| Chickens, and other random information; Originally posted by MedicineMan | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 27 2009, 10:58 PM (362 Views) | |
| CindyLou62 | May 27 2009, 10:58 PM Post #1 |
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Chickens Preserving Eggs for Winter Use: For every three gallons of water, put in 1 pint of fresh slacked lime, and common salt, 1-2 pt; mix well, and let the barrel be about half full of this fluid, then with a dish let down your fresh eggs into it, tipping the dish after it fells with water so they roll out without cracking the shell, for if the shell is cracked the egg will spoil. If fresh eggs are put in, fresh eggs will come out, as I have seen men who have kept them two, and even four, years, at sea. A piece of board may be laid across the top of the eggs, and a little lime and salt kept upon it, which keeps the fluid as strong at the top as at the bottom. This will not fail you. They must always be kept covered with the brine. Families in towns and cities by this plan can have eggs for winter use at summer prices. http://www.grannyscloset.net/eggs.htm First of all, the eggs you choose to preserve must be of the very best quality, 2-3 hours old and allowed to cool. If they are dirty, brush them clean. Do not wash them as it destroys the natural film on the shell. Do not attempt to store any cracked eggs. If possible, candle the eggs to choose the best. Walton Feed had some advice, too: Method 1: Mineral oil, the thinnest available, warm the oil so it is as warm as your hands can work comfortably. To apply the oil, dip clean cloth in it and wipe the egg so that every bit of the shell has been coated. Now just place the eggs (small side down) in egg crates and store in a cool place. If egg crates are unavailable they do very well packed in wheat. It is important to pack the small ends down. Just alternate a layer of wheat and a layer of eggs. The eggs should keep at least 6-8 months. Method 2: Eggs in lime water; The lime water has to be prepared first as it has to stand for awhile. To make the solution, measure 5 gallons of water and bring it to a boil. Remove from heat then add two pounds of fresh lime or dehydrated lime, and stir this almost constantly as the water cools. Dissolve as much lime as possible. Now set the mixture aside and let stand, undisturbed, until all the undissolved lime has settled to the bottom and only clear liquid remains on top. It is only this clear liquid, which is to be used... The crock, which you will be using, should be very clean. Siphon the clear liquid into the crock you will be using, taking much care not to disturb the sediment on the bottom, now pack the eggs as closely as possible into the crock in the lime solution. Be sure that all the eggs are immersed. If the crock does not have a tight fitting lid, cover the surface of the solution with melted paraffin. This is to prevent the liquid from evaporating. Store in a cool place. http://waltonfeed.com/old/mama/egpresrv.html Egg production begins when the birds reach about 18-22 weeks of age, depending on the breed and season. Flock production rises sharply and reaches a peak of about 90%, 6-8 weeks later. Production then gradually declines to about 65% after 12 months of lay. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PS029 Why can’t life be simple? You buy some chicks, produce eggs for a year and then butcher them. But, all you get is stewing hens, not fryers. You can bake them, of course, but most folks like fried chicken. The chicken is a descendant of the Southeast Asian red jungle fowl first domesticated in India around 2000 B.C. Most of the birds raised for meat in America today are from the Cornish (a British breed) and the White Rock (a breed developed in New England). Broiler-fryers, roasters, stewing/baking hens, capons and Rock Cornish hens are all chickens. The following are definitions for these: Broiler-fryer - a young, tender chicken about 7 weeks old, which weighs 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds when eviscerated. Cook by any method. Rock Cornish Game Hen- a small broiler-fryer weighing between 1 and 2 pounds. Usually stuffed and roasted whole. Roaster - an older chicken about 3 to 5 months old, which weighs 5 to 7 pounds. It yields more meat per pound than a broiler-fryer. Usually roasted whole. Capon - Male chickens about 16 weeks to 8 months old, which are surgically unsexed. They weigh about 4 to 7 pounds and have generous quantities of tender, light meat. Usually roasted. Stewing/Baking Hen - a mature laying hen 10 months to 1 1/2 years old. Since the meat is less tender than young chickens, it's best used in moist cooking such as stewing. Cock or rooster - a mature male chicken with coarse skin and tough, dark meat. Requires long, moist cooking. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/chicken.htm So, you buy a bunch of pullets let’s say 100. You can keep a couple of dozen over the winter to produce eggs and then butcher them in the spring for stewing hens. You don’t need such a big henhouse, maybe a coop will do. That gives you a chicken every other week for those old folks and 2 chickens every other week for the young folks. But hey, why not have chicken once a week? You end up with 180 chickens and that’s a lot of plucking. You know that they sell broilers and layers, right? And, since you can’t afford beef because it costs too much and you don’t buy pork because bear tastes like pork, you buy chicken in the store this year and grow chickens next year. To supplement, you get a deer or two. A common question from small backyard laying flock owners is "Why have my hens stopped laying?" There are many factors which can cause hens to stop laying and in many cases there are multiple causes which add up to few or no eggs. The most common causes of decreased egg production include: decreasing day length, improper nutrition, disease, advancing age and stress. A. Decreasing day length or insufficient day length Hens require 14 hours of day length to sustain egg production. Once day length drops below 12 hours, production will decrease and frequently stop. This happens naturally from October through February. To prevent this, provide artificial light to maintain a constant day length of at least 14 hours per day. One 40-watt light for each 100 square feet of coop is adequate. The lights should be added in the morning hours so the birds can go to roost as the sunsets. This prevents birds from being stranded in the dark when lights are turned out during dark hours. Some small flock owners find it easier to leave the lights on continuously. This is not a problem as long as you do not use light bulbs over the 40-watt size. However, the time clock will help lower your electric bill. B. Improper nutrition Layers require a completely balanced ration to sustain maximum egg production over time. Improper nutrition can occasionally cause hens to stop laying. The most common problem is failing to provide a constant source of fresh water. This is especially a problem during the coldest months when the water can freeze. Provide adequate water equipment so the birds always have fresh water. Inadequate levels of energy, protein or calcium can also cause a production decrease. This is why it is so important to supply your laying hens with a constant supply of nutritionally balanced layer food balanced at 16% - 18% protein. Feeding whole grains, scratch feeds and table scraps will cause the birds diet to become improperly balanced. Many times these imbalances can cause other problems like prolapse (egg blow-outs). Prolapse is caused when the bird is too fat and/or egg is too large and the birds reproductive tract is expelled with the egg. Prolapse usually cause permanent damage to the hen and is fatal in many cases. Feeding oyster shell "free choice" (always available) is also a good idea to help insure strong eggshells. C. Disease Disease problems can occur under the best of conditions. Often one of the first signs of disease is a drop in egg production. Other symptoms of disease include dull and listless appearance, watery eyes and nostrils, coughing, molting, lameness and mortality in the flock. Remember some death is normal over the period of a year in any flock. However, if you suspect a disease, contact a skilled veterinarian for help in examining your flock and get an accurately diagnosis and treatment. Your best protection against disease is to buy healthy stock and keep them isolated from other birds. Buying adult poultry and introducing them to your flock is asking for trouble. If you wish to increase your flock, buy chicks from a reputable hatchery or hatch some of your own eggs. Adult birds can look healthy and carry diseases. D. Aging Hens Production hens can lay efficiently for two laying cycles. However, after two or three years, many hens decline in productivity. This varies greatly from bird to bird. Good layers will lay about 50 to 60 weeks per laying cycle. Between these cycles they will be interrupted by a rest period called a molt. Poorer layers and older hens will molt more often and lay less. Removal of non-layers is recommended if economical egg production is your goal. E. Stress Any stress such as moving, handling, changes in environmental conditions or fright can contribute to or be the main cause for egg production declines. Common stresses include: 1. Chilling. Chickens do not handle damp, drafty conditions well. Prevent excessive exposure to wet, drafty conditions during colder months. 2. Handling or moving. Once the laying flock is in place, limit any unnecessary moving or handling. Switching roosters or changing the pens population will also disrupt the pens pecking order and cause some temporary social stress in your flock. 3. Parasites. If external or internal parasites are present, get proper diagnosis and treatment. 4. Fright. Limit the movement of children, dogs, livestock and vehicles around your flock as well as loud noises to prevent frightening the hens. 5. Predators also can stress the birds and create a decrease in production. F. Other problems to consider when you see a decrease in egg collection: 1. Predators and snakes consuming the eggs. 2. Egg-eating by hens in the flock. 3. Excessive egg breakage. 4. Hens hiding the eggs when able to run free. http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/poultry/factsheets/34.html |
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| goatlady | Sep 7 2009, 07:39 PM Post #2 |
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My goodness, CindyLou, you are a fountain of wonderful information! I am really enjoying all these posts. Thanks for taking the time to share all of this! |
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