The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Ashdoes]

Lydia, Penny's daughter (or granddaughter) has the coolest single barred feather in her tail.

Think it'll come back when she molts? It's like the people with the chunk of grey or blonde in brown hair. I like it.

 

[aoxa]

Think it'll come back when she molts? It's like the people with the chunk of grey or blonde in brown hair. I like it.

I hope so!

No one better pick that feather out!

I had a black polish when I first started. She had one white feather in her crest and after picking it out to see if it would rectify the colour issue, it did not. Grew back white, and a few around it also came in white

 

[TeriO]

Fresh eggs get a bad rap when it comes to using them as hard boiled eggs. The reason is because the albumen, or the egg white, will stick to the shell of a fresh egg. Often you see advice to let the eggs age, because then it doesn’t stick as much to the shell. It is possible to use even an egg that has been laid the same day.


There seem to be many different ways of cooking (boiling) fresh eggs in their shell so that they peel. The method I use is as follows: bring the eggs up to room temperature. Bring your water to a slow boil, add salt, and ladle in the eggs. Cook at a slow boil for 15 minutes, then ladle out into a pan of cold water. Let sit in the water for awhile to cool, then the eggs can be stored in the fridge until you want to peel them. I use this method. It works and I am not going to fix it. I do need to use a timer or I over cook them every time.


Other methods I have seen but not used include adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the water, and using the traditional method of starting with cold water. Another idea that deserves merit is adding vinegar. I’ve also seen people suggest using olive oil. If your hard cooked eggs have a green tinge to the yolk, they are overcooked. Leave them in the hot water less the next time.

Another method is to use a push pin on the fat end of the egg. Slowly lower into soft boiling water. Soft boil for 15 minutes.

 

I agree your eggs can be an hour old and hard boiled. I don't even bring to room temp. Just ladle into boiling salted water for 15 min run cold water over them and some ice for a few minutes and they just slip out. And perfectly centered yolks. My husband didn't believe me and did it the old way put eggs in cold water bring to boil for a few minutes and left them sit. What a mess allstuck to shell. I couldn't help but laughed my self silly. The only green ones are from the store yuck. Cant even eat them anymore. Made a brunch for my kids and ran out of eggs for the grandkids had to go to trader joes and got the most expensive ones and they were pale yellow and tasteless. I love my eggs and don't know how I got by before
Happy Easter

 

[Leahs Mom]

Hi Terri! Haven't seen you in awhile!

All this talk about deviled eggs made me want some. Just made some with yesterday's eggs. After boiling I drained them and put in cold water and Ice cubes. Left them for about 10 min and they peeled right off!

Thanks again - that will be really useful!

 

[Ashdoes]

I hope so! 

No one better pick that feather out!

I had a black polish when I first started. She had one white feather in her crest and after picking it out to see if it would rectify the colour issue, it did not. Grew back white, and a few around it also came in white

Cause that's the rule! Pick one grey hair and two replace it. Lol.

 

[Sally8]

Cause that's the rule! Pick one grey hair and two replace it. Lol.

And she isn't lying!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Aoxa - here's another photo of black. Just tiny little white tips feather tips here and there. You can barely see them.

 

[aoxa]

Aoxa - here's another photo of black. Just tiny little white tips feather tips here and there. You can barely see them.

I really think it's a girl. What are your other breed options?

She's pretty either way

 

[TeriO]

Hi Terri!  Haven't seen you in awhile!

All this talk about deviled eggs made me want some.  Just made some with yesterday's eggs.  After boiling I drained them and put in cold water and Ice cubes.  Left them for about 10 min and they peeled right off! 

Thanks again - that will be really useful!

I saw that LW posted before me with same method sorry. I've been lurking not posting. My pullet that was ill passed away a day or two after I posted. Did everything I could. I could feel an egg and then didn't a day layer. Warm baths gentle massage olive oil kept her inside and warm. No go. Looking back she seemed off always but laying regularly hard shelled eggs. Can't en

 

[lalaland]

I often see the crows chasing hawks away from my yard! Although some hawks slip through when the crows are away

!! I believe I have a crow nest in a tree not far from my coop. I am loving that!! I do notice dry spells of no crow chatter and then I'll hear the hawks.... I only let my girls free range when I'm with them but still as I have a hillside with many nooks and crannies it's hard to watch everyone a the time. So I record the crows when they are loud.... On my iPhone and when I hear the hawks I play my recorded crows

it usually brings in the real ones in a few mins .... Yes I am that person :-0

H A P P Y E A S T E R everyone!!!!!

I love that idea! you can also get crow calls for your phone ring tone - but probably they wouldn't be the alarm "get out of here" calls that crows make when chasing. I have some sort of huge nest in my woods, not sure whose nest - hawks or crows?


And having caught up on this thread, I can't imagine why I am craving deviled eggs! Justine and LW, I've never seen colored deviled eggs before - what fun.

Delisha, all those chicks!!! wow. don't know how you keep track of what the heck is what.