[Jacob-list] ewe-tan-it and heritage chickens

[Ralene Mitschler]

Hello allI have been happiest with my standard-sized Brahma chickens--
whites and darks (haven't tried the goldens though they are rarer.)  Just
ordered a new set of whites from Murray McMurray hatchery for middle of
March.  They are big chickens; big birds are very calm as Susan mentioned.
 I haven't had very many willing to set on eggs though (perhaps a function
of coming from that hatchery)?  Anyway, I have experimented with Cochins,
the smaller and perhaps more delicate polish crested etc and prefer the
brahmas.  They are good eating as well as nice brown egg layers.  I also
have lost fewest big birds to clever foxes who for a while were making new
holes in my large fenced chicken yard.  The brahmas are on the watch list on
ALBC (http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/wtchlist.html#chickens) --one category
closer to recovery than our jacobs.  The brahmas lay all year round and
continually too.

We had our wonderful chaotic shearing party yesterday.  SO amazing to see my
black and white flock again.  Cannot ever get over how the fuzzy balls shear
down to little sheep!  I was happy to see the good conditioning they were in
given the drought etc.  I was worried even though I was feeling the
conditioning through the fleece.  Seeing was believing : )  Lambing pushed
back to middle of April so am excited to look at all your pictures
meanwhile.  Boy do 58 fleeces make a fine big pile : )  My wonderful friends
as 'volunteers' so enjoyed watching the shearer (Tom Horton of PA) and were
incredible as sweepers, fleece fetchers, skirters and wranglers.  WOW.

about rams and ewes:  just put my whole flock back together before shearing
so have 8+ rams with 40-some ewes; no breeding activity thank goodness.
 Will pull the boys back out once the spring pastures start growing and send
them to the bottom pastures.  (that way I can play with lambs without having
to split my attention to anything but lambs).  I have left rams in with ewes
from August to December and find a few lambs made from that whole range
though personally now prefer the November window just so lambs come later.
 I don't show so I don't have to have lambs by the early age show dates; I
like seeing other people show but just can't fit that in with everything
else!

impatient for spring!
Ralene



On Sat, Mar 1, 2008 at 6:29 PM, Linda <patchworkfibers at alltel.net> wrote:


> Two separate subjects - I'm not looking to tan chicken hides.

>

> Has anyone used Rittel's ewe-tan-it kit for tanning washable sheepskins?

>  Also, are Buck's, Stern's and Lonestar really the only three tanneries?

>

> Is anyone raising chickens from the ALBC conservation priority list?

>  We're going to get chickens again and I'd like to get select a heritage

> breed. Suggestions?

>

> Linda

>

>

>

> *www.patchworkfibers.com* <http://www.patchworkfibers.com>

> *Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn*

>

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>



-- 
Ralene R. Mitschler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biology
McDaniel College
2 College Hill
Westminster MD  21157
410.857.2406

Ralene Mitschler
Chicory Lane Farm Jacob sheep
www.blueflowerflock.com
687 Oxford Ave
Hanover PA  17331
rmitschler at gmail.com
717.630.2988
717.817.3794 cell
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