The Old Folks Home

[microchick]

@getaclue I had a young cockerel do that this year. While his siblings were struggling with their first crows he just threw his head back and cut loose with a full fledged crow. I was glad I got to witness it. It was like he had been watching the older roosters and announced I can do that! And did.

 

[ronott1]

Ron that is great news about your flock. I'm hoping for that, plus, working with resistant birds and doing some cross breeding with resistant local birds.

I have 11 resistant BO and Welly hens left and two roosters. One a BO Welly cross that is close to 10 pounds and a smaller Welly rooster. Both the roosters have survived to be to and two and a half years old. My oldest to date. I'm still not planning to hatch any of the large bird eggs. Just don't want to take the risk.

You will get there!

 

[pennyJo1960]

My young black copper marans has not crowed as of yet keep waiting he wants to stay close but is not wanting pets now

 

[getaclue]

It's dropping to 40 tonight. Brrrrrr!

 

[drumstick diva]

40F would be nice here

 

[getaclue]

micro, I would be sure to breed, and hatch the Wellys, to produce a pure strain of resistant ones. I'd use the cross over the BO girls. That would give you some good genetic diversity, and eventually you'd get resistant chickens.

 

[sourland]

Good morning, all. Hope that your day is not too hectic.

 

[microchick]

Morning Everyone, Tis the day before the night before Christmas. Hope every one has their last minute shopping done and all their packages wrapped.

@getaclue, I've considered it. Between the Welly and the BO's the Welly's have handled the Marek's disease better than the Orpingtons.The locally bred birds have showed such a superior resistance to the disease. There are times I'm tempted to try to cross breed my surviving Welly rooster to Farrah but I remember the agony of having to put them down and my courage goes to zero. I'd have to do some reading on genetics and how much resistance would be passed from the hen to the chicks.

Plans for today? Nada. Cookies are baked and in the freezer. I'm roasting Cornish Game hens for myself and a nice roast for DH. May throw a half a small turkey in the oven just so I'll have left overs for a few days for myself. I haven't decided on potatoes yet. Maybe go with something different like scalloped. Veggie and Hawaiian rolls.

I'm doing overnight cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

I just hope I feel like eating it!

 

[CapricornFarm]

Morning Everyone, Tis the day before the night before Christmas. Hope every one has their last minute shopping done and all their packages wrapped.

@getaclue, I've considered it. Between the Welly and the BO's the Welly's have handled the Marek's disease better than the Orpingtons.The locally bred birds have showed such a superior resistance to the disease. There are times I'm tempted to try to cross breed my surviving Welly rooster to Farrah but I remember the agony of having to put them down and my courage goes to zero. I'd have to do some reading on genetics and how much resistance would be passed from the hen to the chicks.

Plans for today? Nada. Cookies are baked and in the freezer. I'm roasting Cornish Game hens for myself and a nice roast for DH. May throw a half a small turkey in the oven just so I'll have left overs for a few days for myself. I haven't decided on potatoes yet. Maybe go with something different like scalloped. Veggie and Hawaiian rolls.

I'm doing overnight cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

I just hope I feel like eating it!

Hugs to you my friend.

 

[microchick]

Thanks Cap. Back atcha and ditto. Got on the scales this morning. Down another pound this week. First Christmas I haven't gained 10 pounds. I think I'm eating pretty well actually. Giving up red meat though has really affected my caloric intake....Eat more Christmas Cookies! That's the answer!

Making biscuits and sausage for breakfast. DH gets the sausage. Hot biscuits with butter and honey sounds wonderful to me today so I'm going with that!

@getaclue, 40 degree low would be a heat wave here! 41 for a high yesterday. We went out and walked in the woods with Buck and his sissy, Spotty Dog. Out of the wind it was nice walking weather. In the wind was a bit challenging and made us walk faster.

Last week we were sitting in the radio room when DH suddenly said, look out the window! I did and to my horror there was a HUGE red shouldered Hawk sitting on top of the chiminea that we have sitting out there. This bird was just a big monster and less than 10 feet from the window it was simply magnificent.

I told DH, just when I start to soften about letting the birds free range, Mr. Hawk shows up and slaps me back to reality.