Surviving Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

Probably no need to hand pollinate these if you are remote enough from neighbors . These are in the C. Maxima group . C. Pepo is what most people grow . Check out Sandhill Preservation or Baker Creek and of course Seed Savers Exchange . Maxmia includes the giant pumpkins , Hubbard and others . Will not cross with C Pepo types like ornamental gourds , acorn , zuke , spaghetti , jack-o-lantern .

I would have to bag them for sure. I love raising hubbards. My wife likes the taste. I like the challenge of getting them as big as I can.

Same as the mammoth pumpkins. We call the cow pumpkins. No one eats them but I like growing them. The chickens like them. I also try to get one to the grandkids at Halloween so they have the biggest jack-o-latern around. BUT the deer raise havoc with them, so few make it through.

I do the acorn and buttercup also, Judy eats them. I refuse to eat a squash. I am have more sophisticated taste buds .

The weird thing is I like sweet potatoes, which is a lot like a squash taste and texture wise.

 

[MNChickMom]

Happy to report ss rooster has been fully domesticated and now he shows signs of love and affection towards the humans. Ok so he tolerated being held by me and didn't try to peck or get loose. Then kids hand fed him boss and he made happy clucking noises while thy held him with one hand and boss in the other. So all is well in the SS world. We are now working with the "other" rooster. He is an escape artist...with the kids at least. He has never tried to peck or even showed type of dominance so I don't know if I believe ralphie saying he got into a few wars with other males.

 

[MNChickMom]

A word of caution when placing your spring hatchery orders. Do not order the silver laced Wyandotte from Hoovers. All 3 of my hens have become agressive little feather pickers. They have even ambushed the rooster and pulled a few of his.

 

[MinnesotaNice]

Good going Holm!!! Did you talk into buying you a new 1502 incubator and hatcher too? Or are you salesmen skills fading?



I tried a "stocking cap " on one of my roosters today. I call this "stocking cap version 1.0




It has some bugs and as of now is a failure...



Then I redesigned it slightly, this is version 1.1





There are some bugs in this version too. however, the first time I built a time machine did not work out either...So I will just keep trying.


They really are 2 versions the differences are subtle and you may not notice them right away. But the trained eye can pick them right out.

That is hilarious!

The menards black friday ad was just leaked online (within the last day or so)... what a let down. so much cheap junk, nothing decent. I need a gun safe and they only have one 64 gun safe which the dearest wife of mine nixed. fair enough as i dont really need a 800+ pound monster to lug around

My buddy got a Cabela's credit card and started using it for everything and also paid it off every month. I think he also used it for his business which perked his Cabela points up a bit. It took two years, but he saved up enough points to buy a $1500 safe. I use my Amazon credit card for everything because I like the free money to use on Amazon.com.

Here is a photo of the run today. Not the coziest in there right now. I want it better in there for them. Get all the snow out. That storm was not nice to my plastic either. Dang it.
I already need to do maintenance. I am considering Cluckies heavy duty clear panels...IDK. They are an investment but the plastic whipping and ripping. Almost worth the money...



You can see the layer of snow underneath the measley layer of hay I spread on top. Chickens are starting to stir it better though....

Maybe they will get it for me. I should just bring a fork down with me...now that I'm thinking it through. That's the right tool for the job.

Bummer. I love/hate plastic. Menards has all their heavy duty plastic on sale right now if you're in need.

I just took the 2 Roos off the roost and put them in my car for a ride tomorrow morning and only have 10 hens in the coop. Wonder where I might buy 2 or 3 hens at this time of year.

Not sure where you live erl, but Anoka Ramsey Farm & Garden has pullets and quite a few 6-8 wk birds. I was there a few days back and saw Welsummers, EE's, Cuckoo Marans, SS, and CW's. I think they have some Brown Leghorns running around, too. That's just what I can see. They have some chicks as well - RIR's and White Leghorns.

 

[jerryse]

I would have to bag them for sure. I love raising hubbards. My wife likes the taste. I like the challenge of getting them as big as I can.

Same as the mammoth pumpkins. We call the cow pumpkins. No one eats them but I like growing them. The chickens like them. I also try to get one to the grandkids at Halloween so they have the biggest jack-o-latern around. BUT the deer raise havoc with them, so few make it through.

I do the acorn and buttercup also, Judy eats them. I refuse to eat a squash. I am have more sophisticated taste buds .

The weird thing is I like sweet potatoes, which is a lot like a squash taste and texture wise.

There are a few squash with a sweet potato name . Like Tennessee Sweet Potato . When I worked at a seed and hardware store people from the deep south would often ask for ground taters squash . We never carried any of these as there was no source .

 

[Minniechickmama]

What if I used my Hova for a hatcher??

I might have to send this person an email...

If you control the temp and humidity well on the Hova. I have had mixed results with those and they are a PITA to get the humidity right once the hatch begins and adds moisture from the chicks. Does yours have a fan in it?

 

[Minniechickmama]

What if I used my Hova for a hatcher??

I might have to send this person an email...

If you control the temp and humidity well on the Hova. I have had mixed results with those and they are a PITA to get the humidity right once the hatch begins and adds moisture from the chicks. Does yours have a fan in it?

 

[Minniechickmama]

I thought RIR's were mean birds, so never have been interested in them. And I don't need or want laying machine types. But thanks for letting me know!

It depends on what line or strain they come from. I have the same impression locked in my innards from a childhood of getting attacked by RIR roosters from the hatcheries. I have never desired to have them here. However, my mature self who has researched plenty on chickens knows that a breeder's selection is important for both points, laying and temperament. I do not breed meanies, therefore, I can expect to not get many mean roosters from my stock. I do try to select for better layers, so I can expect to get a good number of eggs from my birds as well. Big hatcheries tend to focus on getting maximum laying and let the other traits slide, including temperament. Some breeds though, I just know they have attitudes and will not ever have them. RIRs are just a preference for me not to have at this point. I have my pretty golden red New Hampshires and I am happy with those

 

[Minniechickmama]

I have heard of people just picking the male flower and rubbing it on the female too, then covering with a paper bag.

Using a paintbrush works too, like doing artwork, not 4" ones used to paint siding

One of the things I love about Seed Savers, it tells how to save seeds on most of their seed packets! I get most of my seed stock from them and have for several years now.

 

[Cebarmlds]

Quote: Thanks. I don't want birds that young at this time of year though.