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Kristine Keeney

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since Mar 15, 2019
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Biography
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
- Robert A. Heinlein
So far, I haven't had the chance to plan an invasion, conn a ship, design a building, set a bone, or die gallantly. I hope I'm not called on to do those things soon.
I have survived things that probably should have killed me, and seem to serve as a good example of "What *Not* To Do" for certain situations.
I have a black belt in Ishin Ryu and Tang Su Do that turned into a more MMA version a few years back when my instructor decided that he wanted to learn Krav Maga. I earned that Dan and I'm going to see if I can get another.
I tend to "write a book" every November for the NaNoWriMo self-assigned challenge. I almost earned a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries, which has made me an expert in Natural Science trivia.
I have done historical costuming, am refreshing my skills at handwork, and am debating whether surgery for cancer is a means of The Powers That Be to slow me down enough to improve my skills at certain crafts, or learn patience with myself and human limitations.
I was an active member of the SCA Inc., and enjoy a wild variety of medieval things and stuff.
I am married, have no children, and currently share my home with The Most Wonderful Husband in The World (TM) who has been with me for more than 30 years.
I have managed to keep all the fully-feathered poultry in the backyard, though I do brood them in the kitchen. I'm sure I have other questionable habits, but they seem to center around handwork and crafty things, books, plants, and critters.
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South-southeast Texas, technically the "Golden Crescent", zone 9a
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Recent posts by Kristine Keeney

Beautiful kites and carps!
Makes me want to go find the bits and pieces and make a new one (since the old one never really got going).

I did find the old half an embroidery hoop (the inside), so I have something to hold the mouth open. Now to get the rest of it together!
6 days ago
This is so exciting! I haven't yet made a decision about incubating goose eggs, so it's probably not happening this year. The geese have made a communal nest with (at last count) 14 eggs in it. We'll see if anyone gets around to brooding. All three of the geese are doing great at laying, so I'm happy about that.

Yes, I would say that the red blobs are gooses. Depending on how old the dark blobs are (late in incubation, were they red earlier?) they might be gooses.

Last year, when I was incubating goose eggs before the incubator went wacky and cooked them all (106F for at least 3 hours), I was candling fairly frequently. I can also smell that off-scent in eggs, and use that when I'm sorting chicken eggs, double checking by candling. I noticed that I needed a very dark room and bright light for the goose eggs, and it was harder to track - so I did the frequent candling because learning is essential.

The tip about the happy goose noises is a good one. I'll have to see what I can do about that.
I'm glad you have goslings hatching. That's so very exciting.
1 week ago

Dorothy Pohorelow wrote:This may help https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfCEE3Ewfic  he has some very clear diagrams.  


This is a great video! I enjoyed it.
I like that it uses examples that are within that 3-day initial time-span where you're counting your chicks after they've hatched, but before you've put a lot of additional time into them. (Not that it matters for me, but I understand not getting attached to extras you don't want/need.)
So lovely to see someone putting words to what I have been seeing. Thank you for sharing!
2 weeks ago

Kade Cogan wrote:Here are the  the pictures
chick1
https://ibb.co/album/CmbXCm



This little guy looks like a cockerel from the spot on the back of its head. Again, it's not 100% accurate, but if these are the only two chicks, comparing the definite 'spot', this is a boy.

Kade Cogan wrote:chick 2
https://ibb.co/album/y47Yq5


This looks more like a little pullet from the general shape of the spot on the back of its head and the feather development, assuming the chicks are the same age.
Again, not 100% accurate - it's more a "vibe" at this early stage.

Once you get some experience with chicks and chickens you'll start to be able to feel, from feather development and behavior, which are *more likely than not* a cockerel versus a pullet. It takes time and a lot of chickens. Even then, you can be wrong.
It's roughly 6 months from the time I received some of the cockerels I'm currently thinking Mean Thoughts about right now. I was only just smacked in the face with the "that's not a pullet". I was so hoping for a couple of them to be pullets.
2 weeks ago

Kade Cogan wrote:Is there anybody who can sex these chicks?


Kade, I'd love to help but your pictures didn't come through. I don't know what the problem might be, but that's why no one has really stepped up.
We're very helpful people about stuff like this.

The hints you've been given - little white spot on the back of the male's head; boys tend to have thicker and brighter colored legs - are good hints.

Another one that I have had work most of the time is that boys feather out before girls do. They'll have more and larger wing feathers sooner than the girls. Trust me - it's never steered me wrong (even when I wish it had).

You can try posting the pictures again. Or maybe hit the reference links that have been shared.
Barred Rocks are great hens. My Barred Rock roo went for a long walk on a short pier and ended up in Freezer Camp because he just wasn't what I wanted for my flock, but he wasn't a Bad Roo, just not for me.

No one will ever tell you that they can sex your chicks 100% of the time and actually mean it. I'm sorry if that's frustrating (because I understand that sometimes that extra chick is a make-or-break situation) but humans just can't get things right always. It won't stop us from trying, but every hint/tip will come with caveats.

Please keep trying and being a part of the conversation. We're in the same boat.
Well, I'm busily trying to come up with ways to somehow cull 8 perfectly decent purebred birds that I don't need or want, so maybe not the exact same boat, but I'm rowing nearby.
3 weeks ago
I think I caught the pattern.

In my section of Texas, there's a specific terminology: if you're talking about going "into town" - means a fairly close (within 30 miles) small place, maybe a Dollar General and a grocery store, feed store, or gas station.

If you're talking about "going into the city" - the closest large city to you at that point - Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, or Brownsville. You might get away with substituting another large township, but it's easier to mention the name of it when you talk about going there.

"I'm headed into town, anyone need something?" - something small and quick to pick up
"I'm heading into the city, anyone need something?" - feed, bulk groceries, clothing, hospitals, professional services, ...

"I'm heading to Galveston/Port Arthur, anyone need something?" - fresh seafood, seaweed, a day trip to the beach, ...
4 weeks ago
Good video for people new to chicken keeping.
My personal thoughts on the matter are somewhat different, but I enjoyed the out-takes and everything you said/explained is factual and good info.
1 month ago

Josh Hoffman wrote:I came across another article by Joel Salitin with a theory on the egg shortage. Words from this article are below: https://www.thelunaticfarmer.com/blog/2/18/2025/bird-flu-why

[quote
Can you share a picture of your ladies doing what they do in the environment you provide for them? My kids would love to see those pics.

2 months ago

Josh Hoffman wrote:

Kristine Keeney wrote:Goose eggs, at least for my type of goose (African) are roughly 3 times the size of a chicken egg. The shell is thicker, and yolk is larger, and there's more white.



Do you find the geese helpful in other areas besides the eggs? In other words, are the eggs a byproduct of another more primary purpose for keeping geese?

I do not know anyone that keeps them.


We got geese to serve as chicken guardians. They do a great job! Their primary purpose is to be loud - something they do very well - and protect the chickens.

They yell at anything they think is new, different, objectionable, or that they disapprove of.

They will spread their wings in a defensive posture to scare away hawks, eagles, and crows, and dove, robins, cardinals - they don't discriminate, protecting their food from wild birds. They "bonk" the chickens if they get underfoot by poking at them with their beaks. If they're truly annoyed they'll bite at the chickens, but they don't do damage.

They will yell at other animals that they think don't belong, and attack/defend themselves and the rest of the flock against smaller critters.

They make great weeders, but you need to be careful of what stage the plants are that you want them to weed as opposed to the plants you want to keep. Ginger, one of my older hens, ate half my strawberry crowns before I caught her at it and dug up a potted mint so she could eat the roots. Iris, my youngest hen, loves for me to pull the grass for her to munch and is very hesitant about what plants she's going to eat otherwise.

If you've never seen a domestic goose, they seem (to people new to them) to be much larger than they actually are - goose vibes, I think. They fill a large-ish space with "goose-ness".
My tallest gander, standing in a relaxed pose, will arch his head to right under my hand hanging loose, so mid-thigh in height. About ... 29" or 77cm. His wingspan is immense, especially if you aren't used to large birds. My guess on his wingspan, tip-to-tip is about 5 feet.  

Domestic geese are too heavy to fly. Two of my girls can get off the ground if the wind is right, but they don't get high enough to make it over the 4ft chain link. They will sometimes try to "migrate" by going for a walk down the road, but they travel as an entire gaggle, only go as fast as the slowest goose, and are easily distracted.
They will charge - a run/glide with their wings outspread and sometimes flapping - to cross distances quickly or intimidate. After the first few goes, you learn not to be surprised by it. A charge by a goose can be very intimidating; by the entire gaggle is a sight.

Roasted goose is wonderful. They're waterfowl and all dark meat, but Africans and young Embdens (the most common 'commercial' goose) are practically grease-free, which is hard if you're used to and expecting your roasted goose to be full of goose fat. I stuffed fat geese with apples, onions, and sage, then cooked it long and slow. So tender.
My last roasted goose had no fat, so I made dried-out goose jerky accidentally. Not the best Easter dinner. My advice? make sure you know what you're buying if you buy a goose for roasting.
I have yet to eat one of my flock. I don't look forward to the plucking.

I haven't eaten any of the goose eggs yet, this year. I'm trying to decide if I'm going to try to incubate any, or what baking I'll do. Making pasta has been suggested as a way to use and store them long term, so I might try that, I need to start forming a plan and moving on it.

I think more people should have a few geese around, for the humor aspect if nothing else. Until the 1950s, they were fairly common, but once people moved into suburbs, they got away from geese.
They don't suit everyone or every situation, but they are fun birds to have and great noise makers (for the most part - there are quieter breeds and individuals).
2 months ago

Josh Hoffman wrote:
Geese. Interesting. I have never had one of their eggs. I have read that folks also have ostrich for their eggs.

How does the goose egg compare to a chicken egg?


Roughly?
Goose eggs, at least for my type of goose (African) are roughly 3 times the size of a chicken egg. The shell is thicker, and yolk is larger, and there's more white. It's harder to crack a goose egg, so it takes a definite purpose - the chickens will sometimes try to mess with one, but it took a crow actively looking for the abandoned goose eggs to crack one two years ago.

They have a different flavor. Not bad, just different. I can usually find a buyer who wants to eat them, one will make a good-sized omelet for a single person, and they hold together better because of the different proteins.
They're good to bake with. Again, those different proteins. I try to keep a box cake mix around for an annual treat - they make cakes and other baked goods taste much richer. Kind of like duck eggs, honestly.

Ostrich eggs are something I've never eaten. The price for the individual eggs is a bit high and I'm not that much of a gourmet to be chasing new food experiences. They're the rough equivalent of 6 chicken eggs, are (I think) seasonal layers, and are expensive for that reason. The shells are thick and it's suggested to drill a small hole that you use as a starting place for a crack - or the last time I looked into them, that was the suggestion.
2 months ago