tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46742923885403908392024-03-12T22:33:35.251-07:00Anderson Family "Farm" ProjectThis will serve as a record, both in writing and in photographs, of our leap into being chicken owners.<br>Starting from the acquirement of a used turkey coop, the remodel, arrival of the chicks,<br>the raising of the chicks, and eventually our daughter taking them for 4-H show next year.
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Here we go!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-7036396502085173192013-10-22T09:57:00.005-07:002013-10-22T09:57:10.830-07:00Fresh Eggs Daily: a Fresh Take on Chicken Keeping (& Book Giveaway)<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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"There is a TON of conflicting information. You can rest assured that I will only give advice based on MY personal experience."</h3>
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These were among the first words of wisdom shared with me in an email from Lisa Steele more than a year and a half ago. I was in fervent research mode preparing for the arrival of our chicks and found myself quite puzzled. It seemed that of each book I read, every website I reviewed and all the magazine articles scoured, I was met with as many opinions on chicken keeping as there were authors. While a few did provide research or statistics behind their logic, many took on a 'just because' air in which I was simply supposed to trust what the writer was stating.</div>
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I was relieved to have Lisa tell me her approach to chicken keeping, which I'd been keeping up with via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FreshEggsDaily" target="_blank">Fresh Eggs Daily's Facebook</a> and her <a href="http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/" target="_blank">Fresh Eggs Daily blog,</a> was tried and true for her. Her thriving, healthy flock was just what I was hoping for in my little chicks future, so I began paying close attention to Fresh Eggs Daily and conversed quite regularly with Lisa...and my poor friend hasn't been rid of me since!</div>
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I was thrilled when I learned her first book would be published and knew that so many could benefit from her experience and advice. In reading through the chapters, I found that Lisa was able to convey her passion for raising healthy, happy animals with clarity for those inexperienced and offering a fresh outlook to shake the dust off the old school keeping methods.</div>
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This is not a beginner's how to raise chickens manual, nor is it another book filled with the same recycled advice you'll find in other basic poultry care books. <i>(It even kindly says so toward the end of the introduction)</i> It is a wonderful companion book to your chicken health library. This book is an absolute go to resource for strengthening the health of your flock while also improving the quality of their lives. By using Fresh Eggs Daily's advice, you will be incorporating herbs into your chickens diet in order to prevent certain illness, offer them the immediate beneficial effects of the herbs and also to give them nutritious treats.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3KsFpBf8VoM/UmUx0re1VaI/AAAAAAAAEHQ/TeM9pwR6qr8/s1600/catnip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3KsFpBf8VoM/UmUx0re1VaI/AAAAAAAAEHQ/TeM9pwR6qr8/s200/catnip.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Could the catnip I was growing for our feline<br />
friends offer benefits for my birds? You bet!</td></tr>
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I knew that herbs had positive health benefits, but I truly had little idea a fraction of what they were capable of. Repelling mosquitoes? Blood clotting? Pain relievers? Yes, all these things and much more! In my inexperience, I simply thought that they were just good for them - kind of in the way that I know vaguely the benefits of eating vegetables are. I never thought that I could use them to help prevent illness in my hens or, if the worst came, I could rely on them as part of my first aid kit.</div>
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In true Fresh Eggs Daily fashion, there are also several recipes and how-to projects to make your coop kids happy with healthy treats and sprays to make their digs clean and smelling great too! Lisa knows I love to spoil my animals, so I was thrilled to see a few new snack ideas for them in the chapters. My girls will be distracted this winter by a few tasty creations!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9ijTwihT1nY/UmUy7-WAlBI/AAAAAAAAEHg/VuOYXf1xElc/s1600/hens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9ijTwihT1nY/UmUy7-WAlBI/AAAAAAAAEHg/VuOYXf1xElc/s400/hens.jpg" width="320" /></a>Again, this is not old school chicken keeping. The book offers it's share of tried and true advice, but you won't just get bare bones basics of raising poultry. Can you raise a flock without herbs? Absolutely. You can offer them basic chicken feed straight from the bag, feed only cracked corn (as a few I know do) or let them free range and hope they get enough from scavenging. It has been done for countless decades past.</div>
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But consider this: if you ate the bare minimum of food and nutrients you needed to survive, what could you expect your health to be like? Do you think you'd be very strong or lively? How happy would you be to sit down to a basic, bland diet every day?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">In caring for animals, as in caring for people, </span></b><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">you absolutely get what you give.</span></b><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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In spending a small amount of money and time growing herbs, you can offer your flock a nutritional boost, protection against illness and a fun treat. (Also in having herbs grown for the chicken, consider the ways you can incorporate them into your life) Some may think such things are frivolous, but I disagree. You will be rewarded with more nutritious eggs and healthier birds. And who doesn't love a big beautiful egg or watching their girl's gorgeous feathers shimmering in the afternoon sunlight?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This barren planter box will hold a <br />
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If the minimalist approach to animal care is for you, I wish you luck. You will need it eventually, I fear. As for me, I will eagerly look forward to spring and deciding what herbs I'll try my hand at growing for my girls. As always, I will turn to Fresh Eggs Daily for more insight and wisdom that works! This beautifully photographed and highly informative book will remain front and center in my chicken keeping library - and now I'd like to give you a chance to put it to use in your own flock!<br />
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<span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c18f052/" id="rc-c18f052" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a></u></span><br />
<span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script></u></span></div>
<script class="goog-spellcheck-word" span="" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">src</span>="//d12vno17mo87cx.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">cloudfront</span>.net/embed/<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">rafl</span>/<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">cptr</span>.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">js</span>"></script><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Entries will be accepted until Friday October 25. The winner will be announced Saturday October 26! If you aren't that lucky winner announced, be sure to go to <a href="http://www.lisasteeleauthor.com/p/my-book.html" target="_blank">order a copy</a> today! Good luck to you all!</span></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-57613220229448061382013-10-22T03:28:00.000-07:002013-10-22T03:28:13.206-07:00My Fresh Eggs Daily Review, by Meredith Anderson<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i>*<b><u>Mom Disclaimer:</u></b> my daughter is an animal lover with a thirst for knowledge, so it didn't surprise me one bit that she too wanted to read Fresh Eggs Daily. She has read through all the books and magazines I've collected on the subject, and while some of it was a bit above her comprehension level, she wanted to learn all she could about her feathered friends. She read this book on her own and in turn wrote a review. All mom did was type, hit spell check and post. <b>BE KIND OR HOLD YOUR TONGUE!</b> Mama Tina gets pretty protective when it comes to her girl!*</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hi, my name is Meredith Anderson. I'm 9 years old and in 4th grade. I have had chickens for about 1 1/2 years because I thought they would be a fun 4-H project. I love my chickens because they always cheer me up. I have large breed laying hens and I have 6 bantam babies. Raising chickens has made me want to learn more about them and I have tried to read everything I can find on them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My mom's friend Lisa wrote a book about chicken keeping and she said I could do a review on it. I think Fresh Eggs Daily is a good book for kids because there is a lot of good information for kids to learn. This book is different from other books I've read because it is about doing things naturally. In most other books it wants you to go out and get medications for your chickens, but Lisa talks to you about making your own treatments for your chickens with herbs. I never knew there were so many good herbs for your chickens!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YlqCO9ilAKw/UmXDn1Ve1eI/AAAAAAAAEIM/jgP2OUsyxmc/s1600/eggbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YlqCO9ilAKw/UmXDn1Ve1eI/AAAAAAAAEIM/jgP2OUsyxmc/s200/eggbook.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herbs can help my chickens<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My favorite chapter in the book is chapter 7, When You Want to Spoil Them, because there are a lot of good treats you can feed your chickens and bad treats you should not feed them. My favorite recipe idea for chickens to eat would be the Cranberry Scratch Wreath in chapter 10. It looks like the chickens would really enjoy this because there are many healthy foods in the wreath.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have learned a lot about how to help take care of my chickens in this book. I will read this book again when I need helpful information about making my chickens healthy and happy in a natural way. My birds and I love Fresh Eggs Daily!</span><br />
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<a href="http://ttackanderson.blogspot.com/2013/10/fresh-eggs-daily-fresh-take-on-chicken.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Go read my mom's review and enter to win your own autographed copy of Fresh Eggs Daily!</span></a></h2>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-1172466138291447542013-03-14T12:35:00.000-07:002013-03-14T14:08:46.641-07:00GIVEAWAY & Being Perfectly Imperfect: What a Chicken and a Dog Can Teach You<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This book is a visual delight for everyone to see<br />
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We are all well aware of the standards of perfection that are impressed upon us on a daily basis. How we measure up, quite literally and figuratively from our newborn days til the last of our lives somehow become an unnecessary definition of who we are. These concepts have lead to increased incidents of bullying in our schools, lowered self esteem and higher rates of depression and anxiety. In short, we are so worried about being perfect that we are letting it control our lives. But what is perfect?<br />
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I had the opportunity to examine this exact question from a unique and unexpected angle after visiting the <a href="http://ttackanderson.blogspot.com/2012/11/ohio-national-2012.html" target="_blank">Ohio National</a> poultry show in November. No, it wasn't the striking plumage of some rare breed or the shining display of trophies that put my mind in action. It was a chance meeting there with a wonderful man who has accomplished many things. While pursuing the vendor tables and club displays, a table set up caught my eye. A book, but not just any book. A brightly colored, vividly illustrated children's book beckoned to me from a few stands away.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BrjMRC-_qzE/URkkiIEtVOI/AAAAAAAADvw/P6eP-el_Zgs/s1600/Roo3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BrjMRC-_qzE/URkkiIEtVOI/AAAAAAAADvw/P6eP-el_Zgs/s320/Roo3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roo relaxes with a young reader and enjoys hearing a great story</td></tr>
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I simply adore books and couldn't resist straying that way. I am one half of a registered therapy team and, along with my partner Roo, together we do something we truly enjoy. As a <a href="http://www.deltasociety.org/" target="_blank">Pet Partner</a> therapy team and a <a href="http://www.therapyanimals.org/R.E.A.D.html" target="_blank">Reading Education Assistance Dog</a> team, we visit our local elementary school several days a week. While we are there, we work with students one-on-one in a safe, supportive environment where they do something truly special: they become a storyteller to a canine friend. The young student reinforces literacy skills by reading aloud a story to Roo, who listens to them without judgement of their possible hesitations or mistakes. They find a love and support without limits or conditions from Roo, and a friend to offer assistance from me. We call our little group <a href="http://www.readtoroo.com/" target="_blank">Read to Roo</a>, and we love our time at the school. (<b><i>please visit <a href="https://www.facebook.com/IReadtoRoo" target="_blank">Roo's facebook page</a>, <a href="http://readtoroo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Roo's blog</a> or <a href="http://www.readtoroo.com/" target="_blank">Read to Roo's website</a> to learn more</i></b>)</div>
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A few moments after approaching that table, in meeting Rick Rieser and learning more about his wonderful book, I knew I wanted him to come to our school. In a kind and professional manner, Mr. Rieser spoke to me about <a href="http://www.percylearningfarms.com/" target="_blank">Percy Learning Farms</a> and his experiences with children's advocacy and his efforts to help strengthen anti-bullying efforts employed by schools. His book, <b><u>Percy the Perfectly Imperfect Chicken</u></b>, takes a message that so many have tried to help instill to children today and puts a new spin on it. </div>
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Percy is born into a flock of hens who are obsessed with perfection - so much so that they threaten a pecking to the newly hatched chick if he is found less than to their standards. What's a youngster to do? Afraid that he will not look just right for them, he hides away while he grows. Soon he finds that he is far more different that they had ever imagined and the hens begin to gang up on him. He flies away in fear and finds that from that birds eye view (see how that works?) things with the hens are not quite as they would like it to seem. They too are hiding little flaws from the others and Percy tactfully points them out to them one by one, allowing the reader to draw personal comparison that perhaps bullies are hiding something of their own which makes them insecure. The story ends in a most heartwarming way, with the coop learning a lesson about acceptance and love. My favorite lines of the entire book are that of the last page:</div>
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<i>"Mama what's perfect?" Percy still did persist.</i></blockquote>
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<i>Mama said, "Percy, it's nothing. It doesn't exist." </i></blockquote>
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This really resonated with me, because my wonderful therapy dog is often viewed as being imperfect. Allow me to explain, because at quick glance you might never see it. He is a healthy, beautiful example of a dog who is intelligent, kind and gentle. His manners are exceptional and he is as friendly to a stranger as he is a life long friend. In watching him walk however, you would begin to see his differences. Rather than the graceful fluid movements of a collie, his gait is bouncy - more like that of a horse's trot. You see, Roo was born with a deformity in his front left leg and paw. The leg itself is narrowed through to the foot, and his paw only has three toes. They aren't sure why this happened to him when the rest of the litter was unaffected.<br />
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People often pause and ask "what's wrong with him" when they see Roo walking toward them. Some days his differences are made even more obvious when his arthritis flares and he needs to wear his leg brace. When I hear people question me with that all familiar phrase, I usually respond in the same way: absolutely nothing is wrong. He is just right.<br />
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He may walk differently, lay down differently. His left leg and foot might appear quite different when it's compared to the right. But nothing, nothing is wrong with this remarkable dog. In fact, I'm grateful he is so unique. If not, he might have ended up in the show ring, a show dog like his parents were, instead of doing what we love to do so very much. What makes him special has brought him to this time and place he's in today and sharing his life with the children he adores! I will forever be grateful for his differences and embrace them as something to be celebrated. His left foot has even earned the nickname of "Lucky Foot", because we feel it was very lucky for us that he came into our lives.<br />
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...and you simply cannot deny that it bears a strong resemblance to a rabbit's foot, a long-believed superstitious charm.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please visit the Animals for Life Foundation<br />
for more information about this amazing organization</td></tr>
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Over the summer I wrote and applied for a grant through a wonderful foundation called the <a href="http://aflfoundation.org/" target="_blank">Animals for Life Foundation</a>. This organization strives to educate the public and supports the many ways that animals play a positive part of our lives. I was honored to be one of their grant award recipients and their grant has helped fund our 2012-2013 school year supplies, activities and events for Read to Roo. Because of this wonderful grant from the Animals for Life Foundation, I was able to host an event in which we could have Rick Rieser come in and share his book with our school. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uF23_3ztZSA/UT8q3NWMWrI/AAAAAAAAD2o/TRt9db96LVo/s1600/IMG_0486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uF23_3ztZSA/UT8q3NWMWrI/AAAAAAAAD2o/TRt9db96LVo/s320/IMG_0486.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rick helps explain to the children why we should all be proud<br />
of the things that set us apart and make us unique</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On March 5, our students in grades K-3 all enjoyed grade specific assemblies in which Mr. Rieser shared Percy the Perfectly Imperfect Chicken via projector. During the assemblies the students were involved in the story, being asked questions about how they thought different characters were feeling and if they had ever felt the same way. They were encouraged to go to a trusted family member or school official if they ever felt like they were being judged harshly or bullied, like Percy had been. We all had a wonderful talk (<span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://readtoroo.blogspot.com/2013/03/giveaway-roos-interview-with-rick.html" target="_blank"><b>see Roo's interview with Rick</b></a></span>)...then, the feathers really began to fly...</div>
<div>
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<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OVJNp_yE9Lg/UT8r7wPakoI/AAAAAAAAD2w/Ff0KxfH9C9U/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OVJNp_yE9Lg/UT8r7wPakoI/AAAAAAAAD2w/Ff0KxfH9C9U/s640/PicMonkey+Collage3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rick and Little Percy (left); Sprinkles calmly stands & watches (center); Hershey meets friends from the audience (right)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This was, of course, all in the best of ways! Rick brought along three of his own chickens for the children to meet, each one looking strikingly different than the next. Sprinkles the Silkie, Little Percy the Serama and Hershey the Chocolate Orpington all were fun and entertaining to show the children that we can all look different and beautiful in our own special, unique ways. Everyone had such a wonderful time meeting Rick and his friends and sharing in the special message that Percy's book has for us all.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I would love to share that message with some of you as well. I'm proud to announce that I will be hosting my very first giveaway! Two Grand Prize Winners will receive an autographed softcover copy of Percy the Perfectly Imperfect Chicken and a Percy Learning Farms T-Shirt. Three additional winners will receive a Percy Learning Farms T-Shirt. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(only sizes XS and XL are available)</i></span> <br />
<br />
Follow the link below to enter for your chance to win! The contest ends<span style="background-color: white;"> March 20th </span>and the winners will be announced on<span style="background-color: white;"> March 21st</span>. Good Luck!<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://readtoroo.blogspot.com/p/giveaway.html" target="_blank"><b>Click HERE to Enter!</b></a></h2>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-68617954323839363242013-02-27T01:03:00.000-08:002013-02-27T01:03:35.434-08:00Visit Manna Pro and Enter to Win<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JmJHbAWqxV4/UDzbT7PW_AI/AAAAAAAABXE/EsAy9bxf1ZE/s1600/2012-06-12_12-32-41_471-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JmJHbAWqxV4/UDzbT7PW_AI/AAAAAAAABXE/EsAy9bxf1ZE/s400/2012-06-12_12-32-41_471-1.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
It seems like only yesterday my little chicks came home and first started exploring their brooder; trying the feeder, spilling the waterer, and doing what little chicks do best - besides looking adorable. Yes, I do mean making a mess! How do you keep your brooder fresh?<br />
<br />
I'll admit, I was a round the clock cleaner. Constantly trying to stay ahead of 11 little chicks was impossible! I wish I'd known about <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/coop-n-compost/" target="_blank">Coop N Compost</a> and how it could save me some time in between cleanings. Now I've got a new trick up my sleeve for the next time, and I do plan on getting chicks again!<br />
<br />
If you'd like to read more about using <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/coop-n-compost/" target="_blank">Coop N Compost</a> with baby chicks and have a chance to win a supply of your own, visit <a href="http://info.mannapro.com/mannaproanimalcareblog/bid/143940/Baby-Chick-Product-Feature-Coop-N-Compost" target="_blank">Manna Pro's blog</a> and enter their contest today. The contest ends March 25th, so be sure to get your name in before those baby chicks start hatching!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-54084713639536392512013-02-23T01:25:00.000-08:002013-02-23T01:25:03.474-08:00Pumpkin-Apple Harvest Delight Muffins<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Enh1pLe9mXI/USez_pIOEmI/AAAAAAAADwE/PSlqWCOqsPw/s1600/done3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Enh1pLe9mXI/USez_pIOEmI/AAAAAAAADwE/PSlqWCOqsPw/s400/done3.jpg" width="397" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at all those little goodies inside just<br />
waiting for the chickens to peck them out!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you have learned anything from looking at my blog, it's that I love my animals dearly. Some folks might think that it is a bit overkill to bake for birds and if you would have asked me a few years ago, I might have been one of them. But day by day, these feathered creatures have shown me that they have as much personality and capacity for love as the traditional family pets I was raised with and found it commonplace to give treats to. They beg for goodies, jumping and racing around at my feet to make sure they are at the very front of the line. Their eyes look up, shining and expectant, waiting to see if I have something special with me. Oh, and the delighted little noises when they receive even simple scraps of vegetables or fruits! Who am I to deny them this pleasure? Who am I to deny myself this enjoyment in watching their happy antics?<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This particular batch of muffins came about because of an event we had scheduled for February 22nd for my volunteer reading program called <b>Read to Roo</b> <span style="background-color: white;">(see <a href="http://www.readtoroo.com/" target="_blank">website here</a>, <a href="http://readtoroo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blog here</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/IReadtoRoo" target="_blank">Facebook here</a>).</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Author of Percy the Perfectly Imperfect Chicken, Rick Rieser, and a few feathered friends were set to come in and speak with our students about his wonderful book. In this book, a new little chicken (Percy) hatches in the coop and soon is discovered by the others. He is found to be less than perfect in their eyes and feels ashamed, though he doesn't quite understand what perfect is. I will be writing a book review, event details and even be hosting a book give away soon - so stay tuned for that!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;">I wanted to be able to give Rick's birds a thank you gift for being good companions and helping the children experience the book's message in a fun way, besides being an extra exciting way to get to learn more about chickens for those who have never been around them! Wanting to give them something that was heartfelt and showed them I appreciated him going the extra mile with the kids experience of the book, what better way than with home-baked goodies?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AMudz4KBBqY/UIkvAIcO73I/AAAAAAAACFg/deHv1Eb4zSo/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AMudz4KBBqY/UIkvAIcO73I/AAAAAAAACFg/deHv1Eb4zSo/s400/%255BUNSET%255D" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from my original Pumpkin Muffin recipie:<br />
muffin for humans (Right), muffin for chickens (Left)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;">I decided to dust off my old <a href="http://ttackanderson.blogspot.com/2012/10/pumpkin-muffins-for-all.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Muffin recipe</a> and make that for Rick's birds. My girls really loved it, and it freezes and thaws very well in case he didn't want to use the entire batch all at once. I began to get my ingredients out when an idea struck me. I had recently purchased a bag of <b><a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/harvest-delight-poultry-treat/" target="_blank">Manna Pro Harvest Delight Poultry Treat</a>.</b> My recipe called for mixing in sunflower seeds, raisins, and c</span><span style="background-color: white;">raisins...why not substitute this wonderful poultry treat in place of the typical mix in's?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;">For those who have never heard of <b><a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/harvest-delight-poultry-treat/" target="_blank">Manna Pro Harvest Delight Poultry Treat</a></b>, here is a quote taken directly from <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Manna Pro</a>'s website:</span><br />
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="color: #63585b; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; padding-top: 0px;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6n8r0N_8Zy8/USe0PyJ9SyI/AAAAAAAADwM/2Cf4oSuSmDM/s1600/harvest-Delight-Poultry-Treat-Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6n8r0N_8Zy8/USe0PyJ9SyI/AAAAAAAADwM/2Cf4oSuSmDM/s1600/harvest-Delight-Poultry-Treat-Front.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Harvest Delight™ Poultry Treat is a great way to reward your flock! With whole grains and real fruits and vegetables, you can provide a treat year-round that contains the goodness of a spring garden! And with peanuts, flax, sunflower seeds and your specially-formulated nutrition pellets, you’re also getting added protein, vitamins and minerals. At Manna Pro, we understand that animals are our companions as well as our providers. So whether you raise blue-ribbon show birds or you simply enjoy the eggs and entertainment from your backyard flock, treat your feathered friends with wholesome and delicious Harvest Delight.</div>
<div class="spacer" style="color: #63585b; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; height: 20px; line-height: 19px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<ul style="color: #63585b; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px 0px 10px 15px; padding: 0px;" type="disc">
<li style="color: #fcaf4f; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #63585b;">Wholesome and delicious!</span></li>
<li style="color: #fcaf4f; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #63585b;">Whole grains, peanuts, carrots, tomatoes, raisins, flaxseed, sunflower seeds and more!</span></li>
<li style="color: #fcaf4f; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #63585b;">Perfect for treating your flock!</span></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/harvest-delight-poultry-treat/nutritional-information/" target="_blank">Ingredients and Nutritional Information for this product can be found here.</a> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yxCYEnWcejU/USe4tbNTdTI/AAAAAAAADws/Vo4nQX7Hw4I/s1600/closeup2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yxCYEnWcejU/USe4tbNTdTI/AAAAAAAADws/Vo4nQX7Hw4I/s640/closeup2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my own shot of some of the delectables for your chickens inside Harvest Delight Poultry Treat by Manna Pro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Thus, this recipe modification was born:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="background-color: white;"><b><u>Pumpkin-Apple Harvest Delight Muffins</u></b></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1 c. all purpose flour</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">3/4 c. cornmeal</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">3 tsp baking powder</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1/2.c old fashioned oats</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1/2 c. wheat germ with flax seed</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1/2 tsp nutmeg</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1 1/4 c. pumpkin</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">2 eggs (lightly beaten)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1 c. applesauce (natural, no sugar added)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">2 c. Manna Pro Harvest Delight Poultry Treat</span></li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F1BlndQCdS4/USe3N4d3G8I/AAAAAAAADwU/lFvuakxVTj8/s1600/ing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F1BlndQCdS4/USe3N4d3G8I/AAAAAAAADwU/lFvuakxVTj8/s640/ing.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dry Ingredients + Pumpkin + Applesauce + Egg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c5MZ9mhhRlk/USe3p7UfJtI/AAAAAAAADwc/PU_P3AZ5-es/s1600/mixedup2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c5MZ9mhhRlk/USe3p7UfJtI/AAAAAAAADwc/PU_P3AZ5-es/s320/mixedup2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All Mixed Up</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ol>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">In a large bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, oats, wheat germ and nutmeg until blended.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">In a medium bowl, combine the lightly beaten eggs, pumpkin and applesauce. Mix together until blended.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Add wet and dry ingredients together and mix well.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Stir the Manna Pro Harvest Delight Poultry Treat into the well mixed batter. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Spray muffin tins with a light spray of non-stick cooking spray. (or line with liners if you choose, but I haven't been. They don't mind the slightly chewy bottoms and lets face it...peeling off that paper only slows you down when you've got beggars at your feet!)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full of batter.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until muffins are a beautiful golden (somewhat orange) brown and they pass the "toothpick test".</span></li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0DvZCr749L0/USe4S7jVIMI/AAAAAAAADwk/Ah4oiKW2l10/s1600/pan1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0DvZCr749L0/USe4S7jVIMI/AAAAAAAADwk/Ah4oiKW2l10/s400/pan1.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Read, Set, Bake!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;">My daughter and I made this batch in a mini-muffin pan, baked at 15 minutes exactly, and had enough batter for 48 mini-muffins. These pint sized baked goods looked good enough to eat - but we didn't - and got packaged up to gift as soon as they were cooled. I could hardly wait to see if his birds would enjoy their snack as much as we had enjoyed making them.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Flash forward to 05:40 am when school is canceled due to an ice and snow storm, you'd find me pouting in bed. I had my heart set on so much that day with the event and so many people had worked hard to pull it all together. I knew it would be rescheduled, but I couldn't deny myself a childish moment of sulking.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Flash forward to 07:00 am when I finally brave the elements and slip slide my way to the chicken coop to do chores. The wind is still whipping pretty fiercely out here, so I decide to keep the girls on lock down a bit longer until the storm subsides and they look at me with (almost) narrowed eyes as I don't pop open the coop door to the run. Bad momma! Then, a crinkling sound from the depths of my deep winter jacket pockets shake them from their tantrum. I have brought them muffins and I have been redeemed. Good momma. This pleases them and they coo excitedly, forgetting that they have been denied the going's on of the outside world for a bit longer.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ltOhe-H4W_A/USe5bSiHgkI/AAAAAAAADw0/gl0hQl8ek-k/s1600/done2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="458" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ltOhe-H4W_A/USe5bSiHgkI/AAAAAAAADw0/gl0hQl8ek-k/s640/done2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">I will again make another batch of muffins the night before the rescheduled event to gift to Rick's chickens, because these were a massive hit with my girls. Without a doubt, they preferred this over the original pumpkin muffin recipe and it has to be because of all the wonderful surprises hidden inside each muffin, thanks to </span><span style="background-color: white;">Manna Pro Harvest Delight Poultry Treat! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">...If this keeps up, my chickens are going to need their own recipe box...</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-89878058207962066342013-02-17T19:27:00.003-08:002013-02-17T19:27:44.341-08:00Twisted Oreo Truffles: Dark Chocolate Caramel<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XTGJ7AWRa-4/USGY1iaId9I/AAAAAAAADtQ/Sqvvo5LVzAE/s1600/20130217_163628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XTGJ7AWRa-4/USGY1iaId9I/AAAAAAAADtQ/Sqvvo5LVzAE/s640/20130217_163628.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My creation: Dark Chocolate Caramel Golden Oreo Truffles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Disclaimers</u>:</span></b></i><i> this will not be a typical chicken
post. Majority of my blog revolves
around my birds, recipe modifications for my birds and events that involve
chickens. Not today. This blog post is pure, selfish indulgence. This recipe that follows is not healthy. It isn't intended to be low fat, organic, or
homegrown. It’s sugary sweet, rich,
delicious decadence that if you – like me – have a weakness you’ll admit to,
will permit yourself every now and again.
If you’d like to judge me, feel free.
I’ll just sit here with my truffle while you ride that high horse of
yours. I hope you enjoy your nosebleed
while I enjoy my chocolate bliss.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've heard of Oreo Truffles before. I believe I've even had them a few years
back. I liked them. Who wouldn't?
Chocolate, cream cheese, Oreo cookies; a dream combination. Couldn't get any better, could it? There, we both stand corrected, my friend.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s47ZsiegYnQ/USGZOdWF40I/AAAAAAAADtY/WN_0vvPcjPs/s1600/20130217_103858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s47ZsiegYnQ/USGZOdWF40I/AAAAAAAADtY/WN_0vvPcjPs/s400/20130217_103858.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key Players: Golden Oreo Cookies and <br />Philadelphia Indulgence Dulce de Leche Cream Cheese.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These days everything comes in at least 26 assorted sizes
and flavors, give or take. For instance,
Oreo cookies: original, golden, golden chocolate cream stuffed, triple double
chocolate, chocolate berry burst ice cream, peanut butter, mint, cool mint
(different how?) springtime (what does springtime taste like?), heads or tails,
several kinds of cakesters and double stuffs and probably a half dozen more at
the time of this post.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Philadelphia Cream Cheese is wonderful in its original
flavor and a bunch of savory flavors great for bagels and other cooking matters,
but then comes in tempting Indulgence flavors of: milk chocolate, dark
chocolate, white chocolate, cinnamon, and dulce de leche.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
OH STOP!</div>
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You see where I’m going with this, don’t you? Of course I’m going to mix things up. Wouldn't you?
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Here is how you make original Oreo Truffles:</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">36 Oreo Cookies, finely crushed</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">8 oz cream cheese, softened</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">1</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">6 oz Baker’s brand chocolate, melted</span></li>
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<ol>
<li><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Combine crushed cookies and softened cream
cheese together in a bowl until blended. </span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Shape into 48 balls, approx 1” in shape (1/2" if you prefer a smaller treat), and
place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: 0in;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Freeze for 1 hour until firm. </span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Melt chocolate. (use your preferred method) </span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Dip cookie balls in melted chocolate and place
back on lined cookie sheet.</span><span style="text-indent: 0in;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Place back
in freezer for 1 hour. </span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Store in refrigerator until eaten…which won’t be
long</span></li>
</ol>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-usvxgbZZcxk/USGaIj_PjyI/AAAAAAAADto/N1O8TOeOZWo/s1600/20130217_111023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-usvxgbZZcxk/USGaIj_PjyI/AAAAAAAADto/N1O8TOeOZWo/s200/20130217_111023.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mixing it Up.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2v8Xc25p3ck/USGazapEhnI/AAAAAAAADtw/dIEShs_pkCg/s1600/20130217_112825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2v8Xc25p3ck/USGazapEhnI/AAAAAAAADtw/dIEShs_pkCg/s200/20130217_112825.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the Freezer.</td></tr>
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They are pretty uncomplicated to make. You crush the cookies, creme and all. You will see that the only chain in the photographic sequence that is missing is the dipping. Anyone who has worked with warm chocolate knows that you have a window of time before it starts to set. Baker's brand chocolate is wonderful for dipping and almost immediately creates a magic shell like quality, which prevented me from taking a moment to stop and snap any photos. My "after" shots with them lining the cookie sheet will have to do until you try this for yourself.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I9y4c45-XKQ/USGdWr1U8ZI/AAAAAAAADuQ/9cxgOk4fCgs/s1600/20130217_135647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I9y4c45-XKQ/USGdWr1U8ZI/AAAAAAAADuQ/9cxgOk4fCgs/s320/20130217_135647.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly Dipped!</td></tr>
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My twist today? I
used Golden Oreo Cookies, Baker’s Chocolate and Philadelphia Indulgence Dulce
de Leche Caramel Cream Cheese. The end
result? Think Dark Chocolate Caramel
Truffle. I only wish I would have
thought to sprinkle a bit of sea salt on top. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LhDLLEMpRDo/USGeOk7aTqI/AAAAAAAADuc/1wguajBN12k/s1600/truffles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LhDLLEMpRDo/USGeOk7aTqI/AAAAAAAADuc/1wguajBN12k/s640/truffles.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adorable Evie loves Aunt Tina's candy!</td></tr>
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My family enjoys them so far.
Even my niece Evie loves them.
She is really big into sharing.
She let her momma have two small bites before she stuck the whole
truffle in her mouth. I’d say that’s a
pretty strong endorsement!</div>
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Next time I think I might try Mint Oreo Cookies, White Baker’s
Chocolate and Philadelphia Indulgence white chocolate cream cheese. Or maybe Peanut Butter Oreo Cookies, Baker’s
Chocolate and Philadelphia Indulgence milk chocolate cream cheese: ala peanut butter cup. What do you think? </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-80664198615607262632013-01-29T16:53:00.003-08:002013-01-29T23:21:21.033-08:00The Odd Squat: A Gathering of Bad Eggs<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g0c09qZJmvU/UQfNNDUQZvI/AAAAAAAADVg/Ogxeg6QOzKQ/s1600/%25255BUNSET%25255D-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g0c09qZJmvU/UQfNNDUQZvI/AAAAAAAADVg/Ogxeg6QOzKQ/s400/%25255BUNSET%25255D-001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wrinkled shell wonder laid by our hen.</td></tr>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This isn’t the first time this investigation has been conducted. It certainly won’t be the last. I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel here; I’m just looking for answers. You might be asking yourself why. Well, you see, I have recently ran into this bad egg. I should correct myself right about here: I’m sure it’s not a truly bad egg. It’s just a little odd, a little different than the rest. Let me paint you a picture of the day we met. <strike>It was a dark and stormy summer night</strike> It was a cold and windy Saturday afternoon. This past Saturday, to be exact. This little chick I know was on lock down for bad behavior. The little vixen (No, really. Her name is Vixey, our Partridge Plymouth Rock) got mixed up in some feather picking and needed solitary confinement to think about what had gone down.</span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A pretty little tan colored egg was ready for me that morning as I awoke at 6:30. A peace offering I think, but this guard can’t be bribed so easily. I ran out to do some errands and was headed back home when my husband gave me a call. He told me that he found something weird in Vixey’s shavings. An egg; a bad egg. Two eggs in just three hours. Hmmm…My curiosity piqued, I hurried home, at the safe and respectable speed limit. Sure enough, waiting for me on the counter when I arrived was the salvaged pieces of the bad egg he’d scooped up from the shavings. Break out the gloves. It’s autopsy time.</span></b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zoaGvKJqvEU/UQfN11ylwSI/AAAAAAAADVw/O08vUUI7mpc/s1600/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zoaGvKJqvEU/UQfN11ylwSI/AAAAAAAADVw/O08vUUI7mpc/s400/%25255BUNSET%25255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The thin, leathery shell just couldn't contain a yolk that big and bold!</td></tr>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Immediately I can see that the beautiful yolk, bright and vivid as a daffodil in spring, has leaked out. Such a waste! The shell is leathery, wrinkled and puckered in places. It isn’t at all firm and protective, as a normal shell should be. Why on earth would this happen? My girls aren’t sick. They eat a very healthy diet, supplemented by fresh fruits and vegetables, not to mention probiotics and other power packed extras. Aside from a little bout of bullying, nothing has been out of the ordinary at all. Here’s where my researching came into play.</span></b></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I first consulted: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Chicken Encyclopedia</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <span style="font-weight: normal;">and </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, both by Gail Damerow. I love </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Chicken Encyclopedia</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for its ability to be quickly and easily accessed for reference to topics. I can get the cold, hard facts without sifting through chapters after chapters of a book. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is an absolute go-to book for the things you need a detailed, comprehensive explanation on. Breaking down the who/what/when/where/why for the chicken keeper is what has made this book an essential part of the chicken keeper’s library. </span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From these books, here are a few things that Gail Damerow has to say about this subject:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XI8m-OSg0xQ/UQbl0jXuPPI/AAAAAAAADTQ/rLygT3Pq__E/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XI8m-OSg0xQ/UQbl0jXuPPI/AAAAAAAADTQ/rLygT3Pq__E/s320/photo.JPG" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: start;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Notice the lower egg has a very different, very odd shape.<span style="font-weight: normal;">
<i>(Photo:Janet Garman; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TimberCreekFarm" target="_blank">Timber Creek Farm</a>)</i></span></span></span></b></b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The number of eggs a hen lays and their size, shape and internal quality – as well as shell color, texture and strength – may be affected by a variety of things including environmental stress, improper nutrition, medications, vaccinations, parasites, and disease.”</span></b></b></b></b></div>
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<b><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><br /></u></span></b></b>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Egg Shape:</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> “…An egg’s shape is established in the part of the oviduct called the isthmus, where the yolk and white are wrapped in shell membranes. An egg that for some reason gets laid after being enclosed in membranes, but before the shell is added, has the same shape as if it had a shell. Each hen lays eggs of a characteristic shape, so you can usually identify which hen laid a particular egg by its shape.”</span></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></b></b></b></div>
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Odd Shaped Eggs or Wrinkles Eggs:</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> “…may be laid if a hen has been handled roughly or if for some reason her ovary releases two yolks within a few hours of each other, causing them to move through the oviduct close together. The second egg will have a thin, wrinkled shell that’s flat toward the pointed end. If it bumps against the first egg, the shell may crack and mend back together before the egg is laid, causing a wrinkle.”</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n_Le9o3HZXU/UQbmIkJhA1I/AAAAAAAADUk/dqosr9URySg/s1600/bag+egg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n_Le9o3HZXU/UQbmIkJhA1I/AAAAAAAADUk/dqosr9URySg/s640/bag+egg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This egg has a wrinkled, rubbery outer membrane.</span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Photo: Kate Richards; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Farmhouse38" target="_blank">Farmhouse 38</a>)</span></i></td></tr>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BINGO! We have an answer! Vixey was definitely stressed from being separated from the bunch, not sick or having parasites. She laid one perfectly normal egg, followed about 3 hours later by a wrinkled, thin leathery shelled egg. Sounds exactly like what these two books described. Mystery solved, but I am learning so much by this research that I’d like to point out a few more egg oddities that we all might encounter.</span></b></b></b></b><br />
<span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Thin Shells:</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> “…may cover a pullet’s first few eggs or the eggs of a hen that’s getting on in age. In a pullet, thin shells occur because the pullet isn’t yet fully geared up for egg production. In an old biddy, the same amount of (or less) shell material that once covered a small egg must now cover the larger egg laid by the older hen, stretching the shell into thinner layer.”</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Soft Shells or Missing Shells:</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “…occur when a hen’s shell forming mechanism malfunctions or for some reason one of her eggs is rushed through and laid prematurely. Stress induced by fright or excitement can cause a hen to expel an egg before the shell is finished. A nutritional deficiency, especially of vitamin D or calcium, can cause soft shells.”</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></span><br />
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>Bloody Shells:</i> </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">“…Blood on a shell sometimes appears when a pullet starts laying before her body is ready, causing tissue to tear. Other reasons for bloody shells include excess protein in the lay ration and coccidiosis, a disease that causes intestinal bleeding. Cocci does not often infect mature birds, but if it does you’ll likely find bloody droppings as well as bloody shells.”</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Chalky or Glassy Shells:</b> </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">“…A chalky shell or glassy shell occasionally appears due to a malfunction of the hen’s shell making process. Such an egg is less porous than a normal egg and likely will not hatch but is perfectly safe to eat.”</span></span></span></span></div>
<span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Pale Shells:</b> </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">“…An older hen typically lays eggs with paler shells than those laid when she was younger. Once explanation is that as the hen ages and her eggs get larger, the brown-pigmented bloom must spread over a larger surface area. A younger layer that produces eggs with paler-than-usual shells may be suffering from stress. Overcrowded nests, rough handling, loud noises, and anything that makes a hen nervous or fearful can cause her to either lay her egg prematurely, before the brown-bloom coat is completed, or retain the egg long enough to add an extra layer of shell on top of the bloom.” (I would venture to say that the word brown could be substituted for white, blue, green, etc depending on the color eggs your hen lays)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></span><br />
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Double Shells:</b> </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">“An egg within an egg, or a double shell egg, appears when an egg that is nearly ready to be laid reverses direction and gets a new layer of albumen, covered by a second shell. Sometimes the reversed egg joins up with the next egg, and the two are encased together within a new shell. Double-shell eggs are so rare no one knows precisely why or how they happen.” </span></span></span></span></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hobby Farms Chickens</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is another wonderful book for the chicken keeper to have on hand. Full of great information is an easy to read manner, this is a book I consult often. Here is the books explanation for why two other common egg oddities occur.</span></b></b></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></b></b>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Double Yolks:</i> <span style="font-weight: normal;">“…Double yolks occur when one yolk moves too slowly and is joined by a second yolk before the shell is formed. Usually heavy-breed hens lay these eggs, though pullets sometimes lay them, too. According to </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guinness World Records</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the current record-holding largest egg had five yolks, and the heaviest egg on record had two yolks and a double shell!” (Say it with me folks; OUCH!)</span></b></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Yolk-less Eggs:</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> “…Wind eggs, sometimes called “cock eggs” or “dwarf eggs”, have no yolk. They’re usually laid by pullets in early production.</span></span></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While you are still online, you can check out these websites and articles that have some great information and photos about abnormalities that occur in egg laying:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.avianweb.com/eggproblems.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.avianweb.com/eggproblems.html</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.grit.com/animals/chickens/guide-to-egg-quality-ze0z1204zsie.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.grit.com/animals/chickens/guide-to-egg-quality-ze0z1204zsie.aspx</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8154.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8154.pdf</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps020" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps020</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The <a href="http://www2.ca.uky.edu/" target="_blank">University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture</a> has this to say on their <a href="http://www.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/faq.html#Q47" target="_blank">frequently asked questions </a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/faq.html#Q47" target="_blank"> page</a> about eggs with calcium deposits: “…Calcium deposits on egg shells are not that uncommon. The 'pimples' (calcium deposits) are distortions to the shell. The hens may have an infection affecting their reproductive system. Infection is not the only cause, however, because the same condition also occurs in disease-free flocks. The defect may be partly hereditary. Age of the hens is also a factor. With increasing age there is an increase in the likelihood of calcium deposits.”</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eZqI6dv02bU/UQbmJr2ZFtI/AAAAAAAADUY/k16IIGdyhB0/s1600/397419_10200528875531145_1153962049_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eZqI6dv02bU/UQbmJr2ZFtI/AAAAAAAADUY/k16IIGdyhB0/s200/397419_10200528875531145_1153962049_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>A beautiful speckled egg.</b><br />(Photo: Lisa Steele; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FreshEggsDaily" target="_blank">Fresh Eggs Daily</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OXJue3NR_LQ/UQbmK9KlvXI/AAAAAAAADUg/8MJKNzRFDeU/s1600/309746_10200528876891179_238307346_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OXJue3NR_LQ/UQbmK9KlvXI/AAAAAAAADUg/8MJKNzRFDeU/s320/309746_10200528876891179_238307346_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A lovely streaked egg.</b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Photo: Lisa Steele; </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FreshEggsDaily" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Fresh Eggs Daily</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">)</span></td></tr>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.fatfinch.com/" target="_blank">The Fat Finch</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has a <a href="http://fatfinch.wordpress.com/2007/09/27/egg-color-part-ii/" target="_blank">wonderful blog entry</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://fatfinch.wordpress.com/2007/09/27/egg-color-part-ii/" target="_blank"> on that details egg color</a>, including why we find speckled or streaked eggs. Truly amazing what birds are capable of!</span></b></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3611694036517292" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be VERY sure you stop by my good friend Kate’s blog, <a href="http://www.farmhouse38.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Farmhouse 38</a>, to see what <a href="http://farmhouse38.wordpress.com/2012/09/30/soft-boiled-egg-anyone/" target="_blank">funky egg her girls gifted her with</a>. Her photographs in this post </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">really help illustrate some of the truly weird things that can happen with laying!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As you can see, the occasional bad (or rather odd) egg can happen and isn’t necessarily a sign that your chicken is infected with a horrible disease. You should always be vigilant to the signs your chickens give you however, and if you start to see symptoms that indicate a bigger problem, please seek medical attention for your birds. Whether it’s a fluke occurrence or a side effect of illness, if you keep chickens then you will eventually find a crazy looking egg in your nest box one of these days. Lucky for Vixey, I learned that the stress from being separated from her gal-pals was proving to be a harder lesson for her than I planned. Solitary confinement was now over. Vixey has been pardoned and is now out in the yard with her friends again.</span></b></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></b></span></span></b></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bibliography of Books Cited (in order):</span></b></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Damerow, Gail. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Chicken Encyclopedia</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2012. Print.</span></b></b></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Damerow, Gail. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Storey’s Guide to Raising Chicken, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Third Edition. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2010. Print.</span></b></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weaver, Sue. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hobby Farms Chickens</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Second Edition. Irvine: BowTie Press, 2011. Print.</span></b></b></b></li>
</ul>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Links to Websites Cited (in order):</span></b></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.avianweb.com/eggproblems.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.avianweb.com/eggproblems.html</span></a></b></b></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.grit.com/animals/chickens/guide-to-egg-quality-ze0z1204zsie.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.grit.com/animals/chickens/guide-to-egg-quality-ze0z1204zsie.aspx</span></a></b></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8154.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8154.pdf</span></a></b></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps020" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps020</span></a></b></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www2.ca.uky.edu/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www2.ca.uky.edu</span></a></b></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/faq.html#Q47" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/faq.html#Q47</span></a></b></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.fatfinch.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.fatfinch.com</span></a></b></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://fatfinch.wordpress.com/2007/09/27/egg-color-part-ii/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://fatfinch.wordpress.com/2007/09/27/egg-color-part-ii/</span></a></b></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://farmhouse38.wordpress.com/2012/09/30/soft-boiled-egg-anyone/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://farmhouse38.wordpress.com/2012/09/30/soft-boiled-egg-anyone/</span></a></b></b></b></li>
</ul>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Credits to Photos Used (in order):</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><b><b><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">Janet Garman</span><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">; <i>Timber Creek Farm </i></span></span></b></b></b></b></li>
<ul>
<li><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><b><b><span style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TimberCreekFarm" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/TimberCreekFarm</a></span></b></b></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><b><b><span style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://timbercreekfarm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://timbercreekfarm.blogspot.com/</a></span></b></b></b></b></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kate Richards</span><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; <i>Farmhouse 38</i></span></span></b></b></li>
<ul>
<li><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Farmhouse38" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/Farmhouse38</a></span></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.farmhouse38.wordpress.com/" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">http://www.farmhouse38.wordpress.com/</a></span></b></b></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lisa Steele</span><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; <i>Fresh Eggs Daily</i></span></span></b></b></li>
<ul>
<li><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FreshEggsDaily" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/FreshEggsDaily</a></span></b></b></li>
<li><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/</a></span></b></b></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-84725196450904454982013-01-16T13:05:00.001-08:002013-01-16T23:26:32.191-08:00Oven Scrambled Eggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dmmzc2AluNU/UPeitJT_9aI/AAAAAAAADRs/G5mR-nhIkIM/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dmmzc2AluNU/UPeitJT_9aI/AAAAAAAADRs/G5mR-nhIkIM/s400/%255BUNSET%255D" width="400" /></a></div>
As a person who now has the joy of having freshly laid eggs waiting for me each day, I have found myself looking for more ways to use them. Our young pullets have only been laying since November, so their eggs are still weighing on the small to medium size. One gal is almost tipping the scales into the large, so I'm thinking that as spring approaches we will find ourselves with more and more large egg layers. This makes it tricky using them in recipes that would typically call for large eggs, so for now we are eating a lot of tried and true omelettes and scrambled eggs.<br />
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That doesn't mean I'm not stock piling up on fun and fabulous recipes to try once my girls grace me with some standard size eggs! One great website for egg recipes is about as obvious as they come. We've seen the commercials, we remember the slogan: "the Incredible Edible Egg!" Check out <b><a href="http://www.incredibleegg.org/">Incredible Egg</a> </b>fun egg facts, <a href="http://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes">amazing recipes</a> and even more reasons to love these protein packed beauties! From their website, I wanted to try their Basic Oven Scrambled Eggs.<br />
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Now scrambled eggs are hardly a difficult chore. They only take a few minutes and can be as dressed up or dressed down as you please. In looking at the recipe they list, I can already tell that this wouldn't save me any time in preparing them for my small family of 3. However if I needed to prepare a large batch for a hungry family, and possibly had some stove burners occupied with bacon or sausage or pancakes, this could be a real asset. (<i>I'll post their version exact as it is from the website, however I made some modifications due to having small/medium sized eggs and making a smaller batch.)</i><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cgPxhzmNNLk/UPcQ0IN1kaI/AAAAAAAADOE/s1Ajg2RF3Kw/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D+%25287%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cgPxhzmNNLk/UPcQ0IN1kaI/AAAAAAAADOE/s1Ajg2RF3Kw/s320/%255BUNSET%255D+%25287%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<h1 class="page_divider" style="background-color: white; color: #ec7103; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 16px 0px; width: 900px;">
<a href="http://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes/recipe/basic-oven-scrambled-eggs">Basic Oven Scrambled Eggs</a></h1>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Prep Time: 3 minutes</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Cook Time: 19-22 minutes</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Servings: 6 to 12 servings</i></span></div>
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<u>Ingredients:</u></div>
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<ul>
<li>12 eggs</li>
<li>3/4 cup milk</li>
<li>1 tsp salt</li>
<li>1/4 tsp pepper</li>
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<u>Directions:</u></div>
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<li>Heat oven to 350 F. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl until blended.</li>
<li>Pour egg mixture into a lightly greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Bake in 350 F oven until eggs begin to set, about 7 minutes. Leaving pan in oven, pull out oven rack. Gently pull the eggs completely across the bottom and sides of the pan with an inverted turner, forming large soft curds.</li>
<li>Continue baking. Repeat pulling eggs with a turner a few more times until thickened and no visible liquid egg remains. 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Serve immediately.</li>
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We decided to do a half batch considering we don't need to feed "6 to 12" people. Another compensation we had to make was because our eggs weren't standard sized. Instead of using 6 eggs, as a half batch would call for, we used 8 of our small/medium sized eggs. Here's how we made our oven scrambled eggs.</div>
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We assembled our ingredients for our half batch, then because my husband was doing the cooking (while I did photography), he decided we should add minced onion. Everything, in a man's mind, is better with onion, isn't it? Never the less, we followed step one plus onion and blended it up.<br />
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Our mixture got poured into a greased baking dish of smaller size and added to the oven. We gently stirred the mixture around a few times as it baked and indeed, those egg curds did form. Our finished product was just as light, fluffy and moist as if it were scrambled on the stove top. But scrambled eggs alone just isn't a meal. We enjoyed ours with some nice juicy ham steaks! My daughter opted for the eggs as they were, while my husband and I sprinkled some cheese and salsa on top. Yum!</div>
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There you have it: oven scrambled eggs! As I said before, this isn't a time saver or convince for a small family like ours. Making the full sized batch for a hungry crowd would be a much more realistic use for this recipe, so I'll hang on to it for now. What are your favorite, easy egg recipes? Feel free to share with us!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-76307122071707741382012-12-31T01:08:00.000-08:002013-01-09T08:00:44.416-08:00Farewell 2012<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="font-size: large;">2012, all in all, was a year of learning experiences for me. And while not all lessons in life are easy or enjoyable, they shape who we are and how we will take on the future. Chinese tradition called it the year of the Dragon, but for me it was the year of the Chicken. Our first steps into this new found hobby (albeit obsession at times) has brought much into my life.</span></h3>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7gNO4uV_bE/UOFQMPaofSI/AAAAAAAADFI/vGwH-ROl0p8/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7gNO4uV_bE/UOFQMPaofSI/AAAAAAAADFI/vGwH-ROl0p8/s400/%255BUNSET%255D" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Raising day old chicks this spring with my family showed me how to appreciate the joy in new experiences. Watching the little fluffy creatures grow and change, so rapidly, was something that my daughter and I were in awe of. From their first bites of a new food to their first time out in grass all the way to their first attempts at roosting, watching their reactions brought us laughter and a chance to bond.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As our girls matured I was able to teach my daughter a bit more about life cycles as we looked for signs that our girls were ready to lay eggs. Carefully, quietly, kindly we interacted with them more and more, always vigilant for changes in their behavior or appearance. One glorious afternoon we were treated to another chance to bond; discovering our hens first egg together! We were both so overjoyed and shared a moment that will remain forever a treasured memory.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mbh67CwAKV0/UOFQQw4X-2I/AAAAAAAADFg/Y2tVppDWQDM/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mbh67CwAKV0/UOFQQw4X-2I/AAAAAAAADFg/Y2tVppDWQDM/s400/%255BUNSET%255D" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">A day before Thanksgiving we noticed one of our hens acting distressed. She was displaying signs of being eggbound. Watching our sweet Ursula so uncomfortable, hunched up, labored breathing, we were very concerned. No matter the holiday, we set up a dog kennel inside our home for her and she stayed inside with us for five days. She was carefully monitored (by all family members, human and animal) and received what treatments we could do to help. Epson salt soaks, gentle massages, warm moist heat...nothing helped. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This would be her first egg, but it seemed as if she wasn't quite ready to lay it. A few days after the holiday she perked back up and acted good as new. False alarm on being eggbound! She went back out and hasn't had any problems since. I suspect she just wanted an invitation to holiday dinner, but changed her mind once she saw the turkey wasn't the "honored guest" she thought! We all realized though just how attached we had become to the girls.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2jS6AkBJaQM/UOFQFBilb4I/AAAAAAAADEw/PglUzXUae8c/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2jS6AkBJaQM/UOFQFBilb4I/AAAAAAAADEw/PglUzXUae8c/s400/%255BUNSET%255D" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I never thought I'd be a "chicken keeper" in my lifetime, but I am now. I love it and I'm very glad and grateful for what this has brought into my life. They have caused me to slow down and appreciate the simple things a little more. It also introduced me to a wonderful group of Farm Chicks who have enriched my life more than they know.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8nejrilQ4Ew/UOFQPazLfZI/AAAAAAAADFY/wh9vhZetUVI/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8nejrilQ4Ew/UOFQPazLfZI/AAAAAAAADFY/wh9vhZetUVI/s400/%255BUNSET%255D" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The last two months of this year have been particularly difficult for me. Medical issues in my family have arisen and shaken us deeply. Another lesson I have learned this year is that I should no longer take a single day for granted. Do what makes you happy. Help others. Be a good friend. You may not have another choice to try a new experience again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2012 was the year of the Chicken for me. 2013 will be the year of Family. Whatever you may choose to dedicate yourself to this year, I wish you much luck and a very happy 2013.</span></h3>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-49347953880254540462012-12-22T05:33:00.001-08:002013-01-09T08:01:46.518-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ICDqtkzoQeg/UNW2uAcraqI/AAAAAAAAC-k/4aiB3T5WfX4/s1600/myxmas.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ICDqtkzoQeg/UNW2uAcraqI/AAAAAAAAC-k/4aiB3T5WfX4/s640/myxmas.png" height="400" width="640" /> </a> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-66934425974103298552012-12-12T07:20:00.000-08:002013-01-09T08:04:11.466-08:00Manna Pro Product Review<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uVV5frf0GbsReOT1inCmY0jb4gqLe24um6PLn6bTu_mMPEWm1VAdtbRRxZmng6A8dvpNakqoYjDzE23PsxxrJog2U1CWA4S12RNfNOykP9jjt9iEpQK98j5VPEzHzEEKExIqfgxX1fs/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uVV5frf0GbsReOT1inCmY0jb4gqLe24um6PLn6bTu_mMPEWm1VAdtbRRxZmng6A8dvpNakqoYjDzE23PsxxrJog2U1CWA4S12RNfNOykP9jjt9iEpQK98j5VPEzHzEEKExIqfgxX1fs/s400/%255BUNSET%255D" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the trifecta of Manna Pro products I set out to try</td></tr>
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There are many products available on the market to help make a chicken keeper's life easier. From chick rearing to health care supplies to feed and nutrition; if you've got money to spend, someone's got JUST the product for you! But let's not count our chickens before they hatch! I'm going to take a closer look at three products out from <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/">Manna Pro</a> to help save you a little time and help keep your chicks happy and healthy.</div>
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A very well respected chicken-and-homestead blogger, author and magazine featured <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/">Farm Chick</a> (who I greatly admire and I am lucky enough to call a friend) sent me these products from her sponsor, <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/">Manna Pro</a>, and asked me to try them. Lisa of <a href="http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/">Fresh Eggs Daily</a> has the livestock company as a sponsor of her <a href="http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/">blog</a>, a wonderful partnership of two very animal savvy groups! (<a href="http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-came-early-this-year-courtesy.html#more">Read what Fresh Eggs Daily has to say about the products here</a>) I was thrilled to get the chance to try them and I set off to use right away.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ejxn5dlGf0U/UMiH1jbJYRI/AAAAAAAAC7Q/sjJi9Qj4y14/s1600/wipe-n-wash-egg-cleaning-towelettes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ejxn5dlGf0U/UMiH1jbJYRI/AAAAAAAAC7Q/sjJi9Qj4y14/s200/wipe-n-wash-egg-cleaning-towelettes.jpg" height="200" width="83" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo from Manna Pro website</span></td></tr>
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First up on my product review is the <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/wipe-n-wash-egg-cleansing-towelettes/">Wipe 'N Wash</a> egg cleansing towelettes. These biodegradable wipes made from recycled paper are a wonderful alternative to harsh chemical cleaners. As soon as I took the first one out of the container, I noticed that that the wipes were practically fragrance free. The sturdy, thick wipes held up well to scrubbing (even much more vigorous scrubbing than was necessary - strictly for test purposes!) My egg rinsed clean as the <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/wipe-n-wash-egg-cleansing-towelettes/nutritional-information/">instructions</a> indicate and was left with no residue, and my wipe was still ready to take on more eggs. Prior to this, I was subscribed to the 'no wash' method for my eggs and only washed down the dirty ones with warm water. Now that I have this easy to use, gentle cleansing alternative, I'm definitely keeping a container of <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/wipe-n-wash-egg-cleansing-towelettes/">Wipe 'N Wash</a> on hand! My girls are novice layers, having only been at this about a month, and sometimes get a little messy in their nest boxes. Droppings and mud don't stand a chance against these wipes and I'll be using them to spot clean from now on!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of my hen's beautiful eggs, all shiny and clean, after using Wipe 'N Wash</td></tr>
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The other products I had the opportunity to use were the Manna Pro <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/poultry-protector/">Poultry Protector</a> spray and the <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/coop-n-compost/">Coop 'N Compost</a> coop odor neutralizer. I decided the best way for me to utilize these products was to incorporate them to help with my winter coop prep I needed to do. I wanted to get one last good cleaning in before I started doing the deep litter method over the winter and I knew these products would get me on the right track to keeping my coop safe, clean and protected.</div>
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I started by ushering my girls outside and closing the chicken door access to the coop. No worries! They were completely distracted with the frozen <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/2012/09/apple-pie-muffins-for-family-and-flock.html">Apple Pie Muffins</a> and <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/2012/10/pumpkin-muffins-for-all.html">Pumpkin Muffins</a> I threw out for them and didn't mind one bit that I was poking around their house. I started my cleaning by removing all the old bedding and nesting materials so that I had a clean base to start from. Once all of those materials were removed, I reached for the <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/poultry-protector/">Poultry Protector</a> spray.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oVUK42b8b8M/UMiIMUB2PqI/AAAAAAAAC7Y/Uo1-jD9nKlE/s1600/mp_poultry_poultryproctector.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oVUK42b8b8M/UMiIMUB2PqI/AAAAAAAAC7Y/Uo1-jD9nKlE/s200/mp_poultry_poultryproctector.jpg" height="200" width="86" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo from Manna Pro website</span></td></tr>
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While the product can be used on the birds directly to help ensure that they don't become infested by parasites such as lice, mites and fleas, I chose the method of application for the coop itself. In September we had noticed a few mites crawling on the exterior of the coop, but thankfully the hens themselves had not been infested. So back then we locked the girls outside in the run all day while we let a harsh chemical treat the coop. I was a Nervous Nelly for the next few days, terrified about the possible side effects of using this chemical could do to my girls.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bdxnCoN0PyI/UMiIVIt8WlI/AAAAAAAAC7g/UXdMegbyIUk/s1600/poultry_coop_n_compost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bdxnCoN0PyI/UMiIVIt8WlI/AAAAAAAAC7g/UXdMegbyIUk/s200/poultry_coop_n_compost.jpg" height="200" width="99" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo from Manna Pro website</span></td></tr>
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You could imagine after that my relief in finding that the <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/poultry-protector/">Poultry Protector</a> uses much gentler, natural ways to help treat for parasites. I applied the product <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/poultry-protector/nutritional-information/">as directed</a>, to all surface areas of my coop - including the roosts, ceiling, nest boxes, and around the windows and doors. My coop is 40 square feet and the bottle contained enough to cover it all with some to spare. It was so nice to treat the coop without being knocked on my backside by harsh fumes and have to carry on the chores with watering eyes!</div>
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After giving the product a little time to dry, I opened the <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/coop-n-compost/">Coop 'N Compost</a>. I shook out a fine layer of the granules on to the coop floor as the <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/coop-n-compost/nutritional-information/">label</a> indicates to do. It has a wonderful clean scent that was not at all overpowering. I laid out the bedding over top and it was done that quickly! Plenty remained in the container and I look forward to using it to refresh the bedding through the winter during the deep litter method. I can definitely say that I much prefer the <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/coop-n-compost/">Coop 'N Compost</a> granules to the powder I had used prior. Rather than getting blown all over, I can be sure that this product is actually sticking inside my bedding and doing its job!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mannapro.com/">Visit Manna Pro's website</a></td></tr>
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I have to say that to me, these products are worth trying again and are items I would recommend to other chicken keepers to help with their flocks. One of the best things about raising chickens is having peace of mind that you are providing them the very best that you can in life (in their food, their shelter, their health and safety) and in return they provide you a bounty of nutritious eggs and companionship beyond compare. Next time you are out at your local supply store, be sure to pick up these <a href="http://www.mannapro.com/">Manna Pro</a> products and give them a try. Better yet, why not check out <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/24laven-20">Fresh Eggs Daily's Farm Shop and Farmacy</a> and pick up a bevy of wonderful products that have been <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/">Farm Chick</a> tested and approved!</div>
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Visit Fresh Eggs Daily's <a href="http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/">blog</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FreshEggsDaily">Facebook</a>,<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-28963469734033453562012-11-19T14:22:00.001-08:002013-01-09T08:05:54.917-08:00Lisa Steele Fan Club<div>
We love Lisa Steele and Fresh Eggs Daily. Fresh Eggs Daily was where I was first given sound, sane friendly advice about the best way to raise healthy and happy hens. <br />
Never preachy or ignoring newcomers, Lisa dishes up her experiences as a learning tool for us all. You won't find her regurgitating generic facts any of us could google answers to. Expect her replies to be honest, often heartfelt and always based on a farm chick's experience.<br />
Check out her Facebook, her blog and even her featured article in Chickens Magazine. (We are so proud of her!) Meredith and Tinkerbell really enjoyed the article and we know you will too!<br />
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<img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QEkhW4sPEjM/UKqxGNdiNQI/AAAAAAAACx0/1cquWSDhoxs/2012-11-19-16-50-06_deco.png" /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-54179253451074491632012-11-12T15:34:00.000-08:002013-01-09T08:09:30.209-08:00Ohio National 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">For me, it was only one day. A few brief hours in all actuality. But for this <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b>Farm Chick Chit Chat</b></a> girl, I had found and experienced the Chicken Mecca.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">On November 10, 2012 I stepped foot into the </span><a href="http://www.ohionational.org/" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><b>Ohio National</b></a><span style="text-align: center;"><b> </b>in Columbus, largest and most spectacular gatherings of poultry breeders, exhibitors and fanatics that amassed in the state of Ohio. With my husband and 8 year old daughter in tow, I began walking down the countless rows of birds, vendors and clubs on display. The enormity of the building was overwhelming, yet every available space was occupied by people wanting to take part in such an amazing event.</span><br />
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My first priority was to stake out the <a href="http://www.meyerhatchery.com/" target="_blank"><b>Meyer Hatchery</b></a> booth and say hello. For those of you who don't know Meyer Hatchery, you don't know what an amazing and helpful staff they have. They have some amazing people working there who are not only knowledgeable and have experience with poultry, but who are also very courteous and take the time to get to know you and what your needs are. They truly want you to walk away from your experience educated, satisfied and happy with your new flock members, and they know the key to return business is in these details.<br />
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After catching up with my favorite hatchery's on goings, and snagging one of their GORGEOUS <a href="http://www.meyerhatchery.com/catalog_request.a5w?A5WSessionId=3290fd2ccd80404a93df96fea74d4a9b" target="_blank"><b>2013 catalogs</b> </a>(get <b><a href="http://ttackanderson.blogspot.com/2012/08/homemade-treats-for-chickens-pictures.html" target="_blank">my treat recipe</a> </b>with your QR scanner on page 75 and see little glimpse of my daughter, another Meyer Hatchery fan, on page 104) and calendars, it was time to look at the vendor and club tables. Products were lined up neatly as far as the eye could see; books, medical supplies, leg bands, feed, treats. You name it, it was there. Some wonderful companies had their products available for purchase and I was tempted at every turn! <b><a href="http://www.buckleybrosinc.com/" target="_blank">Buckley Bros. Inc.</a>, <a href="http://www.pbsanimalhealth.com/details/Kickin-Chicken/507-80.html." target="_blank">PBS Animal Health</a>, <a href="http://www.poultrysupplies.com/" target="_blank">Smith Poultry & Game Bird Supplies</a>, <a href="http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/" target="_blank">Foy's Pet Supplies</a>, <a href="http://keippercooping.com/" target="_blank">Keipper Cooping Company</a></b> and <b><a href="http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/" target="_blank">Twin City Poultry Supplies</a> </b>are all proud affiliates of the Ohio National.<br />
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Several clubs also had tables set up distributing information and speaking about the wonderful qualities of their breeds. Whether your eye tends to stray toward bantams, exotics or heritage, there was a club in attendance for you. Just a few of the many attending were the <b><a href="http://www.americanbuckeyepoultryclub.com/" target="_blank">American Buckeye Poultry Club</a>, <a href="http://www.seramacouncilofnorthamerica.com/" target="_blank">Serama Council of North America</a>, <a href="http://www.wyandottebreedersofamerica.net/" target="_blank">Wyandotte Breeders of America</a>, <a href="http://www.theamericanbrahmaclub.org/" target="_blank">American Brahma Club</a>, <a href="http://www.bantamclub.com/site/" target="_blank">American Bantam Association</a></b> and the <a href="http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/" target="_blank"><b>American Poultry Association</b></a>.<br />
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Who else is connected with the Ohio National? Why none other than the<b> <a href="http://www.ohiopoultry.org/" target="_blank">Ohio Poultry Association</a>, </b><a href="http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/" target="_blank"><b>Backyard Poultry Magazine</b></a><b> </b>and chicken guru Andy Schneider, better known as the <a href="http://www.chickenwhisperer.net/" target="_blank"><b>Chicken Whisperer</b></a>. I didn't get to personally meet Andy, mind you, but rather he is listed on the Ohio National site as an affiliate. It's probably a good thing I didn't run into him. I'd have probably embarrassed myself (not to mention my husband and child) by asking him to autograph a copy of his book for me. It would totally be worth it! Sorry Mike and Meredith.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TEERHd6gJlE/UKF3YBmM-xI/AAAAAAAACw4/u6RdOLbmHyc/s1600/percylogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TEERHd6gJlE/UKF3YBmM-xI/AAAAAAAACw4/u6RdOLbmHyc/s320/percylogo.jpg" height="101" width="320" /></a>One of my favorite chat's I did have was with Rick Rieser of <a href="http://www.percylearningfarms.com/" target="_blank"><b>Percy Learning Farms</b></a> and author of <u><i>Percy the Perfectly Imperfect Chicken</i></u>. Mr. Rieser has an impressive background including <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(excerpt from the book's About the Author page)</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> "<span style="background-color: white;">25 year career as a writer, nationally recognized children's advocate and most importantly, chicken farmer. He has developed resources for children of all ages that emphasize and focus on the inner strength and potential that exists in every child. He is a cum laude graduate of Capital Law School, earned two degrees from The Ohio State University including a Masters in Family Science. He has received numerous awards including the Martin Luther King Jr Award (Ohio), 1997 Friend of Education Award, the Peacemaker Award and other national recognitions for his work."</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QhDFz09h3Xc/UKF3aJpAyDI/AAAAAAAACxA/I4SPegW9c2o/s1600/percytheperfectlyimperfectchickencover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QhDFz09h3Xc/UKF3aJpAyDI/AAAAAAAACxA/I4SPegW9c2o/s320/percytheperfectlyimperfectchickencover.jpg" height="320" width="246" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">All these credentials aside, in speaking with Rick, I could tell he was incredibly passionate about his beliefs. As a therapy dog handler myself, I immediately connected with him and his message he is trying to teach. In his beautifully illustrated book, he tells us the story of Percy, a chicken who is told by the others that he is not perfect. "What's perfect?" Percy asks. In reading this book you learn not to question by who's standards you should measure up to, but rather to stand up and embrace what makes us different. I encourage all parents to pick up a copy of this book for the young children in your life, be they chicken enthusiasts or not. The positive message it convey's is uplifting and encouraging. I will be taking my copy of the book into school for use in my reading therapy program and I know the children will all enjoy it as much as I did.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8ADY_BTiIJo/UKFHTLZq01I/AAAAAAAACro/jQhNeCoPEIc/s1600/DSCI0087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8ADY_BTiIJo/UKFHTLZq01I/AAAAAAAACro/jQhNeCoPEIc/s400/DSCI0087.JPG" height="320" width="400" /></a><br />
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It was a wonderful day spent admiring all the beautiful birds, gathering information on clubs and perusing the vendor tables. I could go on for days about all the amazing animals that I saw there, but I wouldn't hardly begin to do them justice. So many breeds I had never seen before, or had only seen in the glossy pages of a magazine, where right there before my eyes. Getting a first hand look at them, you really can appreciate the unique qualities of each breed. My only complaint? Trying to photograph birds behind bars! I so wanted to be able to share with everyone the details in their feather patterns, the sparkle in their eye, and of course that chicken personality that always shines through. While I think I got a few decent shots in, I was wholly disappointed that the bars obstructed my shots (and caused some nasty flash glares). Thankfully, I wasn't alone. My 8 year old daughter, Meredith, decided she'd be an ace photographer for my blog. <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/113757294114417313112/OhioNational2012ByMeredithA?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCOSK6pi6oNb1qwE&feat=directlink" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a> are the photos taken by her, and I thank her for showing you the Ohio National from her perspective. (Can you tell what breed is her favorite?)<br />
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I will leave you with a few more shots from my <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/113757294114417313112/OhioNational201202?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKLhj6rrj_LUAg&feat=directlink" target="_blank"><b>album</b></a> (a few more <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/113757294114417313112/OhioNational2012PhonePics?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCOzb0sXLvs-plQE&feat=directlink" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a> from my phone's camera), and some from Meredith's as well. Be sure to visit these websites to learn more about the Ohio National and the people, groups and organizations involved in it. If you plan on attending next year, please let me know. I'd love to explore the event with more chicken enthusiasts, especially if I can convince them to take pictures too!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Still want to see more? Visit our albums here:</span></div>
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/113757294114417313112/OhioNational201202?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKLhj6rrj_LUAg&feat=directlink" target="_blank"><b>My Ohio National 2012 Album</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/113757294114417313112/OhioNational2012PhonePics?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCOzb0sXLvs-plQE&feat=directlink" target="_blank"><b>My Ohio National 2012 Camera Phone Pictures</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/113757294114417313112/OhioNational2012ByMeredithA?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCOSK6pi6oNb1qwE&feat=directlink" target="_blank"><b>Ohio National 2012 Photos by Meredith A.</b></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-33952334122831550352012-11-07T09:37:00.000-08:002013-01-09T08:12:25.977-08:00One Dozen Lessons My Chickens Could Teach Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Have you ever found yourself reflecting on your life? Looking back at all the things in the past; decisions you made, chances you took, mistakes you made. It isn't too long after you spend some time strolling down memory lane that your thoughts begin to focus in on the future. If you are anything like me, these two paths usually end up with a varying amount of regret, a certain amount of bargaining with yourself, a little bit of crying and a whole lot of lofty goals. I recently had one of those thinking sessions with myself, hoping for self improvement. Sure there are tons of books out there I could pick up and maybe sift out a few gems of information from, but who wants to listen to someone who seemingly has their life all together pass judgement? No thanks! Instead my somewhat tired mind, in a punch-drunk emotional haze, began to wonder what advice my chickens would give me about life if they could write a self help book. Here is what I've come up with.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h4qWnEuXFtQ/UFnk27axEmI/AAAAAAAACAQ/J-S4kOJ5SOs/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h4qWnEuXFtQ/UFnk27axEmI/AAAAAAAACAQ/J-S4kOJ5SOs/s400/%255BUNSET%255D" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boo and Fifi go in to swipe a treat at the same time</td></tr>
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<b><u>Lesson One: It is ok to squawk if someone steals your treats.</u></b></div>
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<i>Chicken Perspective:</i> Most of the girls in the yard do a pretty good job of asserting themselves. What they find are the spoils of their victories and they usually aren't keen about sharing. Sure, they'll mill about with one another looking for goods, but the moment two birds spy a treat and dive for it, it's game on. If they feel they've been robbed, they make sure not only the thief knows, but the <i>whole yard</i> knows! Does it change the outcome? No, but they have expressed to the other(s) their hurt and feelings of betrayal. </div>
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<i>What I Should Learn:</i> Sometimes we swallow our feelings for so long that they start to make us sick. Convincing yourself that you are "dealing with" or "handling" or "putting up with" someone who either is deliberately or unconsciously saying or doing damaging things isn't in fact dealing, handling or putting up with them at all. It's accepting that person's ill behavior and essentially giving them the green light to continue it. I should learn that while it may not always be appropriate for me to stand up and shake my fist at all of the worlds injustices, I could certainly stand up for myself and more importantly for my feelings a little more. It may not change a thing, but I might make them aware of the way they are upsetting me and change an unintentional behavior.</div>
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<b><u>Lesson Two: At some point you will realize you have parasites.</u></b></div>
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<i>Chicken Perspective:</i> Toward the end of September, I noticed a handful of little creepy crawlies on the outside of the chicken coop one morning. After staring at them, somewhat puzzled for a moment, I realized what they were. Mites. I knew this. I had read up on this. I was prepared for this. I flew into action! My girls are fed natural remedies that help ward off parasites internally and I was pleased to see that after extensive examination, they were all clear. Still, I didn't want the little buggers shacking up in our coop. We did treatments to the coop and I kept an eye on the girls, making sure the mites didn't make a desperate attempt at infesting them in their last hours. I'm glad to say the mites are history and the girls are happy and healthy still!</div>
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<i>What I Should Learn:</i> Sometimes, no matter how much you prepare yourself, you will find a parasite here or there. I'm talking about emotional parasites of course. These people can rob you of your energy, your positivity and your time. If you let them, they may not stop there. It's pretty easy to tell when someone is being taken advantage of from the outside looking in, but often times you try to convince yourself that <i>you</i> would never be duped in that way. This is especially true if the parasite is a family member or a long time friend. I should learn that someone who is feeding off my emotions in a negative way needs to be <i><u>exterminated immediately</u></i>. Ok, not really exterminated, but definitely removed.</div>
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<b><u>Lesson Three: Some days it's going to rain but you've still got to forage.</u></b></div>
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<i>Chicken Perspective:</i> Watching chickens in the yard is being witness to some serious determination. For hours on end they will hunt, peck, scratch and scrape through the day and might only come up with a few bugs and a less than perfect looking flower bloom for their troubles. Does that deter them? Heck no! They keep on scritching away, day after day, hoping for that mother-load! Muddy feet? psssh! Wind ruffled feathers? Forget about it! The good stuff is out there just waiting...and they've gotta find it before the chick next to them does!</div>
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<i>What I Should Learn:</i> It's easy to feel sorry for yourself. The economy stinks, my boss is a pain, I'm short on money and dang it, I'm tired! Pick an excuse; we've heard them all and then some. But guess what? Life doesn't get any easier while you sit on your backside and boo-hoo away your blues. Sure, you are entitled to a good cry now and again if things get you down. (remember, I coped to one at the beginning of this blog?) Finish it up though, wipe your tears away and charge back out there with a game plan. Problems don't fix themselves and the last time I checked, nobody was handing out passes to Easy Street. You've got to work at it, and working hard towards what you need is a lot better than crying about it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VFx27oKOUIw/UDz04olDUJI/AAAAAAAABrU/2fDaHp4pNrI/s1600/2012-08-23_15-00-23_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VFx27oKOUIw/UDz04olDUJI/AAAAAAAABrU/2fDaHp4pNrI/s400/2012-08-23_15-00-23_640.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Georgette enjoys a good roll in the dirt</td></tr>
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<u><b>Lesson Four: Afternoon naps and dust baths are absolutely OK.</b></u></div>
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<i>Chicken Perspective:</i> In the chicken world, there is perhaps no greater luxury than the dust bath. It can be a social experience (yes, these birds aren't prudish and often bathe in groups) as well as a much needed pampering for health and well being. My girls enjoy their afternoon naps almost as much as their dust baths. After foraging around outside for a few hours, they shamelessly find a perch (indoors or out will do) and settle in for a little snooze. They awake refreshed and recharged, and ready to find that bug in hiding!</div>
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<i>What I Should Learn:</i> Most of us live the rat race every day. It's a hectic world in which we live and often times we put our own needs last. But perhaps the key to being a more efficient, happier person is taking a little time for yourself. Take a bubble bath (or a dust bath, if that's your thing), take a nap, read a book, meet up with friends for a while, get outside and talk a walk. Do what relaxes you and you may find that the reward for allowing yourself that tiny slice of indulgence was worth the time sacrificed. I plan on scheduling some time for myself, soon!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-df-S8KfS73A/UDz0QAigY9I/AAAAAAAABq0/ahWjBnvjYWE/s1600/IMG_2049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-df-S8KfS73A/UDz0QAigY9I/AAAAAAAABq0/ahWjBnvjYWE/s400/IMG_2049.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mim (front) and Ursula (back) start to head for the coop at the first squawk of assumed danger</td></tr>
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<b><u>Lesson Five: You don't have to be a rooster to defend the hen-house.</u></b></div>
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<i>Chicken Perspective:</i> For the time being, we have a rooster-less coop. We did not plan on hatching chicks nor did we see a real need for a rooster to protect the hens since they are super secure in their run and coop (aka Fort Knox). I've noticed a funny thing though; that still doesn't stop the girls from calling out to each other when they spot potential dangers, as roosters are classically supposed to do. Disclaimer: we've had no real danger come to the hens in their 5 months. Thankfully, no predators or stray animals have wandered on our property. No massive catastrophe has befallen them at all, but they still see danger in some of the strangest things. A tractor in the neighbor's field, the dogs running and barking in their fenced in portion of the yard, my husband working on the cars or banging around in the shed. Sure enough, one of the girls will signal the alarm and make sure the others get down or get to safety. After a few minutes, they will issue a gentle clucking "all clear" and resume normal activity.</div>
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<i>What I Should Learn:</i> It's easy to turn a blind eye to some of the things we don't agree with and not get involved. Life is complicated enough without dragging yourself into some other mess, right? Yes, I can't argue with that. However, being alert to the world around you, supporting others and standing up for what you believe in is something we should all strive to do. "If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else" <i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(quote by Booker T. Washington)</span></i> I volunteer my time to organizations I love, and also donate my money when I can. Even when those two options fail, you can always use your voice. Speak up, speak out. Support a cause or support a friend. It's doesn't have to be a great big gesture. Often just a little encouragement means the world. I hope that I have been there for my family, friends and favorite organizations in the past and I will be making an effort to do more in the years to come.<br />
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<b><u>Lesson Six: Don't try to change others. You'll just be met with squawking and flapping about.</u></b></div>
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<i>Chicken Perspective:</i> My girls personalities have a pretty decent range, though I'm fortunate enough to say that I don't have any mean birds in the coop. That being said, not every hen is a love bug. I thought that through time, patience and a lot of treats, I could convince a few of them that having me pet them wasn't such a bad thing. As of this date, we still agree to disagree. They will tolerate a stroke or two of the hand, but shimmy off soon after. Occasionally, they will surprise us and seek us out in the yard for attention...or in my husband's case, they will jump on his back to perch when he is unsuspectingly closing up the coop at night. Either way, both species know what to expect from the other. The arrangement isn't always perfection, but it's a working agreement.</div>
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<i>What I Should Learn:</i> People are fairly adaptive creatures. We find ways to cope with things and learn new strategies to help achieve our goals. One thing that this usually isn't effective on is getting another person to change their ways. You see, people are also stubborn creatures. This is what happens when we are given free will (and free range perhaps). We always want things to go our way, because to us our logic is superior. I have learned that it is a colossal waste of time and energy trying to mold others to your standards. You can make changes in your own life, you may make suggestions to others on their own. Ultimately, unless that person sees the logic (and often, the payout) in changing their ways, you won't get much progress. If you can come to a working compromise, then do it. I think it's much better to get the occasional perch on the back and random pet than total aloofness and fleeing in terror of your approach.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zwfWZwaamX8/UJJmKcykzzI/AAAAAAAACPM/N93JdCcJ86o/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zwfWZwaamX8/UJJmKcykzzI/AAAAAAAACPM/N93JdCcJ86o/s400/%255BUNSET%255D" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">how many birds can <i>you</i> count?</td></tr>
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<b><u>Lesson Seven: Life feels cozier when crammed in between a dozen of your closest friends.</u></b></div>
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<i>Chicken Perspective:</i> I doubt there is a chicken keeper who would deny this simple truth: no matter how much space you give your birds, unless they are feeding or foraging, they will all end up scrunched together in a three foot square space. My husband and I considered our birds mature sizes when determining the right amount of perch space to put inside the coop. Large enough to give them ample room to move about, but small enough that there isn't much wasted space. (Body heat can help keep those chicks warm in the cold Ohio winter!) I was warned, but didn't really believe it til it happened in my very own back yard. As many chickens as possible cram on to one perch and snub the notion of carefully spacing themselves out. To them, comfort is in the company.</div>
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<i>What I Should Learn:</i> This lesson is simple: surround yourself with those who love you, support you and are willing to share body heat with you in vital situations. Ok, maybe just the love and support. The chickens have it right though: comfort is in the company.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l1z_AnOLgpc/UDzo7_7OrrI/AAAAAAAABgg/-3MVZ7BgtXE/s1600/2012-07-24_19-57-52_449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l1z_AnOLgpc/UDzo7_7OrrI/AAAAAAAABgg/-3MVZ7BgtXE/s320/2012-07-24_19-57-52_449.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my two sweet girls together</td></tr>
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<b><u>Lesson Eight: Sometimes the kindest people are not the attention getters.</u></b><br />
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<i>Chicken Perspective:</i> We took time selecting the chicken breeds in our flock. My husband astutely made sure that our selections were mainly based on egg production (that was why were were getting chickens, wasn't it?) and my influence was for their personality, but my daughter and I were still able to sneak a few fancy looking chicks in the mix. Now to sit outside with them is quite a sight to see. Deep red plumage, some speckled or laced, a few black bodied birds with feathers that glisten green, some fluffy cheeks and a pair of bouffant heads grace the flock, just to name a few. Truly a beautiful group! But who's my biggest sweetheart? Surely she must be the showstopper of the group! Alas, no. My mild mannered Buff Orp, Tinkerbell, is the lap dog of our coop. She doesn't have flashy markings, or a crazy topknot to make her stand out. It is her quiet, gentle and persistent friendship that makes her one of my favorites. (Just don't tell the others I play favorites)<br />
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<i>What I Should Learn:</i> Big displays for attention aren't what matter to me. I often remind myself of this when I hear others brag about how many friends they have, or how many followers on a social network, or some other self imposed mark of popularity. To me the things that matter most are in the kindness a person shows, their devotion to their friends and family, their moral fiber and their loyalty. You can draw attention to yourself pretty easy with obnoxious behavior and controversial comments, but shallow people often stand for shallow things.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Georgette jumps her way to the uppermost levels</td></tr>
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<b><u>Lesson Nine: Just because you can't fly doesn't mean you shouldn't soar.</u></b><br />
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<i>Chicken Perspective:</i> There are few chicken breeds that excel at flying. In fact, at best they are merely capable of flight at short distances. The hens I have are not these birds, yet a few of them fancy themselves ace pilots in training. The topmost perch of the coop and run aren't good enough for them, oh no! They must roost amongst the rafters only to descend (on <i>their</i> schedule, not mine) at a glide, then with all the grace and elegance of landing as if they were blindfolded. They keep on trying though, and I'm sure they'll get it down one of these days.<br />
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<i>What I Should Learn:</i> Sometimes we chalk up our dreams to be unreachable; a goal which we could never realistically achieve. As we continue our day to day lives, inside us somewhere is that spark of passion we have to make a move in the direction of what we want most. It could be dreams of fame and fortune, it could be to write a novel, maybe a non-profit group you wish to start or going back to school. Every day you talk yourself out of your dream is one less day you have to achieve it. Each time you tell yourself you are foolish to hope and could never do it, you make that more true. I've had an idea kicking around in my head for years that I've denied, but I just realized that I'm the only one stopping myself from trying. I will give myself permission to dream and to try to reach my goal. I may not get to fly the distance, but soaring would make trying all worth while.<br />
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<b><u>Lesson Ten: We may get sidetracked by shiny things, but try to focus on what is truly important.</u></b><br />
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<i>Chicken Perspective:</i> A healthy curiosity for life, chickens have an abundance of. If it's shiny, makes a funny noise, creeps or crawls, looks like food, smells like food or is believed (in any respect) to be food, they are all over it. My daughter, like most girls her age, has some clothing pieces with what is commonly referred to as bling on them. You know: rhinestones, sequins, jewelry charm chains, etc. This is a chicken magnet. Other attention getters that cannot or rather should not, be consumed? Flip flops, exposed toes, jewelry, moles or freckles on skin, nail polish, plastic bags or containers that could potentially contain treats. (you are holding out with the treats, aren't you? GIVE ME THAT BAG!) I can literally toss down some goodies and they will waste their time pecking at a rhinestone gem on my daughters flip flop or a rivet on my jeans. Sigh. Open your eyes ladies.<br />
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<i>What I Should Learn: </i> Each year the "American Dream" seems to get a little bigger, a lot more expensive, more high definition (HD for the techies) and bring us a whole lot deeper in debt. No matter how modestly you try to live, there is always something that becomes your money pit. Are you a clothes horse? Maybe you like your ATV toys and mechanical what-not (*ahem-my-husband-ahem*). It could be a love of literature that does you in. (Guilty book junkie here) Instead of focusing on the next big thing coming out or our next "want", we should focus on our needs. In an instant gratification world, it's an easy fix to drop some cash to feel momentarily happy, but is it worth the expense you pay in the end? I, like many others, need to keep my priorities in strict check. Anyone know a good support group for fiction and non-fiction addicts?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hpV8jQCeZao/UDzoBsGO_6I/AAAAAAAABfY/yEEWpqdJYJw/s1600/2012-07-18_07-43-29_248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hpV8jQCeZao/UDzoBsGO_6I/AAAAAAAABfY/yEEWpqdJYJw/s200/2012-07-18_07-43-29_248.jpg" height="200" width="158" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mim growing in her feathers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin has an unusual look</td></tr>
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<b><u>Lesson Eleven: It's ok to be different.</u></b><br />
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<i>Chicken Perspective: </i> Most of our birds, as earlier mentioned, were selected for their egg laying abilities. Our coop proudly houses several heritage breeds. But you might do a double take when you see two mop-top polish out strutting side by side with the high production gals. Our birds of a different feather are Kevin, the white crested black polish, and Madame Mim, the silver laced polish. With reading up on the polish breed before their arrival, I found many reports of them being timid and low on the pecking order. Even some horror stories of other breeds attacking them because of their highly visible, flashy feathery hairdo. I was apprehensive to say the least. 5 months later, they fit just fine into the group and are welcomed without question.<br />
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<i>What I Should Learn:</i> People are either going to love you or they are going to hate you. Don't waste time trying to be someone you aren't just to fit in. Those who are truly worth having in your life will respect your individuality and while they may not always share your opinions, beliefs, and choices (etc), they will respect your right to have them. Let the judgmental people sit in their own private jury. Don't let them into your life. Besides, normal is overrated! The difference between extra ordinary and extraordinary is only a short space away! (Really, <i>look!</i>)<br />
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<b><u>Lesson Twelve: Every once in awhile you've got to strut.</u></b><br />
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<i>Chicken Perspective:</i> I have a shameless bird in our group named Minnie. She is a Plymouth Barred Rock and she is about as attention seeking as a D-List celebrity. (As if this photo bomb isn't evidence enough!) Whatever the flock is doing, she's in the middle of. Whatever you are doing, she's right there. Whatever you <i>think </i>you might do, guess who? She's bold, she's daring and she's not afraid to get you to take notice. Maybe she's a bit of a diva, but it's working for her. And you know the most important thing to a diva, don't you? Working it!<br />
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<i>What I Should Learn: </i> I'm as guilty as many of you are in shrugging off compliments. I will pshaw even the simplest of things to remove the focus from myself. Every once in awhile though, I should take a cue from Minnie and revel in my accomplishments a bit more. Not in a haughty way, but in being proud and assured that my work has paid off. We've all got to take a little time to enjoy our success and bask in it while the moment is fresh. So lift your head up high, pat yourself on the back and heck, strike your best pose for a few photog's...even if they weren't pointing the camera at you!<br />
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So there they are; the dozen lessons I think my chickens could teach me. Maybe yours could teach you a few things too. We just need to slow down, open our eyes and hearts to the wisdom all around us. Wherever you draw energy and inspiration from, take notes. After realizing these lessons I could take away with me, I may be spending more time in the chicken coop with a pen and paper.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">Linked at <a href="http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/2012/11/fall-harvest-link-up-party.html" target="_blank">Fresh Eggs Daily's Fall Harvest Link Up Party</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-57240724704598046412012-10-28T19:33:00.000-07:002013-01-09T08:17:11.079-08:00Pumpkin Muffins for All<div>
It's hard for me to believe that I've only been a "chicken mom" for 5 months now. It seems like they have been a part of our lives for much longer and they certainly have found their way into my heart quickly with their unique personalities and comical behavior. Maybe that's why I'm a little nutty about tweaking traditional recipes for their tastes and needs. Admittedly, it's not exactly normal for me to prepare something for us to eat and think of what substitutions could be made so it would suit the chickens diet.<br />
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Never the less, while making pumpkin cream cheese muffins for my husband (the pumpkin lover of the household), it wasn't all that difficult for me to modify the ingredients and end up with a tasty treat for the flock. Both versions mixed together very quickly, baked up in no time to golden brown and got the seal of approval of the family. I used convenience items but I will include some links for those who are a bit more hands on than I was feeling that day and would like to truly get a more "from scratch" type of recipe. Here we go!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-278v7iXrAhg/UI3oIPeFueI/AAAAAAAACMs/BXIi4HmQIq4/s1600/edit+muffin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-278v7iXrAhg/UI3oIPeFueI/AAAAAAAACMs/BXIi4HmQIq4/s640/edit+muffin.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins</span></b></td></tr>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (for humans)</span></u></b></div>
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<b> </b><i>Batter Ingredients</i></div>
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<ul>
<li>1 1/2 c. all purpose flour</li>
<li>3/4 c. cornmeal</li>
<li>1/2 c. sugar</li>
<li>3 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice (more/less to personal taste)</li>
<li>2 eggs (lightly beaten)</li>
<li>1 c. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)</li>
<li>2/3 c. buttermilk</li>
<li>2 tbsp. applesauce</li>
<li>8 oz. cream cheese (original or any flavor you prefer)</li>
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<i> Topping Ingredients</i></div>
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<ul>
<li>6 tbsp brown sugar (packed)</li>
<li>2 tbsp butter (melted)</li>
<li>2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds (chopped) <b>OR</b> 2 c. old fashioned oats</li>
<li>2 tsp all purpose flour</li>
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<li>Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit</li>
<li>In a large bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice until blended.</li>
<li>In another bowl add lightly beaten eggs, pumpkin, buttermilk and applesauce. Mix together until blended.</li>
<li>Add wet and dry ingredients together and mix well. Stir in cream cheese (I chose honey nut flavor, but original or any flavor you like would work) and combine with batter mixture.</li>
<li>Line muffin pan with liners and a light spray of non-stick cooking spray. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full of batter.</li>
<li>In a small bowl combine the topping ingredients and mix until crumbly. If you like pumpkin seeds, please use them - otherwise you can use old fashioned oats in their place. (My daughter didn't care for the somewhat chewy texture of the seeds, which is why I did an alternate version)</li>
<li>Sprinkle crumbly topping on the tops of the muffins.</li>
<li>Bake for 15-20 minutes, until muffins are a beautiful golden (somewhat orange) brown and they pass the "toothpick test".</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EdwM9gOhedc/UI3ifvTTAPI/AAAAAAAACMM/6N0Qqcfi0fw/s1600/edit+muffin+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EdwM9gOhedc/UI3ifvTTAPI/AAAAAAAACMM/6N0Qqcfi0fw/s640/edit+muffin+2.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Pumpkin Oat Muffins for Chickens</span></b></td></tr>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Pumpkin Oat Muffins (for Chickens)</span></u></b></div>
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<b> </b><i>Batter Ingredients</i></div>
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<ul>
<li>1 c. all purpose flour</li>
<li>3/4 c. cornmeal</li>
<li>3 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>1/2.c old fashioned oats</li>
<li>1/2 c. wheat germ with flax seed</li>
<li>1 1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice</li>
<li>1 c. whole roasted pumpkin seeds</li>
<li>3/4 c. golden raisins</li>
<li>1 1/4 c. pumpkin</li>
<li>2 eggs (lightly beaten)</li>
<li>1 1/4 c. applesauce</li>
</ul>
<i>Topping Ingredients</i></div>
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<ul>
<li>6 tbsp brown sugar (packed)</li>
<li>2 tbsp butter (melted)</li>
<li>2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds (chopped) <b>OR</b> 2 c. old fashioned oats</li>
<li>2 tsp all purpose flour</li>
</ul>
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<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit</li>
<li>In a large bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, wheat germ, baking powder, oats, seeds, raisins and pumpkin pie spice until blended.</li>
<li>Into the large bowl add lightly beaten eggs, pumpkin and applesauce. That's right - dump it right on top! Mix together until blended.</li>
<li>Add wet and dry ingredients together and mix well. </li>
<li>Spray muffin tins with a light spray of non-stick cooking spray. (Line with liners if you choose, but I haven't been. They don't mind the slightly chewy bottoms and lets face it...peeling off that paper only slows you down when you've got beggars at your feet!)</li>
<li>Fill muffin cups about 1/2 - 3/4 full of batter.</li>
<li>In a small bowl combine the topping ingredients and mix until crumbly. You can use either the chopped pumpkin seeds or the old fashioned oats. I encourage the seeds. The chickens LOVE them!</li>
<li>Sprinkle crumbly topping on the tops of the muffins.</li>
<li>Bake for 15-20 minutes, until muffins are a beautiful golden (somewhat orange) brown and they pass the "toothpick test".</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-85Hfm8nOaOM/UI3pvuJ_4YI/AAAAAAAACM0/I85pr36U7XU/s1600/Pumpkin+Muffins3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-85Hfm8nOaOM/UI3pvuJ_4YI/AAAAAAAACM0/I85pr36U7XU/s640/Pumpkin+Muffins3.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Can <i>you</i> tell the difference?</span></b><br />
<i>in both photos: Human version on right, Chicken version on left</i></td></tr>
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I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't try both versions. The version for people has a light flavor, hardly overpowering and doesn't make you feel gluttonously full like my <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/2012/09/apple-pie-muffins-for-family-and-flock.html" target="_blank">apple pie muffins</a> do! The chicken's treat isn't bad at all. I would actually eat them that way! They are slightly denser, but not at all dry or mealy. Aside from the big pieces of pumpkin seed and raisins hiding in the batter, I'd say that the recipes essentially have the same flavor.</div>
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<b><i><u>Before I forget, those links I promised!</u></i> </b> The links will take you to blogs that will explain how to process your own pumpkin, roast your own pumpkin seeds, make your own pumpkin pie spice, make homemade butter and three amazing ways to can your own applesauce. These are care of some of the amazing women over at <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Farm Chick Chit Chat</a> who blog all things homesteading, homeschooling, farming, living and loving the land we have - no matter how big or small the plot. I encourage you to look through their blogs. They are a constant source of encouragement to me and you couldn't ask for a more grounded, friendly group of bloggers. Love you ladies! :)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0RlOw8Sulrk/UI3l3afx42I/AAAAAAAACMk/FLWii8-fa5s/s1600/FarmChickChitChat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0RlOw8Sulrk/UI3l3afx42I/AAAAAAAACMk/FLWii8-fa5s/s200/FarmChickChitChat.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Visit Farm Chick Chit Chat</a></td></tr>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://radishgirlthyme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Radish Girl Thyme</a> shows us how to <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/2012/10/processing-pumpkin.html" target="_blank">process our own pumpkin</a> in a few easy steps</li>
<li><a href="http://radishgirlthyme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Radish Girl Thyme</a> also shows us how to <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/2012/10/roasted-pumpkin-seeds.html" target="_blank">roast our own pumpkin seeds</a> for snacking</li>
<li><a href="http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fresh Eggs Daily</a> saves you a trip to the store by showing you how to <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/2012/10/make-your-own-pumpkin-pie-spice_2.html" target="_blank">mix your own pumpkin pie spice</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blackfoxhomestead.com/" target="_blank">Black Fox Homestead</a> shows us <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/2012/08/homemade-butter.html" target="_blank">making homemade butter</a> couldn't be better</li>
<li><a href="http://maplegroveplace.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Maple Grove</a> brings us a <a href="http://maplegroveplace.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-sweetest-applesauce.html" target="_blank">canned applesauce</a> recipe that doesn't add sugar</li>
<li><a href="http://everythinghomewithcarol.com/" target="_blank">Everything Home with Carol</a> shares a trade secret with us for <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/2012/10/how-to-make-and-can-applesauce.html" target="_blank">making and canning applesauce</a></li>
<li><a href="http://timbercreekfarm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Timber Creek Farm</a> tells us about her recipe and cherished childhood memories of <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/2012/09/applesauce-yes-please.html" target="_blank">homemade applesauce</a></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QnLf02JarpA/UI3WSSGIqDI/AAAAAAAACLU/CiQ9TR0rRiQ/s1600/%25255BUNSET%25255D-024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QnLf02JarpA/UI3WSSGIqDI/AAAAAAAACLU/CiQ9TR0rRiQ/s640/%25255BUNSET%25255D-024.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Madame Mim grabs a bite to go</b></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Of course...</span></b></div>
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I would never dream of ending a blog posting without pictures of the flock enjoying their treats. Some of my pictures were sabotaged by one Minnie, our Plymouth Barred Rock. She's perfecting the art of the photo bomb! Still, too cute not to share them. Enjoy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7x3VhM_GAI/UI3j4GSzsxI/AAAAAAAACMU/MN5VQziVfrs/s1600/edit+muffin+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7x3VhM_GAI/UI3j4GSzsxI/AAAAAAAACMU/MN5VQziVfrs/s640/edit+muffin+3.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>our girls eating their freshly baked goodies</b></span></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-1498395775269598452012-09-19T09:12:00.000-07:002013-01-09T08:16:26.477-08:00Apple Pie Muffins: for Family and FlockEarlier this week on <a href="http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b>Farm Chick Chit Chat</b></a>, some inspiring bloggers had a showdown of the most delicious kind: Apple Pie Bake Off. It started my mind (and my stomach) working on how I could possibly make something as wonderful as they had, but still find a way to share it with my chickens. As of late, I've really enjoyed taking recipes and tweaking them so they are not only safe, but nutritious and tasty treats for the girls! But there is just no way I could do a traditional apple pie. I fail at pie crust. Even the store bought kind. I normally wait around until my mother-in-law makes her FABULOUS dutch apple pie for holiday gatherings, which satisfies my sweet tooth but that isn't going to help me with an apple themed blog post. What's a girl to do? Well, how about some apple pie muffins?<br />
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I wouldn't be a very good wife and mother if I forgot the family inside the house, so my first step was making a human batch of these individual sized desserts. Here are the ingredients you need and steps to make your non-feathered family these yummy Apple Pie Muffins.</div>
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<b> <u>Muffin Ingredients</u></b></div>
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<li style="text-align: left;">2 1/4 c. all purpose flour</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 tsp baking soda</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">a pinch of salt</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 egg</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 1/3 c. buttermilk</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1/2 c. butter, melted</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 tsp vanilla</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 tsp nutmeg</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 tsp cinnamon</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">3 c. diced apples (I used Jonathan, but use whatever variety you prefer)</li>
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<b><u>Crumble Topping</u></b></div>
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<ul>
<li>1/2 c. brown sugar, packed</li>
<li>1/3 c. all purpose flour</li>
<li>1 tsp cinnamon</li>
<li>3 tbsp butter, melted</li>
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<li>Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, mix 2 1/4 c. flour, 1 tsp baking soda and a pinch of salt.</li>
<li>In a medium sized bowl, mix together 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 1/2 c. brown sugar. Once combined, slowly stir in 1 1/3 c. buttermilk and 1/2 c. melted butter.</li>
<li>Gradually add your wet mixture to your larger bowl, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to prevent dry clumps at the bottom.</li>
<li>Stir 3 c. diced apples into the large bowl.</li>
<li>In a small bowl, combine 1/2 c. brown sugar, 1/3 c. flour, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Slowly mix in 3 tbsp melted butter with a fork until mixture is crumbly.</li>
<li>Line muffin tins with heavy duty liners (trust me on this) and give them a light spray of non-stick cooking spray.</li>
<li>Fill muffin tins full to the top. Add crumble topping and very gently press the topping down just enough to keep it from spilling off.</li>
<li>Bake for 25-30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool for about 15 minutes in the pan before transferring the muffins to a rack to cool completely.</li>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">My family really loved them and even though I'm on a diet right now, I admit I had to indulge in one! The apples were just tart enough to let their flavor stand out and the muffins were very moist. If you really wanted to, you could add in some more diced apples, however I chose not to because I didn't want the muffin to become even heavier. It is a heavier muffin as it is, so don't expect that you'll sit down to eat two or three at a time! Though maybe one warmed up, served with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream...</span></div>
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Back to the recipe! <i><u>Here is my modification I made for my chickens.</u></i> Yes, they deserve dessert too.</div>
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<b><u>Muffin Ingredients</u></b></div>
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<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 c. all purpose flour</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 c. oats</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1/2 c. chicken feed (any brand is fine, but I use <a href="http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/2012/07/new-and-improved-breakfast-of-champion.html" target="_blank">Fresh Eggs Daily's Breakfast of Champions</a> mix)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">2 tbsp. wheat germ with flax seed</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 tsp baking soda</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 egg</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 1/3 c. buttermilk</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1/2 c. butter, melted</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 tsp vanilla</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 tsp nutmeg</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 tsp cinnamon</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">3 c. diced apples (I used Jonathan, but use whatever variety you prefer)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">2 c. craisins</li>
</ul>
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<b><u>Crumble Topping</u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li>1/2 c. brown sugar, packed</li>
<li>1/3 c. oats</li>
<li>1 tsp cinnamon</li>
<li>3 tbsp butter, melted</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pLiAQGe4vL8/UFkbwDr8c7I/AAAAAAAAB9U/rm38eZ5kj0g/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pLiAQGe4vL8/UFkbwDr8c7I/AAAAAAAAB9U/rm38eZ5kj0g/s320/%255BUNSET%255D" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, mix 1 c. flour, 1 c. oats, 1/2 c. chicken feed, 2 tbsp wheat germ with flax seed, and 1 tsp baking soda.</li>
<li>In a medium sized bowl, mix together 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 1/2 c. brown sugar. Once combined, slowly stir in 1 1/3 c. buttermilk and 1/2 c. melted butter.</li>
<li>Gradually add your wet mixture to your larger bowl, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to prevent dry clumps at the bottom.</li>
<li>Stir 3 c. diced apples and 2 c. craisins into the large bowl.</li>
<li>In a small bowl, combine 1/2 c. brown sugar, 1/3 c. oats, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Slowly mix in 3 tbsp melted butter with a fork until mixture is crumbly.</li>
<li>Line muffin tins with heavy duty liners (trust me on this) and give them a light spray of non-stick cooking spray.</li>
<li>Fill muffin tins full to the top. Add crumble topping and very gently press the topping down just enough to keep it from spilling off.</li>
<li>Bake for 25-30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool for about 15 minutes in the pan before transferring the muffins to a rack to cool completely.</li>
</ol>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_auNKcUSanw/UFmyI-6xqCI/AAAAAAAAB-c/YOiyc_t1xCU/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_auNKcUSanw/UFmyI-6xqCI/AAAAAAAAB-c/YOiyc_t1xCU/s320/%255BUNSET%255D" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Chicken Version</b></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M2aayrvkwpo/UFmyEgFqhII/AAAAAAAAB-E/vpM1PE7nMZg/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M2aayrvkwpo/UFmyEgFqhII/AAAAAAAAB-E/vpM1PE7nMZg/s320/%255BUNSET%255D" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Human Version</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Was the original version ok for the chickens? Sure it was, but I'd like to think that by removing some of the excess flour and adding in good-for-them things like oats, wheat germ, flax seed and chicken feed that they are benefiting from the recipe tweak. My flock loves craisins so I couldn't resist mixing them in, although you certainly don't have to. Feel free to mix in whatever goodies your girls (and boys) love! Maybe some nuts? Diced carrot? Shredded zucchini? Let me know what you come up with!</span></div>
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In case you wondered, this recipe is whole heartedly endorsed by my chicks. With very few exceptions have I ever seen them eat something with such excitement! They were making the most adorable little contented clucking noises and scrambling around to find the biggest muffin chunks they could spy. After they cleaned up every last crumb, they came over to me and began their big eyed pleading for more. You know the look: head tilted to one side, one eye keenly focused on you, a little questioning clucking breaking their intense stare. With reactions like that, I'll be sure to fire my oven up every now and again.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ym6ZuBBv9pQ/UFnkzyDMIyI/AAAAAAAACAI/tyRwvo993Q4/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ym6ZuBBv9pQ/UFnkzyDMIyI/AAAAAAAACAI/tyRwvo993Q4/s320/%255BUNSET%255D" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Four of the girls dig in</b></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h4qWnEuXFtQ/UFnk27axEmI/AAAAAAAACAQ/J-S4kOJ5SOs/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h4qWnEuXFtQ/UFnk27axEmI/AAAAAAAACAQ/J-S4kOJ5SOs/s320/%255BUNSET%255D" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Boo and Fifi spy an apple chunk at the same time</b></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-34553401955259023022012-08-29T12:55:00.000-07:002013-01-09T08:18:36.259-08:00Clicker Chick: Introduction to Clicker Training a Chicken<br />
You didn't misread
that. I really said ‘clicker
training a chicken’ just now. You may be
familiar with the concept of clicker training a dog, as the training method has
really taken off in the last decade. But
the connection to a well trained Fido and your backyard flock isn't that far
apart!<br />
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For those of you who don’t know, or would like to become
more familiar with the training method, here are the very bare bones basics in
a nutshell. Clicker training is a term
for a variation in operant conditioning, a method of modifying behavior so that
an action is specifically linked to a positive (or negative) feeling/sensation
so as to increase (or decrease) the likelihood of being repeated. This is not to be confused with classical
conditioning, another method of modifying behavior so that a formerly neutral
stimulus becomes coupled with a desired behavior after repetitive exposure to
the unconditioned stimulus eliciting a desired response. Confused?
Let’s give a few examples.</div>
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<b><u>Positive Operant Conditioning:</u></b></div>
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The dog sits. Clicker
noise sounds. Dog receives treat. Repeat.
Dog associates: Sit + Click = Treat. The dog learns over repetition and keeps
working to get more clicks/treats.</div>
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<b><u>Negative Operant Conditioning:</u></b></div>
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You install an invisible fence to your property, complete
with those adorable yard flags, and equip Fido with a collar. Fido see’s a squirrel on the neighbor’s
property and decides to eradicate it for them.
He hits the property line and receives a shock. Repeat situations may occur. Dog associates: Running off the property +
Electric shock = Do not leave yard. The
dog learns the consequences of leaving his yard and, in the owners hopes, does
not attempt to roam again. (don’t ask me
my opinion/experience with invisible fences though…that’s a whole other
matter!)</div>
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<b><u>Positive Classical Conditioning:</u></b></div>
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Think Pavlov’s dogs, a study with amazing results that never
intended to go that way! A very
condensed version of his study on the salivary reactions of dogs showed the
following results. When the dogs were
provided a neutral stimulus (a bell ringing) before a positive response to that
occurred (being fed), in time the dogs began to drool simply by hearing the
bell ring. They learned: Bell = Food.
They anticipated a positive response from a formerly neutral stimulus
due to their exposure/experiences.</div>
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<b><u>Negative Classical Conditioning:</u></b></div>
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Do you know a dog who is terrified of thunderstorms? Essentially, they have classically
conditioned themselves to be afraid of thunderstorms. They experience a thunderstorm to a higher
degree than we do; sights, smells and sounds are greatly magnified – and super
scary! If they have a close enough bond
with a human who is afraid of storms, they can even pick up their emotions as
well. So they may begin to associate
something, like the roll of thunder (or similar sounding noise) or a flash of
lightening (or similar visual) with an impending storm. They learn:
Sound/Visual = long, scary storm is coming. Before you know it they are cowering in the
corner of your closet.</div>
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<b><i> Summing that Up:</i></b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Operant Conditioning:
Repeated Behavior + Repeated Reinforcement (click) = Repeated Action</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Classical Conditioning:
Repeated Action = Repeated Experience/Perception + Repeated New Behavior</li>
</ul>
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So how does this apply to chickens, you ask? A group of people who innovated the very
study and concepts of Operant Conditioning made astonishing breakthroughs
training – wait for it – chickens! B.F. Skinner, Keller Breland and Marian
Breland-Bailey (and all those who followed in their esteemed footsteps) applied
the methods of operant conditioning with many species of animals, but they
perfected their skills on chickens.
Why? We’ve all seen just how
quickly a chicken can move. We have also
witnessed how quickly they can grow tired of something and have an attention
span shift to something else. These
animals are perfect for training a person’s response time and ability, not to
mention that the treat hungry species is nearly always willing to work for
food!</div>
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Chickens were so successful in their training program that they became part of a traveling show in which they showcased their tricks and abilities. The birds would do simple tasks like pecking a target, all the way up to far more sophisticated things like walking a tightrope, doing ‘treasure hunts’, playing a baseball-like game, turning on a jukebox and dancing, and playing the piano! Now I have a question for you. Don’t <i>YOU</i> want a chicken that plays the piano?
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OCgANAz-Jgo/UD4gePRsg_I/AAAAAAAAB04/1FRfhrx_JNA/s1600/calculator3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OCgANAz-Jgo/UD4gePRsg_I/AAAAAAAAB04/1FRfhrx_JNA/s320/calculator3.jpg" height="252" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>This "Clucking Calculator" could answer a mathematical question for which the solution was a number 0-5</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQQ7lvIat-c/UD4g0VLdaxI/AAAAAAAAB1A/TJqsNO8EpTI/s1600/casey4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQQ7lvIat-c/UD4g0VLdaxI/AAAAAAAAB1A/TJqsNO8EpTI/s320/casey4.jpg" height="320" width="254" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Casey and her team were all big hits at the animal shows</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IIcBekwSufk/UD4g2xTKDFI/AAAAAAAAB1I/aRO1pk_p6_g/s1600/chickclerk2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IIcBekwSufk/UD4g2xTKDFI/AAAAAAAAB1I/aRO1pk_p6_g/s400/chickclerk2.jpg" height="252" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NfMFO4eUNp4/UD4g3kyrqYI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/JkxCHLBudOk/s1600/chickclerk4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NfMFO4eUNp4/UD4g3kyrqYI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/JkxCHLBudOk/s320/chickclerk4.JPG" height="320" width="224" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> People could have their "fortunes" read by the chickens</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6TnR1CQdgmQ/UD4g4-x1c1I/AAAAAAAAB1Y/Hm-qO38uYxs/s1600/driver1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6TnR1CQdgmQ/UD4g4-x1c1I/AAAAAAAAB1Y/Hm-qO38uYxs/s320/driver1.jpg" height="320" width="303" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Tina the Truck Driving Chicken was another big star</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(I've got to show support for another Tina!)</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TbKtUjkY0sg/UD4g7JkrjeI/AAAAAAAAB1o/NqJr3ACKKPg/s1600/henrope1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TbKtUjkY0sg/UD4g7JkrjeI/AAAAAAAAB1o/NqJr3ACKKPg/s320/henrope1.jpg" height="253" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>In the Show, chickens defied death, ok...maybe just very small heights</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iQAMlRqVG04/UD4g8ySavmI/AAAAAAAAB1w/s2dlppX3Rd0/s1600/piano6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iQAMlRqVG04/UD4g8ySavmI/AAAAAAAAB1w/s2dlppX3Rd0/s320/piano6.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">A Barred Rock beauty rocks out</span></b></div>
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Now that you have an idea where I’m coming from, you’ll see
that I’m not (completely) mad when I aspire to have a few clicker chicks in my
flock. Where do I go from here? I’ve begun my training with the chicks and I
will blog about our progress to let you know how it is going. I’ll share our experiences and let you know
how I’ve strategized a training plan for them, and for myself. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that it
works. I can already picture myself
being serenaded to Bach by a Barred Rock!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw8_Yy4ZrdSpI6EO6J2v4tPoW2j_EKXfcc25leGCW3CxylwPXS1eNplq-1lDX814sqAvnm0yLdQ0-d7nZ-I-g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Check out the Dancing Chicken!</b></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzIdt7m1yXjj5Rp4qgvO0Tw2Ym9BcLROSuaswlQzD1E6bToI_JmqKXkQxjK7U1H31aPMUnbR8hgrw2A6JLLog' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Home Run, Casey!</b></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwegRDgRYwuhrT8jNr9eVeeifQNh5uVypyP4z7ug51zHi5WLsvT98Gq3NHoWKtgMcAa29wUJ5HphN1dRC2a' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Nobody Drives like Tina the Chicken!</b></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyHpKqmvWslRtPtIBUHyYjlqSRPFhChila3zqDqpN5vvvO2VO0rt5xQC4qp5PY1sWh5mCk_cM8V6KFRxBcU-w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>An animal run newspaper? It could happen!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>**Photo and Videos from: <a href="http://www3.uca.edu/iqzoo/iqzoo.htm" target="_blank">IQ Zoo</a>**</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Click on their Exhibit's page to see more photo's and video of incredible animals talents</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I dare you to visit and not smile!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Disclaimer: I am not a training professional. I have experience and have the desire to learn more and do more, that is all. I recognize the terms I highlighted above (operant and classical conditioning) are far more complex than I explained. These are simply brief explanations of the behavior modification systems that I have provided. I encourage anyone who is interested in learning more to do some research and read up on these fascinating subjects. (I'd be happy to recommend some wonderful books!) For a <b>wonderful</b> article on clicker training concepts, please visit <a href="http://stalecheerios.com/blog/science-and-research/clicker-training/" target="_blank">What is Clicker Training</a> by Mary Hunter of the awesome animal behavior blog <a href="http://stalecheerios.com/blog/" target="_blank">Stale Cheerios</a>.</i></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-37885484130444652122012-08-28T14:38:00.000-07:002013-01-09T08:19:47.083-08:00Getting Started (kick starting this blog!)I've neglected writing this blog, as I hoped I would do along the way. Better late than never comes my new start to this, so here we go...<br />
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Where exactly do I start with "Getting Started?" It's hard for me to know exactly. Maybe I should tell you about the coop we planned on rebuilding? Perhaps I should tell you about the chicks I ordered and picked up late this spring. Instead, I will start with my impression of chickens prior to my research bonanza these last few months.<br />
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Chickens were a subject that had been brought up by my husband, Mike, more than a few times. He had been raised on a little farm, brought up to be self sufficient and knew how to both work with and reap the benefits of livestock. Besides cattle and goats, he had been raised around a variety of different chickens - though he says he would be hard pressed to tell you what kinds they were. Instead he remembers their names and personalities with a smile. Pizza, his brothers favorite chicken, who could (and often would) find a place up high to fly and perch. It was nothing to look up in tree tops or on the peak of the barn roof and find Pizza up there. I think my husband's favorite was a little chicken with the crossbeak. She made herself quite memorable with her comical nature and unique look. He can rattle off at least a dozen names of the little feathered friends that graced his childhood and says that he liked them all.<br />
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My experiences were much less warm and fuzzy. The only chickens I knew came in 4 different ways: the silkie chickens at the horse barn who were more like little fuzzy cats who squawked and protested when touched. Then there were the chickens allowed to free range, who often wandered out into the country roads I travel. A honk of the horn would send them skittering back onto their property for safety and left me driving on with my heart in my throat. Never forgotten is the chicken I knew indirectly; the one that attacked my sister. Yes, while she was house sitting, she went out to do the requested feeding duties asked of her only to be thanked by a decent sized Leghorn rooster slicing and dicing her back. The fourth kind of chicken I knew, and was most familiar with, came on my dinner plate.<br />
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After repeated requests by my husband, my then 7 year old daughter decided to jump on the bandwagon. She had just started her second year as a 4-H Cloverbud and we were reviewing the potential projects she could do next year. Without any hesitation, she said she wanted a chicken. Outnumbered and slighty discouraged, I began my research. We decided that we should all have some experience under our belts before she would take a bird to show at fair next summer, so our best bet was to get some chicks this spring and get used to handling them, caring for them and (gulp) bonding with them.<br />
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Several books, multiple magazines, websites galore and a friendly facebook group (hello FED!!!) or two later, I feel a bit more educated and comfortable with the idea of chickens in our backyard. I read up on the different breeds and made a list of those said to be friendly and easily handled. From that list, each of us selected 3 breeds each of pullets (female chicks) that I would order from Meyer Hatchery, a nearby hatchery, in early June. The lineup is as follows:<br />
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<b> </b><u><b>Meredith's Picks</b></u> </div>
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<i> (my daughter)</i></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Silver Laced Wyandotte</li>
<li>Red Speckled Sussex</li>
<li>Wellsummer</li>
</ul>
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<u><b>Mike's Picks</b></u> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i> (my husband)</i></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Rhode Island Red</li>
<li>Partridge Rock</li>
<li>Barred Rock</li>
</ul>
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<b> </b><u><b>My Picks</b></u></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Orpington</li>
<li>Ameraucana/Easter Egger</li>
<li>Australorp </li>
</ul>
It seems like a decent group. At maturity, we'll have a nice range of colors and personalities - not to mention a nice group of egg layers. No, we will not be using any of the girls for meat purposes. I just don't think I'm at that point. Maybe in another year we will be able to get a few for meat, but I could already see how that would play out with Meredith and I. Mike would have two hysterical females sitting in the dirt, sobbing, while rocking armfuls of chickens. Our first batch of chick's put to the knife? Forget about it! They are keepers!<br />
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Now for the coop we planned on refurbishing...yep, it's not really pretty. That was my very first impression. So I was relieved when my husband came in after a few hours of work outside and decided that the refurbished coop plan was no more. Instead, he agreed to a collaboration of our ideas - of course, he scaled mine down a considerable amount. He said the chickens couldn't have a bigger house than we do. Sheesh! My husband is about the handiest guy you could ever meet and I have zero doubts in my mind that he'll make the plans we agreed upon come to life. Granted, it won't be the white washed, gable roofed dream I'd envision...but it will serve quite nicely for start. I planned on keeping a photo journal of the progress made but it turns out that was a bit more tricky than I'd expected. It's hard to work and hold a camera!<br />
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The coop is finished and I couldn't be more pleased with it...unless of course it came on a bigger plot of land and doubled in size. The little fuzzies that we picked up on June 4 are all growing up now into varying shades of the birds I'd read they would become. That is another post for another time. I've got a few more weeks of chicken ownership under my belt now and I'm a bit more at ease. I still have a lot more to learn and questions arise with each new behavior or antic I witness. It is just so very fortunate that I have found some good, knowledgeable friends that are willing to share their advice and adventures with a newbie like me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-56922885549581871902012-08-06T13:20:00.001-07:002013-01-09T08:21:11.395-08:00Homemade Treats for ChickensEveryone loves homemade goodies. Be it a good old fashioned meal made from scratch, or a sweet cake, pie, cookies or my personal favorite - brownies. You just can't beat the smell that fills up your house and the sweet taste of satisfaction when the job is done right.<br />
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I've been admiring people who make such wondrous creations for their birds. Prior to this I'd tried a very well loved and flock endorsed meatloaf recipe from the Facebook page and blog of <a href="http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fresh Eggs Daily</a>. Lisa's <a href="http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/2012/07/molt-meatloaf.html" target="_blank">molt meatloaf</a> was such a success that I decided to try to throw together a recipe of my own. As follows are the results of that adventure: Homemade Chicken Treat Balls. (see pictures below)<br />
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1 cup crumbles </div>
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½ cup cornmeal</div>
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½ cup wheat germ </div>
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2 cups oats</div>
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1 tbsp cinnamon </div>
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1 tbsp powdered milk</div>
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½ tsp baking powder </div>
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½ tsp nutmeg</div>
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½ cup honey </div>
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½ cup natural unsweetened applesauce</div>
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1 tbsp molasses </div>
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1 tsp vanilla</div>
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1 tbsp water </div>
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1 egg</div>
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½ cup raisins </div>
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½ cup craisins</div>
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½ cup shelled roasted sunflower seeds</div>
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Preheat oven to 330 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix all ingredients together in a large
bowl. Firmly press full the scoop of an
ice cream scooper with your hand. Place
on a greased cookie sheet.
(Alternatively, can be pressed into a muffin tin instead of balling with
an ice cream scooper onto a cookie sheet.)
Bake for 40 minutes. Allow to
cool and harden or crumble into smaller pieces while still slightly warm.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dry Ingredients</b></span><br />
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<b> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Wet Ingredients</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Raisins, Craisins and Sunflower Seeds</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mix It Up</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Scoop It</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bake It</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">Cool It</span> </b></span><br />
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<b style="font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b>
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<b style="font-size: xx-large; text-align: left;">Enjoy!</b></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Vixey says</span> <i>"Got any more?!"</i></b>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-81134693273749260452012-06-16T08:42:00.000-07:002013-01-09T08:23:40.594-08:00What's in a Name?<div>
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Oh, what a week it's been! Dozens of runs back and forth into the coop, all hours of the day and night. Stressing over one case of pasty butt and one chick bullied into despondency. It goes without saying, it's a major relief to say that all the chicks are alive and well!<br />
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I am also very pleased to announce our chicks have been breed identified, thanks to the help of <b>Lisa Steele</b> of <b><a href="http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fresh Eggs Daily</a></b><i> (gratuitous blog/facebook/pinterest shout out!!!)</i> and the knowledgeable <b>Catherine Alderman</b>. Knowing who is who left the door wide open for the fun part: naming!<br />
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The last entry, I introduced you to Kevin; the White Crested Black Polish chick named after the girl-bird-first-believed-to-be-a-boy in the Disney/Pixar movie Up. Kevin still remains very distinguishable, both in looks and personality. She is a sweet, calm, timid girl.<br />
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Being that Kevin had a name associated with one of my daughter's (and admittedly, mine as well) favorite movies, we decided to make that a theme with naming the rest. Hence, we ended up with a near dozen birds named from favorite Disney/Pixar movies. Ready to officially meet the rest of the gang?</div>
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<b> White Leg Band</b></div>
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The tiny black colored chick with the white leg band has been identified as our Australorp. She has proven herself to be quite spunky and, despite her size, a force to be reckoned with. She makes sure others don't push her around and her little chirp has become distinguishable to me, almost reprimanding the rest of the group. What better Disney name to give this soon to be very large sized black hen who has a controlling nature? Meet Ursula, named after the sea witch in the Little Mermaid.</div>
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<b>Yellow Leg Band</b></div>
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I suspected that this was our Barred Rock and the experts agreed! From the first minute out of the box and into the brooder, she has shown herself to be a very cheerful and sweet natured girl. One of the leaders, she is always right there in the thick of things, seeming to supervise and oversee the on goings of her sisters. The name she earned needed to fit her kind spirit and her classic leader status. Meet Minnie, after the iconic Minnie Mouse.</div>
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<b>Black Leg Band</b></div>
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The colors on our little black leg bander were very striking, but offered me zero clues as to her breed. Thankfully they made perfect sense to the trained eyes looking at her and she was identified as our Silver Laced Wyandotte. Talk about a tiny powerhouse! This little squirt has such an energy about her. She isn't afraid to stand up for herself and scramble for treats, and runs around with the biggest chicks in the brooder. She has been our slowest grower and still looks just as tiny as her first day home. Anyone who's seen the Monster's Inc movie knows that the name Boo is a perfect fit for this energetic little gal!</div>
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<b>Green Leg Band</b></div>
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Ah, one of the chipmunk girls! These two have proved to be quite the challenge in determining who is who. If not for the leg bands, I would probably still struggle to decide on them without a serious stare down! Lo and behold, differences WERE distinguishable between the two by someone who knew what they were looking for. This young one turns out to be our Speckled Sussex, who will feather out into a gorgeous reddish brown speckled (natch) with white spots and tips. She carries herself with a quiet grace and seems to high step around the brooder like a supermodel with a leggy stride. We couldn't resist naming her something fun and deserving of such a beautiful girl. (try as I could, I couldn't justify naming her and her look alike Chipette and Dalene) Meet Fifi, named after the charming and flirtatious feather duster in Beauty and the Beast.</div>
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Orange Leg Band</span></b></div>
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The second half of the puzzling duo has been identified as our Welsummer chick. While she may be a doppelganger for the green banded chick, their personalities are night and day! Bold, brave and a leader by nature, this one isn't afraid to be the first one to explore a new item in the brooder. She's the first one to try a new treat, and much to my husband's chagrin, she was the first one to learn how to roost and hop up on top of the Eco Glow brooder. I'm certain she'll mastermind a jailbreak from the brooder any day now. Her never-can-be-tamed spirit deserves a name of a like minded heroine. Meet Belle, named after the strong willed young woman from Beauty and the Beast.</div>
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<b>Blue Leg Band</b></div>
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This dark little chick has been tiny, adorable and elusive from the get go. Maybe it was her multiple cleanings (pasty butt) that made her learn how to scramble into corners unreachable or dart out of my closing hand at the last minute, but she's learned to be slippery as a fox! That dark feathering showed our expert that this was the little Partridge Rock, who will mature to similar deep shades of reddish brown. Given that, and her ability to skate away from impending danger (me, poised above her with warm water and a cotton ball) earned her the name Vixey. The female fox from the movie Fox and the Hound seemed like a perfect fit for her.</div>
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<b>Purple Leg Band</b></div>
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It was hard to imagine this vivid red feathered bird being any other breed. I mean, truly - could her auburn plume really be that of any other? I think not. Our Rhode Island Red has made herself abundantly clear. She is a wonderful little girl who is very sweet and likes to cuddle up with the others. She is definitely a congenial bird! What to name social redhead? Meet Ariel, named after the ultra friendly mermaid in The Little Mermaid.</div>
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<b>Pink Leg Band</b></div>
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Having no chicken experience, save reading a decent amount of books, blogs and gaining friendly facebook advice, I knew enough to take a guess at her breed. Really, who could deny those cheeks? Our little Easter Egger had the adorable face fluffies that their mix is known for! This fuzzy gal is really a hoot! She often has a string of chicks following her around and they seem to come at her beck and call...er, peep. And let's not get started on that style of hers! She is constantly preening and fluffing herself up, clearly proud of the sheer volume in her feathers that the others just cannot match. A name for a girl who loves the spotlight, legions of followers and takes vanity to a whole new level? Meet Georgette, named for the prissy poodle from the movie Oliver & Co.</div>
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<b>Brown Leg Band</b></div>
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This little girl was easier for me to make a guess at her breed as well. Why? For starters, she was thankfully a solid color - no markings to throw me off. Only one chick I ordered fit this description. This had to be our Buff Orpington! Turns out, I was right. She has been a good girl, happy to flit around the brooder and run with all the little groups that formed. Everyone seemed to like and respect her. She never was pushed out of the feed or water. And those blond locks sealed the deal on her name, most certainly. Meet Tinkerbell, named after the fiesty fairy from the movie Peter Pan...and subsequently has spawned off several films of her own. Go Tink!</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Here is where things got tricky...</span></i></div>
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I had mentioned above that one chick had been bullied into despondency. That would be our docile, simple but sweet natured girl Kevin. She just didn't have much backbone to stick up for herself, so when the others got too pushy, she got spooked and secluded herself from the group. No blood was shed in their pecking order struggle (I would have separated Kev from the bunch had it come to that). All injuries were strictly pride and ego injuries. I hated seeing her eating by herself, drinking by herself, exploring by herself, curled up by herself sleeping when all the others seemed to be fitting seamlessly into their newly established roles. I had to do something.</div>
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After consulting with some trusted chicken-loving folks, I decided that Kev needed another polish friend. (more shameless shout out's to <b>Kristin Weismiller</b> of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/2LlamaDrama" target="_blank">Two Llamas and a Whole Lotta Drama</a> and <b>Jess</b> at <a href="http://www.meyerhatchery.com/" target="_blank">Meyer Hatchery</a>, blog <a href="http://blog.meyerhatchery.com/" target="_blank">here!</a>) Another sweetheart who was happy to cuddle beside our fluffy headed girl and not be a busy body (like the rest of those crazy chicks fighting over nonsense! Humpf!) One week after our girls hatched, Jess at Meyer Hatchery worked tirelessly to help me secure another buddy and I am so grateful for her dedication! Because of her, one week after the original 10 came home, we became an 11 bird family.</div>
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Meet Madame Mim (Mim for short) a Silver Laced Polish. I had her named on the way home from the hatchery, thinking that the crazy silver-purple haired character from the movie The Sword in the Stone was a good fit. I mean, come on...do you not see a resemblance here?</div>
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I rest my case.</div>
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In any event, I feel I might have done her a grave injustice naming her after a mentally unstable villian. From the moment she came out of her little transport box from the car drive back home from the hatchery, she was a little batty. That little powder puff of grey hit the sawdust running - and I do mean running. Lap after lap she tore around the brooder; ducking under the Eco Glow, jumping into the dust bath, zinging around the feeder. The older chicks looked at her puzzled for a few minutes, wondering what was wrong with the new kid. A few even began in her racing game because in their first week they had learned that if one chick runs away excitedly, that surely means that she has found a treat she doesn't want to share. They soon learned that she was treat-less and their interest died out. </div>
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On my way home from the hatchery, I silently worried about what hardships Mim might face. She was tiny, much smaller than I had remembered the 10 at home being on our trip last week. (Were they <i>really</i> this shrimpy sized too just a short week ago?) With her delicate size and being younger, she might become a target for bullying more so than Kevin ever was. BOY, did she ever prove me wrong! When her running fits slowed down, she sassily sauntered up to all the big birds and began pecking food right from their beaks. She would follow them over to the feeder or to the hanging babycake supplement and just absolutely steal the food they had just pecked up. Mim was unapologetic about it, even quick to run over to a bird who had picked off a larger chunk to "share" with her.</div>
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What had I gotten in to?! This little spitfire was clearly uninhibited and unhinged, when all I wanted was a cuddle buddy for Kevin. Somehow, things seemed to have worked out though. I think the bigger chicks have banded together in moral support, making some sort of coping group for "Chicks Living with Unstable Babies". Kevin now is accepted to eat, sleep and play with the others. </div>
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Mim doesn't even ask for permission and immediately invites herself into the group. They are getting used to her erratic actions now and I think she is starting to calm down a little. (That, or I'm getting used to her actions too) She is now taking cues from the girls on how to get her <i>own</i> food, though sometimes in frustration she'll still take a swipe from their beaks. I'm not sure if she has some sort of impairment mentally or if she is just that bold 24/7. Regardless, as long as she is healthy and happy, she will have a forever home here with us. How could we dare disclude any Disney favorite?</div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*I want to take another opportunity to thank the wonderful people I listed here as helping me out. I am grateful for their patience with me and for them taking time from their lives to share their experiences and advice with me.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">YOU LADIES ARE AWESOME!*</span></i></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674292388540390839.post-42628852199018225882012-06-06T22:03:00.003-07:002013-01-09T08:27:05.763-08:00Name that Chick<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It's no secret that I'm new to chickens...</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">so the fact that I'm at a loss for which chick is which shouldn't be much of a surprise. I'm hoping that some seasoned keepers will chime in and help me predict who is who.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><u>Here are the following breeds (all pullets) that I ordered: </u></div>
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<li>Silver Laced Wyandotte</li>
<li>Red Speckled Sussex</li>
<li>Welsummer</li>
<li>Rhode Island Red</li>
<li>Partridge Rock</li>
<li>Barred Rock</li>
<li>Buff Orpington</li>
<li>Easter Egger</li>
<li>Australorp </li>
<li>White Crested Black Polish </li>
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Of the 10 ordered, I can only 100% identify the polish. Her name is now Kevin, after the female-assumed-to-be-male bird from the Disney/Pixar movie "Up". She doesn't have a leg band, as we can spot her easily in the crowd. Here she is and her namesake Kevin... <br />
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As for the rest, I'm still taking predictions/guesses/expert testimony. Care to weigh in? My apologies for the blurry photos. Surprisingly enough, after being subjected to spiral banding, they didn't feel very photogenic! Here's the line up...<br />
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<div style="background-color: black; color: white;">
<u><b>White Leg Band:</b></u></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xFTqIA14eNg/T9Ag4UkhsVI/AAAAAAAAAyw/HZO_LeksxfY/s1600/IMG_0973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xFTqIA14eNg/T9Ag4UkhsVI/AAAAAAAAAyw/HZO_LeksxfY/s320/IMG_0973.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7mLGo0VyKOk/T9AhEdxUm7I/AAAAAAAAAy4/G7kG_SnpIxE/s1600/IMG_0978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7mLGo0VyKOk/T9AhEdxUm7I/AAAAAAAAAy4/G7kG_SnpIxE/s320/IMG_0978.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Black chick<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Yellow belly<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Black beak<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Yellow wing tips<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Black legs with yellow feet</li>
</ul>
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<div style="background-color: black; color: yellow;">
<u><b>Yellow Leg Band:</b></u></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fz63ZHdWyy0/T9AimD235oI/AAAAAAAAAzI/ip3rOwgGx3A/s1600/IMG_0993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fz63ZHdWyy0/T9AimD235oI/AAAAAAAAAzI/ip3rOwgGx3A/s320/IMG_0993.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RnO7lWauY6E/T9Aiat_7UQI/AAAAAAAAAzA/ZlaJuIBqWtU/s1600/IMG_0980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RnO7lWauY6E/T9Aiat_7UQI/AAAAAAAAAzA/ZlaJuIBqWtU/s320/IMG_0980.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: left;">Black chick<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Yellow dot on head<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Yellow spots by eyes<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Yellow belly<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Mostly yellow legs<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Yellow beak<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Tiny yellow wing tips</li>
</ul>
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<div style="background-color: #cccccc; color: black;">
<u><b>Black Leg Band:</b></u></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYJuYkX5XGI/T9Ak4MYleYI/AAAAAAAAAzY/4RAx_IfbE_k/s1600/IMG_1001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYJuYkX5XGI/T9Ak4MYleYI/AAAAAAAAAzY/4RAx_IfbE_k/s320/IMG_1001.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SpcDDR8QCR8/T9AkufRkamI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/cYXpN6Mp3xA/s1600/IMG_0997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SpcDDR8QCR8/T9AkufRkamI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/cYXpN6Mp3xA/s320/IMG_0997.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VgbsG_iBv28/T9Ak_OzkbbI/AAAAAAAAAzg/OD-SmX_2yr0/s1600/IMG_1010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VgbsG_iBv28/T9Ak_OzkbbI/AAAAAAAAAzg/OD-SmX_2yr0/s1600/IMG_1010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VgbsG_iBv28/T9Ak_OzkbbI/AAAAAAAAAzg/OD-SmX_2yr0/s1600/IMG_1010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VgbsG_iBv28/T9Ak_OzkbbI/AAAAAAAAAzg/OD-SmX_2yr0/s320/IMG_1010.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>Black chick </li>
<li>Lots of yellow and brown markings
on face </li>
<li>Grey skunk stripes on butt </li>
<li>Yellow beak</li>
<li>Yellow legs</li>
<li>Yellow wing tips</li>
<li>Grey and brown markings through
body</li>
</ul>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>*These next two really stump me, as they look nearly identical. I'll show their individual photos, then a few of them side by side*</i></b></div>
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<div style="background-color: black; color: lime;">
<u><b>Green Leg Band:</b></u></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xHTvTqy8T4Y/T9Am6xnrp-I/AAAAAAAAAzo/ZiXk--GsZ5E/s1600/IMG_1012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xHTvTqy8T4Y/T9Am6xnrp-I/AAAAAAAAAzo/ZiXk--GsZ5E/s320/IMG_1012.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PqAXYMhMRMw/T9AnPHkr15I/AAAAAAAAAz0/IBBmfGpnPv8/s1600/IMG_1014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PqAXYMhMRMw/T9AnPHkr15I/AAAAAAAAAz0/IBBmfGpnPv8/s320/IMG_1014.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li> <span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Chipmunk coloring<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Dark, large eye stripes<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Yellow legs<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Yellow-red beak<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Black wing tips<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Dark brown stripe<span style="font-family: Symbol;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Yellow belly</li>
</ul>
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<div style="background-color: black; color: orange;">
<u><b>Orange Leg Band:</b></u></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5zDT7fyPDqg/T9Aob72KRII/AAAAAAAAAz8/tRx-Zn7wNbU/s1600/IMG_1022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5zDT7fyPDqg/T9Aob72KRII/AAAAAAAAAz8/tRx-Zn7wNbU/s320/IMG_1022.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ILd_tmkq7A0/T9AotTFXXlI/AAAAAAAAA0E/SNr7DweSCTE/s1600/IMG_1027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ILd_tmkq7A0/T9AotTFXXlI/AAAAAAAAA0E/SNr7DweSCTE/s320/IMG_1027.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><u><b></b></u>Chipmunk coloring</li>
<li>Yellow legs<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Yellow beak</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Yellow belly<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Smaller dark eye stripes</li>
<li>Dark brown stripe</li>
</ul>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: black;">
<u><b>Side by Side : </b></u></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: black;">
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<i>*Left Side is Orange Leg Band</i><br />
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<i>*Right Side is Green Leg Band </i><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_RR_pwg3VZg/T9AqfKECGvI/AAAAAAAAA0o/4CxXfdxXdo4/s1600/IMG_1042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_RR_pwg3VZg/T9AqfKECGvI/AAAAAAAAA0o/4CxXfdxXdo4/s320/IMG_1042.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kzeY8eECAog/T9AqYNFB0vI/AAAAAAAAA0c/myjNMlnqRRg/s1600/IMG_1041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kzeY8eECAog/T9AqYNFB0vI/AAAAAAAAA0c/myjNMlnqRRg/s320/IMG_1041.JPG" height="209" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="background-color: black; color: blue;">
<u><b>Blue Leg Band:</b></u></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lQwHA8NfQvE/T9AtbjItX3I/AAAAAAAAA08/PzDRMgkbYUo/s1600/IMG_1045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lQwHA8NfQvE/T9AtbjItX3I/AAAAAAAAA08/PzDRMgkbYUo/s320/IMG_1045.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BIgRQcvlqP0/T9Atlk10cpI/AAAAAAAAA1E/q_fhKrgNnd8/s1600/IMG_1056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BIgRQcvlqP0/T9Atlk10cpI/AAAAAAAAA1E/q_fhKrgNnd8/s320/IMG_1056.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a><br />
<ul>
<li>Darkest red chick<span style="font-family: Symbol;"></span><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span></li>
<li>Yellow feet<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Tiny yellow wing tips<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Tan belly<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Dark head and butt<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Brown beak</li>
</ul>
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<div style="background-color: black; color: purple;">
<u><b>Purple Leg Band:</b></u></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hd8-lj6Zn08/T9AujtrAN_I/AAAAAAAAA1M/K6Li2tS0PGU/s1600/IMG_1062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hd8-lj6Zn08/T9AujtrAN_I/AAAAAAAAA1M/K6Li2tS0PGU/s320/IMG_1062.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<li>Light red chick<span style="font-family: Symbol;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;">Y</span>ellow feet<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Yellow beak<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Small yellow wing tips</li>
<li>Yellow belly</li>
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<u><b> Pink Leg Band:</b></u></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My guess is this little lady is our Easter Egger, but that is all it is - a guess!</i></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"></span>Yellow with black spots<span style="font-family: Symbol;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;">Y</span>ellow beak<span style="font-family: Symbol;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;">Y</span>ellow legs<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Black wing tips<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Puffy face - muff?<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span>Fuzzy feathers</li>
<li>Yellow belly</li>
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<u><b> Brown Leg Band:</b></u></div>
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<ul>
<li>Yellow chick</li>
<li>Yellow beak</li>
<li>Yellow legs</li>
<li>No markings</li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Well, that's the gang. What do you think? Have any idea's as to the identity of these chicks? Are the two chipmunk looking chicks different breeds? Help me out if you can! Many thanks in advance for any and all advice!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832070948665821072noreply@blogger.com7