Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[cheeka]

so cute W4W and glad that Minnie Pearl was unsuccessful!!

Big Broody is not eating viable chicks. but she's not ejecting rejected eggs. she is eating them. it's so gross. the chick from today was pretty well formed, but those eggs got wet, so I don't know. I feel so bad. but she still has 3 eggs that are due to hatch tomorrow.

we had a tornado touch down a few miles from here! one house was totally destroyed and they are seeing potential for more tornadoes in several areas. it's not predicted to come closer than 6 miles from here, but we might get some hail. so far, just heavy rain, the storm cell overhead earlier is long gone, no thunder and lightning here... I'll make the dash outside with Pie during the next lull.

 

[cheeka]

2 Family Outing. 8 goslings, 3 in 1 family, 5 in the other... while one pair sunbathes, the other takes all the kids for a swim!

 

[BullChick]

Cheeka, sray safe!!

I am down to thirty-five dozen eggs. I am making a five dozen egg pie for the chickens, sold six, and used two dozen in a casserole. I am also eating as many as possible. Anyone wanna come help? I did sell ten chickens a week ago, but I think another ten may have to go!

 

[cheeka]

the storm is passed, it is absolutely gorgeous out now... I almost want to let the flock out, but they are starting to settle down, so why disrupt the routine... Peach, Esther, Sillie and Henry are getting along quite harmoniously, perhaps too harmonious... he seems platonic.

but when I served Pie, he was all a cluckin' for the girls to come eat and he shared with all of them. he's so sweet, keeping my fingers crossed that his hormones will kick in.

 

[smhoekzema]

Got up at the crack of dawn but everyone was already up! All went well Checked the babies over and not a mark on them.
They are around 13 weeks but have been able to be seen by the big girls since around 6 or 7 weeks and they have been free ranging together supervised for the past month. The little girls used to run from them and just hang on the other side of the yard but the past few days they have all happily scratched on the same dirt pile.

I provide an area in the run from them that the big girls can't get to with their own food and water so that they always have somewhere to get away if needed

 

[katekearby]

 

[chickenlindz]

I think I got 7 today. I've been getting 7 or 8 a day from 9 layers.

Ugh when I cleaned the poop from under the roost I noticed that some of the bottom layer hasn't been turned well and it's damp. So of course now I need to clean the coop thoroughly... But of course I can't disturb squirt quite yet. So I think I'm going to remove most of the bedding just to get it out, throw a handful of shavings in there and then after Squirt gives birth I'll wash it down. I don't know how you guys who can't free range deal w poop. My girls are out from 5:30 am to 8 pm every day... I can't imagine that poop in the coop as well as their overnight droppings!

Good night!!

 

[mortie]

Mine poop in the run all day, they only poop in the coop at night. So far it doesn't seem like I need to do anything with the poop in the run...maybe that will change but it's not that bad yet. Doesn't smell.

We ate the two roosters I processed on monday today. I was not impressed. I brined them all day in a recipe I found online and then roasted them as one would a turkey. They were cooked just right. It looked really good, but the meat had a sort of watery taste that reminded me of when I was butchering them and it kind of turned my stomach. One out of 3 of my kids ate hers. One said it tasted gross and the other one wouldn't touch it because it was our own chicken. Hubby ate his. I am kinda bummed. All that work for nothing. I was going to make stock out of the carcasses but I am afraid the weird taste will carry through to that as well and don't want to waste any more time, energy, or money on this little project.

 

[lindz8504]

Cheeka. I am still not getting any eggs from the marans..... what do you think? She is in the nest boxes daily but never lays......

 

[lindz8504]

Mortie your birds will have a different texture than store bought. If it had an off flavor you can try brining in milk instead of a salt water brine. I also let mine sit for a solid week before I cooked any of them, and I fixed mine in the crock pot with potatoes and carrots and lots of seasonings. I am sure others can suggest more options since I have only processed one time. Although growing up I helped my grandparents with chickens, pigs and beef cows as well as wild game. Milk pulls the game flavor out, so I think it would help with the off flavor.