Merry Christmas - Hide and Beak

Pudding

Merry Christmas everyone.
I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas.

Hide and beak?  You will see what I mean shortly.

My hens have been getting a real treat with lots of free range time and corn treats in the garden.




So much time that I actually thought I had lost Pudding the other day.
We have a 6 foot fence all around our boundary, so I naturally think this is acceptable to keep chickens in and my neighbours should not have a unexpected visitor.  However Pudding is a particularly good "flyer" and I say flyer in the broadest sense.



Photo from richard-seaman.com

 Chickens tend to take off a little like a harrier jump jet.  Not necessarily with the same grace and effortless way the jet does, but they some how manage to get "airborne" for several seconds, before plummeting to earth like a giant water filled balloon!  The landing is similar to a water balloon hitting the floor as well.  Splat or Sploosh are quite good sound effects!

It was boxing day around 11am and Custard, Pudding, Treacle and the 2 chicks (currently Pinky and Perky) were having a good old explore of the garden.
I peered out of the window just to take the register, and check all were present and correct.
4 out of 5.  Pudding had gone AWOL.

Rather than running out into the garden and checking all sensible places, I decided she must have made her way over the fence, either into my neighbours garden or into our front garden.

I ran upstairs and peered into the neighbours gardens from the back bedroom window.  No sign at all.

I checked the front garden.  No sign.

Then I heard a gun shot!  Not good.

Now thinking rationally, who would want to shoot a domesticated chicken.  You could hardly mistake Pudding for a pheasant!
I decided to don the waterproof trousers, coat and wellies on and venture into the mud and the driving rain!

I spent 10 minutes looking for her.  The last place I had not checked was the nest box................now normally this would be the first place I would check, but recently I installed a piece of wood on a hinge so I could block off the nest box in the evening as both pudding and custard like to sit in the nest box all night and make a right mess of it.

To let them out of the hen house I have to close off the nest box.  Not ideal, but not a major problem.  I thought!
I ignored the nest box, because I thought it was inaccessible.
How wrong I was. 

I can only guess that she managed to open the next box by nudging the door open with her beak and head, similar to a dog when they open doors!
There she was, sitting in the nest box, next to a lovely warm egg!

So for 30 minutes I had been playing hide and seek with a chicken, and she was cuddled up in her nest box the whole time!

Moral of the story, check the most obvious places first, even if they are not necessarily the obvious place at the time!  That makes no sense!!!!!!!!!!!  I know!

Thank you for reading, I hope you had a fantastic Christmas and that you have great fun seeing in the New Year!

Wind, Rain and Frizzle Chickens!



Pekin Frizzle Chicken
Photo from wikipedia

 Well that was a bit of a gale last night in South Wales.  Weathermen are reporting gales up to 76mph!  I'm sure other areas have had it worse, but it woke me up, and I don't wake unless there is a major emergency next door and the fire crews and police are on site with blues and two's screaming.

I was glad to see that the roof on my chicken run was still in one piece, actually I was grateful to see that I had a house left at all.  I was half expecting to see the hens looking like frizzles this morning!  Cute look, but not what a light Sussex should look like!

We have passed the shortest day of the year already, so my mind has turned to spring preparation already.  Back in October I planned my vegetables for the allotment, but having given it some further thought, I will be re-designing and trying to concentrate on some key vegetables.  I may even try celeriac.

At the same time, I'm thinking about chickens.  Now there is a surprise!

I have been thinking about keeping some quail for a while now, the new year may result in the purchase of a rabbit hutch to move this on a little.  Then of course there are the chickens.  

My Wyandotte chicks are likely to be laying in March/April time.  Great news, as the shortage of eggs at the moment is very frustrating. However they could be running with a cockerel and producing fertile eggs for hatching as well.  :-)

My Wyandotte chicks at 8 weeks

There are a few things I need to put in place before I even contemplate purchasing a cockerel.  The main issue being where to keep them.  My neighbours will not be overly happy at a cockerel in the middle of a 1970's housing estate.  So I either need land, not going to happen anytime in the near future if at all so the next option in the allotment.




It needs a lot of clearing before I go down that route, and I also have to consider the impact of the cockerel on any houses in the area.

We will have to see how the next few months go, worst case I guess I could be buying fertile eggs and hatching them again!  Maybe Frizzle's.

Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas!

Wyandotte Chicks Video & Curing update

I thought I would return to the subject I originally set the blog up for.  It's amazing how you can get carried away and write about almost anything.

I have been cleaning the chickens out today.  A mucky job the best of days, but today, although dry it was muddy!  By the time I had finished, I had mud all up my clothes and up my face!  At least I hope it was mud! :-/

I thought I would take the opportunity to let the chicks, Pinky and Perky, have a little free range time around the garden with my other hens, Custard and Pudding.

Last time I did this with Rodney the rooster there was an American Western type standoff between Pudding (the Bluebelle) and Rodney, the Rhode Island Red chick.  Treacle (mummy hen) was trying to act as referee.  To be honest she is better sticking to her day job of laying eggs!

Surprisingly it went rather well.  The chicks are only 8 weeks old, and Custard could not be bothered at all with them.  Pudding came over to them a few times, but left well along.  She had a peck at Treacle, but I think Treacle is used to it!

I took this video of them having a little meander.  You can get a feel for their size quite well.  Its not a long video only 1 minute 20 seconds.

They seem to be doing really well now.  Fingers crossed they are both hens!

I mentioned curing in the post title.  Well, I can't help myself and have to have another go.  So I defrosted some belly pork from my freezer (purchased some time ago from the supermarket).  It's curing now, and I'm sure it will be ok, but nothing compared to the Tamworth meat I have been eating.

I have also started curing a ham/Leg from the Tamworth meat.  I have used exactly the same cure as I used for the bacon.  I think it needs at least 9 days, which would take us to boxing day.  So that could be a nice treat, cooked in cider and then baked in the oven.

I will update my blog when I have made some more progress on these.

Thanks for reading & I hope you enjoy the photos and video.

Abergavenny Food Festival 9th Dec 2012

On Sunday I visited the food festival in Abergavenny.  

I have been to Abergavenny many times, majority of the visits have been for work, but more recently I have visited for pleasure and seeing some friends who live in the area.

They actually run the coffee bar company "The Miserable Cow Cafe" in Cibi Walk. They make great fair trade organic coffee and the nice thing is that you get to sit outside and take in all the lovely fresh air.  There are canopy's with heaters to keep you cosy, so in a winter like this, it is perfect.

They have recently opened a deli called the The Greedy Cow Deli. You can see the theme :-)  Anyway they stock fantastic local produce. Check it out if you do go and follow them on twitter @MIserable_Cow

Abergavenny is famous for quality food, if you didn't know this, you do now, so plan a visit.  The market on Tuesday is always very busy.

The Food festival in September attracts thousands and has been established for numerous years now, the winter food festival is three years old, and it didn't disappoint me.

Breads, meats, cheese, wines, beers, ports, sherry, chocolate apple juice.  You name it, they had it.

I could not resist the port after a little taste test.  
I tried a wild boar sausage and goat sausage whilst there.  I have to say I was impressed and it has changed my opinion on keeping goats (if I can ever find land , that's another story).

I do like the fact that a lot of the stalls are local or at least welsh. 
Some had travelled from afar to be there, but I think that says allot about the Abergavenny reputation for quality food and drink.  

Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas!

Cheers

Pineapple Wine

I am going to blame Ian @allotment4hens and Weeke Farm Chickens @weekechickens for this entry and for the likely stinking headache I am going to have tomorrow morning.  :-)

I warn you now, there is nothing to do with chickens and hens in this post!  But it does deal with wine!!!

About 6 months ago I decided to make some wine.  I had the demijohns and some basic kit from my home brewing fascination.

I found a book by CJJ Berry called First Steps in Wine Making.  It is brilliant, so try and get a copy if you like making your own wines.  Its a great introduction and really is very easy!

Don't ask me why, but I decided on pineapple wine.  No I did not grow the pineapples down the allotment, I live in Wales.  Leek wine would be a better option ;-)  Actually this year it was the weeds, so perhaps, bramble and dandelion would have been more appropriate.

The pineapples were on offer so I bought 5.  1 to eat and the remaining 4 were used for the wine.

Its very easy and in 6/7 months I have gone from this to this

 And tonight, this.  Hic!

Here is the recipe, if you can get hold of a copy of the book I would recommend it.  The pineapple wine is lovely, although mine has a slight fizz to it.  So maybe I bottled to early, but it tastes lovely.

C JJ Berry's recipe for pineapple wine.

Here you go.  One thing I would say, I used a fermenting bin rather than earthenware crock, this way I knew it would not get contaminated as I fitted a bubbler.

Ingredients:
4 pineapples
2 lemons
9 pints water
3 1⁄2 lbs. preserving sugar
level teaspoon Yeast
Yeast nutrient (see instruction on yeast nutrient packet)

Method:

"Top and bottom" the pineapples, then slice them into a one-gallon saucepan and cover with three pints of water.
Bring to boil, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Strain on to sugar in earthenware crock, and add remaining six pints of water, cold. Add the juice of the lemons. Stir well to dissolve sugar thoroughly, and leave to cool to blood heat. Then add yeast (wine yeast, a level teaspoonful of dried yeast, or 3⁄4 oz. of baker's yeast), and a yeast nutrient if desired. (I used a general-purpose wine yeast and a teaspoonful of a proprietary nutrient).

Cover the pan closely for a week and leave it in a warm place, giving a daily stir, and then transfer to fermenting jars or bottles, which should be filled to the bottom of the neck and fitted with fermentation traps. Keep in temperature of about 60 degrees until wine begins to clear and has thrown a substantial sediment, then siphon off into clean bottles. Allow it to throw a fresh sediment, then siphon off into clean bottles and cork.

This is a delicious light wine with a delightful bouquet. 

Thanks for reading and hope you found it interesting.

Guest Blogging on Curing bacon!

Katy from The Goodlife in Practice, has kindly offered for me to be a guest blogger on her site.  www.thegoodlifeinpractice.wordpress.com

My entry reviews my recent bacon curing experience.  Fun fun fun!


My cured bacon

I hope you find it interesting and I'm sure you will find the goodlife in practice blog an interesting read!

Just click on the link

Many thanks for reading.The Goodlife in Practice

Mistaken identity Rhode Island Red

Treacle and chick

I am stepping back in time a little with this post.  I hope your enjoy! 

In April 2012 my speckledy hen, Treacle, decided it was her time to raise a family and sat determined in her nest box for a couple of weeks pecking me if I dared put a hand anywhere near her.  Quite frustrating when your family has become reliant on a constant supply of fresh home reared eggs.  With 3 young boys the Saturday routine of 2 boiled runny eggs and toast each was under threat! 

On the 5^th May I decided it would be a good idea to increase the flock. 

I bought 3 fertile Rhode Island Reds eggs locally.  Slipped them under Treacle and left well alone.

On the 25th May a little soggy yellow chick hatched.  The other 2 eggs did not hatch, but I did not mind, I had a chick and I was sure it would be a hen!
 

At 15 weeks the “hen” started looking quite a specimen.  Actually Spiderman, as my boys had nicknamed it, was looking enormous!  Then one Saturday morning……….. “Cock-a-doodle-do”!  It was not a strong powerful voice but one that sounded like a teenage boy with a voice that was just starting to break!

I laughed and laughed.  Until the next morning (Sunday) when “he” tested his vocal chords again, this time pre 5am.

It woke my boys, so that was that.  I was fortunate that the farm I bought the eggs from agreed to have any cockerels.  He is now in a field full of ladies to look after.

My wife could not stop laughing for days afterwards, I was so determined it was a hen I ignored all the signs.  I will certainly reserve judgement in future.




Here he is, Rodney the rooster about 2 weeks before he decided to stretch his vocal chords!

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Wyandotte Chicks are 7 weeks old!

photo from virginmedia.com

"I can't believe it".  Said in a Victor Meldrew/One Foot in the Grave voice!

7 weeks ago Pinkey and Perky, soon to be Apple and Blackberry (if they are hens) hatched into the big wide world of my back garden.

2 Little Wyandotte Chicks, they could have been any breed at that stage.

Now 7 weeks on they have grown, and developed fantastic markings with unique personalities.



My Wyandotte chicks



I am at the stage now where I try to move them onto growers pellets.  They have been on Chicks crumbs since day one and they are devouring the food every day.  

I'm sure some will already be aware of this, but I will cover it anyway.  Chicks tend to be moved onto growers pellets between 6 to 8 weeks of age.  It gives them more of the nutrients they need to keep growing.  They generally stay on growers pellets until they are between 18 and 22 weeks, i.e. when they start to lay.  They would at this stage move to layers pellets.  If you are keeping birds for meat, your chickens would stay on growers until they are processed.

So I am shortly off to buy growers pellets.  I will then start to gradually mix the pellets into the crumbs so that the chicks get used to them.



the catalogue pose!



I found last time whilst Treacle raised Rodney the rooster, shortly after I introduced growers pellets, Treacle came back into lay.  I recall it took 3 weeks.

So you never know, we may shortly have 2 hens producing eggs.  That would be a great Christmas present.

Both times I have introduced growers food to chicks, I have considered mash as an alternative. 

I regularly think about it, but having done research, I don't see that there is that much benefit.  

I'm shy, honest!



It seems to be more difficult to source, messier and more food wasted.

The only reason I can see people using it is if they have ex-battery hens they have rescued.  They will have been fed mash all their life.  Trying to move them to pellets could be a challenge.

I may be wrong on this point and would be happy to hear if there are benefits to mash.

Pinkey & Perky a few days old!

Thanks for coming back and reading!

Breakfast rice for any time of the day

Breakfast rice for any time of the day, well almost a full english!

This is not rocket science really.  It is something that Rachel started making but I have added a few ingredients and tweaked .

We love this dish as an evening meal after a cold day.  It's quite satisfying and a little like comfort food.

Ingredients
Feeds 2-4 depending how hungry you are. And you can always leave in the fridge and eat the following day!

One small onion chopped
1 clove of garlic
4 rashers of good quality dry cured smoked back bacon. Chopped
4 eggs boiled
Tin of baked beans or tin of white beans
One tin of tomatoes
1.5 teaspoons of paprika
6 mushrooms sliced, your choice
One teaspoon of tomato ketchup
320g of whole grain basmati rice

Method

Get the rice on to boil in a large pan.  Then add eggs to a pan of water and cook for 3mins from when water is boiling.

Meanwhile heat a large frying pan with olive oil in, add onion and garlic, and cook for 3-4 mins.
Next add the chopped bacon and mushrooms.
Once bacon is coloured, add tomato ketchup, paprika and tin of tomatoes.
Stir and then add the beans.

Turn the pan down to a simmer and let it cook for 8 mins or so or until the rice is ready.
Once the rice is cooked, drain and put the drained rice still in the strainer in the pan with the lid on top.  Leave for 2 minutes.  It goes a little sticky, so fork through and then add to the pan with all the other ingredients apart from the eggs.

Mix thoroughly and make sure all is piping hot.  Serve into a large bowl, then after the eggs are shelled, cut into quarters and add to the top of the rice dish.

I had not added the eggs when I took this photo.  But you get the idea hopefully.

I you like it spicy, try adding half a chilli when adding the paprika or sprinkle a few drops of Tabasco sauce on top when served and mix in.

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy!

Barista training!

Where are the chickens and eggs?  Well in this entry nowhere.  Sorry!

I have taken a brief break from chicks, hens and other animals.  Only a very brief break you understand.  Tomorrow I will no doubt be back on track. :-)

In the last week I have been to Waterloo Tea in Cardiff for a great training session on coffee.  Not the freeze dried variety.  The freshly brewed, I get a kick out of you (up the rear end) type of coffee.

I have been interested in coffee for many years and own a variety of machines, from a Espresso/capuccino machine to a cafetiere and moca stove top.  With all of these I have managed to cover most of the available coffee brew types.

The course was a beginners course.  The nice thing is that we were a small group of 4 and not only did we taste a variety of coffee's and coffee types, we also spent an hour or so having a play on the commercial coffee machine making espresso's, cappuccino's and latte's.

It was brilliant, although doing this much tasting at 6pm until 8pm at night did have its disadvantages.  For me it was mainly an overactive/stimulated brain.  I think it was midnight before I fell asleep and with 3 boys under the age of 5 this is not a good thing!

I would highly recommend that if you are ever in Cardiff, visit Waterloo Tea in Penlyan.  There is a fantastic range of tea and coffee.  They are also very helpful and friendly.

Its amazing how much detail barista's go into when making coffee.  If you think it is the case of just turning a machine on, slapping some coffee in and adding hot milk you are mistaken.
For example, at any point during the cappucino making process you could end up with a "rank" coffee.  Not enough coffee, wrong grind, wrong flow rate of water, wrong temperature, incorrect tamping (pressing the coffee into the basket), leaving the coffee in contact with the head for too long to burn and perhaps something many coffee shops are guilty of.................leaving the ready ground beans in the dispenser.

A basic requirement as far as I can see to great coffee is ensuring you grind on demand.  This way you get the freshest coffee and the best flavours and aromas.

So next time you visit your nearest coffee shop, check if they grind the beans on demand.  If they are left in the hopper ready ground, you may be getting a poorer quality coffee that you deserve.

The photo on the right shows the new toy I purchased whilst at Waterloo Tea.  Is a V60 Drip Decanter.  Makes coffee that is clear, clean and pure, a little comparable to tea.  A total contrast to espresso.

If you get opportunity, try some, without milk I would add.  You will not be disapointed especially if you drink it at Waterloo tea in Cardiff!

Thanks for reading!

Wyandotte Chicks, dogs, and food?!!!!

Well the cold snap is hear and it's been -2 to -3 degrees C over night!

I woke to a thick frost all over the car, and to bring me a little happiness a reasonable frost on the grass.  So the walk to the girls and chicks this morning was as though I were walking over crisps rather than the more recent walking through treacle.

I find it strange that Custard the Light Sussex has decided this is a good time to go into full moult.  She must be freezing!  It does not make sense to me.  

We used to have a German Shepherd and she would moult at sensible times to bring in winter and then summer coats.  If dogs can do it, why not the chickens?  Someone with more knowledge will no doubt be able to answer that! 

I think that the covered run will be helping the chicks, Pinky and Perky and the girls, Treacle, Pudding and Custard.  It probably keeps the worst of the frost off their run area.  It certainly helps keep the drinkers from freezing at -2 to -3 but how long that will last for I am unsure.

Many people talk about insulating their hen houses in winter.  Perhaps this is necessary in the very cold parts of the country or over in America where there are sever cold snaps.  But in sunny (ha ha) Wales half way up the Garth Mountain (famous for the Hugh Grant Film, The Englishman who went up a hill but came down a mountain and for Lucy Jones off Xfactor) I do not find it necessary.
Plus I would like to think not doing this helps control some of the red mite!

I do tend to add more wood shavings in winter to help a little with insulation.  I have used shredded paper as well but found this was a little messy and needed cleaning out more regularly.

I mentioned the chicks earlier.  They seem happing whatever the weather.  They are getting quite flighty.  But I suspect this is the Bantam in them and something I will have to get used to.

They are looking very pretty with their markings now.  I am starting to convince myself they are hens, but I know this is not a good idea having gone through it with Rodney the Rooster earlier this year, who was originally Rosie!!

I have been thinking about names for the chicks.  Pinky and Perkey were only temporary names.  I like the idea of sticking with food.  So if they are both hens I will see if I can get board approval (from my 3 boys) to call the Apple and Blackberry.

Quite cool, hip and now with all the celeb children names. :-)

Thanks for reading!

Royal Welsh Winter Fair 2012

Two Saddleback's having a cuddle!

I have to be honest, this entry is not 100% poultry related but I hope you enjoy!

I had a great day on Tuesday at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society's Winter Fair!  Its a two day event, and this year ran from 26th November to 27th November 2012.

I decided to make the effort and go, firstly because the drive up from Cardiff over the Brecon Beacons is beautiful and secondly, there was a poultry show and pig show on the Tuesday.  Two areas I have become very interested in!
As Liz Shankland recently put it, I'm on that slipperly slope into Smallholding!

It really got serious for me when I attended Liz's Smallholding Course at the Humble by Nature farm.  So really I could blame Liz!!! :-)

A great course, and one I would thoroughly recommend.  I have one slight problem in that my back garden can only just cope with 3 young boys under 5 years old along with 5 hens.  So I'm a little stuck until I find land.

Anyway, back to the Winter Fair!  I was fortunate with the weather, dry but cold.  There was ample parking and it seemed very well organised.  I arrived at 11am and had a stroll around the Christmas stalls selling mulled cider, welsh honey and wax candles, cheese, meats, dog treats, everything and anything you could think of and majority if not all stalls were Welsh.  It was to be fair, a fantastic offering and shows how diverse many of small and medium size business's are in Wales.  Its great to see so many still going.

I was keen to get to the animals, if fact as excited as a child, although I seem to get more excited about animals than my 3 boys do. 
I visited the pig's first of all. 

Gloucestershire Old Spot having a snooze

Now I'm not a Welsh speaker, but the first thing I noticed was that Welsh for pig is "Moch".  I made a mental note and thought I can remember that!  That was until I arrived home and discussed this fact with my wife.  My pride at remembering some welsh did in fact take a little dent when Rachel advised me that Pig in welsh can be Moch, Mochyn or Mochin.
I had enough trouble with the English language, but having 3 spellings for pig suggested I may have no chance with Welsh.

Back to the Fair, and there was a variety of pigs on show and on sale, from Gloucester Old Spot's to Middle Whites, and Saddlebacks.  There was also a guess the weight competition for two Tamworths (see below).

They were owned by Barbara Warren who was chair of the Wales and Border Counties Pig Breeders Association.  I had a great time chatting with Barbara, Liz Shankland and Wendy Scudamore who breeds Kune Kune pigs.

All in all, it strengthened my desire and drive to keep and rare breed pigs.  The shortlist is Tamworths, Berkshires and I can't help but like the idea of a couple of Kune Kune's! 

From the pigs I moved onto the poultry show.  There were some lovely birds there, chickens, geese, turkeys, ducks.  Some for sale but majority for show.  I took some photos of a few that caught my eye.

To the left were light sussex bantams I believe.  They were beautiful, and took first place in the any Bantam category!


Below was a cockerel that caught my eye and ear as I got a little to close without ear defenders!!
I'm not sure of the breed to be honest.  I will have to look it up!

This chap on the left  reminded me Christmas coming all to fast.  Gobble Gobble!

Talking of Christmas, every Christmas Fair should have them................................ drum roll please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The reindeer!!

A great way to finish the day and I would recommend that you go along and have a look for yourself.  They hold Spring, Summer and Christmas gatherings, so plenty of opportunity.

Thanks for reading!