Recent content by Smokerbill

  1. Smokerbill

    VERY ODD butchering question

    I processed a pair of 9 month old cockerels yesterday and noticed a rather strong smell as soon as I began removing the skin, but in my opinion it was more of a gamey smell, not rancid. But the meat tasted great.
  2. Smokerbill

    What did you do in the garden today?

    I managed my garden fertilizer factory today. My pair of cockerels are chillin' in the fridge, the ten 12 weeks old chicks were moved to the cockerels' run and the 6 weeks olds were moved out of the shop and into the teenagers' run. It took lots of setting things up to make the moves but it's...
  3. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    I'm beat. Been working with the chickens since around 6AM and I'm not quite done yet. I got the six and a half week old chicks' new home set up and got 'em moved. I think they're liking the space. All that's left is a little cleanup and I'll be pretty much done for the day.
  4. Smokerbill

    Mrs. Viss' Classroom Hatch-a-Long!

    Hope they all hatch! I found it interesting that Purina states that the ideal incubation temperature for chicken eggs is 100.5°F and not 99.5°F. But I still keep mine in the 99 to 100 degree range with good results...
  5. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    I went out before daylight and relocated the two cockerels and the ten teenagers. I reconfigured the coop so the teens have the whole thing to themselves, along with the day run. The six laying pullets have the secure run to themselves. Still need to move the younger chicks into the new run...
  6. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    The chickens enjoyed those hard boiled clear eggs from the incubator. They didn't smell bad at all, just smelled like eggs. I put them all through some stress today so they deserved the treat. I captured three of the pullets and removed their leg bands, then tried to catch one of the cockerels...
  7. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    Sounds good. Just so you know, I'm pretty sure the young pullets are full New Hampshires, but there's a chance of some or all being RIR over NH crosses. They look like NHs so far.
  8. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    And if you're interested in a cockerel I'll have one available. Their sire never showed any aggression towards me and seemed to treat the ladies pretty well. He likes to tidbit them and never chased after the hens or pullets. Showed signs of being protective too.
  9. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    That'll be nice. I'm keeping the 4 pullets and 6 cockerels from the teenager batch, but I'll have some available from the young batch that hatched on Dec. 22. It looks like out of the 9 chicks at least 6, and maybe 7 of them are pullets. Only 2 or 3 are growing red combs and wattles now, but...
  10. Smokerbill

    What did you do in the garden today?

    Three of the five RIR pullet eggs I started incubating a week ago were evidently not fertile and were clear. The other two are developing nicely. One even showed a bit of movement inside. They could be full RIR or half RIR, half New Hampshire.
  11. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    I candled the eggs again and saw the three clears were still clear and the two that were developing had developed a little more. Even saw a little motion in one of them. I hard boiled the clears and will feed them to the pullets when they've cooled down. I'm going to attempt to get all my...
  12. Smokerbill

    Coffee Grinder

    I use the powdered eggshells mixed into wet mash the same way others force feed Tums or calcium supplement tablets to help with softshell/laying problems. As medicine.
  13. Smokerbill

    Whatcha Making for Supper?

    Liver and onions, sea salt caramel ice cream topped with almonds.
  14. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    I'm satisfied with the 40% fertility rate of the five eggs, considering the circumstances. I watched the RIR pullet lay an egg today and it was just like the 5 I'm incubating, kind of long and skinny.
  15. Smokerbill

    Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

    I just candled the eggs that are on day 5 of incubation. I saw a black spot inside two of the eggs that I assume is the start of development. Three of the eggs looked like clears, but I'll candle them again in a few days to make sure. Incubation started January 23rd, 2PM. The last time the...
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