Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I've never shot a gun in my life, I certainly couldn't hit a hawk! I was joking. But my Iowa Blue rooster and his group of ladies is fine. The ones that got killed were younger and not with the main flock. My chickens are free range, except the cochins now. I think its a young hawk that was from a nest out in our woods. Maybe he'll move on if I put enough scary crap in yard!

 

[WIChookchick]

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.

We used an axe and a killing cone for draining into a bucket. And yes the water was too hot... we thought it had to be boiling...
You use Borax and stretch the skin a little and dry it with the borax on it and dry it in the oven at a low temp for a few hours.
I found this on a good online site.

Dry preservative (DP) is not simply borax. Borax is a cleaning and anti-fungal agent, but it is not a preservative in itself. A true preservative is an antioxidant, meaning an agent that prevents bacterial growth that is associated with rotting or spoiling of meat and other fiberous tissue or rancidity in fats and oils.

A true "preservative" should be composed of a number of elements and compounds that prevent bacterial deterioation. The canned and prepared foods we eat are full of the antioxidants. Most of the common types used as food preservatives will also work in taxidermy where skins are concerned.

Some of these compounds are cheap and simple to locate, others are relatively cheap, but must be purchased in large quantities from the makers. Some specialty suppliers do carry the materials, but the prices reflect the breakdown and handling and profit associated with this type of small quantity purchase.

Common materials are Potassium Sorbate or Sorbic Acid, used as a preservative in canning and other food processes. Sodium Benzoate is also available from specialty shops. Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) and Vitimin E (Tocopherol) is also available from comestic supply and soap supply vendors. Both vitamin C and E are natural antioxidents and will preserve tissue.

Commercial antioxidants (preservatives) that are available are Hydroxytoluene (BHT), Butylated hydroxyanlisol (BHA) and Thoxyquin. All of these are used under the names or initials in many foods. Most dog food, both dry and moist, contains Thoxyquin. It is a suspected carcinigen, but only when ingested by the pound!

I would suppose that any dry preservative mix should include borax as a basic embodier because of it's cheap price and one or more of the other ingredients. The biggest enemy of untanned skins is rehydration which will set up the diner for all sorts of fungi and bacterial forms to thrive and attack the tissue. Preservatives prevent this from happening. This does mean to indicate in any way that the use of preservatives to inhibit bacterial or fungal growth replaces tanning.

What amounts and proportions should you use? Lord knows. I would check some food recipe sites and let the suggested volume be the rule for additions. I would think that small amounts of any of the above, or all of the above (they are non-reactive) added to borax in a 5% by weight proportion, (95% borax - 5% antitoxin) would make a "good" dry preservative......if there is any such thing.

FT- are your silkies too old for laying or just too many roos?

Speaking of roos.. I got Elaines Sizzle rooster.. I just HAD to have him... So now I will need 2 young silkie hens and I will be set.. Oh and an incubator...
Seriously, I have had no chicks hatch till NOW... jimny crickets.​

 

[jvls1942]

for you feather collectors, present and future.. I do not understand the logic of preserving the chicken skin.. Just remove the feathers from the skin .. much simpler, eh?

fly tyers do not use the quills of the feathers..

you can wet pluck the feathers, then put them into a cloth bag, (pillow case) and run it in your clothes dryer.. the feathers should reconstitute themselves after they are dry again.. No?

FT. funny you should mention a hat band.. I just got a new straw hat for my birthday..

I guess this hatch of quails is about done.. 20 out of 50.. 40%..
I did not expect any more than this for the very first eggs.
batch #2 should start any day, soon.. then we will toss all of batch #1.. Or make pickled eggs.. LOL

I spent 3 hours on mowing the lawn.. picked up two bucketfuls of branches.. next time the mowing should take only half as long.. I still have the garden area to do.. can't do it all in one day,, what would I have to do tomorrow ?

FT.,,, BigZ was the name of Brents rooster, I believe..

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

 

[Amyable]

Bator hatch #2 was a success. Got the 2 quail, 7/7 Jaerhon, 5/5 Cochin, and 1/4 Bantam Orp. Packing it up for the year, I'm swimming in chicks. I was sneaky and got some LF Cochin eggs to hatch for Julie. She loveloveloves them, and her pair of hens died a while ago. All the eggs started hatching 1-2 days early, so the Cochins were half done on Thurs. She and her fam came over for the Packer game and I dropped a fresh chick in her lap. Of course she knows a Cochin when she sees one, then I told her it was an LF. Then it was all oohhs, aahhs, squeals of delight.

Golly these are cute things.

 

[babylady4]

OMG Amy those are so CUTE! Love the pic!

BCC, no biggie; I just HATE to hear about birds of prey getting shot for just doing what they do. It has taken a long time for them to recoup their numbers.

Bombing the house on Tuesday!!! I bought 2 kits so that should do the trick! I am starting the think that nuclear weapons will not kill these suckers!

I had forgotten how cute baby ducks are! Good thing Taffy is a good mom, she is very watchful of her babies and is always looking for them if they get in the mix of the bigger ducks.

Off to a bonfire at my sis' house!

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

Does anyone on here sell Pampered Chef? I'm thinking about doing a book party with my mom. I have a big order myself. I'm hoping to find someone that will do a Wildtree book party for me.

 

[kristip]

BBp... what is an Isabel Orpington? Just curious...

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

Quote:
It's a color similar to porcelain.

 

[Terri O]

Good evening all! I imagine that ole Jim is typing right now too...unless he is granny sitting!

THen he will be on later....
So today I met Carol and we went to the reptile swap. I found a crested gecko for dd25--she is pleased with it. I have NEVER seen so many snakes in my life! TONS were there all together in tubs...virtually any kind that you might fancy. I even spotted a leopard tortoise that I really wanted to have...decided not to go there! Then we met Elaine at F&F so Carol could pick up her roo. A very nice bird to be sure.

I think it is a great idea that we all wear something from our chickens to the next bash! There is plenty of time to collect feathers so those of you who would be exhibitionists can fashion a nice outfit!

Yeah...I might make a hatband!

I spent 2 hours in the garden tonight picking various veggies...I have A LOT to do tomorrow! I only have the morning so I imagine that I will not be talking to anyone until tomorrow evening. I picked green peppers and several other varieties...mostly habaneros; beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts, eggplant, cukes, zucchini and a TON of tomatoes! I think I will be busy for a while!

Delicious omelets for dinner tonight...heavy on the veggies just how I like them. Well I guess I'd better hit the rack...lots to do in the morrow--I am wondering if I will dream of veggies?

Oh yeah...the pigeons had a fantastic time flying about the farm...I spotted a hawk as it swooped in and banged a pan to get it to leave...I think it might have gotten one of the blues, I only see 3 and the red one. I am sad...but it is worth it to see them fly! (well, maybe not to the one that got eaten!

) THey fly so differently than the barn ones! My roos were freaked though--they kept alarming every time the pigeons flew over. (good roos!)

OK off to beddies...good night all...dream of veggies and not garden spiders....TErri O

 

[ElaineS585]

Amyable, what a darling photo of the baby chicks!! Makes me almost want to get my incubator out and hatch some more chicks! Note I said ALMOST! My luck I'd hatch all roos and be heartbroken again. Nope, nope, nope - not going to do it until at least Spring! But thanks for the chick fix photo! It really made me smile -- how sweet! And what a good friend you are to share those precious little ones!

It was good to see Carol & Terri -- short but sweet. People were looking at me really funny when I was sitting on my tailgate holding & stroking my little roo while I waiting for them. Geez, what, never seen a woman holding a chicken before? It is called Farm & Fleet ya know?

I will miss my little guy but I know Carol will take really good care of him. Plus having him housed in my kitchen for two days was enough for me to be anxious to move him on out!

Any final word on the bash, folks? It's been so long I've even forgotten the date - is it the first or second Sat. in October? Has a location been decided yet? Not a whole lot more time to procrastinate....

Stay cool tomorrow! Looking forward to the cool front coming in on Tues.
Elaine