Bruce's Journal

[Latestarter]

Hey CntryBoy... That would probably be right after the silly birds do the chicken little thing about the sky falling and suffer heart failure. Probably best to start over with new chickens anyway... that way they'll accept Merlin as part of the fabric of life on the farm.

 

[Bruce]

As you know that doesn't work here!

If I were a "proper" farm with no restrictions, the Favs would be gone, they were never very good layers and a MOUTHY. And Zorra (big BA) though she did a good job raising the 2015 chicks. Echo should be gone due to the shell-less eggs that started this past spring and whatever that growth is but she wouldn't be. She is the most personable of my girls so she would spared as a pet (even though my spoiled butt chickens are not pets). Yue has laid only 64 eggs this year and has moulted twice, summer and fall so she would be replaced. Of the 2012 girls, only Persephone has remained a good layer through 4.5 years of life. She laid 109 in 2016 and always XL or Jumbo. Don't know how she will do come spring of course.

Waiting to see if any of the 2015 girls pick back up this winter. I got the White Rocks because they supposedly will lay some in the winter and should lay a reasonable number of years. They and the "non-standard" Black Australorps did quite well their first full year of laying.

 

[NH homesteader]

Wow you keep way better track of who lays how many eggs than I do. I either get eggs, or I don't. Lately I mostly don't

You should get some calm breeds. My Dominiques are the most mellow birds. Of course they're also not the best layers and don't lay very large eggs so if you are only keeping chickens for eggs they might not be your favorite.

 

[Bruce]

Only the Favs are mouthy. Anconas are a breed I would not get again unless that is all I had. They felt a great need to remind the other girls who was top of the flock quite regularly even though their status was never challenged. Yue has been a lot more mellow of late. Might be because she moulted. Both she and Zia got pretty submissive when they moulted. They never go near bald like some of the girls but they sure look silly with no tail. Zia died from, I think, heart issues this summer. Yue hasn't been near as aggressive since she had no partner to back her up so that could be it as well.

The BAs and EEs are calm and other than Yuki having a desire to lay out in the bushes the White Rocks have been good birds as well. I'm thinking maybe a couple of Barnevelders though they are expensive, about 3X something like a BA or RIR, etc. Maybe some white or brown Leghorns for white eggs. All white is boring but so is NO white Besides liking different colors and hues, there is no way I could track who is laying if I had a flock of all the same breed. Since I don't cull I guess all this data analysis is pretty OCD isn't it!

I haven't seen a new egg since Dec 9th when Nuit stopped laying. Not sure when I'll see another. 6 frozen eggs thawing in the fridge for tomorrow's omelettes.

 

[NH homesteader]

Leg horns don't so that well in the cold do they? My new Dorkings will lay white eggs! But... If you're worried about expensive... My taste in birds is rather expensive.

Everyone I know who has BA's loves them!

How are frozen eggs, texture wise?

 

[Latestarter]

Unless you scramble them before freezing, a frozen whole egg will unfreeze with the yolk the consistency of a boiled egg, so really, that's about all they're good for.

 

[Mike CHS]

I'm curious about the frozen egg texture also. We did several dozen once of scrambled eggs and froze some and dehydrated some as an experiment and both turned out good.

 

[Southern by choice]

If they can get through, it isn't temporary When I want them to stay in the back, I want them to STAY in the back!! Plus we need to get some chicks this spring. They can fit through no problem!

I have 2 human/LGD behaviour questions

1. When I go to the top gate, Merlin will back up so I can open it. I scrub his ears then say "let's go to the barn". At this point of course he is between the door (~45' distant) and me. He will take one step down the slope then move sideways and wait for me to take the lead. Always. I have not asked this of him, in fact I assumed he would go ahead, most dogs do I think. Is this something related to our relative position in the "pack" or something else?
2. I go down every night about 8:30 or 9 to say goodnight. We go into the barn because it isn't windy in there and is sometimes a bit warmer. Then he gets ear scrubbing and sometimes a bit of brushing to get the ice out of his fur.
   1. Is this something I SHOULD be doing, as a bonding thing?
   2. Is this something should NOT be doing for some reason?
   3. It doesn't really matter?

1. I can't see his posturing so don't know but no I do not think it is a position thing. I think Merlin is very gracious with you and he is patient with you. It almost sounds as if he is trying to show you how partnership works.
2. I think it is a great thing. Just keep in mind if one night he is not in agreement leave him do his thing.


Question- Is this the same coop the birds have been in for all the time you have gad them?
Any significant change you made just prior to Merlin?

This really does have me curious.
I truly have never seen this. I have placed, or helped place many LGD's into new farms and have never seen this.
I haven't even see birds do this that were caught in a LGD's jowls. Some birds will go right back at the dog.
I've dealt wit h a lot of poultry issues (where people dogs are chasing poultry) and still not seen this.
It really is interesting and strange all at the same time!

 

[CntryBoy777]

I wish all of ya was closer to me, because I'd be Glad to give ya Fresh eggs....gave away 12dz the other day and have 8 full cartons in the Fridge right now!!

 

[Bruce]

Following information found on the internet (which is always accurate!! ):

1. How people do this in an ice cube tray I have NO idea. The white of 1 large egg barely fit. I used silicone cupcake "wrappers" in a muffin pan. Easy to pop the egg out and into a ziploc once frozen.
2. You have to scramble the yolk and white before freezing but you DON'T want to introduce any more air than absolutely necessary.

The first one I tried I made a egg, sausage, Wolferman's English muffin sandwich. Didn't think ahead so it was thawing while it cooked. Turned out OK actually. The next two I thawed, again without planning. Seems a frozen egg takes LONG time to thaw at room temp so I put the bowl on the ground in front of the woodstove to speed it up. Probably heated them up more than would be desireable. There were a couple of lumps. Used those in waffles. Turned out fine. Guess I should see how the eggs in the fridge are doing. I would like to see how a "not forced to thaw" egg looks.

Re the Leghorns and cold. Don't know (should probably research) but one wouldn't think Anconas or Cubalayas would be cold tolerant and they did fine. I noticed the Anconas' combs were smaller after their first adult moult than they were before going into their first winter. Maybe they "learn" to adapt. Never had a frostbite problem. The Dorkings look to have a pretty large single comb as well. Not sure I want to take up space for chickens that lay Small eggs though.