Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Hurley]

ODrH--we should have waited for this weekend...I have another 2 dozen duck eggs! Of course right? Let me know how those are developing....



Speaking of...there are a few roosters that I need: a Dominique (CC's Moose?) and a Marans (what would come of Cuckoo hens mated with other that Cuckoo roos?)
I also need to know if mating my cuckoo marans with Blue Americana roos would result in Olive egger pullets? I am counting on your knowledge folks! Yeah, I am feeling lazy....

So far so good, 1 ruptured air cell, 1 w/slight crack, all look good so far but just a smidge too early to see veins I think. Will let you know how they do. Otherwise I'll be hitting you up for more. Seriously thinking about a nice "build a large incubator" project. My 3 bators are stuffed to max right now, though I could expand with another turner in the one.

I have 2 OE hens here that are Marans x Ameraucana. Lay a nice dark Olive egg. Both are blue cuckoo, too.


Edit to add = Muscovy egg update:

Candled the Muscovy again tonight, 5 show definite teensy little red spots with veins (one of which is one of the two chocolate eggs), the rest have darkening yolks but can't quite make out veins yet. Ruptured air sac egg shows a saddle shaped air sac with a smaller floating bubble today. Cracked egg not showing veins yet, but not obviously dead either. Incubator holding steady, have plans to weigh the eggs to gauge rate of weight loss per an article I was reading, Sunday is weigh day.

 

[delisha]

got back from a short road trip to have some fur hats sewn! I ordered a fox super trooper hat and a coyote musher hat from Wild Things Fur in Rockton, WI! Saved almost $200 dollars by using my own furs! Cant wait till they are done.

Now onto chickens, what is the magical range of dates between setting eggs and it being warm enough out and the chicks being old enough to go outside?

#Iwilltakeyourresponseofftheair,thankyou

It is a crap shoot to guess dates in Wisconsin. You can set eggs in March and it is too cold in April/May for the chicks some years. I just put them out when they are feathered and it is above freezing. If they are under a hen she will take them out in the snow and freezing weather. With showing the first batches need to be incubated pretty early to be ready. I think most put them in late January. On the ground in April weather permitting. Hit the show circuit starting May. I am impatiently waiting for the English Orpington pullet eggs to get bigger to stick them in the bater now.

 

[mazojoe]

It is a crap shoot to guess dates in Wisconsin. You can set eggs in March and it is too cold in April/May for the chicks some years. I just put them out when they are feathered and it is above freezing. If they are under a hen she will take them out in the snow and freezing weather. With showing the first batches need to be incubated pretty early to be ready. I think most put them in late January. On the ground in April weather permitting. Hit the show circuit starting May. I am impatiently waiting for the English Orpington pullet eggs to get bigger to stick them in the bater now.

Well if I get DGF a dog, she cant deny me chickens in the house right! I am thinking about that cabinet style brooder that was in the last backyard chickens issue, I think I can make it blend right in and have DD really help me with it this time!

 

[judge]

I am taking a break.. my apprentice baker (DD#1) is on her own for now.. she has been down here twice for advice.. we have 105 rolls done.. and if I must say so myself, they are deeeelicious..

I tweaked the recipe a bit to make it simpler to remember and measure..

I used grape seed oil for the first time in this recipe.. it worked great, in the recipe and for oiling the pans..

I don't think I will be moving the dog house any more today.. I feel more like a "root beer" break is near...

It is a scientific fact that hot water will freeze quicker than cold water..

.......jimthinkingheshouldtakeapictureoftherolls.........

My DH told me that and I told him he was full of it, but then mom said the same thing and now you. I think I'll have to google that and see how that could be possible. Oh- I had a question about your dishwasher suggestion too- if you raise the dishwasher up and put a drawer under it, what happens with the counter on top of it? Does that look funny? Thanks for all your suggestions

 

[judge]

Quote:

***This also applies to goats, sheep and other livestock***
Joan who is 79 this year showed me a clever trick when the waterers froze over in the coops, she would take a big pitcher of hot tap water and poured it around the inside lip/edge and it melted the ice, and then was able to set that down and pour in a bit into the waterer. She did this twice a day for the chickens and the geese.

Thanks!

 

[judge]

OK--now for my REAL post....LOL. Carol that is all good advice on the water. I switch to Cattlemen's salt for the winter to make sure the horses etc are thirsty enough to drink enough water. Judge, it is very important to have liquid water at all times for ruminants and horses! All comes to a stop if they dont have it to drink at will! Chickens seem to be less of a problem in that area....still, I would run extension cords or get electric to their barn in some way so you can keep the water from freezing. My electric bill doesnt go up that much having the waterers heated. (and it's way less work on me)

I just had Benng come here from Milw. Sold 9 drake muskovies for $12ea. Not bad...I still have plenty for the hens. He always wants "the old ones" so I guess that is OK. Anyone else sell them? I am interested in how much you charge.

ODrH--we should have waited for this weekend...I have another 2 dozen duck eggs! Of course right? Let me know how those are developing....

I separated many pure bred hens today. I need to get them "cleared out" so I will have some pure eggs for chicks for the fair this year. I probably should have gotten them separated earlier...but I kind of spaced it. As long as I get eggs hatched by the end of Feb I should be OK. Last year my babies werent old enough to test so I had to scratch...

Speaking of...there are a few roosters that I need: a Dominique (CC's Moose?) and a Marans (what would come of Cuckoo hens mated with other that Cuckoo roos?)
I also need to know if mating my cuckoo marans with Blue Americana roos would result in Olive egger pullets? I am counting on your knowledge folks! Yeah, I am feeling lazy....

OK--need to get dinner in the works. Thanks for the help on batorism H&R!
TerriOwishingJimwouldjustmakesomeextrarollsandbringthemdown...IneedthemforSundaybuddy

Terri- do you think the goats would chew through the extension cords?

 

[judge]

Cetic Chick- This is the recipe from The Chicken Chick blog:

Flock Block Substitute
Yield: two, 8"x8" blocks

2 cups starter/grower, grower/finisher, flock raiser or layer crumbles
2 cups scratch
1 cup Omega Fields Omega Ultra Egg
3 eggs, beaten well & shells, finely crushed
4 cups oatmeal
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup cracked corn
3/4 cup wheat germ
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup Calendula petals
2 finely diced apples

1 cup applesauce
2 cups molasses
3 cups water
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (or any oil)

Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease 2, 8"x8" pans well.

Mix all dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients together. Add wet to dry ingredients, mix well.

The mixture should hold together when squeezed without being squishy or oozing liquid. (If yours does not hold together, wet a few pieces of bread with water, squeeze out excess water and tear into small pieces. Add to mixture, combine well.)

Pour mixture into prepared pans and press down firmly, packing very well.
Create a small hole in the top for hanging if desired.

Bake for 2 hours. The entire house will soon smell divine!
Leave blocks in the oven and turn the oven off. Allow to cool inside the oven several hours.
Remove when pans are cool.
If yours breaks or fails to hold together, don't worry,
the chickens will enjoy it just as much in a dish as they would have if it were hanging!​

 

[jvls1942]

Quote: the yeast mixture is described above as : 1/2 cup water, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of yeast..

 

[jvls1942]

Thanks Jim!!

Those look really good! Hope you had lots of butter in the house! I've got a kitchenaid mixer as well, how long do you knead it with the KA?

I let it run for a couple of minutes after it cleans the sides of the bowl.. when the mixer starts to jump, the mixture (dough) is stiff enough..

 

[jvls1942]

Quote: there would me no counter above it,, It would be like having a built in oven..