tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post5731495015164150420..comments2024-03-29T05:29:47.363-05:00Comments on Farmgirl Fare: Farm Photo: 1/28/07Farmgirl Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04851855517852917202noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-13021484455768027712009-03-12T10:21:00.000-05:002009-03-12T10:21:00.000-05:00You need ducks. ;DSeriously. Ours lay green and wh...You need ducks. ;D<BR/><BR/>Seriously. Ours lay green and white and light greyish colored eggs. (The Cayugas lay a black film over their eggs, but it washes right off.) Besides, variety is the spice of life, no?<BR/><BR/>They're calm, and Perdi (our goose) even takes care of them! She honks if something's out of order. Geese will mow your lawn, ducks are good pest control, and chickens will till up your garden for you. =P<BR/><BR/>They DO love their water though... Keep that in mind.<BR/><BR/>P.S. We might be getting chickens (maybe turkeys too) soon!<BR/><BR/><BR/>Duck eggs are bigger than chicken eggs, are a little thicker shelled (I've heard they are healtier for you than chicken eggs, but I don't recall where...), are superior in baking (they have a firmer white than chicken eggs, so aren't very good for whipping; although I haven't tried it yet), and maybe have a little hint of 'duck' flavor in them. As opposed to 'chicken' flavor in chicken eggs I guess. When eating duck (ooh that's tasty) it's greasier, but I think it's a better flavor. Very rich I suppose. If you like duck (eating it that is) you'll like duck eggs.<BR/><BR/>We have a white chinese goose, a mallard drake, a black indian runner drake, fawn and white indian runner female/hen, a buff duck, a khaki campbell hen, two Cayuga hens, and one mallard hen. (We had two, but one mallard hen got eaten by our neighbor's dog.) =(<BR/><BR/>We get lots of eggs... I've made banana bread quite a few times lately. xDAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-26545667358122355752007-02-09T14:04:00.000-06:002007-02-09T14:04:00.000-06:00I love Buffs and my Light Brahma. My Australorps a...I love Buffs and my Light Brahma. My Australorps are good chickens too. You might check into Cuckoo Marans. They look like Barred Rocks and lay eggs so brown they look like chocolate milk. I've heard they are good ones to raise. Just do not get Wyandottes. Ours were mean and the rooster would attack me every time I entered the yard.Terihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13382050215676302342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-26674785512027372892007-02-01T15:32:00.000-06:002007-02-01T15:32:00.000-06:00Hi Everybody,
Thank you so very, very much for al...<b>Hi Everybody,</b><br /><br />Thank you so very, very much for all of the chicken thoughts and opinions! I am overwhelmed by your response. We have our own little feathered forum going here. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has found all this information useful.<br /><br />I haven't made any ordering decisions yet--mainly because now I have a lot more research to do. I think narrowing it down to 3 or 4 breeds will definitely be the hardest part.<br /><br />I apologize for not replying to your comments individually--fortunately some of you stepped in and answered questions for me.<br /><br />Denzylle,<br />Re your comment that you were "always told that eggshell color was a direct result of diet and the minerals in the soil. And, therefore, that there is no difference, nutritionally, between brown or white eggs:"<br /><br />I didn't get out my chicken books, but as far as I know, eggshell color depends entirely on the breed and will not change with diet. For example, no matter what I feed Whitey, she will always lay little white eggs.<br /><br />Egg yolk, however, is a whole other story--as some of you have mentioned. Diet very much affects the color of the yolk, and I personally believe that when it comes to the color of the yolk, the darker the better. Commercial eggs have very pale yolks, while the yolks from our hens range from dark yellow to a gorgeous deep orange.<br /><br />I once read about an organic farmer who fed his chickens orange marigolds so they would lay eggs with orange yolks!<br /><br /><b>Again, thank you all for taking the time to write. I love reading about your adventures with chickens!</b><br /><br />P.S. Amy--I'll get that URL changed. Thanks for letting me know. In the future, you (and anybody else) are welcome to email me. The address is farmgirlfare AT gmail DOT com. You can always find it in the top left corner of my Blogger profile page.Farmgirl Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04851855517852917202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-70792369091478607202007-02-01T15:07:00.000-06:002007-02-01T15:07:00.000-06:00Personally, I've long been totally smitten with th...Personally, I've long been totally smitten with the beautiful amaraucanas and their gorgeous eggs. I love the idea of very dark brown eggs, too.<br />Will there be a Lindy II?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-60819788625333576232007-01-31T11:22:00.000-06:002007-01-31T11:22:00.000-06:00Definately Barred Rock hens! They are the sweetes...Definately Barred Rock hens! They are the sweetest girls. I had to give Aunt Penny away to Boggy Creek Farm when she was younger and they adore her. She used to come sit in my lap! Read all about her on their web site: www.boggycreekfarm.comNo Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12937153685615919457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-25196495134982324292007-01-31T09:34:00.000-06:002007-01-31T09:34:00.000-06:00I'm so glad that I managed to come across your blo...I'm so glad that I managed to come across your blog...how welcoming it is! Can't wait to read more. <br /><br />I grew up on a farm in Missouri...I can certainly understand your desire to 'get away' from it all!<br /><br />Off to read more...*Linnie*https://www.blogger.com/profile/18195269924515200315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-53479784425459386822007-01-31T00:02:00.000-06:002007-01-31T00:02:00.000-06:00I don't know much about raising chickens, but I do...I don't know much about raising chickens, but I do know what I think is pretty. The American Frontier Culture Museum (awesomeness in living history action) has some very pretty heritage Polish chickens; Polish Blacks is what they might be called.Elisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10834543316903516043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-76065313102686220472007-01-30T23:46:00.000-06:002007-01-30T23:46:00.000-06:00I'm with you, I too think brown eggs taste better....I'm with you, I too think brown eggs taste better. Perhaps it's because when I was a child my grandfather had chickens who layed brown eggs and they really were delicious. And why wouldn't you want your chickens to look attractive? Especially when there are so many beautiful breeds...I'm with you on that one too. The mugs look lovely, by the way.Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08423696800295940382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-46175124445953906392007-01-30T18:02:00.000-06:002007-01-30T18:02:00.000-06:00Well,I caved. After all this chicken talk I ordere...Well,I caved. After all this chicken talk I ordered my peeps from Ideal today, including a Cuckoo Maran. Hope I can stand the suspense until May 2... And YOU, farmgirl? Make up your mind yet?ginnymaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17145907048876852065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-82258053598930321432007-01-30T17:45:00.000-06:002007-01-30T17:45:00.000-06:00Dominiques are very thrifty, but I think they're a...Dominiques are very thrifty, but I think they're a little smaller than the barred rocks. <br /> <br />My new favorites are the Speckled Sussex. They lay well and are supposed to be a nice table bird as well. I don't know about that yet as I'm working on a small breeding flock right now. They're very friendly and quite lovely.<br /><br />Black Australorps are excellent layers and handsome big, black birds. I have a few Australorp/Wyandotte cross hens who seem to be keeping up with their mommas right now.<br /><br />Good luck with the chicks. I'm holding off on ordering new ones this year. I bought an incubator last year, so plan on raising some more of my own. I did, however, order a few more ducks and geese!maggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08611422287048965755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-43612875282350671612007-01-30T15:33:00.000-06:002007-01-30T15:33:00.000-06:00Way down here at the bottom of the comment list I ...Way down here at the bottom of the comment list I am finding myself wide-eyed with curiousity over the idea of ordering chickens via mail.<br /><br />That must be the most bizarre catalogue ever. <br /><br />Do you call in your orders? As in, "Hi I'd like a half dozen fluffy yellow chicks shipped to me in Missouri?"<br /><br />If so I am free to move to the middle of nowhere without worry.FinnyKnitshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08813175777047535103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-89013151162548942542007-01-30T15:06:00.000-06:002007-01-30T15:06:00.000-06:00Living in L.A., you certainly don't hear too many ...Living in L.A., you certainly don't hear too many conversations about chickens. ;) <br />I so enjoyed reading your entry as well as the posted comments. I feel like I just took a trip. Thanks!<br /><br />-another Susan from CA<br /><a href="http://foodblogga.blogspot.com">Food "Blogga"</a>Susan from Food Bloggahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11034518858688958369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-63836090805994043982007-01-30T13:41:00.000-06:002007-01-30T13:41:00.000-06:00Hot black coffee in homey cups. What a great way ...Hot black coffee in homey cups. What a great way to start the day! When my husband bought chickens, he drove all the way to Cackle House in Lebanon cause he thought he'd get to see a lot of chicks. When he got there, they are just a little store and you tell them what you want and they go out and get them. Big let down for him. He got Rhode Island Reds---he says they make good fryers. But then he got sick and never butchered any. The lady I buy goat milk from buys her chicks from there, but delivered to the P.O. She gets the fry pan special--that's several varieties--and she showed me some of her eggs. They were pastel colors. It's also their best buy. I love flippin thru their catalog. Hope you're feeling MUCH BETTER,Susan. *Mary*Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-63856516538745057462007-01-30T11:09:00.000-06:002007-01-30T11:09:00.000-06:00We have chickes to cheer us up too. Ours are ex ba...We have chickes to cheer us up too. Ours are ex battery hens rescued just before Christmas, they were very tatty when we got them but are now looking like typical story book brown hens and they lay large brown eggs. If your buying chics you may want to consider / investigate (don't know if they are available in the USA) Old Cotswold Legbars they lay the most beautiful large blue egg ever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-46974463459431926022007-01-30T11:05:00.000-06:002007-01-30T11:05:00.000-06:00I did forget to mention that my adopted stray Luck...I did forget to mention that my adopted stray Lucky, some unknown Buff breed, went broody twice last summer and twice the summer before. Not so much fun, because she quits laying, and we weren't in the market for baby chicks.frugalmomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08473115787361465055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-84855533761245498902007-01-30T10:05:00.000-06:002007-01-30T10:05:00.000-06:00Hello farmgirl. I have a little utopia here in Me...Hello farmgirl. I have a little utopia here in Memphis where I garden and cook and love all things natural. Thank you for sharing all this bountiful, positive energy, (not to mention the scone and bread recipes)! The universe needs all the love we can give. Sweetly, SusannaSusannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04674085170416147195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-65939591502921292492007-01-30T08:51:00.000-06:002007-01-30T08:51:00.000-06:00We got a winter mixed batch of chicks from Ideal P...We got a winter mixed batch of chicks from Ideal Poultry in December - lots of New Hampshire and Production Reds - which are fairly flighty - but we have 6 barred rocks and 4 golden wyandottes and 2Buff orpinton chicks. The Barred Rocks are very easygoing and do well when we pick them up and are very tame. I saw that McMurray has a write up on the rarity of various breeds in their new catalog - might be cool to have a rare breed of brown egg layers since you all have so much room!Lonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09174528539177489353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-12693322810974834952007-01-30T08:33:00.000-06:002007-01-30T08:33:00.000-06:00I am hoping to get some Cuckoo Murans this spring....I am hoping to get some Cuckoo Murans this spring. I love the idea of the 'chocolate' eggs. Colored eggs are so much fun. You need some Aracaunas for the green / blue / pink. I love Barred Rocks for the gentleness and their eggs are pretty large, some of them. <br /><br />Yes, I have heard that the color of the 'ear' is the color of the egg - if it's brown or red, the egg is brown - if it's white, the egg is white. The 'ear' is the opening to the ear, made of flesh, not feathers, right where an ear should be on a hen.<br /><br />Good luck with your hens - they are so wonderful to have around (although hubby is going out to feed today as the chill factor is -24ยบ)and I love fresh eggs.<br /><br />The color of the eggs make no difference to nutritian. The freshness and how the chickens are living makes the difference and also make them taste better. Take a "town" egg and a "farm" egg - open them and notice the difference. I won't use town eggs ever, unless I am desparate!!!Connie Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00000331487489593437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-24239395211155756112007-01-30T05:39:00.000-06:002007-01-30T05:39:00.000-06:00I miss the llamas.
My neighbor gets to raise the...I miss the llamas. <br /><br />My neighbor gets to raise the goats and chickens. My darling hubby just lets me get my model horses. And not much more. <br /><br />I guess I can be happy with my one fluffy pup and 11 purr-furr bags.AzureLynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02237310242677108033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-84488838018081831902007-01-29T23:38:00.000-06:002007-01-29T23:38:00.000-06:00Sicilian Buttercup -- really lovely (white eggs, t...Sicilian Buttercup -- really lovely (white eggs, though) -- but a great small bird.<br /><br />The Buff Orpingtons are, as happenstance said, just about the sweetest things with feathers. I like our Golden Pencilled Wyandotte, too.Stefaneenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08422241601075022500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-76904138240556209242007-01-29T19:38:00.000-06:002007-01-29T19:38:00.000-06:00I was once told that a chicken will lay eggs the s...I was once told that a chicken will lay eggs the same color as her ears!<br /><br />Now, where are their ears?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-18817409860202856522007-01-29T19:29:00.000-06:002007-01-29T19:29:00.000-06:00I'll be talking to you soon - you know, we ARE get...I'll be talking to you soon - you know, we ARE getting chickens, finally, this Spring. I am rather terrified to order them by mail, although have heard of this being done...OK, I'll save all the questions for later. If you thought I had a lot of sheep questions.Katherine Dunn/Apifera Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12992031770736061288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-20119015582687343662007-01-29T19:19:00.000-06:002007-01-29T19:19:00.000-06:00Dear Susan -
Please please PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ...Dear Susan - <br /><br />Please please PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE call one chicken Jeff!!!! My life will be complete! :)<br /><br />PS to Whitey - DON'T look in the oven!!! If you do, it's um...a possum. Yeah, a possum! Joe and Susan are having possum tonight!Jeff in NChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14803601162211337824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-32365173000224632982007-01-29T17:26:00.000-06:002007-01-29T17:26:00.000-06:00Here in Rhode Island, brown eggs are the norm. I d...Here in Rhode Island, brown eggs are the norm. I don't think they taste any different than the white eggs, except that they are the local eggs, which means they don't travel as far to get to us -- and therefore they are the freshest eggs. I'm lucky that, although I don't keep chickens, I have friends who do, and I am the beneficiary of lots of wonderful eggs from them.Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)https://www.blogger.com/profile/18005372315838352874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12997259.post-51029418244400982722007-01-29T16:17:00.000-06:002007-01-29T16:17:00.000-06:00And, on the chicken question, I would recommend Ba...And, on the chicken question, I would recommend Barred Rocks - a few years back I tried a number of different breeds, and they were by far my favorites. They actually seemed to have a sense of humor combined with a good amount of common sense... an unbeatable combination in a chicken..Libby DBill and Libbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16909984764552003772noreply@blogger.com