Lots of juicing of our plentiful mandarins at the moment. We do eat a lot, and I have cooked an orange (mandarin) cake, but juicing seems to be how we deal with them the best. A big glass of MJ in the morning is just lovely.
Actually looking back, a few years ago, if we mentioned to anyone that we juiced our mandarins, that was considered strange. However, now I see mandarin juice all the time in the shops.
So this is how to make one clucky hen very happy, if a little bemused to what happened overnight! This hen (Little Banty to her friends) has been clucky for so long I decided to do something about it. As the rooster we have is her sibling, we can't go that way! In the past I have bought some fertile eggs and put them under her, but only one hatched and he consequently died, so that was a bit of an expensive exercise.
I bought some 1 day old chickens and put them under her at night. The breeder seemed to think that it would work, but didn't totally guarantee it, so she advised to be prepared to have to take them back out again and keep them under a lamp if she rejected them. Not a chance! Little Banty loves them and straight away fluffed up and tucked them under her wings.
They are all bantams - the breeds being Silky (hopefully one lavender, one buff) Pekin (black) and Light Sussex (white with black). They all seem to be doing well. I'm hoping to start a little bantam flock.
These two are still getting a lot of attention too!
cheers for now Wendy
7 comments:
Congratulations Little Banty! Sometimes it is easier to buy a couple of little day old chicks to break the broody cycle. Our Pekins have periods of persistance broodiness and no matter how many times per day we pop them out into the chicken run they continue on their broody ways.
Now matter how the chicks arrived they still bring our the AAAAWWWWW! in me! They are simply gorgeous Wendy!
....and OOOH, I cannot miss comment on your Mandarin juice...DELISH!!!! I must admit that I am quite partial to a glass of freshly squeezed mandarin juice, although I have not had one in years.
I don´t think I can possibly fit another exclamation mark into the post.
!!!! Oh, yes I had a last couple in me.
I'm actually quite partial to exlamation marks! I know that a lot of people don't like them, but I say 'bring it on'.
Thanks for your lovely comments. This hen has been so broody for so long, so I'd thought I'd give surrogacy a try. In fact, I think if I put a puppy or kitten under her, she'd try and mother that!!
Always nice to hear from you Daff!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hmm, exclamation marks AND typos...I am on a roll. Will someone please stop me before I embarrass myself further?
Aw, that hen looks in her element with those chicks :)
Aww those little chicks are just too cute, and little banty is a beautiful colour... what kind of bantam is she? Mine went broody for a while, but doesn't anymore (doesn't lay anymore either), what a pity I didn't think of teeny tiny chicks for her.
Dreamer - she certainly is!
Ali - she is a Silkie cross, I think maybe Silkie/Pekin. I hadn't really thought about it before either, don't know why. I guess it would only work if the hen was very very determined to sit!
I think Banty's twin lives at my place. Her name is Bubble and she is the mirror image of Banty. Bubble is almost permanently clucky which has both good and bad points. Good luck with the chicks I am sure she will take good care of them.
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