Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[irishrovr]

This is chicken one (preformed internal eggs)



Chicken two



Chicken three



So, I guess we either had three layers, 2 layers with hard shells and one only soft shell, OR the third hadn't started laying yet and was about too! Oh well, the mystery is over...no sterile birds.
The positive....We're ready for more birds

Awesome pics! (Chicken 2 and chicken 3 are identical, though) It's really interesting to see how the eggs develop!

 

[jvls1942]

that is Dora on the right,, and the puppy is facing us.. D--n dogs woouldn't stand together until I said, "lets go in "..

I managed to get three more roof sections notched and ready to go up.. this is the first one up,, I was standing on a ladder to take this shot..

this is the view from the driveway... I was standing on top of the snow covered compost pile for this shot.. in the foreground is one of the blackberry patches.. those 3 large trees on the left are 25 year old black walnuts.. that brush on the right way in the background is a raspberry patch with some grape vines on the right end..

I was going to take these pictures when the sun was shining, but who can wait THAT long ?

Annie just brought in a fart egg.. somebody new must be starting to lay..

........jimgoingupforabowlofchiliandsomecheesespreadoncrackers........

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

Today my 6 year old daughter said "When is the blue sky coming back? I don't like this gray one anymore."

 

[kristip]

Getting excited for these chicks to hatch...now the tough part will be determining which is which if I don't see each one hatch. Have you ever devised some dividers for a hovabator ?

Also thought I had a good group here to ask...I am in no way prepared to get anything within the next six months, but my kids have expressed an interest in a pet that is perhaps a lizard or turtle or such...I know we have reptile lovers here, any suggestions I should research more. Will need to be a pet they can take out and "pet" ...so friendly type.
I grew up with fish and many, many furry type pets...I know little about reptiles besides what animal planet has taught me.

 

[Hurley]

Nice job on the butchering. They look really good. I bet they are going to be tasty. Feather removal does not have to be a chore. I am glad it worked for you. I really like the wiping off of feathers verses plucking. Much faster! They look like they were also very healthy. Nice internal egg development and no

peritonitis's present. Wonderful!!

Would love to hear any tips to make butchering easier. I did up 10 here last year or so, but didn't have the easiest time. What's the recommendation for tenderizing on them?



Home from our exursions about today. First to Waukesha to check in at work, then off to pick up chicken feed, back to Delafield for some other errands, than off to TerriO's for some lovely goose and bob white eggies. Poor Terri probably thinks I don't know how to dress my kids for winter, she came out with hats and gloves for them to traipse the farm. (OK, so when we took off from home, we weren't intending to actually be out more than running from van to store, lol.) The boys had a blast, getting to say high to baby goats, the horse, the dogs (though the little beagle probably has a tender front paw now, she got a little stepped on

...but the boys told her they were sorry), the geese, ducks, chickies, and most especially the MUD PUDDLES,

.

Now packing up the Easter basket with some goose eggs and bobwhite quail eggs (lol, the Big and Small basket).

Hubby's working on skiddaghetti (spaghetti) for dinner, one of the boys' faves. They are out cold, big day for them.

 

[delisha]

Quote: To make plucking easier I use 180 degree water and dunk the birds completely in and out. The feathers wipe right off. After I I like to soak them in ice water over night and change the water if I need to keep it ice cold, and than soak them in a brine with salt/vinegar/milk for at least 12 more hours. I sometimes add lemon or rosemary to the brine depending on my plans for the chickens....zip lock bags..remove the air..freezer paper.

I am sure many people do it differently. I find you get a tender chicken with a brine.

 

[babylady4]

Terri, I thought you had a straw in that jar of cherries st BF4's house! Some of that made it home?!!?! Too bad I don't have any for the bash....

The big wino is me. I get to imbibe ONCE in a while!

Visiting the ducks yesterday was funny! They were so anxious to get out they were marching back and forth in the front of their door yelling let us out!!!! Once we DID let them out they found all of the puddles they could get their little feet into. While they were out my younger DD helped me clean out the 7 months worth of hay/straw in their house and replaced it with fresh straw. Maybe those stinkers will start laying eggs now!

Made stir-fry for dinner tonight..... I always get carried away and make WAY too much for my wok.... I need a bigger wok I think or I need to not buy so many veggies for the stir-fry! I sliced up 2 chicken breasts and added 2 onions, 2 zucchini, a bag of fresh green beans, a bag of fresh snow pea pods, a bad of broccoli slaw, garlic, julienned carrots, a big container of sliced fresh mushrooms, a can of baby corn, and a can of bamboo shoots. On top of all of that I made some pot stickers aka chinese dumplings and rice!

I will be VERY happy when prom is over with! Teenage girls and their DRAMA!!!!!!

 

[JustJohn]

Fun visit with Hurley and her boys...they LOVED my overabundance of mud! She got some goose eggs and some Bobwhite eggs for her friend...the biggest and the smallest! LOL!

CC I TOTALLY THOUGHT THAT POST WAS YOURS! I think that happened to me once before too...I think it was something Jim said!

I need an embarrassed Smiley for sure!

H&R just messaged me and said she thought there was a pip on the Cot eggs!

Soon I will have little quail!
I checked the hen in the milkhouse...looks like her egg hatched but the baby didnt make it. There was something that looked dead way in the back of the ceiling. So she has 3 chicks. I think there are 2 chipmunk ones and one with a yellow body and striped wings.

I switched out the sap bucket today. I now have 1 5gal pail full! I am hoping for much more this week!

Well I think I need to start dinner now...making some Rosemary Garlic Potato Soup. I think that will be delish for tonight!
TerriOhopingshehasalltheingredientsforthesoup

ETA: Dan--I wonder how a person locked up those coops? Or do you think there was a perimeter fence that was predator proof? Unlikely I say...

do not bring it in the house to store! sap spoils at indoor temps.

 

[chikenscratch]

Oops here is the other pic. Thanks irishrover!

Also here is a pic for your kiddos Cutie....

 

[Hurley]

To make plucking easier I use 180 degree water and dunk the birds completely in and out. The feathers wipe right off. After I I like to soak them in ice water over night and change the water if I need to keep it ice cold, and than soak them in a brine with salt/vinegar/milk for at least 12 more hours. I sometimes add lemon or rosemary to the brine depending on my plans for the chickens....zip lock bags..remove the air..freezer paper.

I am sure many people do it differently. I find you get a tender chicken with a brine.

Can you pm/post a recipe for the brine? That was the one thing I didn't like was my meatie chickens were too tough. I just froze them, was wondering what the "proper" technique was for getting them into the freezer so they are nice and tender for cooking.