We had our first home reared chicken for dinner at the weekend.

[MehgaLegs]

It was delicious. Really tender. Great thighs and drumsticks but the breast meat was a little sparse. (pic on profile)

We did three all together, two in the freezer.

I was crap. I cried as I plucked mine.

[cornsilk]

who killed it?

[MehgaLegs]

DH - I am a wuss

[cornsilk]

Did you see Gordon Ramsay the other night - he was catching and killing PUFFINS! The bastard!

[MehgaLegs]

Puffins??! I missed that, I thought they would be protected?

[RuffleTheAnimal]

hijack alert - sorry!
meg, if i use an incubator to hatch some eggs, what do i do next with them?

i have got some live silkie eggs to put under Peg, one of the omlet hybrid layers who's been broody for about a week now. thing is, shes young and just been put into a little ark from the cube nesting box where shes been for the broody week... she has just sat on them, but whether she'll like being there at night is another matter... advice3 pls?? [begs]

[cornsilk]

He went to Iceland and they have a hunting season there. One bit him on the nose. Clever puffin.

[MehgaLegs]

Once they hatch in the incy they can be left to dry and fluff up. They then need to be moved to a brooder. That is anything to contain them with a heat source (usually a lamp). Other use an electric hen which is a little heating unit on legs which the chicks can sit under.

I brooded my lot in the shed by blocking off a little space in the corner with wood. Covred the floor in wood shavings (not saw dust they will eat it) and hung a heat lamp above. They need water and chick crumbs.

HTH

Hopefully your broody will stay broody and then, apart from providing the food you will have to do very little.

[MehgaLegs]

Good on that puffin. I really had no idea they were eaten. Bet they are fishy.

[cornsilk]

He said they tasted like liver. Yuk. Leave the poor things alone you brute Ramsay.

[MehgaLegs]

boak at liver

[snice]

Whats the difference between eating puffin or chicken /duck/goose/pigeon/pheasant etc? Its a game bird in that culture so stop being ridiculous

[RuffleTheAnimal]

thanks meg. fingers crossed she stays broody...

[cornsilk]

puffins are cute snice - or should I say Mrs Ramsay?

[snice]

Sorry-feeling grumpy-that came out ruder than it should have been. As you were Ramsey bashers.

[snice]

If I looked like the fragrant Tana and had her lifestyle I doubt I would be feeling this grumpy -

[cornsilk]

but you would have to put up with Gordon, so swings and roundabouts.

[RuffleTheAnimal]

livers horrible anyway. yeurch.

[MehgaLegs]

Yeah but snice, imagine eating a bird that tasted of liver - bleurgh.

[OldGregg]

Mehga - dinner looks great. Well done!

I'm giving mine until the end of the summer holidays, they are quite big now but not big enough. I've added corn to their diet and am about to move the first batch to an electric-fenced 6m sq grass pen. We have foxes and badgers galore atm so I can't risk free-ranging them, particularly as they're completely stupid and won't go back in - all the other chickens are out enjoying themselves!

Are you hatching another lot this year?

(DoNB)

[butterflybessie]

Mehgalegs

This has bugged me for ages, is there a picture of Heather on your profile?

If there isn't then I know someone who could be their twin

[MehgaLegs]

DoNB - I might do another lot when we get back from holidays. Don't know when this lot will start laying (plan to keep 2 hens in with Nev the IG rooster) Ideally I should buy another two dozen from Smat chick, will see how much energy I have after our camping trip next week. Mine are on growers and corn and this week I have bought some fatteners to see if I can plump the breast meat up a bit - although it seems to be mostly soya so will probably just up the corn and go back to growers.

BB - no one called Heather on my profile, just me and my boys. Is Heather my twin?

[butterflybessie]

ML

She must be, I have never come across this before but she appears be your doppleganger

If you ever needed time off you could just employ her instead and no one would know the difference

[WelliesAndPyjamas]

well done meghalegs
finally got my freezer arriving tomorrow so my 15 birds are in for it... not really looking forward to it but will be glad to get the garage back!

You have TONS of photos. Must be a MN record-breaker. The pic with your DS toasting a marshmallow - I have a feeling I was at the same BBQ (used to live near you) - can you remember if it was a farewell party for someone going to NZ? Would be a small world if so, or just a very similar little boy and lady in the background otherwise!

[MehgaLegs]

bb - how weird - yes, get me her number, I could have a week off and no one would be any the wiser

wellies - I have too many photos, I keep meaning to edit them but I like them all. That bbq was on a friends farm in kent - a tree surgeon working weekend for the blokes and a wine drinking session for the ladies. So DS2 seems to have a doppleganger too.

[WelliesAndPyjamas]

most definitely another doppleganger! we took lots of photos at that party (on a disk somewhere now) and there is one very very similar to that. And the lady in the background has the same physique as a friend who was there. Freaky coincidences!