Rooster Spurs

Spring must be in the air because my turkey gobbler has been fluffed up for a week and yesterday they were breeding! Now that the chickens are laying again soon we will start thinking of setting chicken eggs to hatch.  

But we started noticing that the roosters spurs were getting awfully long and we don't want him hurting his honeys so we decided it was time to take care of the problem. 
 

As you can see he is a big healthy boy with some healthy claws but he is gentle with humans. 

 

If you look in the picture of the hen above you can see that when a roosters spurs get too long they can tear up the back of the hens. If you have too many roosters they can keep the hens backs absolutely bloody. Sometimes I have seen a rooster pick one hen over and over and injure her back as well.    

They also make saddles for hens to prevent this but they can be pricey. I have seen patterns online for making them yourself. But for us we simply remove the spur. 

 

 

It's rather simple. You will need pliers a paper towel and some antibiotic spray or ointment.

 

O Wise One   simply holds the rooster firmly on it's back with his head under O Wise One's arm. He takes the pliers and gently grasps the base of the spur and gently turn or rotate until you hear a slight pop. The hard outer covering of the spur breaks loose and you can simply slip it off. There will be a little blood but not nearly as much as if you cut that. What you are removing is the hard outer cover of the spur itself. It is similar to your fingernails.

 

The part remaining is actually an outgrowth of the leg bone itself and you do not want to damage that in any way. We simply use a paper towel to blot any blood drops that may form on the remaining stump gently and spray with an antibiotic ointment. 

 

The rooster is then isolated from the hens for a week to heal.  Once healed he is placed back with the hens. Doing this once every year or two greatly reduces the damage to the hens backs. The hard outer covering will eventually grow back.   

I have read that some people take hot cooked potatoes and place over the spurs and allow them to remain on the spur for a couple minutes. Once the potato is removed the spur comes off easier. I have not tried this method though. 

We do like removing the spurs so much more than cutting the spurs the way many do. There seems to be much less trauma to the bird and much less bleeding.  

Blessings from The Holler 

The Canned Quilter

Eggs Again!

During the last few months the ladies of the hen house had really slowed down on egg production as the days grew shorter and darker. 

Sunday night we had freezing rain and Monday morning there was a thin layer of ice on everything. Then Monday about mid day it started to sleet. By the afternoon the sleet had quit and the temperatures climbed to the high 40's and the 8 or so inches of snow that have been on the ground for weeks now began to melt.  

Thankfully in the last 2 weeks I am back up to an average of 10 eggs a day from 12 hens. I am so glad because I absolutely can't stand store bought eggs! 

And for lunch .... egg salad made with our own eggs....

And homemade Dill Relish.....

And homemade bread too !!

Blessings From The Holler

The Canned Quilter

Simple Contentment

As time goes by O Wise One and I have developed a contentment for the most simple of things in our lives. The blessings of a warm home on a cold winter day. The smell of fresh baked bread hot from the oven. 

Fresh brewed home grown hot mint tea and locally grown honey.

And a floor full of grandsons to play with. And  DINOSAURS!!

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter

Lemon Snack Cake

Happy Valentines Day!

In honor of the holiday I thought I would post a little recipe for you. We all know how I love my little 8" snack cakes. Enough to give everybody a little taste yet not a huge cake laying around to tempt those with little will power.

Lemon Snack Cake

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/4 cup butter or margarine melted

3/4 cup milk

Lightly grease 8 inch square baking pan

Preheat oven to 350. 

Combine flour sugar baking powder and salt in a bowl.

In another small bowl combine egg and lemon zest and beat well. 

Add melted butter and milk and mix all well. Combine with dry ingredients and stir well. Some lumps will remain.

Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

Cool completely...

Icing

For my icing I simply softened half a stick of butter and then added 2 teaspoons lemon juice and powdered sugar gradually with a fork beating as I go until I had a thick spreading consistency. Spread on cool cake. I refrigerate any leftovers. 

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter

Vanilla Flavoring

I've started my next batch of vanilla beans soaking in vodka to use as vanilla flavoring. I like mine really strong so I don't have to use as much so I start it soaking when the jar I am presently using gets about half empty.  I also make lemon and orange extract the same way with my peelings and vodka. If you like to bake this is the easiest way to make your own.   

O Wise One keeps a small bottle of extract out by the rabbit pens during the spring and summer. If he has to handle the tiny babies for any reason he puts a drop or two of extract on the mama rabbits nose. By the time the vanilla scent wears off the human scent left on the babies has gone. 

My grandmother used to warm vanilla flavoring and put in your ear for an earache. 

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter