Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[wingstone]

Where is the York tsc?

Hmm, get home from work and no power. Wonder how long it's been off? If it's still off in the morning, guess I'll have to pull out the generator for the fridge.

For us it is basically a straight trip on route 30, right into York, if I recall, this is a very busy parking lot, will the swap be off to the side.

I really hope to make it to this one

 

[troyer]

I will also be taking some Cubalaya crosses and a Platinum Sumatra cock.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Wing, someone is looking for a Muscovy that is going to the swap, I thought you had some extra? I could be wrong...wouldn't be the first time.

Anyone know when to harvest potatoes?

 

[dheltzel]

Anyone know when to harvest potatoes?

Potatoes can be harvested anytime, when small their skin is very thin and they are called "new potatoes", allowing them to mature, they get much larger and develop the thick skin they need for storage over the winter, those are the regular and "baking" potatoes you see in the store. Generally, new potatoes are too fragile for stores to handle cheaply.

New potatoes can just be washed off and boiled until soft, add some butter and parsley for a PA dutch-style side dish. "Comfort food" for me, just like Mom made.

 

[wingstone]

Wing, someone is looking for a Muscovy that is going to the swap, I thought you had some extra? I could be wrong...wouldn't be the first time.

Anyone know when to harvest potatoes?

All sold from this hatch, I have a coupe of 3 month olds ( unsexed). Or also a hatch coming up in a little over a week....
You can go ahead and give them contact Info, if they do not find any at the swap...

Mine are not the colored Muscovy, these are the french white, they will be large ducks.

 

[wingstone]

Info on soybeans please.
I need to know how to incorporate those into a fermented feed system, I use our own wheat and barley but have not come up with a way to use the beans,,,

I wanted to use field peas but that is a no go, for the amount I would need to feed all year would be unrealistic to do by hand...

I have in the past soaked and boiled soybeans and used them for a high protein snack but would fermentation work long term, how long would they keep...


I am really trying to use less and less of the milled and processed feed that I have to buy..

Before anyone goes off on the hazards of soy, I go the chemical free route as much as possible, soy is not one of them for me...

 

[dheltzel]

Info on soybeans please.
I need to know how to incorporate those into a fermented feed system, I use our own wheat and barley but have not come up with a way to use the beans,,,

I wanted to use field peas but that is a no go, for the amount I would need to feed all year would be unrealistic to do by hand...

I have in the past soaked and boiled soybeans and used them for a high protein snack but would fermentation work long term, how long would they keep...


I am really trying to use less and less of the milled and processed feed that I have to buy..

Before anyone goes off on the hazards of soy, I go the chemical free route as much as possible, soy is not one of them for me...

I'm very interested in this also. I know they must be roasted before feeding to cows, but maybe not for chickens? Could they be sprouted and fed that way?
Boiling seems like too much work to be practical.

 

[My peeps]

I need advice! My silkie went broody on Sunday. Today (Wednesday) I am getting Serama eggs that I have been searching for forever. Can I put them under her and leave the other eggs too? I really don't want to use my incubator bc I'm going on vacation next week. Will she continue sitting on the Serama eggs since the other eggs will hatch a few days early. Should I remove the other eggs and just have her sit on these new ones? I would hate to throw away the eggs but the Serama ones are the ones I really want.

 

[fisherlady]

I need advice! My silkie went broody on Sunday. Today (Wednesday) I am getting Serama eggs that I have been searching for forever. Can I put them under her and leave the other eggs too? I really don't want to use my incubator bc I'm going on vacation next week. Will she continue sitting on the Serama eggs since the other eggs will hatch a few days early. Should I remove the other eggs and just have her sit on these new ones? I would hate to throw away the eggs but the Serama ones are the ones I really want.

It will cause a slightly staggered hatch, but my understanding of the serama eggs are that they frequently hatch as early as day 19 though??? anyone?? Sally?

Either way, she will continue to set for at least the next day and maybe 2 after her first eggs hatch, you can prolong it by taking the earliest hatched chicks away from her and put them in a brooder for a day or two, then graft them back to the mama hen after the later eggs hatch and dry. Grafting back is a little more complicated and hands on than normally needed for broodies but can be an effective way of getting around the staggered hatch problems.

If the eggs are going to hatch early then you would only need to keep the youngsters maybe one day in a brooder...

 

[chippysmom327]

I need advice! My silkie went broody on Sunday. Today (Wednesday) I am getting Serama eggs that I have been searching for forever. Can I put them under her and leave the other eggs too? I really don't want to use my incubator bc I'm going on vacation next week. Will she continue sitting on the Serama eggs since the other eggs will hatch a few days early. Should I remove the other eggs and just have her sit on these new ones? I would hate to throw away the eggs but the Serama ones are the ones I really want.

Hm, I think it'd be risky to put both sets under her. I personally wouldn't. During lockdown and for a day or two after, the hen holds her poop. That's about 5 days. We all know that for a chicken, that's basically an eternity. I think if she's eager to take the babies outside, she may leave the serama eggs. You can always keep the eggs that you may be throwing away in the bator, and wait and see if another hen goes broody before you leave for vacay. If she does, throw the eggs in the bator under her and you won't be throwing any eggs away.

ETA: seramas do hatch on Day 19.