Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Quote:
yup, there is, and you can't call yourself organic without it, run $3000 to $5000 to get certified, I get around it by saying I follow organic practices without being certified

 

[ElaineS585]

Just checking in... surely I've lost my mind.

If anyone would have told me that at some point, I'd be bathing little chicks that I hatched and THEN BLOWING THEM ALMOST DRY, for sure I would have thought they had lost their mind. But it's me, clear & simple, I've lost my mind. (The reason for the bath was they dumped their water and it looked like they gave themselves a poo-bath. So pathetic looking and I haven't made them a dust bath area yet so I had no choice but to bath, blow dry & then stick them back in a cleaned cage by the heat light. (When should I introduce a dustbath to the wee ones?)

Okay - so here's a summary of my very first hatching experience: bought 23 fertile eggs, got rid of 2 after candeling, hatched 15 and had 6 that didn't hatch. (Got rid of the remaining 6 eggs yesterday after giving them an extra week to hatch. ) Didn't want any explosions in the incubator. Have it sitting outside in the sun after cleaning really good and will probably spray some disinfectant on it (unless someone tells me not to?) in preparation of getting Carol's eggs to hatch which should be a blast! (Carol has some really pretty birds and I'm looking forward to see what babies she'll get. I'm looking forward to meeting my first local BYCer and having a joint project.) So all in in all I think I had a pretty good hatch for the first one ever! I've rehomed 10 chicks and am left with 5: 2 easter eggers (they have green legs?!) and 3 of the sweetest baby silkies EVER! Just waiting to see which are which and am hoping to keep 2 girls. Those silkies are beyond cute!

Does anyone around Dane Co., WI, know where I can get just a few birds processed? I found a place outside of Janesville, but they want a 2 week notice and with gas prices being what they are, I'd like to find a local place or home that can do it. I've read up on and know how the processing works but I can't do it in town, don't have the equipment and am not 100% sure I could if push comes to shove. I do clean my own fish however, so maybe I could master culling chickens. Anyone have any idea if I could legally cull them at the State Parks that have the fancy smancy areas for cleaning fish? I see a lot of ads for full grown roosters and chickens and wouldn't mind adding them to our freezer if I had a place to get them processed close by and for a reasonable rate. I'd appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on this...

Hope you all are well & as eggcited about Spring as I am!
Warmly,
Elaine

 

[Dandelion Acres]

Actually BCC you can call yourself organic if you make less than $5000.00 a year (That number may have been lowered) as long as you keep really good records. That means all labels from Organic feed bags, hatchery receipts, etc etc etc. But you cannot use the green certified organic label....

The government is actually looking into the terms "All Natural" and "Naturally Raised" as well to see if those terms need laws as well....go figure....big brother again....

The saddest part is, the Organic Standards were much Stricter Before the Government got involved..... Had to make it easier for the General Mills and the like to get "Their" slice of the pie as well.....


Hence the term "Beyond Organic"..... the same as you BCC....LOL Follow all the practices, raise the birds in as close to a truly natural environment as possible, and feed certified organics.....

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Quote:
is easier to say i follow the organic way, no gov at all

 

[Dandelion Acres]

is easier to say i follow the organic way, no gov at all

EXACTLY!!!!! LOL​

 

[jvls1942]

organic LAW ? who would pass a law about something like that?

I was country before it was cool and organic before most of you were born.. LOL I used to get Mother Earth magazine vefore they sold out and started to bend away from their/my original views..

I went and picked up 3 dozen americana eggs just now.. these are light blue.. same as the ones that hatched yesterday..

I don't know what I am going to do with all these chicks that I have and the ones I hope to have in 3 weeks..LOL

I have a theory about "drowned" unhatched chicks.. I don't believe they drowned.. judging by the ones I broke open today, they died before theypiped because of too high heat.. and I was at only 100F.. I am lowering my heat for the rest of this hatch and for future hatches..

those people in the incubating and hatchng section of byc are using 101F ??? way too high, IMHO .. fan or no fan..

what is actuall happening is the chick is growing through the membrane and it's head is still at it's side and not positioned to pip yet.. again,,,,,,, just IMHO...

 

[Hens and Roos]

Nice day today, just finished collecting 20 gal of maple sap so we will be starting to boil it down again as all our buckets are full

Our older group of chicks(2 months) figured out how to play in the water and made a wet mess in their pen-looks like that will be cleaned after super-2nd time this week

off to finish super-chicken fingers with mac & cheese and fruit or veggies.

 

[babylady4]

Little Jules is feeling MUCH better! Gave her a swim in the tub tonight and gave her an opportunity to clean herself up; she loved it! Right now, she is meticulously cleaning what is left of her feathers. That drake did a number on her back in the feather department. I am also thinking he went for her eyes and that is why they were foamy.... the one side looks swollen so her eye looks funny......

There must be something in the water...... my cousin's wife just had their second child on Saturday (my mom's birthday) and another happy birthday present for her is that my brother and his wife are expecting number two!!!!!

This will be their last one as his wife is 41.......

Ugh, I cannot believe it is almost 8:30...... I hate these time changes.

 

[bigzio]

Evening All... zsazsa glad you found us again. No need to ever get lost again. Just use your compass....when logged in go to the very bottom of the main page and click on Show My Posts....you'll never be lost again

Jim are those blue egss from your neighbor? Those are indeed pretty ones!

H&R...sounds like this prolly will be a great mapo season for you guys. Maybe you can make candy this year?

Thanks for sharing all the pics...

Be Safe ~ bigzio

 

[WIChookchick]

Quote:
Elaine,
there is a place on county rd E just outside of Brooklyn called the County E Locker.
They do processing of deer, beef and other critters, so they might do chickens.
Hope to see you tomorrow.