September 8th

Molting Season!

Yeah, it's molting season again.

There's feathers all over the place.

I always say it looks like they are having

a pillow fight!

This is Nugget.

She's in the scratch pan munching down,

till she saw me trying to take a picture.

Then she took off like a shot!

The girls get super cranky during

their molt.

Handling the pin feathers is uncomfortable for them.

This is Nugget again. 

A lot of her neck feathers are coming out.

During this time they need more protein in the diet.

So,

we give them the cooked fat from any steaks we eat.

The feathers are protein based,

so,

they need to replenish their protein reserves.

Those small pointy things are

 "pin feathers".

That's the area of feather development.

They are sometimes called blood feathers,

because if that gets pulled out,

it'll bleed due to its extensive blood supply.

It's like us losing hair,

then the follicle replaces it with a new one.

As the hens age, the feather loss becomes

a bit more extensive.

Hen pattern baldness??

They also don't lay during this period.

It can last for 2 weeks to a few months.

It's always different.

That's when we have to buy eggs.

Boy, have we become egg connoisseurs.

Store bought eggs don't hold a candle to

the ones our girls produce!

****************************************

Our new thing is making beef jerky.

My family loves it, but its so

unhealthy.

There's a ton of unpronounceable stuff in 

the store bought ones.

And,

I had always thought it would be hard to do.

NO! 

It's way easy.

We got about 3 pounds of really lean meat,

eye of round,

then had the butcher slice it thin.

(no extra cost),

Then we put it in a ziplock bag

with a bit of the marinade.

Nothing else.

The online directions say to leave it

for approximately 24 to 48 hours in the 

fridge before using.

Our dehydrators both have a "jerky" setting.

So.

We just placed it on the trays, set it to "jerky",

then checked on it after about 2 hours.

(it can sometimes take longer)

It turned out great!

The CEO bought a bit more meat to try

out these flavors….

The are all wonderful,

 but

the general consensus is everybody

liked the teriyaki flavor best.

This is charred pineapple bourbon sauce

and,

honey teriyaki.

You don't have to smother the meat in the 

sauce, a little dab will do it.

***********************

In the 

"IS IT ME?'

category...……

Recently,

I'm picking up my grandson from school.

Typically I stay in the car,

but it was infernally hot this day,

so I walked to the curb holding my umbrella.

A man with a small brown dog on a leash was 

there waiting on a kid too.

He looked directly at me and said

"Did you see them?"

Nothing else....

I looked around and I was the only 

other human there.

So, I say, "It's not time yet, they 

get out at 3:15."

He says, "It's always the same."
I say, "Yeah, 3:15"

Then I smile, thinking he's a doof.

Then,

still looking at me,

he says "Hang on a minute.....

Ma'am, I'm on the phone."

My instant reaction was, SHIT!

So,

I say, "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought

you were talking to me, Ha Ha"

Then....

1)He didn't laugh,

2)He turned around, picked up the

dog and walked to the other

side of the street.

3)I then saw a Bluetooth device in his 

cockadoodie ear!

4) In my mind I slapped it off his head!

Go Me!!

**************************

Here's another recipe from my daughter.

Cheeseburger Soup

Looks wonderfully yummy!

Can't wait to try it.

Hugs to her for her contributions.

***********************

Well said Cookie,

Well said.