Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[BullChick]

Congrats! I see how awesome that must have been to witness.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Cheeka, what a wonderful story about Si and Peach. And such a beautiful egg too! Really great that you could be there to see it. Si is turning out to be an awesome rooster!

 

[BullChick]

ACW, why does the Pullet Shut door cause so many people to get so mad? I see a difference between "this is my experience. It was not great. I am going with another company now." and "I don't like the product. How dare you like it, and how dare you say that you are shocked by my experience or perceived end result if I keep using it?!"
So sad. I really do plan on getting one, but since I don't have it yet, maybe you can tell me why it inspires such strong emotion?

 

[okallthis4eggs]

 

[cheeka]

(Si is turning out to be a great rooster) He is, isn't he...? and soon he will have a harem of his own! I took almost 200 pics of the gang this afternoon, and have to recharge the battery so I can take chick pics later. what a day!

 

[okallthis4eggs]

FOUR

FOUR.......Numbers Dropped. Today We Laid FOUR Eggs

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Venison is one of the best... I really like all the game meats, like Ven. and Elk, and Buffalo, and wild turkey and all kinds of fish. One 2.5 year old deer, buck or doe, I don't care, is enough meat to last me for an entire year, and that includes plenty of dinners with company. It's so much healthier, and so tasty if harvested at the right time of year, and butchered quickly... aging meat by hanging is tricky, narrow temperature margin... it truly needs to be between 34*-37* consistently to get the perfect result. I have a neighbor who takes deer on off times because he needs to feed his family, and it just doesn't taste so good when harvested in the dead of winter, when the deer are mostly scrounging and eating a lot of pine bark.

I've gotten 3 eggs so far, one RIR and both EE's AND! I think Peach might lay her first egg today! interesting behavior: I was out with the whole gang, everyone happily foraging and dust bathing, when Peach and Si headed back to the enclosure together. I should have taken a picture of the first odd thing, I did have the camera... but I was more concerned about what was happening... Si was way in the corner on the inside of the dome, Peach was in the same corner, but OUTside the dome. She was trying to get to him, so rather than snapping pics, I picked her up and went in to see what was wrong with Si. nothing was wrong, he was making small popping sounds, like a cat's purr slowed way down. he was building a nest in the corner of the dome. it is quite perfect. he dug down to the ground, and made a perfect ring of bedding. When I brought Peach in, she roosted for a moment and watched him, then jumped down and made herself comfy. he's been standing guard over her ever since, all the while making the popping sound. when the rest of the gang returned, he took up a very defensive stance, and blocked Peach from sight.


it's a hard angle to capture the depth of the nest, looks flat, but it really isn't... it's so cool! I put a length of fence in to corner them off and afford them a bit of privacy, but i'll have to go back out soon to make sure all is well, and see if I get a tiny egg!

It is nice to put a deer in the freezer. One will last me a year too. I still have some left from last year. Trying to use that up now. The reference to 50 degrees I was making is that a deer won't spoil as long as it stays below 50 degrees and you have time to skin and quarter it up. I didn't know that the ideal temp for aging was between 34-37 degrees. I never had the opportunity to hang one in a controlled enviroment. Thats good information. My favorite way to fix venison (It's deer in Kentucky) is Jerky, Fried Loin, Barbecue, Roast, and Burger. Congratuiations on your first Peach egg. That Si sure looked like he was doing a good job.

 

[cheeka]

I've never been able to hang one either, temps fluctuate too quickly up here... so when the deer comes in, it's gutted immediately. the cats go nuts... sure the chickens would too! I have a pulley in the garage, so it's quick in there and up in the air! skinned and allowed to cool for butchering within a few hours. BH always thought I was weird, bc I wouldn't hunt for one, but once it's dead, would fully participate in the work to get it in the freezer. I am good at skinning, and good at butchering. I have a BS in Biology and Human Anatomy... so muscle is muscle, it's easy for me to see, and I get all the bones and how it fits together... did loads of comparative anatomy (dissection) starting in 6th grade (a squid), and was hooked... in college, I was the #1 person to seek out if you wanted to keep the rabbit hide from dissection and weren't practiced yet. I could get their toes... all the details (hope that doesn't gross anyone out, but they were never going to be someones pet...) I could be a good taxidermist.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

ACW, why does the Pullet Shut door cause so many people to get so mad? I see a difference between "this is my experience. It was not great. I am going with another company now." and "I don't like the product. How dare you like it, and how dare you say that you are shocked by my experience or perceived end result if I keep using it?!"
So sad. I really do plan on getting one, but since I don't have it yet, maybe you can tell me why it inspires such strong emotion?

Ya got me. I havent followed the thread in quite awhile, one guy was very disasatified, after they sent him every single replacement part and then refused to refund the entire door after he'd taken it apart and messed with it.....go figure? I offered mine by phone and spent more time talking with the owner about anything other than the door. Good people. I keep meaning to call up and order another door for the broody side, by spring! For sure! Shoot, rob Lowe endorses it so.....cost wise, they aren't getting rich off it either, they already had the machinery and its more a side line business than anything. Maybe I should pop over there and see what the fuss is about? Oh funny thing, when people come in the shop and say they can get something cheaper somewhere else - we tell them, go there, and mark the price up. Seriously. Hahaha.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Anybody tan the hide? Got any good chemical sources? I use alum now, but I'd like something more permanent /waterproof. Jerky is one of my favorite things. I haven't made any ye, but finally did get a slicer. Some day I'll get a dehydrator, well...a good one.