Peanut Butter Oatmeal cookies

If you made my Mom's corn chowder recipe HERE, the other day and still have 1/2 cup of undiluted evaporated milk left, here's one way to use it up!

A surprisingly easy and good recipe that requires no flour, and is wonderfully tender and tasty!

 

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup & 2 Tab. old fashioned oats

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp. flavoring of your choice, almond or maple are wonderful

 

Cream peanut butter & sugar, add milk & flavoring & mix. Stir in oats. Drop by spoonful's on oiled cookie sheet, makes about 20. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, till firm but still soft. Let cool at least 10 minutes before removing to rack. If too soft to handle leave on pan longer. They will stiffen up.

These are delicious and guess what, no wheat for a change. Enjoy!

 

Farm adventures....clear...8*.................

The sun actually appeared during our Alberta Clipper today and since I had my 2 hats and one piece quilted outfit and most important my ice grippers already on I headed for the camera.
The GIRLS weren't too cooperative, but not too stubborn either so this is what I got. A.Wyse has 8 weeks to go, if I were to venture a guess I'd say she's having bucks. Anybody need a full blooded mini-la mancha buck? PLEASE?????????????
Flossie only has 4 weeks now and does look bigger than this picture but not nearly as big as her Mom.
Thimby (who never will pose) has 8 weeks too and barely shows. If she only has one I don't mind, well I do if it's a buck. Meanwhile Bandit and Riley are trying to beat the winter blues by fighting through the fence, I've come to the conclusion they are not going to agree to the roommate contract. Bah, humbug I need another pen. Grace and Valerie need to find their new GOOD home but I've been waiting for spring-like weather to advertise them. Who wants to go shopping in this weather? I can't barely get up my 1/4 mile driveway.
How many days till spring?????????????????? 

A. Wyse---8 weeks to go

Flossie- 4 weeks to go

Thimby--8 weeks to go

 

Mom's Corn Chowder....cloudy...windy...20's

 Another cold and blustery day here in the Ozark mountains, where the north wind is whistling around the windows, and I have to go out into it to feed and water all the animals. Perhaps that's why we eat so much soup around here, it's certainly nice to come into a steaming bowl after being out in the elements !!
This is a very old recipe and it's always a hit, whenever served!                     

 

 Mom's Corn Chowder

 1 cup frozen lima beans OR peas(Mom never did this but it's healthier)

3 slices lean bacon

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

3 1/2 cups peeled and chopped(small pieces) white potatoes

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup evaporated milk ***See note***

1 can creamed corn

Oyster crackers(Mom always served these)

 

Cook lima's or peas in 2 cups water until tender. While cooking sauté bacon, remove from pan and sauté onions until golden in same pan. When beans are tender remove from water and add potatoes and enough additional water to just cover the potatoes. Bring to boil, add frozen corn and cook both until tender. Don't drain, add bacon and onions and beans and creamed corn and evap. Heat and stir, be careful not to boil. Top with seasoned salt and ground pepper.

This is from memory, but I think it's close. Enjoy!

Note: We will have an idea of how to use the other 1/2 cup of evaporated milk for you,  A delicious, unusual cookie recipe that we'll share on Saturday.

Pigeon project....cludy...20's*.................

Here are Liberty and Leslie at 12 days old! We were told they would grow fast, but are still amazed at their rate of growth. I guess when you are going to go from 0-adult in just four weeks, you have too!

A tale of six kitties.....cloudy....22*.......

                                                                Snippets & Snatches

 

 

Tonight as "His Highness Lonesome" settled himself into my lap I remembered I promised to tell you how he came to us. A few years back my sister (whom I had not seen in 29 years) came to visit. We had just had a litter of kittens, the result of Butterscotch taking a nocturnal jaunt by squeezing out a hole in the attic (while under 'house arrest' waiting for the next spay clinic in our town) and one family member felt very overpopulated in "his" house space. Anyway, one day she and I went on errands, which included the Feed store, and while she browsed the clothing section I ordered feed. She disappeared, which wasn't unlike her, so I went to the loading dock to wait for my order. Still she didn't come. Then as I headed back to look for her she appeared carrying a large box, obviously heavy. I gestured to help and she said no. I asked what she had and she gave her oft used phrase "Never you mind" (I'm sure she was copying Mom on that one) She put the box on the back of the truck and we headed home. She would try to face forward but couldn't help looking back at the box. Finally I said "As heavy as that box seemed, I'm sure it won't blow off". She nodded but looked quite concerned and sat looking backwards for the next 8 miles. We stopped at someone's house to say hi and when she got out of the truck she said "I'll wait out here." Well my puzzlement was soon resolved, when I heard a small meow coming from the box.

At my shock and dismay ( NOW I dreaded going home)

she said" well 'he' always said he wanted a Maine Coon Cat. This one lived in the back with the feed to catch mice and I asked if we could have him and they said take him." I know she knew if she'd asked me I would have said no, so she didn't ask. Look how thin he was at first and without the luxuriant coat he now has. She had had two when she lived in Alaska and apparently knew her subject well as he has turned out to be a gem, both in looks and demeanor.

                                                                                                                                                                          And his name? Well we were afraid to have him in the house with tiny kittens, he being a male, so we kept him outside in my husband's work shop. Often my sister would take a break out there to keep him company.
One day my husband said that poor cat looks "lonesome" and soon after he joined the houseful of others.

He never harmed the kittens and his original description became his name.

 

 

Pigeon project...cloudy...windy 16*.....

                                                                        PIGEON TALK

 

Well I guess pictures once a week is not enough!!!! Look at this little one, just three days after the last picture we showed you. Amazing rate of growth, just like the literature said would happen. We picked them up to put bands on their legs and they had already grown too large. So Leslie and Liberty will remain band free. Do you want to know what piqued our interest in pigeons? It was a book written in 1947 by Anne Molloy called "The Pigeoneers". A story about a boy that spends a long time in a hospital ward, and watches the pigeons from the window near his bed.

A face only a mother (or father) could love!
Pigeon fact: did you know both the mother and the father take turns
sitting on the eggs and feeding the baby pigeons??

Sunday Quotes...Cloudy..windy...31*

            

  ~Smiles~

 

Smile a little, smile a little,
   As you go along,
Not alone when life is pleasant,
   But when things go wrong.
Care delights to see you frowning,
   Loves to hear you sigh;
Turn a smiling face upon her—
   Quick the dame will fly.

Smile a little, smile a little,
   All along the road;
Every life must have its burden,
   Every heart its load.
Why sit down in gloom and darkness
   With your grief to sup?
As you drink Fate’s bitter tonic,
   Smile across the cup.

Smile upon the troubled pilgrims
   Whom you pass and meet;
Frowns are thorns, and smiles are blossoms
   Oft for weary feet.
Do not make the way seem harder
   By a sullen face;
Smile a little, smile a little,
   Brighten up the place.

Smile upon your undone labour;
   Not for one who grieves
O’er his task waits wealth or glory;
   He who smiles achieves.
Though you meet with loss and sorrow
   In the passing years,
Smile a little, smile a little,
   Even through your tears.

              ELLA WHEELER WILCOX 1903

We hope you find something to smile about today!

 

Double Fudge Cinnamon brownies.........31* and drizzle...........

We asked the other day on FB which you preferred when stuck inside in the winter, Soup or Sweets?

Sweets won hands down! And what better kind of sweet than a Chocolate Sweet?!

 

Double Fudge Cinnamon Brownies

 2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted in mixing bowl

1/2 cup boiling water

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

 

Stir sugar into butter, add water and stir. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and cocoa. Mix well, but don't beat. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread in buttered 8 x 8" or 9 x 9" pan and bake at 350 until knife tests clean, about 30 min. Sort of cake like, but the choc. chips add density and texture. The cinnamon enhances the chocolate but you don't taste it individually.

 

The Adventures of Valerie & Grace......21* cloudy...with freezing rain forecast

Valerie & Grace experienced their first snow this week! Here are  their thoughts on the matter:

 Valerie: "So this is snow. I don't like it, my feet are cold."
Grace: " I think it falls out of the sky!" 



 Valerie: "This is much better,
no wonder Mom always says 'Keep your feet dry'. She's A. Wyse Ol'goat, isn't she?"



Snippets and Snatches....Cold, just plain COLD !

MORE MUFFIN RECIPES....But first, a little SNIPPET.......

In our younger days we owned a small café, a working man's breakfast and plate lunch type of place in N.H. Every morning when the doors opened hot Blueberry &  Bran muffins were ready. The building was on one side of the railroad tracks, and a large vacant shoe factory on the other side of the tracks. You might remember, a lot of New England towns had shoe factories before they were all sent overseas. And doing shoe piece work (that is making one piece of a shoe and being paid by quantities not salary)  was done in many homes by women who couldn't work outside the home. Coincidentally I had a job in that VERY shoe factory one summer vacation while in High School. I remember being so happy to be earning money to share with my family. Well it turned out the several of us hired for supposedly the whole summer break, were just hired to get out a contract the factory was behind schedule on. The minute it was done, about two weeks, we were all let go. Pretty soon it was determined school age children in other countries could be paid even less than we were and the large (3 story bldg.) was closed and sat empty forever more.

 Anyway, I interrupted myself, what I was going to tell you was  after we  had been open a few months, one morning I looked out to see the train stopped  in front of our café , and in came one of the train workers asking for half a dozen Blueberry muffins for his crew. Seems we'd built a reputation!

 So here are those two recipes, Try ‘em they’re good enough to stop the train for !!! 

.

                          BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

 

3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

In large mixing bowl stir dry ingredients together. In small bowl beat eggs, then add oil & milk. Add all at once to dry and stir together until mixed but don't beat. Fold in blueberries. Spoon into greased muffin tins, fill to top. I get about 14. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and then take out of pan to cool on rack.

                               BRAN MUFFINS

2 cups Kellogg's All Bran Cereal

2 cups flour
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Mix dry in large bowl. Beat eggs, add oil & buttermilk. Combine with dry and stir well. Put in refrigerator at least overnight before first use. Can be kept refrigerated for 2 weeks. No need to warm up to bake. Fill greased muffin pans to top and bake 350 for about 30 minutes. Great to have on hand to bake when the oven is on for something else.

Both these recipes are delicious when muffin is cut in half and buttered and toasted in cast iron skillet.

 

 

 

Pigeon Project....15* and windy.....

What a difference a week makes...especially in baby pigeons.. did you know they will be full grown in just 4 weeks?  Here's picture #2, they are about 8 days old. We have named them Liberty and Leslie!

  Look at those feathers coming. (we were told they'd resemble little porcupines at this stage and they do!)
That's a glimpse of Hollywood, the father, who moved over to let us get a better picture. However, the one facing the camera didn't agree and tried to peck us 3 times. Must be a male!!
 

A tale of six kitties........Sunny and 15*...snow on the ground

 A tale of six kitties calendar out-takes..... should this one make it in the calendar??

Butterscotch is one of our rescue kitties, mamma to Soot, Sophie, Marmalade and Flopsy. Affectionately known as Mamma-Kitty she is by far the best natured of our kitties, she was abandoned when someone moved and just couldn’t take her with them, well I guess we are glad they couldn’t and we found her (through our local pet adoption) because we can’t imagine our house without her! Though she’s a ‘house kitty’ she’s free to go in and out as she pleases, (and does many times a day!) From the look on her face in this picture, taken a couple of years ago when we were having a really snowy winter--I think she’d rather have stayed inside, don’t you??

A tale of six kitties...........sleeting.....16*

More "A tale of six Kitties" calendar outtakes today. Marmalade our February calendar girl, isn't liking this weather any more than the rest of us!

 Marmalade says "Look at the lengths I have to go to avoid my siblings,
while stuck in the house because of bad weather."
Hurry up spring!

Sunday quotes.......cold and growing colder

Does anyone remember this poem? It hung on our wall all during our childhood. 

I hope I'm quoting it exactly, as now it's from memory.

It brings a feeling of nostalgia for my Mom's attitude of tolerance.

Such a nice legacy!

            There's so much good in the worst of us

             And so much bad in the best of us

             That it little behooves any of us

             To talk about the rest of us   

                            (author unknown)

 

 

Muscadine Jelly....Sunny... 35*

A taste of summer in winter-Jelly from frozen Muscadine Grapes

 

 

 

6 cups juice from one gallon of Muscadines---Fresh picked or Frozen

4 1/2 cups sugar

1/3  well-rounded cup Dutch Jell or one box low-sugar recipe sure jell

**See notes***

 

 

Start by putting washed Muscadines in a large pot with enough water to barely cover. Bring to a boil turn down and simmer till skins start to pop 10-15 minutes, mash well with a potato masher and simmer another 10 minutes stirring and mashing occasionally during this time.

Set sieve in another large pot (I don’t use my jelly bag for this because the hulls are so tough and I’m not going to let in hang and drip slowly anyways) and carefully pour juice and hulls/pulp into sieve, mash down and set a plate and something heavy on top of the sieve , let sit about half an hour mash any remaining juice out with a spoon and discard hulls/pulp.

I always do this the night before, refrigerate the juice, then I’m ready for the jelly making in the morning.

 

Measure out 6 cups of juice (it’s OK to add a little water if you need to, to bring up to 6 cups)

put in a large pot over medium heat

mix together 1/4 cup of sugar and rounded 1/3 cup of Dutch jell, sprinkle over juice and stir well.

bring to a boil, add remaining sugar all at once and stir till dissolved , bring back to a gentle boil and cook 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile get your jars hot along with lids and bands, you need 7 half-pint jelly jars.

When 15 minutes is up check for jell, I do this with a cold plate (that’s been set in the freezer) drop a dab of hot jelly on it, then run your finger through it, if it runs back together it needs to cook longer, if it stays parted it’s ready, check every minute at this point till it’s ready. (see picture below)

Fill jars, wipe rims and add rings and bands, set immediately into canner , when all your jars are in canner bring water to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Carefully remove from canner and let cool completely, check for seal.

 

**NOTES: if you’ve never canned before, jelly is a really good place to start. But please read how from  a reliable source like Ball Blue book first, As this is written by and for someone who’s been doing it for years and is comfortable with it.

 

**NOTES: Dutch Jell is a bulk item you can find at most Health food stores and on line, it is much cheaper than Sure Jell and I find it isn’t as picky about using a precise amount of sugar as the boxed stuff.

Jelly on top and left is ready the one on the right needs to cook a bit longer.

Check out this recipe on this blog hop too! http://www.littleblogonthehomestead.com/homestead-blog-hop-18/

Pigeon project............Partly cloudy..26*

Where is everyone? We thought sure some would like to help us name our Pigeons See Yesterdays post.
We will keep these two, as we'll be able to let them out and they'll return, as they were born here. Their parents, Hollywood and Amarillo were born in Amarillo Tx., so if they get out by mistake, if they elude the six cats and Walter, they will be in "Amarillo by morning" or soon thereafter. :)

Anyway here are two more beautiful copper bracelets to consider from my husbands stash!

This One is made of 4 delicate individual chains and measures 7 1/2" Long and the combined width of chains is 1". The price is $20. Free shipping in USA!

The other one also has 4 individual chains connected to a 2" Long by 3/4" Wide plate. Overall Length is 8 1/2" by 7/8" Wide. The price is $30. Free shipping in USA!

I do feel these Bracelets are the last of their species. Take advantage if you want one. 
Stop by tomorrow for 'recipe Saturday' :)

Pigeon Project....... sunny windy and 30's*

                                                           Pigeon Project Progressing

 

Well we've had a successful hatching, 2 little pigeons early this week. We'll keep you updated with their progress, they grow very fast, and will be ready to train at 4 weeks old. So weekly pictures to follow. Training involves letting them come out of the loft and fly and come back on their own. Well guess who's going to be tearing her hair out over that! The one whose job it  will be to keep six cats and Walter confined inside the house, lest they join in and help with the training.

 

If you would like to suggest 2 names for these newest members of the farm please do.
We'll choose and let everyone know.
Sorry but we can't tell if they are males or females or perhaps one each.

 

Snippets & Snatches...Sunny and 41*

                                     The Conundrum of Country Roads

 

"It takes rocks to hold mountains together" a transplanted man from the plains' states once told me, soon after I moved here. I've thought of his phrase often over the years. Today's Snippet is prompted by yesterday's activities of raking and rearranging many of those rocks to improve our driveway. Our country road is also a gravel road with many issues to deal with. When we first moved here, we had so many flat tires until we learned truck tires must be 8 ply rated as 10, to stand up to the gravel which really was small ROCKS dug from the creek bed. These tires don't provide a comfortable highway ride but at least you keep moving. I often hear on T. V. how long the average commute in America is, and I'm aghast. But living out in the country involves quite a commute too. Our four mile commute takes 20 minutes on a good day, when the road is in good shape, and you don't have to pull over too many times for others. Yup, we're one lane out here. When you forget something or need something from town, you often do without.  I had a flash back recently of my first country road. We did not own a vehicle until I was 8 years old. When I was about 6, my Aunt, Uncle and Cousins picked me up and took me to their house way out in the country, at least it seemed way out to me as a city dweller. Anyway to get to their home in Beverly Farms, Ma. we went down a country road. I was fascinated!!! The headlights shining down the road, woods on both sides, and then a rabbit appeared and watched us. I've always credited ( or blamed, depending on the day!) my love of the country on that incident. After that I was transplanted to Ca. and you guessed it, very little country there. Now, on reflection, after  living MANY years in the country, ------  I confront the age old situation of TRADE-OFFS. I remember the phrase "Pave Paradise" and decide our country roads,  unpaved, can continue to take us home.  At least on my commute I enjoy the beauty you see in this picture, mostly by myself, without traffic to contend with, as I watch for deer to leap in front of me (that happens often) or a flock of turkeys to take flight as I duck inside my truck. Yes "It takes rocks to hold mountains together" and I'm sure that is part of the reason our area isn't OVER developed!!!!!!

 

Won't you come go with us?



Check this post out on this blog hop too!
 http://www.littleblogonthehomestead.com/homestead-blog-hop-17/
 

Farm adventures.....Sunny and 30's*

A. Wyse, our matriarch in the goat family, is a mini-Lamancha , Thus a ‘no ear’ goat. Her daughter Flossie had a daddy with ears so she is an ‘elf ear’ goat, (little nubbins of ears that have a cute little downturned point at the end)

we call them half ears around here ! So last years Flossie and A. Wyse both had twins, of the four babies these were the results :

Three ‘half eared’ babies and one with a full set of ears ! after many years of only lamancha’s around here she was quite a change, we named her Penny, but her nickname that stuck until she was sold was ”EARS” ---

 

 

So this year we have a Daddy goat with ‘elf ears’ and three momma’s due, A. Wyse with no ears, Flossie & Thimby each with ‘elf ears’ What do you think our odds are of getting another full set of ears ??

Check this post out here too:
http://www.littleblogonthehomestead.com/homestead-blog-hop-17/

 

 

A tale of six kitties calendar outtakes... windy.. sunny.. and 40*

Another outtake from the adventure of photographing six stubborn, independent cats for our upcoming 2016 "A tale of six kitties" calendar....
The look on Lonesome face is priceless, he had just been scolded yet again for sharpening his claws on the couch!

"Hello, my name is 'STOP THAT', what's yours?   
By the way, did you ever hear of the man in this era that named all his sons George?
 Or did you hear of the man in the 1700's that named all his Johann? 
Well in my house all of us are named 'Stop That!'."

Sunday Quotes..........Cloudy but warm!

Here is a wonderful quote found in my sister's "Snippets & Snatches" after she left us.

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

"The Heights of great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night."

One way she always toiled, endlessly, was as the family peacemaker trying to unite all members in harmony. We all miss her.

 

 

Company's coming cobbler..................Sunny and warmer

When unexpected company comes over, having a couple of simple ingredients always on hand will help you to quickly make something fresh baked. 

What I have in mind is 29 oz. canned peaches or 1 qt. of your own canned peaches, and

1 yellow cake mix.

Here's the recipe for an 8 x 8" pan, double for 9 x 13.

 

1 lg. can peaches in light syrup ( or 1 qt. home canned), drain and save syrup

In saucepan put 1/3 cup sugar and 3 T. cornstarch, stir together and add drained syrup, and 1 tsp. almond flavoring or vanilla. Cook over low heat until thickened. Butter 8 x 8" pan and spread peaches evenly over bottom. Pour thickened syrup evenly over. Now for the dry cake mix, this is what I do. I take the whole box of dry cake mix and put in bowl and add 1 c. whole wheat flour. Stir until completely mixed. I divide this mix into 3 parts, and use one part for the 8 x 8 size pan. 2 parts for the 9 x 13" pan. Sprinkle the portion of dry mix over the pan of peaches, and then drizzle 1/2 cup melted margarine over that. Bake at 350 until filling is bubbly and the topping has just started to brown, about 20 min. Let cool briefly and serve. If you have cream or best of all vanilla ice cream, top and let melt slightly and then serve. This is quite good for a quickie and we have it often without the company!!!!!

 

A tale of six kitties...outtakes cloudy & 23*

More Jonquil Junction 'A tale of six Kitties' Calendar Outtakes (Yep, you get a lot more pictures than you can use!) Inside or out Marmalade's the first to claim something new.
You'll remember this picture when my husband was building the pigeon cage and went for another tool and in she went. (By the way, the pigeons are due to hatch first of next week, hope I'll have some pics for you).
 After shopping the other day, I set down this package and came back 5 minutes later to put it away, and already Marmalade had begun her nap. :)

Watch for more details about our 2016 Calendar coming soon!

Farm Adventures.... Sunny .. still..with a dusting of snow and 13*

"A Penny for your thoughts, A. Wyse"  ?
How many times over the years did my Mom say that to me?
A. Wyse and I did a little photo shoot last summer and as you
can see she didn't always cooperate (a goat not cooperate, really?)
and look at the camera, but this is one of my favorite shots of her
gazing off thoughtfully across the meadow 

Now for the results of yesterday's questions. In the top picture the goat on the left, Flossie, is due 4 weeks sooner than the one on the right, A. Wyse. In the bottom picture, A.Wyse and her daughter, Thumbelina are due the same day. I was surprised that several of you picked Flossie because she doesn't look as big to me. And one follower guessed that A. Wyse and Thimby were due on the same day-- Green Circle Grove. Do you have goats?

Farm Adventures ...... Sunny......Still and 38*

                                     Baby goats coming soon!!!!!!!!!!


One of these does is due in 7 weeks, the other in 11. Who do you think will be first, the one on left, or the one on the right?

Alright, now how about these 2.  This time guess how far apart their due dates are
Answers tomorrow!!
(you can guess in comments below or go to FB and comment there)

  I can't believe I'll have three milking this year. I'll have to run the Sultan yogurt maker round the clock. I hope my husband keeps his word to make cheese if only we had more milk!!!!!! Because I can see I won't have the time. I looked in the attic today after not climbing up there for 16 years. UGH!!! I know what I'll be doing from now until hot weather.

Hand-hammered copper bracelets....... Sunny and 32*....

So yesterday as part of my pre-spring cleaning, mid-winter de-cluttering project, I went into my husbands workshop and lo and behold look what I found! A whole stash of hand-hammered copper jewelry I didn't know about!!

We will be listing them over the next few days on our Etsy and FB pages, at special prices, most of these pieces are one of a kind and will not be repeated, so check them out!

Here's the first listing: hand-hammered nearly identical copper bracelets

would make a great his & hers set!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/221183221/hand-hammered-copper-copper-bracelet?ref=shop_home_active_1

and a Facebook only special buy both and get $5.00 off!!!!  listing here:
https://www.facebook.com/jonquiljunction/photos/a.895711480455120.1073741840.810022969023972/1110094985683434/?type=1&theater

For the love of Bantams........... Windy..flurries..16*...

The last time we had a sunny day I let my bantams out to play.
I thought I'd ask if any have tried this idea I thought of a few years back.
If you've ever had bantams, you know what devoted mothers they are, willing to hatch anything for anybody. Well odds are in any hatching 50% will be roosters.
That's a real problem for me since I can't eat them, and none have ever appreciated my good home.
They demonstrate this lack of appreciation by commencing  warlike activities with their brothers, half brothers, cousins etc. In my area you can't even give them away so what to do?
A couple of years back my local feed store started selling chicks in the spring, even letting you preorder your preference. So this is what I tried  ---- I ordered pullets only and while waiting for delivery date I gave unfertile eggs to setting bantams. When the chicks arrived I kept them in the house until dark. Then carefully picking my way through the yard ( we have copperheads) I went to the hen and gently reached under her to remove the eggs. I was very careful not to get her up. Then I replaced the eggs with the chicks and retreated while listening to her welcoming cluck. I have done this with three different bantam hens and didn't have a failure yet!

 

Bantam sisters Henny-Penny & Jenny collaborating a couple of years ago to sit on
and successfully hatch 17 chicks together, before I came up with the idea above!

 

 

check us out on these blog hops too http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2015/02/clever-chicks-blog-hop-124-with-henbag.html   and here: http://www.littleblogonthehomestead.com/homestead-blog-hop-16/

Sunday Quotes...........

A Kindly Word, A Kindly Deed

    Is Like The Planting of A Seed

    It First Sends Forth A Little Root

    And By And By Bears Splendid Fruit.....................

                         Thornton W. Burgess in his book "The Adventures of Old Man Coyote"