Tiny Seramas

I dearly love collards but only them a couple of times a yr now due to the coumadin. They are high in Vit K a blood thickner ;-( the best are when I grew my own and wait until after a couple of good frost to pick, wash and straight into the 5 gal pot with onions and pork neck bones. Was a yrs worth for me in the freezer unless DD came over and robbed me lol

I've never grown them Donna.. and actually, this is my first time preparing them from fresh.. I absolutely loved this recipe.. Home grown chicken stock, home grown onions and garlic.. YUM

Chicken Stock: Did I hear you say CHICKEN STOCK!!! C H I C K E N S T O C K! ! !

Y I K E S, ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? That saying could turn your girls into run aways. THAT IS A DREADED UNUSED TERM IN OUR HOUSEHOLD...oh ZZS HOW COULD YOU...

Happy New Year Darling...Hay

ROFL Hay

ZZ sounds very yummy but if you put in pork neck bones and shred the meat off it is a meal in its self with a side of cornbread of course. Glad you liked them and they turned out good.

They are very easy to grow and really don't require any care. They taste best after a couple of frost on them. It makes them sweeter. The nice thing is you just harvest the lower big leaves and they keep growing until it gets warm

LOL Hay.. the girls don't have to worry.. it's the boys! and yup.. that was the best stock I've ever tasted! I believe that is what made such a difference. I canned several quarts a couple months back... amazing stuff.. tons of work, but worth it!

That sounds really good Donna! If I stay here and grow anything again, I will try growing it too.. fun stuff!!

Broccolli is very easy too and taste even better than fresh store bought. If you have some planters you can grow them in that. You can also grow potatoes in a container. I sure miss having a garden and going outside and picking what I need for a fresh stir fry. If any potatoes you have start growing just cut it up with a good eye on each piece and cover with about 2" of dirt. The potatoes grow down so would need to be a tall pot of loose dirt, oh and fresh snow peas yummy. These are some of your cool weather crops. 1 of the cabbages we grew one year was 17 lbs. Hubbie had to bring it to work to show it off. They all usually average 10 pounds. I guess it was a fluke because we could never get one to grow that big again. Cauliflower was a bust. I tried for 3 yrs. It either got hot to quick and it bolted or we got a late hard frost and ruined the head right before they were ready. Brussel Sprouts never would get very big but were still yummy. All of these are very easy to grow. Just plant them add some fertilizer and keep watered. I always bought the cell packs of plants. I never started from seed

THE BOY'S! :o( I'm feeling sucher punched...

I grow my taters in feed sacks.

wow great ideal and a good way to recycle them. Do you need to poke holes in the bottom to drain or will it seep out enough?

Didn't have to with the white ones as the weave was looser and they weren't coated. They also fell apart by the end of the season. This year I am using coated bags so I may have to put a few holes in those.

Since I've moved down the street, I'm not sure if I can use the property where my chickens are anymore.. still in the air about that.

Cajun that is an amazing idea for potatoes! I grew some last year in a wine barrel, and filled it as I needed to.. but that is a better idea yet! I have some plastic bag pots that can be used for that..

Those were feed sacks but I am using different ones this year. I have been saving them from dog food, alfalfa cubes, beet pulp pellets, chicken feed and calf manna. We don't have a calf. We give a cup a day to the horses as a supplement. Can I tell you I have a lot of bags saved up?

I did not realize you had moved just down the street. Do you have your chickens moved yet?

I just think that is such a great idea!

Can't move the chickens... :( No room here. They are on the property next to the house I had before.. It's probably gonna be an issue soon.
This is my house, but I let my mom move in it about 6 years ago when I was manager here.. (mobile home park) so I could take care of her.. now, since I'm not manager, they gave me short notice to give up Manager's quarters. I had no choice but to move in here..

Not lovin life these days.. but I have to count my blessings... I have a food and shelter and for a lot of folks in this area, that's more than they have! Something will change soon, it always does. :)

That really stinks ZZ. Hope things look up for you very soon. So sorry this is how your new year is starting

Is there any room at your house for coops or tractors? I am trying to get the materials for a hoop house. My main problem is getting the 14ft cattle panels home from town. I don't have a trailer. I am wondering if I can wedge them into the bed of the truck in the same position they will be in the finished hoop house. Any ideas?

I haul 16' cattle panels on top of my truck: one end in the bed, the other end resting on the cab (padded by old quilts or something) strapped down with ratchet straps.

Now, there's an idea. I have straps. How many do you haul at one time? I think I will need 4.

Just remembered I don't have a tailgate on my truck. Drats!!

This message was edited Jan 4, 2011 9:46 AM

I have a one ton truck so I have hauled as many as twenty, four should be no problem no matter what size truck. No tailgate? Use more straps and weave them into the mesh to prevent slipping.

It's a 3/4 ton with a long bed. I'll give it a try. I really want to get my hoop house made down the hill.

Chickens are not allowed here.. :( I'm in a mobile home park.

No problem.. it won't be forever. My Mom is my #1 priority. Everything else will find it's place. No worries.

I hate that for you but you are right in putting your Mom first. As much as we love the chickens they don't compare to family.

Thank you Cajun...

Cajun, You don't need a tailgate. Just cut a four foot 2x6 and run it across the back of the truck. Then cattle panel can rest against that and then strap them where they rest on the cab of the truck. I use moving pads where they rest on the cab...Hay

That's a great idea. Thanks. We are supposed to get another storm on the weekend so I will not likely get this done til next week. Trading chickens tomorrow and getting rid of most of the game cocks. Woo Hoo!

Good for you: I sure do hope this works out well for you so you won't have to keep going up that hill...This is a tough time of the year for weather so just stay safe please.

We have been in the low teens now for over a week. Everything is froze solid and my girls aren't happy with so much cold weather. I have four one month old seramas and six four day olds and just keeping them warm enough to survive is a challenge but, it is what it is. I keep telling myself to quit hatching but I don't seem to listen very good...Hay

Our weather has been pretty good for a week now. No precip and over 40* by the afternoon on most days. But that is coming to an end. It was sure nice while it lasted.

Keep those little peeps warm.

I have been able to put my hen back in her pen and the pullet with the crooked beak back in her pen. Both are doing fine.

I have 1 roo in the house now. It is a smaller game roo that got beaten up really bad by an older, bigger game cross roo. I shot the bigger roo but didn't kill him. I caught him off the roost last night and have him in a sack to take off today. I am going to do some trading after I feed up.

We have church tonight so I have to get my lesson ready.

We are expecting a big cold front here this week, starting tomorrow I think. Maybe snow.

Sorry to hear of your rooster trouble.

I gave him away and am so glad to be rid of him. 4 game roos to go. I traded 2 bantam hens for an EE hen and a BSL hen. I clipped their wings and put them in the pullet pen as it is a bit bigger than the layer pen and less crowded. There was a bit of jockying for position but they got it all worked out. They were all on the roost tonight and nobody looks worse for the wear.

I had to bring Miracle in. She is the BSL pullet that survived the dog attack. She has decided to molt. At least i guess thst is what it is. The outside of one of her legs is naked. Doesn't appear to be any trauma. Awful time to be without feathers so she is in the LR in a big plastic tub.

The blinded roo is better. I put him in the shower under warm water a few nights ago then worked on his eyes. I got them open but they were closed again next morning so last night I wrapped a warm, wet cloth around his head and opened them again. I put some ointment in them. They are open just a slit tonight and he can see!! I think he will be OK but may never grow feathers on his head again. He is still trying to fight. Guess he always will.

It has been snowing here all day but hasn't been bad because it has been light and dry. Started to change a bit after dark. The pplows are out scraping and salting. Praying it doesn't get worse.

Hope you all are warm tonight.

I love to see the pics!!!!!! I read about 3/4 of the posts before my eyes started crossing lol. I need to make t a point to get on here more often. Here is my lil hen sweet pea.She loves to be handled and i can pose her by just putting her tail and head in the position i want giggle shes pretty cute this pic was taken with no posing tho.

Here is my only roo right now.Im not real mpressed with him right now he looks like hes got too much tail.His wngs could be a little more downward pointing too but im learning.I wish i knew more about showing and i wish there were some serama shows close by to get my feet wet.

OhOHMY! I dont a thing wrong with any of them Wolfie! They are just preciuos. Just look at those colors and such attitude!! Wonderful!

Sweet Pea is a cutie, I love Seramas!

Very sweet, I see nothing wrong with your rooster, especially as a pet. Showing them is a little different when it comes to conformation. The protruding chest is almost a must for showing and yes the vertical feathers should be a little more vertical, but for pets, I think their wonderful...Hay

Wow... Lil Sweet Pea is a winner! She is perfect.. (in my eyes) The lil roo is nice too.. His wings leave a bit to be desired, and his comb is way big.. but other than that, he is really nice! Love the color!!

ty guys I would love to show lil sweet pea. I think she is very close to the standard.I dont like this roo much for conformation but i have some eggs going right now so im hoping to get another roo out of them.I had quite a few losses out there in the barn this fall so he is the only roo i have right now but im sure with the nice hens i do have laying right now i should get something a little better to work with.I did also join the serama club last year so i have a good standard to go by when choosing chicks to keep.The little buff colored hen to the left is also a tiny hen and cute.

This message was edited Feb 1, 2011 2:27 PM

this hen is fleck she used to be mottled but then turned all black. she is not as nice a little larger also but shes sweet. She is my dh baby girl.

I just like this picture of Swwet pea she is such a proud gal when she has laid an egg.

I know very little about seramas, but I like her little comb. It's very nice. She seems like a sweetie.

I have a splash silkie rooster and noticed the other day he has a very large comb that isn't too attractive. I think it grew in the last six months. Not sure what judges think of those big combs on silkies.

Silkies have a "Walnut" comb and no matter what... it's ugly. LOL Hopefully he's got enough "poof" to cover it some. He is maturing that's what makes it get big.

On a little Serama, I think a big comb is not good.. especially if it doesn't have the 5 points clearly defined. That's my personal opinion, and I ain't no judge! LOL

Yeah that makes sense to me a small comb on a tiny bird does just look better He has had frost bite so he lost all the points.Most of my roos here in illinois loose most or all of their combs.Im hoping we are going to be able to dig out my barn today lol the drifts are 1/2 way up the building today. I know im going to have to dig out the turkeys I cant even see them in their cage.The snow has covered the opening of the doghouse they go into in bad weather.This storm is horrible if you have lots of critters outside.