The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[pigeonguy]

I have lots of new pictures to share as well. Sunday is picture day at our farm.

It was so nice out, we made a chicken snowman as well.






Anyone want to help me name my new hen?

Too late. She's already half eaten by the greedy Pe

That's neat

these sound soo good! come spring when I have eggs galore, I'm going to try this. Maybe BDM can put it in that thing.

I hope so just looked and not yet.

My grandma used a crock also for egg storage..I think she used sand..not sure.

Sand would probably work it stays cool when its hot out.

Ok that clears a lot up....where can I find de? Ive never heard of it...thanks turtle

Although no one would have called my ex a darling/dear husband

I get mine at my local mill for under $20 for 50 pounds it is perma guard food grade. Every place else I have seen it has a cost of $50 to $60 dollars for 50 pounds.

Ummm, helloooooo????? There hasn't been a post for a little over an hour! What's happening?????!!!!!!! Is the sky falling???????

Sunday night and it is getting late. Some nights I'm here till 12 am but everyone else goes to bed earlier you could say with the chickens.

 

[DeesHens]

Quote: Phew! After making dinner & watching a show with DH I only made it to 58 but I need another break. Off to go play for awhile away from this hard work learning stuff from all you smarties.

Love it! Cya later...

 

[DeesHens]

Quote:

Your little icons reflect how my eyeballs feel right now perfectly. Cya later...

 

[JeffOeuf]

Technically you are almost correct..
Please don't tell all the Chefs that a buttermilk brine is not really a brine..
They would be heartbroken

Meat already contains salt water. All animals do. Milk already contains saltwater. (It came from an animal) By immersing meats into a liquid with a higher concentration of salt the liquid is absorbed into the meat. Any flavoring added to the brine will be carried into the meat with the mixture. And because the meat is now loaded with extra moisture it will stay that way longer while it cooks.

As I understand it, the chief tenderizing agent in buttermilk is not the minute amount of salt present, but the acid. That would make it a marinade, rather than a brine. Marinades soften tissue, brining retains moisture.

EDITED TO ADD:

I'm not trying to split hairs here. And, some on here are probably much more experienced cooks than I am, and undoubtedly those who process their own birds are completely out of my balliwick, but in my understanding of handling meats, it would make a great deal of sense to brine a tough bird before freezing, but not so much for marinating before freezing. Marinating should be done just before cooking. So, if they were my birds, I would brine then freeze. Then if I wanted to try marinating in buttermilk, I would do it with a thawed bird.

 

[jockeyeba]

aoxa: the snow chicken! Jagger is an excellent name All the pictures are beautiful......I have 100's of posts to read so sorry everyone that I haven't commented on A few thousand posts ago I believe people were talking about feeders.....I took an old pig feed trough & put a 2x4 down the middle, it works pretty good for my guys & their ff

 

[jockeyeba]

I was sure I saw someone on this thread with Speckled Sussex but I can't find them now Does anyone have an opinion as to the sex of my 3 month old SS?

 

[pigeonguy]

I think rooster because of the flat head and lack of tail feathers. Hope someone that knows a lot more than me jumps in here.

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

As I understand it, the chief tenderizing agent in buttermilk is not the minute amount of salt present, but the acid. That would make it a marinade, rather than a brine. Marinades soften tissue, brining retains moisture.

EDITED TO ADD:

I'm not trying to split hairs here. And, some on here are probably much more experienced cooks than I am, and undoubtedly those who process their own birds are completely out of my balliwick, but in my understanding of handling meats, it would make a great deal of sense to brine a tough bird before freezing, but not so much for marinating before freezing. Marinating should be done just before cooking. So, if they were my birds, I would brine then freeze. Then if I wanted to try marinating in buttermilk, I would do it with a thawed bird.

Quote: You're both still very informative to so many of us out here...

 

[Leahs Mom]

On the brine/marinade -

-I'm going to be doing a brine (salt) today. After brining 24 hours, do I just pat them dry then freeze?

-I think Jeff may be right on the milk marinade - probably should do that just before cooking. So how long to you leave in the milk?

 

[camilleathome]

Its official! Were moving in! We are going to be renting out my old riding instructors farm. with it we get access to her pasture and barn. I don't get access to the indoor riding arena though as its being rented out for storage(Its what pays their land taxes). But that barn is HUGE(six stalls on the original side and the new side there aren't any that was added so I can build whatever the heck I want was her words lol). We get to move in as fast as March. The old tenants are moving out in February. Happy birthday to me!(Birthday is in Feb). I also might be getting a free horse. He has sway back and I wont be able to ride him as I'm too heavy but he will be a great pet horse. The place is a two minute walk to the beach.

I