As you know, we got 5 black australorp chickens and 5 easter egger chickens (all 1-day old) at the end of April of this year. We took good care of them, and when we could, built them outdoor homes inside of 6x10 dog kennels. Covered the kennels with tarps, hung shower curtains (yes, you read right) along the sides to keep out rain and snow and wind, and put in small pet carriers we'd pick up for cheap at thrift stores and yard sales.
They are now 6 months old, and after waiting and waiting and waiting, we finally see some maturity!
Although we ordered and thought we got 5 black australorp GIRLS, turned out that one was a boy. This rooster (we call him Warf) started crowing about a week ago, and 2 days later on Sunday, we saw him "earning his keep" with a hen. Two days after that on Tuesday, we got our first egg! It's really small (bigger than a quail egg tho), but perfectly formed. We're waiting until this weekend before we crack it open; could be empty or messed up inside. Takes a while (sometimes) for a pullet's body to get this egg-laying thing down right.
We got our second egg yesterday. It was a tad bigger. Wondering if a second pullet is laying.
So far, nothing from our easter egger pullets. Wonder if they are just late bloomers!?! Can barely wait to see if they will lay green or blue or pink eggs!
Showing posts with label Eggs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eggs. Show all posts
Arm still messed up, and more
I'm still in major pain from whatever I did to my arm last weekend. Not getting anything done.
Very late in getting the garden's raised beds built and filled and planted. I hate that. I have lots of seedlings ready for the ground ... they are overtaking my garden room!
Got my holly bushes and trees in the mail on Saturday (I think) and still haven't planted them. Hope they stay alive long enough to get them in the ground.
Still need to repair the goat house, and finish building the first chicken coop so we can get Henny Penny in it. Then we can clean out her temp coop and get half of the baby chicks in that one.
Glad Hubby is taking off Thur and Fri so we can have 4 whole days to get projects done. I'll do as much as I can, but I hate it when my body won't keep up with my project list.
As far as the Kid .... his toenails are healing. Good enough for him to want to go out and play with the new neighbor next door. I told him if you feel that good, you can do your chores. Ah, no. Don't feel that good. Yeah, I figured.
I think our quail have had it. Pecka hasn't laid an egg in almost a week, and still crouches there.
And I'm pretty sure the quail eggs in the incubator won't hatch because I can't get the temperature to regulate! Do NOT buy the Chick-bator or whatever else you find it being called. You have to manually turn the eggs twice a day. It does come with a little thermometer but no way to regulate the temp. It includes 1 piece of aluminum foil that you are supposed to make into two strips. One goes in the bottom of the yellow bowl, and hold the second in reserve as needed. But my house has been in the 60's, so the temp in the chickbator was hovering until 90. Need it to be smack at 100 degrees. I added more foil around it which helps but as the temp in the house fluctuates, so does the chickbator.
Never again. I need a silkie hen to hatch my eggs. And now that Pecka isn't laying, I won't ever have any of her kids. I'm really angry that I spent our hard-earned money on something that was supposed to work, and doesn't.
= = = =
As a side note, we are having yet another horrible wind storm. Just had to chase down one of the plastic kiddie pools that we had on the deck, waiting for dirt and my cabbage plants. Well, those, and a few other seedlings that just can't wait until the rest of the garden's raised beds are built and filled.
Had to put the goaties back in the workshop/barn because the little things were getting so scared out there in the wind.
Did we pick the right place for our very-last-home? So windy that I'm afraid to get the plants planted.
Very late in getting the garden's raised beds built and filled and planted. I hate that. I have lots of seedlings ready for the ground ... they are overtaking my garden room!
Got my holly bushes and trees in the mail on Saturday (I think) and still haven't planted them. Hope they stay alive long enough to get them in the ground.
Still need to repair the goat house, and finish building the first chicken coop so we can get Henny Penny in it. Then we can clean out her temp coop and get half of the baby chicks in that one.
Glad Hubby is taking off Thur and Fri so we can have 4 whole days to get projects done. I'll do as much as I can, but I hate it when my body won't keep up with my project list.
As far as the Kid .... his toenails are healing. Good enough for him to want to go out and play with the new neighbor next door. I told him if you feel that good, you can do your chores. Ah, no. Don't feel that good. Yeah, I figured.
I think our quail have had it. Pecka hasn't laid an egg in almost a week, and still crouches there.
And I'm pretty sure the quail eggs in the incubator won't hatch because I can't get the temperature to regulate! Do NOT buy the Chick-bator or whatever else you find it being called. You have to manually turn the eggs twice a day. It does come with a little thermometer but no way to regulate the temp. It includes 1 piece of aluminum foil that you are supposed to make into two strips. One goes in the bottom of the yellow bowl, and hold the second in reserve as needed. But my house has been in the 60's, so the temp in the chickbator was hovering until 90. Need it to be smack at 100 degrees. I added more foil around it which helps but as the temp in the house fluctuates, so does the chickbator.Never again. I need a silkie hen to hatch my eggs. And now that Pecka isn't laying, I won't ever have any of her kids. I'm really angry that I spent our hard-earned money on something that was supposed to work, and doesn't.
= = = =
As a side note, we are having yet another horrible wind storm. Just had to chase down one of the plastic kiddie pools that we had on the deck, waiting for dirt and my cabbage plants. Well, those, and a few other seedlings that just can't wait until the rest of the garden's raised beds are built and filled.
Had to put the goaties back in the workshop/barn because the little things were getting so scared out there in the wind.
Did we pick the right place for our very-last-home? So windy that I'm afraid to get the plants planted.
Chicken and Seedling and Pen Update
Thought maybe I'd post a few pictures this morning....
The above picture of the yellow pool shows the plants we're growing indoors. Using a yellow kiddie pool, didn't poke holes in it, filled it with compost and dirty, and transplanted some mesclun seedlings on the right, and in the middle... nasturtiums and strawberries. On the left, which you obviously can't see, are seeds I planted for radishes, Danvers Half-Long carrots (short roots) and bunching onions (scallions).
This is a pic of the seedlings sitting in my east-facing bedroom, what we call the "green room" or "garden room". As you can tell, I have lots of tomato seedlings, cabbage, bell peppers, and much more. Really waiting for this snowy weather to finish so I can get out and fill up the garden (which I haven't finished getting ready yet).
The above is a picture of what the space looked like before the guys got very far with building the chicken coops and goat pen. Took them 2 days to get very far.
The above is a picture of what our goat pen looks like now that it's mostly finished. Plenty of room in the 4x16 enclosed house (yes, it has uncovered areas for good ventilation). Sturdy gate. Can't see the poultry fencing along the perimeter. Still to do: stack some bales of hay in the back of the house, place the water bucket ... where?, and install a scrap gate along the left wall to hook on the feed buckets. Other than that... it's sturdy and functional. Not by any means purty but will work for us. Should have the goats in it by weekend.
The above is a picture of our quail egg incubator. Yeah, we got that cheapo thing. Hard to keep the temp steady so I'm constantly checking and adjusting the foil around it. Then every time I take off the lid to turn the eggs (twice a day), the temp drops 10-15 degrees so really have to watch it then. Have it in the garden bedroom's bathroom so it won't be disturbed. Gonna have to find a better place for it the next time. Anyway, there are the 4 fertilized bobwhite quail eggs that came with it. They take 23 days to hatch, and our coturnix quail will only take 18-19 days. So... if Pecka gives me an egg today and tomorrow, we'll place them in the incubator tomorrow night. Should all hatch on Monday, Jun 7. Here's hoping!
Wanna see a pic? This is Henny Penny, the laying Araucana (easter egger) hen we got two Sundays ago. She gives about 6 eggs every 7 days. She's finally gotten used to us, and knows when we open the back door of the little temporary "isolation" coop that she'll get a treat ... whether it's a big red wiggler worm, or a handful of cracked corn or oats, or an apple core ... she's excited to see us!
Speaking of hens ... here's a picture of 4 of Henny Penny's light green chicken eggs, compared to 5 of Pecka's quail eggs. I love the contrast!
And here's a pic of the Kid's dinner the other night ... one chicken egg and 3 quail eggs. Notice the beautiful intense yellow-orange yolks and firm whites. Not sure you can see but the inside of the quail eggs is a light blue, and the inside of the light green chicken egg is ... light green! How cool is that?!?! Saved the eggshells to crush and give back to the chicken and quail. Good source of calcium to make more eggs.= = = =
Remember ... please plant a nut or fruit tree today.
Rainy busy Saturday
We woke up today with every intention of getting the douglas fir tree-lings and holly bushes planted. Well, me directing and Hubby and Kid planting.
As we got dressed and started to head to the door, an odd sound came from the baby monitor that we have connected to the workshop/barn. Sounded like static. Actually, was rain mixed with hail. A moment later, it hit the house. Sooo... we didn't get planting outside done. Or the chicken coops or chicken/goat pens done. We DO have a big pool of mud in the goat pen area tho.
What did we do? Gathered another quail egg and another green Henny Penny egg. Hubby hooked up the grow lights in the indoor garden room. Planted the european mesclun salad mix seedlings in the indoor "pool" (I'll try to take a pic tomorrow). Started two dif kinds of corn seeds in jiffy peat pellets. Started lots of different kinds of winter squash and pumpkins and gourds in jiffy peat pellets. Took a lamp out to the workshop/barn because the overhead doesn't give out much light, even at night. Had our furnace looked at (gotta replace... argh). Fed cracked corn to the Henny Penny for the first time ... loves it and oats and especially loves apples! Gave a little of her laying pellets to the quail to see if it will strengthen her shells. Talked with a neighbor about how they sell their eggs (word of mouth ... can't keep up with the demand).
Checked our mail and our quail eggs and incubator were there! Ah ha! I'll take a pic tomorrow.
By the time I finished directing what to do, and did some myself, it was late. Expecting close to 70 tomorrow with hopefully no rain. Maybe we can at least get the goat pen finished and possibly the chicken coop. Hope!
As we got dressed and started to head to the door, an odd sound came from the baby monitor that we have connected to the workshop/barn. Sounded like static. Actually, was rain mixed with hail. A moment later, it hit the house. Sooo... we didn't get planting outside done. Or the chicken coops or chicken/goat pens done. We DO have a big pool of mud in the goat pen area tho.
What did we do? Gathered another quail egg and another green Henny Penny egg. Hubby hooked up the grow lights in the indoor garden room. Planted the european mesclun salad mix seedlings in the indoor "pool" (I'll try to take a pic tomorrow). Started two dif kinds of corn seeds in jiffy peat pellets. Started lots of different kinds of winter squash and pumpkins and gourds in jiffy peat pellets. Took a lamp out to the workshop/barn because the overhead doesn't give out much light, even at night. Had our furnace looked at (gotta replace... argh). Fed cracked corn to the Henny Penny for the first time ... loves it and oats and especially loves apples! Gave a little of her laying pellets to the quail to see if it will strengthen her shells. Talked with a neighbor about how they sell their eggs (word of mouth ... can't keep up with the demand).
Checked our mail and our quail eggs and incubator were there! Ah ha! I'll take a pic tomorrow.
By the time I finished directing what to do, and did some myself, it was late. Expecting close to 70 tomorrow with hopefully no rain. Maybe we can at least get the goat pen finished and possibly the chicken coop. Hope!
Egg pic
Can't really tell but the big egg in with our quail eggs is a light blue/green.Ain't it purty! Our first chicken egg!
Quail Eggs are Tasty
As promised, here are pictures of our quail-egg dinner the other night. 
The first pic shows the 4 eggs frying while I hold an unbroken egg to show you size. I should have taken a pic of the inside of the shell ... they were all a lite lite blue! Very cool. And no one quail egg looks like another ... all are speckled and mottled. Easy to break open. Some shells were harder than others ... wonder if that has to do with the lighting or what we feed her? Also notice the color of the yolks ... the one closest to the egg (top left) is a little lighter, but didn't taste any different. A couple of the eggs didn't have much white part.
The second picture is my dinner plate.... the eggs in the first pic went to Hubby then he came back for 7 more. The Kid took 4 scrambled then came back for another 4. I barely got any! Here is my four quail eggs and a few pieces of bacon. I took the picture before I remembered add the grapes and carrots and greens. But you get the gist, right?
It takes about 3 quail eggs to equal 1 regular chicken egg. If you compared 1 cup of scrambled chicken eggs to 1 cup of scrambled quail eggs.... the cholesterol and protein are the same.
= = = =
I keep watching the news about this oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Well, it's actually expanding out of there, isn't it? At a rate of how much oil per day (supposedly 200,000 gallons a day!)? Hour? Have you given thought as to how it's affecting marine life, i.e. the seafood that you enjoy on a regular basis? Or how it spreading and traveling .... and how it could affect not only the eastern seaboard of the USA but also traveling into western European waters? What will happen when the soil is spread out so thickly that the water underneath can't evaporate? Will it raise or lower the temps (because some reaction will happen)! What the next link in the chain of reaction after the temp change?
The area where the Exxon Valdez spilled is still suffering ... 21 years later. The salmon kinda came back, but the herring never did. And the oil can still be waded through along the coastline, on the beaches.
This spill is worse.
And how will this affect us regular people? I mean, besides the reduction or elimination of edible seafood? What about gas prices? Someone has to pay for the clean-up, and you can bet it's gonna be us! Argh!
= = = =
Very windy for the past several days. I wish it would calm down. I keep having to chase after stuff, and the poor quail are so agitated. I think it's supposed to get a little colder today. Hope the wind leaves as the cold comes in.
I did too much yesterday. Ran errands for about 4 hours and by the time I got back, could barely move. But still.... animals must be taken care of! So I helped the Kid unload the car, went in and fed the critters, tried to calm down the quail (no eggs for 6 days now?!? ... the wind), put things away, and checked out my seedlings. By the time I had finished that, Hubby was home, we had dinner, and I collapsed.
Today is gonna be busy too. Sigh.
= = = =
Please plant a nut or fruit tree today.
The first pic shows the 4 eggs frying while I hold an unbroken egg to show you size. I should have taken a pic of the inside of the shell ... they were all a lite lite blue! Very cool. And no one quail egg looks like another ... all are speckled and mottled. Easy to break open. Some shells were harder than others ... wonder if that has to do with the lighting or what we feed her? Also notice the color of the yolks ... the one closest to the egg (top left) is a little lighter, but didn't taste any different. A couple of the eggs didn't have much white part.
The second picture is my dinner plate.... the eggs in the first pic went to Hubby then he came back for 7 more. The Kid took 4 scrambled then came back for another 4. I barely got any! Here is my four quail eggs and a few pieces of bacon. I took the picture before I remembered add the grapes and carrots and greens. But you get the gist, right?It takes about 3 quail eggs to equal 1 regular chicken egg. If you compared 1 cup of scrambled chicken eggs to 1 cup of scrambled quail eggs.... the cholesterol and protein are the same.
= = = =
I keep watching the news about this oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Well, it's actually expanding out of there, isn't it? At a rate of how much oil per day (supposedly 200,000 gallons a day!)? Hour? Have you given thought as to how it's affecting marine life, i.e. the seafood that you enjoy on a regular basis? Or how it spreading and traveling .... and how it could affect not only the eastern seaboard of the USA but also traveling into western European waters? What will happen when the soil is spread out so thickly that the water underneath can't evaporate? Will it raise or lower the temps (because some reaction will happen)! What the next link in the chain of reaction after the temp change?
The area where the Exxon Valdez spilled is still suffering ... 21 years later. The salmon kinda came back, but the herring never did. And the oil can still be waded through along the coastline, on the beaches.
This spill is worse.
And how will this affect us regular people? I mean, besides the reduction or elimination of edible seafood? What about gas prices? Someone has to pay for the clean-up, and you can bet it's gonna be us! Argh!
= = = =
Very windy for the past several days. I wish it would calm down. I keep having to chase after stuff, and the poor quail are so agitated. I think it's supposed to get a little colder today. Hope the wind leaves as the cold comes in.
I did too much yesterday. Ran errands for about 4 hours and by the time I got back, could barely move. But still.... animals must be taken care of! So I helped the Kid unload the car, went in and fed the critters, tried to calm down the quail (no eggs for 6 days now?!? ... the wind), put things away, and checked out my seedlings. By the time I had finished that, Hubby was home, we had dinner, and I collapsed.
Today is gonna be busy too. Sigh.
= = = =
Please plant a nut or fruit tree today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)