The 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[Happy Chooks]

Ok, since I marked all my eggs on the days I set them in the bator, I have officially set 13 mixed eggs.

I am excited to be apart!

So sad. My duck died today. Found her in the pond. She was fine 4 hours ago. She had 12 eggs in her nest. Hasn't started brooding them. I only have 1 incubator. Can I put them in it even though they'll be a week behind the other duck eggs?

I'm so sorry.

Any soap makers out there?
I just started out in the soap making this year when one of my children had a clear reaction to soap from the store.

Right now I'm looking into molds. Currently most of my soap batches are small 14-18 ounces of oils as I have not settled in on a recipe yet. I tried a silicone loaf mold but the sides bowed out yielding a trapezoid shaped bar. Right now as I'm just starting out, I would like mold recommendations that don't cost an arm and a leg. But not a pringle can either. Something reusable is a must. Not needing a liner is a plus too.

I've made soap ONCE. I want to get into it more, but time is an issue right now for me. A friend of ours makes soap for us right now.

I've looked at molds, and the good ones are pricey. You can also use the Post Office shipping tubes for molds. Line with parchment and you can use them 4 or so times. (and they are super cheap) That's how I got started.

 

[Razadia]

Quote:

Quote: Shh! Don't give it away!

Any soap makers out there?
I just started out in the soap making this year when one of my children had a clear reaction to soap from the store.

Right now I'm looking into molds. Currently most of my soap batches are small 14-18 ounces of oils as I have not settled in on a recipe yet. I tried a silicone loaf mold but the sides bowed out yielding a trapezoid shaped bar. Right now as I'm just starting out, I would like mold recommendations that don't cost an arm and a leg. But not a pringle can either. Something reusable is a must. Not needing a liner is a plus too.

You can either buy or build a wooden mold to put your silicone mold into. You just use clips on the long sides to hold them up till you're done pouring.

ETA: This is my favorite soap channel on youtube. You can see how she makes a lot of stuff, plus she uses the molds I was talking about. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLs1ozoolo_-mKZqq6GuEIQ

 

[ocap]

Any soap makers out there?
I just started out in the soap making this year when one of my children had a clear reaction to soap from the store.

Right now I'm looking into molds. Currently most of my soap batches are small 14-18 ounces of oils as I have not settled in on a recipe yet. I tried a silicone loaf mold but the sides bowed out yielding a trapezoid shaped bar. Right now as I'm just starting out, I would like mold recommendations that don't cost an arm and a leg. But not a pringle can either. Something reusable is a must. Not needing a liner is a plus too.

muffin size is nice, muffin tins are strong

 

[jessicaagross]

Any soap makers out there?
I just started out in the soap making this year when one of my children had a clear reaction to soap from the store.

Right now I'm looking into molds. Currently most of my soap batches are small 14-18 ounces of oils as I have not settled in on a recipe yet. I tried a silicone loaf mold but the sides bowed out yielding a trapezoid shaped bar. Right now as I'm just starting out, I would like mold recommendations that don't cost an arm and a leg. But not a pringle can either. Something reusable is a must. Not needing a liner is a plus too.

Hi there, I haven't made any in a while, but my boyfriend just used some scrap wood with a couple screws to make rectangle molds. Think like a skinny picture frame, but with 2 inch high sides Then we just use parchment paper (which we already have on hand) as the liner when we use them. I know you didn't want to use a liner, but that's what we do. Makes it easier to pull the soap out of the molds. We don't really mold ours into anything, but make squares, the parchment paper sometimes makes waves in the sides of the soap, which I like.

 

[jessicaagross]

Just in case you want the same eggs I have, we got them from Melissa and Don at Nonesuch Farm in Conroe or New Caney, Texas (borderline area). They advertise on Houston Craigslist. They have Wheaten/Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas, Salmon Faverolles, and Jubilee Orpingtons. However they are having some 'too fluffy to mate' issues with the JO's so they don't have eggs available right now. They have local pick up and ship as well. I met Don in person once (gave us tour of the farm) and talked to Melissa on the phone once so I don't know them very well but they seemed like very nice people. They are proud of their eggs and were very accommodating to us. Don't think I'm selling you here - I just like to share about people that have been nice to deal with.

No, that's okay! I don't mind hearing positive reviews. I prefer to buy from people like that. I am in South Dakota, so I wouldn't be picking them up locally LOL. 15 hour drive for chicks is extreme, even for me! I've actually been on their website before. I was considering ordering from them a year ago, so it's good to hear that you like them.

 

[swampducks]

I enjoy maple syrup candy but the hours and moisture needed to obtain it from sap, not my thing.
Tallow converting is slow going but at least there is not a drastic amount of steam filling my house.

Candy would take even longer, AFAIK. We are boiling outside until we get down to a couple quarts then do the final syrup boil on the kitchen stove.

 

[Jessshan8]

I bet your house smells awesome while doing it though!

 

[ronott1]

Are you ready for a Short Story Fiction Contest!


Give us your best Easter or Hatching fiction story!

1st Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card donated by JDchicks
2nd Prize: Rooster Light switch cover donated by Cynthia12

The top 10 entries will be chosen by judges
A poll will determine the winners

CONTEST RULES
1. The contest is open to ALL BYC U.S. resident members only (void where prohibited).
2. Limit of one entry per person.
3. Your story must be 500 words or fewer, NO EXCEPTIONS.
4. The Story must be Easter or hatching themed.
5. Your entry must include at least one photo or drawing.
6. Entries may NOT have been previously published or used in other contests.
7. Author's name should NOT appear anywhere on pages of story.
8. The deadline is March 25th, 2015 Midnight PST
9. Finally, because it’s your story be as funny, poignant, witty, and educated as you wish!
ENTRY DEADLINE
March 25th, 2015 Midnight PST Post your short story on this thread!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...tion-contest-6th-annual-byc-easter-hatchalong

This is the most recent entry! There is still time to enter--and of course read the stories!


Lucy's Love

All of the chickens in the flock lay their eggs into the same nests in the coop. When enough eggs are laid, at least one hen will go "broody." The hen will sit on the eggs for about 21 days or 3 weeks. Then, the eggs will hatch into new, sweet, little chicks.

One of the chickens in our flock is Lucy, a white silkie hen. Silkie's are small chickens whose feathers are very soft and fine. The feathers are beautiful, but this makes it hard for Lucy to fly. Because she cannot fly well, Lucy's biggest fear is coming out of the coop.

One day, Lucy found a large pile of eggs and sat on them for a long time. Lucy began to wonder if the eggs where ever going to hatch. Then, one day, she saw one of the eggs wobble. It wobbled some more and then more. Then, she heard a "crack" and saw a small beak poke through the shell! All the eggs hatched into beautiful little chicks.

Lucy was the best mother ever. She kept them warm. She taught then how to scratch for food and drink water.

Before she knew it, her little chicks were turning into young hens and roosters. They wanted to explore the world. They wanted to do the one thing that terrified Lucy the most: come out of the coop. She tried her best to stop her young chickens from taking the leap out of the coop, but she knew she could not do it forever.

Eventually, the big day came and all of Lucy's chickens jumped down to the ground. Lucy stood helplessly in the doorway of the coop. Peaking in and out the door with one foot in and one foot out. Heart pounding. Feathers tight against her skin. What should she do? Stay in the safe, dark coop or leap into her greatest fear?

Without even thinking, before she realized it, she had jumped out of the coop. Lucy was amazed at how big the world seemed! She did not cluck loudly or scatter around the yard, but simply watched her chicks.

If Lucy's love helped her conquer her biggest fear, imagine what we can all do with God's love for us?

 

[Jack-Girl]

I'm SO in!!!!!

 

[NikkiCole5]

I need help!
Can someone please send me a private message, my post will get lost in this thread!
I have a little giant still air, I did not trust the digital thermometer so I added my own. Placed next to the eggs it reads 98, placed on top, right under the heater it reads 106! Please help I don't want to kill my eggs