Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[HippyChippy]

I just won a dozen olive egger hatching eggs in the photobomb contest! Apparently I was 4th place, but third forfeited their prize. Looks like I will be hatching all summer!! What have I gotten myself into?

I think you love it... I know I would if I could have that many. : )

 

[HippyChippy]

BTW, I found someone who has ameraucana bantam hatching eggs... just saying. 
Oh my... They are not bantams are they?

 

[JerseyHen]

yes, bantam colored egg layers. She is interested in one of my chicks, perhaps I should take the trade (she asked if I was interested). Perhaps I will make the trade and hatch them with these olive eggers and legbars I have coming...

 

[lalany]

Just found 12 brown eggs in my lilac bushes. Do you think they are safe to eat?

 

[jmrosalia]

Hello everyone,
Cant remember the last time I posted. So difficult to keep up to all the various forums and podcasts I subscribe to. lol
Anyway, This might have been posted here already, but I found this video on YouTube and thought I'd share it with all of you.
Enjoy!

 

[JerseyHen]

Just found 12 brown eggs in my lilac bushes. Do you think they are safe to eat?

Float test them. Place each egg in a container of water. If they lay on the bottom they are fresh, if one end lifts up, they are a bit older, but are generally still ok to eat. If they float they are old. This works based on the principle that the aircell gets bigger as the egg ages. I have broken open many float tested eggs just to see if it is correct and I have never had a sinker that was bad. I only eat the ones that stay on the bottom. If you float test some grocery store eggs you will find that many times they "stand up" on the bottom. They can sell eggs up to 45 days old and those have been washed of their bacterial protective bloom, but refrigerated. I wouldn't keep them for any amount of time if you decide to use them though.

 

[lalany]

Thanks for the info! None floated, but as I am overly cautious about 1/2 lifted a little. The remaining 6 are hard boiled!!

 

[JerseyHen]

Thanks for the info! None floated, but as I am overly cautious about 1/2 lifted a little. The remaining 6 are hard boiled!!

I am the same way, only the ones that stay all the way down. I usually hardboil the ones that lift a bit and feed them back. Once boiled they won't have any viable bacteria and the girls don't seem to notice if they are a little older than we might like to eat. The dogs like them pretty well also. Just toss the ones that smell off after you peel them (or crush them, whichever is your feedback preference).

 

[Imprfctme]

Hi guys, just catching up with you all. Life is busy as usual. I love hearing about the babies you're hatching. One of these days I'll be able to do that! In the meantime I'm having fun with my 5 girls. Well the two teenagers are being difficult, true to form as most teenagers are! I take them out to the yard almost every day to eat grass and get sunshine. Temps are in the 80s already so they're fine, but I have a hard time catching them to bring them back inside at the end of the day. I'm sure there's an easier way to do it but I'm too clueless to figure it out right now. They're still just eating chick crumbles so no treats to lure them.

I loved reading about the wool festival. I had a woman here ask me what kind of dog Duchess was, and when I told her she was a Bouvier and had woolly hair, not fur, she got freaked out. I told her some people actually do make yarn from dog hair and she kept going on and on about how gross that was. At this point I just nodded and moved away, but inside I was thinking, has this person no idea where wool comes from? That cashmere comes from goats? It was surprising considering I have seen many llamas, goats and even an alpaca farm all nearby. I guess even in the country you still meet people that think their meat comes from the grocery store.

I believe I am overdue for a huge thank you to the crocheters among you. Suzanne sent me a patchwork afghan made of flower squares that some of you did. I can't tell you how much I love it, not just because it is beautiful but because it is a reminder of my special "chicken lady" friends. I was so lucky to found you all, and I am grateful that I still get to check in with you on Backyard Chickens now and then. Thank you all so much!

XOXO,
Heather

 

[Carolyn252]

Congratulations LSz on your babies...can't wait til I can get some.

Thanks Christina, I can't believe I'm going to miss the show. All the seeds I bought from CT sprouted except the peppers. Although as my dad would say "I think it was the operator " I'm thinking of trying again using Lorretas greed house.

Hope the warmer weather has you feeling a little better Carolyn.

Thank you for the good wishes, Queenchick. Seems I'm fine for five or six days in a row and then I'm slammed again. I was fine for the past few days; finally finished the barrier netting/fence needed to allow Roberta/ChickenFairy/godmother to bring me the two hens she's been raising for me. Got them on Wednesday. They are BEAUTIFUL frizzles. One black and one white. But today I'm crippled with pain and am laid out in the recliner with ice packs under both thighs, and one ice wrap is velcroed around my left upper arm and I'm holding another with two hands. What a bummer. But, there's a zillion tv shows and kindle books to fill up the next few hours. And by late afternoon all the aches and pains will be almost completely gone and I'll have my life back. Bought about a dozen plants for the flower garden yesterday and I THOUGHT I'd plant them into the beds today, but I better wait til tomorrow. C'est la vie. Hip, hip, hooray for prednisone and ice packs. ...and for friends wishing you well. Thanks!
-Carolyn