BeccaOH: Update of just STUFF

[BeccaOH]

I got a big basket of concord grapes at farmer's market on Saturday. Yesterday I separated them into two different batches. One I did juice for jelly and the other I prepped for grape butter. Need to cook and can those tonight. :/

Finally cleaned out the garage and can park the car in there. Cleaned out the chick dust and moved out the brooder box. But the demand for laying hens around here is so high that I've considered getting some pullets to raise. I don't know, though, if it is worth the time and energy even with the demand.

 

[lorihadams]

I know what you mean Becca...I can't believe how crazy people have gone over chickens. The salmonella scare just made it even crazier!

I am thinking of doing some pullets for next year....just can't do it this year....too much going on.


Hey, how's your mom doing?

 

[BeccaOH]

Thanks for asking about Mom. She is doing pretty well. I was out of town for work for a weekend, and that really stressed her out even though QA came and did the poultry chores. I see how dependent my mom has become on me.

She has been working hard on canning tomatoes. Yesterday was salsa. But it really wears her out.

 

[homesteadmomma]

I got a big basket of concord grapes at farmer's market on Saturday. Yesterday I separated them into two different batches. One I did juice for jelly and the other I prepped for grape butter. Need to cook and can those tonight. :/

Finally cleaned out the garage and can park the car in there. Cleaned out the chick dust and moved out the brooder box. But the demand for laying hens around here is so high that I've considered getting some pullets to raise. I don't know, though, if it is worth the time and energy even with the demand.

I understand this, I have an order coming from Meyer Hatchery next week for Golden Buffs, they are suppose to be one of the best egg layers with a good feed conversion. I can't keep up with the demand of eggs or pullets. They are not my favorite chickens but I have my others for my chicken eye candy!

 

[BeccaOH]

I understand this, I have an order coming from Meyer Hatchery next week for Golden Buffs, they are suppose to be one of the best egg layers with a good feed conversion. I can't keep up with the demand of eggs or pullets. They are not my favorite chickens but I have my others for my chicken eye candy!

Are they the started pullets? I got them from Meyer and didn't realize they came debeaked. Poor ugly birds. I never saw them as that great even as layers. Three molted during hard winter and 2 died as a result. I kept them only one season.

 

[keljonma]

Been busy here. Was out of town last weekend. Got a new metal roof put on the house and garage, and now they need new trim paint and gutters. My to-do list for winter preps is long. I don't know of anything much going on the 3rd.

You might consider October 9-10. We have a wonderful festival at the Algonquin Mill. I love going there. It has the full fall experience for me.

Our dog in a run nearest the chickens has turned into a killer. 3 hens down, and I rescued my favorite girl from him last night during free range time. He is a wonderful dog otherwise. Hard to know what to do with him as we like having an outside dog for alerts to people driving in and such. Right now I'll be moving him every evening to the other side of the house so the hens can still get in some free range time.

That does sound like fun. But TR has to work that week-end. With just one car it makes it tough to drop him at work, get down to your neck of the woods and get back in time to pick him up in time....and still have time for fun in the middle. :/

Sorry to her about the problem with your dog. The only thoughts I have are: 1. Strengthen the fencing for the chickens (maybe electric poultry fencing); 2. Set up a fenced kennel/run for the dog; 3. Move the dog to a spot a bit further away from the chickens.

 

[homesteadmomma]

I understand this, I have an order coming from Meyer Hatchery next week for Golden Buffs, they are suppose to be one of the best egg layers with a good feed conversion. I can't keep up with the demand of eggs or pullets. They are not my favorite chickens but I have my others for my chicken eye candy!

Are they the started pullets? I got them from Meyer and didn't realize they came debeaked. Poor ugly birds. I never saw them as that great even as layers. Three molted during hard winter and 2 died as a result. I kept them only one season.

No they are day old baby chicks, I will raise them until they are about 12 weeks old and then sell half of them to recoup my cost. I had amazing luck with them laying last time, hopefully it will be the same this time!

 

[TanksHill]

Hey Becca, there are a few people wondering about Aly and how she and her family are doing. Could you give us an update? I tried her on FB with no reply. I'm sure things are really busy for her.

Thanks, gina

 

[BeccaOH]

I wrote an update on Quail_Antwerp over at her journal.

We both have been busy getting set up for winter. I have more birds this fall than last. I sold off 10 young roos at auction last Friday. If all my pullets were of age to lay and none molting, I'd should be swimming in eggs. As it is, I only collect around a dozen chicken and a couple duck per day. My customers call and ask me to hold eggs for them. Sunday I had one stop and buy them straight out of my collection basket. So, I haven't been eating many eggs or baking lately.

But fall sure has me in the mood for cooking. I was recently looking up different ways to cook pumpkin, from soup to dips to pasta to fudge. Yum! I grew a few small pumpkins, but they don't look nice - probably lack of rain and squash bugs. I've been feeding them to the birds.

Oh, back to Friday's auction. emilosevich will find this funny. I took 10 young roos. In one cage I put two young Naked Necks that I am 100% sure were roos. I wasn't in the auction room when they went up, but I'm quite sure the auctioneer passed them off as pullets because they went for $6 each!!! My other roos sold for .50 to $1 each (including a lovely little red Dorking bantam that I had no reasonable use for).

I've been totally off sugar and grains since the last week of September and eating mainly fresh veggies, fruit, and meat. I've lost 9 pounds and truly feel that my brain is clearer. It is going okay must days, but sometimes I just want COMFORT food and to cook/bake foods that bring comfort to others. I plan one more week of very restricted eating, then I'll slowly add a few things for 3 weeks. By Thanksgiving I should be able to allow a few treats, but the goal is too get back to using sugar and grains only very occasionally, restrict my use of fast food, and make more meals from scratch. It is hard, though.

 

[keljonma]

Congratulations on the weight loss. We are certainly having the perfect weather for baking/cooking comfort food! (I'm thinking of making some Texas chili later today; meat no beans.)