Market on 9th Street in Philly, got some fresh pasta at Talutto's, Cheese from DiBruno Brothers, Bread from Sarconne's and canollis from Isgro's, life is GOOD.

LMP, I just don't know how I would do with any LESS light…. struggling as it is to keep my spirits up. Although sights like this help:

Tonight's sunset:

..ahhhh, I do miss those beautiful "flat-land" sunsets!! Lancaster County has some of the most awesome, especially in the fall. The colors seems to mimic the foliage....awesome Blarn. Thank you for sharing! I have food envy!!

..that does sound like a great time!

Ummmm .... Okay! I will forgive you for 18 quarts of pickles!

People, I am not upset with her! She just told me that she wants to kiss me, and is embarrassed that I turned her down.

Okay, LMP, Your turn!

now you did it, you just HAD to say somethin' bout that!

...I do believe everyone knows here that we are friends, and if they didn't, they do now...so ,yeah..we are just about always joking..unless of course we are serious...then that's different.

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

Anyone else doing the NYD Hatch? I find it an amazing way to get through the holidays.

Also, anyone else having issues rounding up the chooks? This early dark messes our plans up a LOT, I'm not home most evenings, in the summer, that's ok as I can 'coop in' when I get home at 9 or so, but it's sometimes a struggle to get everyone back into their coops this time of year before I leave when it's still light out. I find that I'm leaving them out more and more with their runs open for hours before I'm back….It's only a matter of time before a predator hits us….HARD.

oh, I hope not blarney!! no predator hits..please...
I would love to do the NYD hatch, but no fertile eggs and we have a lot going on right now, -$$....

...I miss the chickies. I would recommend to anyone the experience of hatching eggs at least once in their lives! It truly is awesome...from a shell with "goo" to a the cutest little puff-balls...amazing! I will do it again..I love it!! Maybe next time it will be some of those "other" fluffy-butts"-Orps.!...

.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Had to feed dry food today to most of the pens. Fermented feed buckets wete frozen on the porch & half the pens had feed frozen in the bowls from yesterday.

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

Had to feed dry food today to most of the pens. Fermented feed buckets wete frozen on the porch & half the pens had feed frozen in the bowls from yesterday.

I don't have that amount to feed mine..so I know doing this would be near imposible for you and others, but..for those who have small flocks and only make 1 gal buckets of feed...Todd had a great idea of putting my FF bucket in an ols cooler. I put some news paper in it (helps to keep the mess down& insulates a little), put hot water in a half-gal. tea bottle and set it in the with the ferment, with the lid on. When I went in this morning the ferment was doing great..no freezing..that is until I strained it & put it outside

....anywho, it worked! I have seen somewhere..sorry, i am old and can't remember...others have made larger set-ups like this for the larger buckets..insulated "boxes" for their FF, Cool idea. They looked pretty simple & it helps to keep with the feed regiment they are used to. Just got some pics of outside...wanted to check on everyone, glad I did.
Yep..frozen. broke it up for them...they are eating it now

had to break the ice too...


they were thirsty

I put a bucket of feed in the sand-part and a waterer...as I was leaving , they all went in that area. Easier on the feet i guess.

I know this is a bad pic, but i wasn't standing out there any longer....temp.gauge on the barn reads 16*, hey, we went up 2*!!


and inside temp. gauge....22* on the front porch & 65* inside w/ 62% humidity. It is going to be hard to keep anything warm today!

 

[BullChick]

I went down to open the pop door to the big run. A Leghorn was standing in the door saying, "I am not going out there!" I began walking back to the house, and stopped. I went back, and shook the scratch can. One Leghorn came flying out, doing her best to stay in the air. I began dropping the scratch, and another Leghorn did the same thing! They were hopping around, trying to keep their toes warm. It was too funny! I think Leghorns are more snowbirds than we realized!

Oh, and the one in the door really didn't want to come out.
Did I tell you guys that when it snowed last week, a chicken came running from the back of the coop, and slammed into the poor girl standing in the door? Shoved her right into the snow!

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

I went down to open the pop door to the big run. A Leghorn was standing in the door saying, "I am not going out there!" I began walking back to the house, and stopped. I went back, and shook the scratch can. One Leghorn came flying out, doing her best to stay in the air. I began dropping the scratch, and another Leghorn did the same thing! They were hopping around, trying to keep their toes warm. It was too funny! I think Leghorns are more snowbirds than we realized!

Oh, and the one in the door really didn't want to come out.
Did I tell you guys that when it snowed last week, a chicken came running from the back of the coop, and slammed into the poor girl standing in the door? Shoved her right into the snow!

good morning

 

[wingstone]

LMP....It depends what you are looking for in a turkey,,,Broad Breasted are just like cornish cross fast growing, or you could try a heritage breed, they take longer and are gorgeous birds, more chances of getting to attached to these..

or you could get one from someone on here for a couple years and compare the difference

I usually do both, jst did not happen this year.......ChiquesChicks is the only one I know of this year...

homegrown really is alot different than store bought, or since you are in the mountains you could always go for a wild one which has it's own different taste.

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

LMP....It depends what you are looking for in a turkey,,,Broad Breasted are just like cornish cross fast growing, or you could try a heritage breed, they take longer and are gorgeous birds, more chances of getting to attached to these..

or you could get one from someone on here for a couple years and compare the difference

I usually do both, jst did not happen this year.......ChiquesChicks is the only one I know of this year...

homegrown really is alot different than store bought, or since you are in the mountains you could always go for a wild one which has it's own different taste.

The "wild"ones are cool..would I need a permit for them? from the game comish..?..IDK..
Heritage are nice & beautiful while they are here...no-way I am getting attached to it

...just kidding..it is dinner, simple as that.
I wouldn't think to get them from anywhere else but here

...and trying different breeds is a great idea!
If the difference in turkey meat from store verses home-grown, is the same "difference" the eggs -home grown verses store bought have...I am positive everyone is going love the "Home" version!! We are excited about this...have to get him to sit down with me and go through the turkey choices..get it narrowed down to a couple, then see how available they are.
**Thank you for the info. Wing, I appreciate it!-danielle

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

where is everyone?...I feel like a thread-hog...okay, you asked for it..
Random CUTENESS!!!!....she likes to help grammy fold ....