Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[FrenchToast]

So it looks like if you skin the Roosters you can sell the whole hackle or saddle. Poor roosters !! Guess they were telling 4Hr's to keep an eye out for people stealing the roosters or their feathers at the fairs ??

At least if you are going to cull the rooster anyway for meat you may as well use those feathers too. Sure wish I had that barred rooster in the freezer.
Doesn't look like they want silkie feathers

TO what kind of feathers is you salon looking for? There is a guy on Ebay that is selling tons of feathers, I think either the whole hackle or saddle. He is from Franklin WI.
I think he is selling the Whiting or Grizzly breed feathers that don't have the fluffy stuff near the shaft or something like that ???? Interesting. Guess they use a tool to lock the feather in place and it can stay in for up to 6 months !!

Sure, I can see it now. I'll hatch out a bunch so I can sell feathers and I'll get all hens !!!!

Oh and TO we want to see a picture of the feather in your hair !!! Cool, what kind did you put in?
And Jim they are selling all different colors or guinea feathers on Ebay. Purple, orange, pink, green,you name it. One to match each one of your outfits !!!! I think you'd look good with a guinea feather in your hair !!

Ps Here is the thread again if anyone is interested in what we are talking about. Within the thread you will see links to some feathers for sale on Ebay

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=560907&p=1

 

[Terri O]

Well FT-I cant show you a pic cause it is out already! DD25 didnt crimp the fastener just right and it slid out of my hair after a few days...a work in progress. I had her put 3 of the metallic feather pieces from a single peacock feather in my hair. It looked really cool but you could only notice it when the light it hit just right cause it was so close to the regular color of my hair...I am going to use gold or white next time...gotta catch another roo and do a little plucking! LOL!
Nighties! Terri O

 

[WIChookchick]

This will sound more wrong than it actually is....

I am no longer a Freezer Camp Virgin...

I helped my friend who goes on here, but is not a member yet!!! heheehe..
cull several roosters and a few old hens.
I screwed up one rooster by dunking various parts of his body in the boiling water too long, I ended up skinning him for them.
By my fourth I had finally gotten most of the hang of getting the feathers out.
With me having watched a video of processing and a good friend of theirs who is from Peru, we had the most experience with processing.
My friend's DH came in, set up the tarp, got the full pot of water I had filled, onto the the outdoor burner set they have for canning or something...
He then helped hold chickens while various of us did the deed... then left.
It was his idea, he was the supposed expert having dispatched two as a child. LOL
I learned ALOT, mostly what NOT to do.
And a sliced up pinky from a knife.. YES it has been purified and cleaned.

So besides a chicken plucker, or wax.. and yes boiling water, is there an easier way to clean feathers off a chicken AND your hands??

LOL
Carol

 

[Cindlady]

Hi! taking a long break! (Still need to load the dishwasher and make the mash for the chickies.)

BBP.... Sorry you lost another bird

Jim.... I hope you work something out so you can keep your card games going! Maybe hitch a ride from another player? I get the feeling next time DH needs an eye exam for his license he won't be night driving either. This may put a crimp in his 10 to 12 hour days during the "darker" months.

Great to have him "slow down" but will miss the $$$$ How was your reunion? Sounds like the pizza part was a blast! How long did this thing last? Sounded like 2 days!? If you bring pickled eggs to the bash.... I ain't touchin' them! Thanks for the warning! LOL

FT... Thank goodness I don't have any grandkids that are still crawlers! LOL 3 cats, 2 dogs and chickens that keep sneaking in! Plus my back won't let me do floors unless it's hands and knees!

Eline.... Maybe you can get visitation rights for your roo

Sus...I have no idea how clean their house is though

They have been here a couple of times, once about a week after we moved and a few months ago. The house wasn't as bad last time.

TO... I shuttered when I saw that horse's mane! I remember hours of working out burs w/baby oil!

Abe is weirdly cute!

How did your wool thing go? Hope you got your pigeons in!

WCC... I think the first time I was exposed to "freezer camp" was when I was about 6.... my job was to chase down the ones that "lost their heads" but got away! LOL

The COOPS ARE CLEAN!!! And I now have 48 ft. of roost space in the big coop and a new feeder! I still have to make a better waterer and a nest box they will be happy with. For now they have the milk crates with a board across the top. It's about what they were laying in anyway.

Those poor confused chickens didn't know where to lay all day LOL. I found eggs all over the place! I think they like the new roosts though. Jasmine's kids got PUT into the big coop tonight.... they were NOT happy! I had to go out there after dark and found them all huddled in the corner.

I put then on the roost... hope they catch on! I also found 2 eggs that got "dropped" after roost time! Guess they just couldn't hold them 'till morning.

Speaking of Jasmine.... I think raising those Cochin chicks got to her.... when I went to close up I noticed she had something "stuck" to her legs. I went to pull it off... she's sprouting feathers on her legs!!!

She has a couple that are 1/2" long already! Weird!

Lacey is still quietly sitting on her eggs! Only 9 or 10 days left to go!

Hummm.... what kind of feathers do people want?

Maybe those roosters will get skinned instead of plucked

OK, I cleaned what I could for what time I had. I'll do a little last minuet stuff tomorrow but the house is far, far from clean. I decided if they don't like it they don't have to come again. They aren't really MY friends anyway. At least the coops are clean! (still want to get the shop vac out there and get that dust

) And I know if any of you manage to swing by this way, my house probably won't be any worse than most of yours!

I guess most of us "chicken people" would rather have a clean coop than a clean house!

I feel better now! Thanks for the confessions!

Night!

 

[FrenchToast]

Good morning everybody !!
Finishing up my cup

catching up (not many posts this morning) Acutally none, I consider Cindladys still last nights since she hadn't gone to bed yet !!

Hoping to hear how Bigzio is doing. Anybody know

Well, at least we know he made it and it wasn't his last meal or I'm sure we would have heard. He'll have to fill us in on what he's been having for dinner since Thursday! Jello the first day then I'm sure the meals got bigger and better !!

Can you tell food is another one of my obsessions !!!

Hope all is well Bigz, btw how did you get that username? What does it mean? Just curious !!

Cindlady !! When I come down to Racine when i stop over I'll stay outside so you don't have to stress yourself !!

After all anyone that visits up here will have to do the same !!!!

We are or should I say DH ET is done with the horse pasture for the most part !!!

Still have to hook up the energizer and put in the gate where they will enter from their dry lot but we are going to hand walk them into it today when my sister comes over. They have not had pasture for a couple of years. Just hay and supplements. They are going to have a blast. Can't leave them on for any longer then half hour of eating at first. Don't want and colic or founder !!! No more vet bills please !!!

So they'll be able to stay out longer though cause they are going to be running up a storm I'm sure.

TO You need some white feathers or maybe Buff orphintons. Something light for us dark haired ones !! Now Jim being a silver head would need the bright colors. Orange, lime green, purple. Guinea feathers. I'll have to find that ad on Ebay to show him just how cool the dyed guinea feathers are.

WCC What can I say, you are a Jill of all trades ???

How did you guys do the deed ? Axe or killing cone? We will have to do something here. I gave my last roosters to the neighbor to do. He skinned them and just took the breast meat. Wonder if he wants to try silkies?
I'll have him save me the skins with the feathers. I guess you are suppose to use Muleteam 40 borax or something like that to dry the skin or ??? you call it.

I have I think 4 RIR roosters right now that came as packing peanuts from Ideal. Anyone ????? want them?

Poor roosters !! I really do love roosters. But now I keep looking at their hackles and saddles and seeing $$$$$$$ I think blondes would look good with some black Ameraucanas !!!

TO you may not get one of my Domonique Roosters after all !!!

Ok, well finishing up my jo wondering when Jim & TO will be back on !!

Ok, I'm back. I typed in "Guinea Feathers" on ebay and this is the very first ad I found. AND they are from Menomonee Falls WI. Remember I said there was someone else from Franklin selling Rooster feathers !!!
What the heck !!! We need to get moving people !!!! Of the two ads I read they are both from WI !!

How weird is that ?
Anyway here it is Jim !!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Spotted-Gui...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item92b01b7f5b


Peacock feathers

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Peacock-Fea...108?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5645a8ba54


Rooster feathers.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-4-lb-Dyed...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item92b0098528

Turkey feathers
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Turkey-Feat...064?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5645ab88e8

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Feathers-Ma...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item92af003824

Natural color duck feathers
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Feathers-Do...896?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e8c037e0

 

[FrenchToast]

Jim this is for you if you don't want to put the feathers in your hair. Guinea Hat band.
I think for next years bash we should all wear something from our own chickens.

Start collecting and get creative. I know Jim will take the easy way out and just use tar and take a walk into the chicken coop !!!

Hey Jim

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hat-Band-RE...-/370536041802?pt=US_Hats&hash=item5645ab4d4a

 

[jvls1942]

Carol, water temperature for plucking is very important.. too cool and the feathers won't come off , too ho and the skin tears..

try for 145F to 150F .. I keep a thermometer in the water..

some chickens are just difficult to pluck.. I found that golden wyandotte roosters are a b!#$ch..

My offer for using my plucker always stands.. I is too far for most of you to travel, I know, but the offer is there..

By the time I decide to get into the feather business, the market will be flooded or the fad will be over.. I do not see any sense in dying feathers.. might just as well use colored paper..

the reunion did go for two evenings.. all of ours have from the 5th to now.. the sit down meal was very good.. chicken breasts and beef tips in noodles.. family style..

we sat with a fella that had a bar set up in his motel room.. he kept us in drinks the whole time.. Good mixed drinks of just about any kind.. and beer for me..

today I am going to mow lawn.. I would like to get the whole thing done at one time for once this summer.. that should take about 4 hours.. I have a lot of banches to pick up where we cut down those poplar trees.. the prep work will probably take longer than the mowing..

....jiminwisc..........

 

[FrenchToast]

Quote:
I hear ya !! By the time I even pick up all of the feathers it may be over !!! But I'm going to go out into the coops today just for the fun of it and take a closer look at all of those moulted feathers !! One can dream !!

Sisters coming in about 45 min so we can let the horses out !!

We got the pontoon boat trailer yesterday from the cottage. It had an old pontoon boat on it with plastic pontoons. We brought that home to so we can disassemble it and throw it out. It was real sad following DH ET home. We wanted to make sure the trailer and all was ok to be on the road so I followed him.
My Dad had made the trailer, he was a very handy man. Kinda like all you guys on here !! I felt his presents while I drove from the cottage to our house.

When we lowered the pontoon boat onto some bricks the plastic pontoons just cracked and smashed. So I won't feel so bad trashing it.

Anyway we will have to have the neighbor do some work on the trailer. Our new boat has a wide area under the boat back by the motor that will hit the trailer. So he will have to cut some of the metal and weld new brackets or something. Knew it was to good to be true that I might get to go fishing soon. I even bought a license !!!! That's what probably jinzed me !!

Ok, gotta go outside and see some sunlight !!!

Later all

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I found out what is killing my chickens. I suspected a hawk because the neck was all eaten on the one I found. This morning he was on the roof of my house and a few minutes ago he flew out of the weeds near where the chickens hang out. I went over there and found the body of my missing orpington. He's eating them on the ground. Gonna try mylar balloons and crow decoys. Hope that works (SSS)

 

[babylady4]

BBC, several people on this site advocate using CD's strung up on fishing line hanging around where your chickens hang out as a hawk deterrent. If you can, cover your run with any kind of cover (thread fishing line into a 'net', or use tree netting), or provide your chickens with little simple 'hideouts' for them to take cover in. If you have a rooster I think I would fire him since he is not doing his job. I would STRONGLY advise you to not broadcast that you are considering SSS. You never know who will report you.

I don't remember who posted the caterpillar pic, but I think it is a Luna Moth larvae.

So how are everyone's ducks doing????? I would love to see pics of what they look like all grown up since I have another 4 babies running around.

TO if I only had the room........ I would take your Morgan off your hands..... someday, someday......

Ok, I need to take a nap. Not enough sleep the last week.