Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[BullChick]

I couldn’t eat my chickens until I butchered two turkeys. They were BBW, so always just food. To be honest, I never liked the taste of turkey until then. The guy who owned the place we brought the turkeys did pigs (and all fowl but quail). He obviously was set up for the job, and had large pluckers too.
I can’t do anything else fresh. It’s too sad for me still. Not deer though. I just seem to be allergic to the meat.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Hello everyone! I have been absent a bit, trying to rearrange my life since my mom passed away. I got a new dog and am showing her, which fills some of the hole in my heart. I found a nice local FB chicken group--someone there needs a trapper for their fox problem--Blarney, didn't you have success with your trapper?

Oh no! So sorry about your Mom. Your new pup is beautiful. I was recommended a local wonder for fox trapping. His name is Phil Brown, but he may be done in this area for the season. He typically traps coyote competitively in Colorado or Mexico or somewhere.

 

[dheltzel]

Note for this time of year - tree leaves are excellent bedding for poultry. They entertain themselves for hours scratching through the leaves, eating any bugs or seeds they find. In the process, they shred the leaves and coat them with droppings, making a perfect compost material. You can let it accumulate if they stay dry and you have room, or move the old to a pile to finish composting.
I like to add small amounts often, as a treat/entertainment.

 

[dheltzel]

Moved 53 bantam ducks today into better winter housing. Some had not had a pool for several months, so they made the most of the bathing opportunity. Had to change the pool water twice for one pen, they had so much dirt on them. When I left them, they were all busy preening and oiling their feathers. Ducks amaze me often, but never more than watching them go from messy to perfect in a few hours when they have a pool.
I now have 4 breeds of ducks, 3 are bantams, and all are exceedingly rare in the hobby.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

This represents the most expensive part of my wardrobe.

 

[fisherlady]

Totally can sympathize! My latest trends are from about 10 yrs ago, but the birds dont seem to care as long as the pockets still hold scratch treat, lol.

 

[dheltzel]

This past weekend, the first 5 Ayam cemani chicks hatched. Really, really black! Normally, I don't hatch in December, but for eggs this valuable, they MUST be hatched.

 

[feliciadawn]

This past weekend, the first 5 Ayam cemani chicks hatched. Really, really black! Normally, I don't hatch in December, but for eggs this valuable, they MUST be hatched.

We want to see pictures!

 

[LadyBehir]

Yes
Pics

 

[dheltzel]

We want to see pictures!

They seem a little scared of my phone.The ones with black legs/feet are Ayam cemani, the rest are Ayam ketawa (laughing chickens).

The only "regular" layers producing at all now are the dark egg layers, Maran and Welbars.

Given that everyone thinks Copper Marans lay the darkest eggs, you would guess that the 2 really dark one are from that pen, but they are really from the Welbar pullets. Pretty happy with the shape and color of their eggs so far. Egg shape has been a problem in the past with the Welbars, some were round like a golf ball!