Khaki Campbell: Duck Breed Profile

Post author By Erin Snyder
Post date May 3, 2024
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Khaki Campbell ducks are one of the most popular duck breeds kept in backyard flocks. With their exceptional foraging skills and high egg production, Khaki Campbells are among the most self-sufficient duck breeds.

History

The only duck breed to be bred by a woman, the Khaki Campbell was developed by Mrs. Adele Campbell of Gloucestershire, England, who bred a Fawn and White hen to a Rouen Drake. She later bred these ducks to a mallard and then bred the original Cambells back to a Silver Pencilled Indian Runner, creating the first Khaki Campbells.

In 1929, Peter Fish imported the Khaki Campbell to his home in Syracuse, New York. However, the breed did not gain popularity in the U.S. until after the Vietnam War.

Today, the Khaki Campbell is one of the most popular ducks kept for egg production and pest control.

Khaki Campbell Characteristics

The Khaki Campbell is easily recognized by their chocolate brown feathering and upright stature. The head, neck, and bill are relatively long. Although the drake and hen’s plumage is brown, the coloring for each is quite different.

Hen

Khaki Campbell hens sport a green to black bill. Feet and legs vary from dark brown to black. The head, neck, and lower back feathers are described as seal-brown, while the rest of the body is covered in khaki feathers.

The eyes of both the drake and hen are dark brown.

Drake Ducks

Khaki Campbell drakes are beautiful in their bronze and khaki feathers. The drake’s bill ranges from olive green to orange, and the feet and legs are also orange. Sporting bronze heads, necks, lower backs, and tails with soft khaki feathers on their backs and undersides, Khaki Campell drakes are eye-catching beauties.

The breed is considered lightweight, with drakes and hens weighing between four and six pounds.

Production

Khaki Campbell hens are highly prolific duck egg layers, with each hen averaging two hundred and fifty to three hundred and forty white, cream, or green-tinted eggs annually. Females start laying between the ages of five and seven months.

As the hens age, egg numbers decline; however, most hens never cease laying. This characteristic gives them an advantage over other breeds, as many staggered-aged Khaki Campbell flocks produce eggs throughout the year.

Feed hens a well-balanced layer feed to ensure excellent production.

Drakes

While many duck owners don’t consider a drake duck’s productivity, Khaki Campbell drakes are vigorous breeders. If not kept in a well-balanced male-to-female ratio, they may accidentally injure females.

As a general rule of thumb, keeping one drake for every six to eight females is advised.

Lifespan

Khaki Campbells are relatively long-lived, with each duck averaging a respectable eight to ten years.

Health Concerns

Khaki Campbells are relatively healthy and hardy ducks. However, their high production can put them at risk for reproduction issues in drakes and hens.

Cage-Layer Fatigue (Osteoporosis):

Known as milk fever in mammals, cage-layer fatigue is a deficiency or imbalance of calcium, vitamin D3, and phosphorus levels. Symptoms include broken or brittle bones and paralysis. If you suspect your duck may be suffering from cage-layer fatigue, take her to a licensed veterinarian immediately for treatment.

If veterinarian treatment is unavailable, humanely dispatching the hen is the best way to avoid suffering.

Ovarian Cancer

Like many other high-production breeds, Khaki Campbell hens are more likely to develop ovarian cancer than lower-producing breeds. Ovarian cancer risks can be significantly reduced by providing proper nutrition and no artificial light to promote egg production.

Prolapse Phallus

With their high libido, Khaki Cambell drakes are at a higher risk of developing a prolapse phallus. This condition is extremely painful, and treatment should begin immediately. Drakes with a prolapse phallus should be isolated and taken to a vet for immediate treatment.

Khaki Campbell Temperament

The words that Khaki Campell duck owners use to describe this breed are active and nervous. While some individuals can be tamed as pets, they may not be the best choice for those wishing for an all-purpose pet.

Khaki Campbells are enthusiastic ducks who thrive on bug-catching and foraging. Hens and drakes are extremely active, so providing this breed plenty of room to forage is essential. Allowing them to help you in your garden will also make for happy ducks, as Khaki Campbells love nothing more than digging through a garden and looking for harmful bugs and grubs to snack on.

Adaptability

The number one thing that sets Khaki Campbells apart from other breeds is their ability to adapt to all climates. When kept in small flocks with numbers no larger than fifty to two hundred ducks, fed proper nutrition, and allowed ample space to forage, these ducks can thrive in deserts and rainforests. They can handle winter chills as low as 0° F. to summer heat over 100° F.

When it comes to adaptability, you can’t beat the Khaki Campbell.

The Khaki Campbell is a highly adaptable, hardy, and productive breed, making them one of the most well-loved ducks for backyard flocks and family farms. With their beautiful brown plumage and enthusiastic personality, what isn’t there to like about this breed?

This article about Khaki Campbell ducks was written for Chickens magazine online. Click here to subscribe to Chickens magazine.

Tags duck breeds, Khaki Campbell, raising ducks

Recipes

How to Make Corn Tortillas: A Cinco de Mayo Treat

Post author By John D. Ivanko
Post date May 3, 2024
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How to make corn tortillas is a great skill to have. The arrival of Cinco de Mayo—the May 5 celebration of Mexico’s quest for democracy and freedom that commemorates the Battle of Puebla in 1862—gives everyone a perfect excuse to try this skill. It’s so easy and fun that your kids can help you with it.

We adapted the simple recipe below from the Maseca brand of Masa corn flour. These corn tortillas are gluten-free.

Before you start, you’ll need to get your hands on a tortilla press to press out the tortillas. If you want to give it a try without a tortilla press, just roll out the dough on the counter sandwiched between two sheets of plastic to 1/8-inch or thinner. The tortillas should be about 6 inches in diameter.

Recipe: Handmade Corn Tortillas
Photos by John Ivanko

Yield: 16 tortillas

Ingredients

2 cups instant corn masa flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1¼ cup water
1/4 cup canola oil

How to Make Corn Tortillas: Preparation

Step 1: Mix flour, salt and water thoroughly for about 2 minutes to form soft dough. If the dough feels dry, add more water.

Step 2: Divide dough into 16 equal-sized, hand-formed balls.

Step 3: Line tortilla press with two sheets of plastic. The plastic keeps the dough from sticking to the tortilla press. A large Ziplock bag can be cut and separated works perfectly.

Step 4: One at a time, place balls of dough between plastic and press until the tortilla measures about 6 inches in diameter. Lift the tortilla press once, and rotate the flattened dough a quarter turn clockwise, then push down on the press again.

Step 5: Carefully peel the tortilla off the plastic, and place it into a medium-hot skillet or fry pan.

Step 6: Cook the tortilla for one minute or until lightly browned, then flip to cook the other side.

Step 7: Keep tortillas warm in a covered basket until the other tortillas are completed.

Step 8: Serve tortillas with refried beans, rice, black beans, shredded salad, cut tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, and stewed pork or chicken. If you decide to make tostadas, let the tortilla cool before frying in oil to make it crispy. Tortillas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

This how to make corn tortillas tutorial and recipe were written for Hobby Farms magazine online. Click here to subscribe.

Tags Cinco de Mayo, corn tortillas, recipe

Farm & Garden Sponsored

Gravel Ain’t Cheap! Maintain it!

Post author By Sanjeev Saini
Post date April 30, 2024
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Among the many wonderful reasons we love “life out here” are the sounds: happy chickens and goats, birds singing, bees buzzing, and the sound of a pick-up truck driving down a big, beautiful gravel driveway. And it’s reassuring to know that gravel driveways are so cheap that you don’t have to worry about maintaining them. Wait…what?

Nope, gravel driveways aren’t cheap, and maintenance is crucial. Heavy vehicles and weather can leave canyon-deep ruts in your gravel, and weeds will destroy it. Tractors are a must, and we can’t control the weather. But we can control the weeds. Pulling them by hand lets you feel the satisfaction lets you hear that “pop.” But if you don’t get the entire root, you just make it angry. Instead of making them angry, make them dead with Barrier^® Year-Long Vegetation Control Concentrate.

Barrier features 5 active ingredients to deliver unbeatable non-selective control that lasts up to a year. It controls listed grasses, vines, brush, and trees down to the roots, and Barrier kills broadleaf weeds fast. It’s ideal for driveways, patios, sidewalks – almost any location where you don’t want any vegetation to grow.

Food Recipes

Beef Jerky Recipe: A Homemade Dehydrated Treat

Post author By Stephanie Thurow
Post date April 29, 2024
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A good beef jerky recipe makes a convenient snack to grab on the go. It makes an ideal food to take along fishing, hunting or when going out on a hike. It’s packed with protein and flavor and is lightweight to carry along. One pound of meat dries to just four ounces after dehydration. Because jerky is packed with protein, it’s a great option to fuel the body and is a wonderful treat to bring along when camping.

You can make jerky out of many different types of meat, including fish, chicken, buffalo, and venison. But my favorite jerky is beef jerky.

The process of making beef jerky is fairly simple. It requires thinly sliced beef to marinate for a period of time (this flavors and tenderizes the meat) and then dried either using a food dehydrator or an oven.

It’s important to use a lean cut of beef, ideally top-round or bottom-round beef.

How to Make Beef Jerky

Yield: 1/4 pound of dehydrated beef jerky

Ingredients:

1-pound lean beef, such as top round or bottom round

Beef Jerky Marinade:

1/2 cup Braggs Amino Acids
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. ground garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Before Drying:

Optional: Sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes and garlic powder over marinated meat before dehydrating.

Beef Jerky – A Two-Part Recipe

Part 1: Slice and Marinate Beef

In a medium-sized bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients.

Slice meat across the grain, into long, ¼-inch thick strips. Trim away any fat from it, as fat can cause the jerky to spoil faster and also may cause an off taste.

Place the meat into a large gallon-sized resealable bag and pour the marinade ingredients over the meat until it’s completely submerged. Tightly seal up the bag and place it into a bowl to collect any marinade droppings that may leak from the bag.

Allow the meat to marinate 12-24 hours.

Part 2: Heat and Dry Beef Jerky

The USDA recommends beef jerky be heated to 160°F to ensure its safety. Heating to the noted temperature before drying will guarantee that any bacteria present will be destroyed. If your food dehydrator does reach 160°F, you can skip the next step and dehydrate the beef at 160°F.

If you do not have a food dehydrator that reaches 160°F, pour the meat and marinade into a medium-sized saucepan and warm until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.

Heat oven or food dehydrator to 130 -140°F (or 160°F if you skipped the previous step).

Remove the meat strips from the marinade and allow the excess marinade to drip away.

Place the beef strips on a dehydrator rack or baking sheet. Space them so that none of the pieces are touching. Dab away any marinade droplets with a paper towel. Sprinkle the meat with more garlic powder and/or crushed red pepper flakes, if you so desire.

Cook for a minimum of 6 hours. The jerky is done when you can bend in half and it cracks, not breaks. You don’t want to dry it until it snaps, if it snaps, it is overly dried and will be hard to chew. If it is very rubbery, it’s not completely dried yet – allow it to dry another 30 minutes and check again. The smaller pieces will dry faster and can be removed from the dehydrator/oven while the rest continue to cook.

Store in an airtight container and keep what you aren’t eating refrigerated for longer storage. Enjoy within one month. Or freeze jerky in an airtight container. If frozen properly, ideally vacuum sealed, jerky will last years.

Additional Notes for Making Beef Jerky:

Foodborne illnesses are completely avoidable. Always wash your hands, prep space and cooking utensils before beginning to preserve food.

Do not reuse the marinade.

If you don’t want to slice the meat yourself, ask the butcher at the meat counter to do it for you.

This beef jerky recipe article was written for Hobby Farms magazine online. Click here to subscribe to Hobby Farms magazine.

Tags beef jerky, recipe

Animals Large Animals

Raising Sheep: How to Treat Wool Loss

Post author By Sherri Talbot
Post date April 29, 2024
1 Comment on Raising Sheep: How to Treat Wool Loss

When raising sheep, wool loss can be a warning sign for shepherds. Also called wool slip or wool break, this usually presents as a thinning of the fiber, resulting in wool falling out, breaking easily and becoming patchy. In most cases, it not only reduces the value of the fleece but also suggests illness in the flock or problems with the animals’ caretaking. However, in a few, select breeds, this is a natural function of the sheep’s physiology.

Reasons for Wool Break

When raising sheep suffering from wool break, the first thing to check is body weight. Sheep can lose weight due to illness, insufficient feed, or parasites. More indirect causes may include discomfort due to illness, injuries or pregnancy. In underweight sheep, wool growth is reduced to maintain the sheep’s own health. Returning the sheep to a healthy weight will usually cause growth to resume, though how quickly will depend on how long the sheep has been underweight.

Malnutrition is another common cause of wool slip, and while sometimes related to the animals being underweight, this is not always the case. Younger animals may develop so quickly that their bodies use up the nutrients needed for fleece development. Areas where the forage is nutritionally poor may result in malnourished sheep – especially those low on the “pecking order.” Poor forage or fodder quality can also result in animals having enough to eat, but developing wool break due to a nutrient imbalance. When raising sheep – or other grazing animals – it is good practice to have the nutrient contents of hay and pasture tested regularly to make sure they are of high value to the animals.

Sheep Can Have Mental Health Issues Too

Stress is a major issue for sheep that is often overlooked. Animals under stress – especially pregnant ewes – are prone to losing wool. Shearing in cold temperatures, predator attacks, and other stressful events increase the likelihood of wool break. As with underweight sheep, high stress will result in animals conserving energy by reducing wool production.

Wool loss can also be behavioral, though this is often related to one of the aforementioned categories. Sheep under high stress will sometimes pull the wool off each other as an act of aggression. Parasites or other skin issues will cause sheep to rub themselves against rough surfaces in an attempt to reduce discomfort.

All Natural

While these are a few, common examples of preventable wool slip, it is important to remember that wool loss can also be natural. Older ewes will produce less wool during pregnancy, especially if having multiple lambs. As with many of the previous examples, her body needs to put its resources into the young, rather than fiber production. Older sheep are likely to produce less wool in general, which is why many large fiber producers cull older animals.

Some breeds of sheep also shed their wool naturally in the spring. These include some of the oldest heritage breeds, wild sheep or hair sheep – none of which require human intervention to remove their fiber.

Conclusion

Raising sheep on small farms should involve regular health checks, but wool loss can also be an easily observable sign that extra attention needs to be paid to the flock. It can also mean a loss of productivity for farmers, so by no means should preventative care and examinations be ignored.

This article about raising sheep was written for Hobby Farms online. Click here to subscribe to Hobby Farms print magazine.

Tags sheep, wool

Animals

Raising Rabbits in a Colony: Pros & Cons

Post author By Sherri Talbot
Post date April 29, 2024
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Raising rabbits in colonies is an alternative to cage-breeding that is rising in popularity, especially for those farming rabbits for meat. However, for some breeds and breeders, colony-raising can cause more complications than it solves. Taking a look at the advantages and disadvantages of raising rabbits in this way is important to determine whether it will fit your individual situation.

Shelter

Rabbits are naturally outdoor animals. Access to sunshine lets them form vitamin D, which helps with the healthy absorption of calcium. They have instincts to dig and to run, which colony living can provide.

In addition, a large run allows waste to remain separate from other activities. Their urine is full of ammonia, and being outside helps to dispel vapors that can otherwise make rabbits sick.

However, in areas with heavy predator loads, losses can be high without significant protection. Kits and small breed rabbits are at especially high risk. Other animals may also be attracted to water and feed left in the pen, which can lead to disease exposure. Wild rabbits have also been known to be attracted to domestic rabbit pens.

Socialization

Rabbits are social animals. Allowing young rabbits to form relationships in a colony environment can improve their well-being and quality of life. Colony-raised rabbits can help each other reduce stress through grooming and physical contact.

Breeding rabbits in colonies also allows does to share parenting duties. Does will often birth close together, and this means fostering between mothers is easier in case of emergency. A good buck will play with his kits, keep them warm, and sometimes can even be observed assisting with bathing.

However, those breeding show rabbits, these animals do have disagreements. There are rarely serious injuries in these scuffles, but rabbits will pull fur, and bloody noses and cause minor injuries. This can interfere with the quality of the rabbits.

Caretaking

During most seasons, care of colony rabbits is simple. They often deposit manure in one area of the run, and it breaks down quickly, requiring less cleaning.

They can be free-fed since the increased exercise and other options for stimulation means they eat only what they need. The added physical activity can result in a higher calorie need, however. Exercise also works muscles, so keeping meat rabbits in colonies can result in less tender rabbit meat.

Weather

Winter is usually the biggest concern for those considering colonies. However, thick fur and warmth in the winter make rabbits successful in cold weather climates. Heat and rain will actually create more difficulties for the animals.

Rabbits do not sweat, instead regulating their body temperature primarily through their ears. They will stretch out in shallow trenches on hot days but require a source of shade and plenty of water.

Torrential rains can cause flooding, driving rabbits from their burrows and exposing them to predators and cold. In extreme conditions, litters can drown if burrows are not secured. In winter, rain and cold temperatures can cause rabbits to freeze, whereas snow will not.

This is especially true for fiber-producing rabbit breeds. These animals have been selectively bred to have finer fur than most rabbits. It does not repel water, or maintain warmth, and is prone to matting. Fiber rabbits are not recommended for colonies.

Conclusion

When considering colonies, it is important to find a balance that works for you, between meeting realistic production goals and the animals’ quality of life. The type of colony you plan to have, how it will stand up to weather and predator loads, and what breed of rabbits you plan to have, are major factors to consider.

This article about raising rabbits was written for Hobby Farms online. Click here to subscribe to Hobby Farms print magazine.

Tags meat rabbits, rabbits

Poultry

Top 12 Brown Egg Laying Chickens

Post author By Erin Snyder
Post date April 27, 2024
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Brown egg-laying chickens are the most common egg layers in backyard flocks. From Buff Orpingtons to Golden Comets and every breed in between, this article will count down the top 12 best brown egg layers in egg production.

#12 Buff Orpington

Buff Orpingtons are sweet, talkative, and will do just about anything for attention. These hens are both cold and heat-hardy, making them ideal for most weather climates. Buff Orpingtons lay an average of 3 – 5 light brown eggs per week (120 – 150 eggs annually) and will lay for three years.

What Orpingtons lack in egg quantity, they make up for with their affectionate, people-loving personalities.

Color Varieties: Black, Blue, Buff, Jubilee, Lavender, and White.

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#11 Welsummer

With their lovely mahogany brown eggs, Welsummers’ eggs are among the most pleasing. Averaging 3 – 5 eggs weekly (120 -150 eggs annually), Welsummers will consistently lay eggs for the first three to five years of their lives and are one of the longest-producing brown egg-laying chickens.

Welsummer hens are docile and friendly, although they are known for feather picking if bored. This breed is intelligent and should have mental stimulation to avoid developing destructive behaviors.

Color Variety: Partridge

#10 Swedish Flower Hens

The rarest of the brown egg-laying chickens featured in this countdown, these delightful chickens have a lot to offer backyard flock owners. Swedish Flower Hens are a landrace breed, meaning they were not carefully selected for their breed characteristics. Therefore, hens of this breed come in a variety of colors.

Swedish Flower Hens are confident and friendly birds, often seeking out their owners for attention.

Hens are excellent layers, averaging 4 – 6 large tan or tinted eggs per week (200 – 220 eggs annually).

Color Varieties: Various colors, none of which breed true.

#9 Dominique

Dominiques may be best known for their calm, sweet, gentle, people-loving nature, but they are also excellent egg producers. Hens average 4 – 6 large brown eggs weekly. (200 – 220 eggs annually) Dominique hens lay well for two years before production starts to decline. Even so, Domiques are still known for their longevity of production.

Color Variety: Barred.

#8 Wyandotte

Wyandottes are among the most popular brown egg laying chickens, known for their hardy and robust characteristics. They are respectable egg layers, averaging 4 – 6 medium/ large light brown eggs per week. (200 – 220 eggs annually) Wyandottes have a short production life of about three years

Wyandotte hens are an ideal beginner breed due to their friendly disposition, with the Gold Laced variety being the friendliest.

Color Varieties: Black, Blue, Buff, Black Laced Red, Columbian, Gold Laced, Partridge, Silver Laced, Silver Penciled, and White.

#7 New Hampshire Red

Excellent egg layers, New Hampshire Red hens average 4 -6 extra large brown eggs per week (200 – 220 eggs annually), laying an average of three to four years before production ceases. New Hampshire hens are known for being good broodies and excellent mothers. These traits, however, can affect the number of eggs each hen produces.

This breed is generally known for being friendly, although they can be food-aggressive and bully other hens away from the feeders.

Color Variety: Red

#6 Speckled Sussex

Highly intelligent and energetic, the Speckled Sussex is a well-loved breed. The hens’ calm, cheerful, and curious natures make this breed one of the most popular brown egg-laying chickens. Sussex hens love interacting with people and often carry on animated conversations with their favorite humans.

Speckled Sussex hens lay an average of 4-5 medium light brown eggs weekly (150 eggs annually). While they may not put out the same number of eggs per year as other breeds, the number rarely decreases for the first four years of their lives.

Color Varieties: Speckled is the only common variety in the United States.

#5 Delaware

Delaware hens are a fun addition to the flock with their quirky, mischievous dispositions. They are known for being good layers, averaging five large/extra large brown eggs per week (200+ eggs annually). Deleware hens produce eggs for the first three years before production ceases.

Color Variety: White with barred neck feathers and black wing and tail feathers. White feathers turn “brassy” when allowed in the sunshine.

#4 Australorp

Usually described as “shy but sweet,” Australorps are energetic, friendly, and known for their vibrant personalities. Their sweet natures make them the perfect choice for families desiring an egg layer who will quickly become part of the family.

Australorps are egg-laying rockstars, averaging 5 – 6 light brown eggs per week (about 220 – 240 eggs per year), and lay an average of 4 years.

Color Varieties: Black is the primary color available in the U.S.

#3 Rhode Island Red

Possibly the most popular brown egg-laying chickens, Rhode Island Reds are well known for their egg-laying abilities. Averaging 5 – 6 extra large brown eggs weekly (200 – 220 eggs annually), Rhode Island Reds are known for frequently laying double-yolked eggs. Hens of this breed lay consistently for about three years before production begins to slow down.

Rhode Island Red hens are calm and friendly and quickly become part of the family.

Color Variety: Red

#2 Plymouth Rock

One of the most popular brown egg laying chickens in America, the Plymouth Rock has many fans. They are excellent layers, and their calm nature makes them a good choice for a pet.

Plymouth Rocks are reliable layers, averaging 4 – 6 medium/large brown eggs weekly (200 – 220 eggs per year). Plymouth Rock hens’ most productive years start to decline by the age of three, but some hens have been reported to lay a respected ten years, although egg production will decrease to just a couple of eggs.

Color Varieties: Barred, Blue, Buff, Columbian, Partridge, Silver Penciled, and White.

#1 Golden Comet

An ideal chicken for novices and veteran chicken keepers alike, this breed tops the charts for egg production. Hens are friendly, people-loving birds who sometimes prefer their human companions over the company of other chickens.

Comets are excellent egg layers and will easily outlay all other breeds. They average 5+ extra large brown eggs per week ( about 280 – 300 eggs annually). Golden Comets lay exceptionally well for the first two to three years of their lives. After age three, egg production will significantly drop.

Color Variety: Golden Red with white.

Brown egg-laying chickens have dominated the henhouse for centuries. With so many delightful breeds, it’s easy to see why many chicken keepers today choose brown egg-layers for their backyard flocks.

This article about brown egg laying hens was written for Chickens magazine online. Click here to subscribe to Chickens magazine.

Tags backyard eggs, brown egg laying chickens, brown eggs, chicken breeds

Poultry

Golden Comet Chicken: Pros and Cons

Post author By Erin Snyder
Post date April 26, 2024
No Comments on Golden Comet Chicken: Pros and Cons

The Golden Comet chicken has many pros, but some poultry enthusiasts consider this breed to have cons uncommon to many heritage chicken breeds. Before we discuss the pros and cons of owning these egg layers, let’s discover what makes a Comet.

What Makes a Comet

The Golden Comet chicken is a cross between a New Hampshire Red or Rhode Island Red rooster and a White Plymouth Rock, White Leghorn, or Delaware hen. Upon hatching, these chicks can be sexed by color instead of the traditional vent sexing. Male chicks are yellow at hatching, and females hatch a reddish brown.

Golden Comets are part of the sex link group of chickens. Sex Link chickens get their name because they can be sexed by color upon hatching. Golden Comets are not the only name these chickens go by: Golden Buff, Golden Sex Link, Red Sex Link, Red Star, and Cinnamon Queen are also common names.

Golden Comet Chicken Pros

Sexing Guarantee

With their sex link characteristics, Golden Comets have a one hundred percent sexing accuracy. Not worrying about unwanted roosters has saved many chicken keepers from headaches and heartaches.

Extremely Hardy

Golden Comets are both heat and cold-hardy. Unlike many heritage breeds, these lively hens tolerate summer heat and winter chills without ill effects and will even lay through the hottest summer months.

Fewer Health Concerns

Golden Comets do not breed true (more on that later). Since they are consistently bred from new parent birds, they are not at a high risk of developing breed-related illnesses. These healthy hens may also be less likely to develop certain other diseases, including Marek’s disease.

A Family Pet

The Golden Comet chicken is a delightful pet. Comets have a calm and relaxing personality and make ideal family companions. While they are known for their quiet nature and affectionate temperaments, Comets have an attitude that sets them apart from other flock members. Hens of this breed love interacting with their owners and will sit on your lap for hours.

When not bonding with their favorite person, Comets can usually be found at the backdoor begging for a treat. These hens are food-motivated and will do anything for a tasty snack.

Peaceful Harmony

Golden Comets are peaceful chickens who dwell with other flock members without a hitch. These hens prefer to stay out of flock squabbles and will move to the opposite side of the run to avoid conflicts.

Their calm and peaceful nature may make them vulnerable to bullying when housed with more aggressive breeds.

Egg Laying Champions

If there is one thing everyone agrees on about the Golden Comet chicken, it is that you can’t beat its egg production. Golden Comets are egg-laying champions and will easily outperform all your other brown egg layers.

Golden Comets were bred to lay, with each hen laying as many as three hundred extra-large eggs annually. Eggs come in various browns, ranging from tan to deep reddish brown. Some eggs even have speckles similar to those of a Welsummer’s egg.

Quiet Disposition

Comets are naturally quiet chickens, which gives them an advantage for backyard flocks with close neighbors. While they do sing the egg song and make other noises, they don’t feel the need to make a fuss all day long.

Good Feed-to-Egg Ratio

The Golden Comet chicken is the brown egg-layer answer to the Leghorn. These hens were bred to produce eggs without costing the farmer too much money. With their small bodies, Golden Comets do not need to consume as much feed to lay an egg as heritage breeds. This attribute has made Comets the most popular brown egg layer in backyard flocks and factory farms worldwide.

Golden Comet Chicken Cons

Doesn’t Breed True

Did you know? The Golden Comet chicken is not considered to be a breed. If you breed a Golden Comet Rooster to a Golden Comet hen, they will not produce offspring that can be sexed by color. Therefore, all sex-link chickens are not recognized as a breed because they do not breed true.

High Risk of Cancer

Due to the large number of eggs they produce, Golden Comets are at a higher risk of developing oviduct/ovarian cancer than other breeds. While this is a disadvantage for pet chicken owners, there are ways to help reduce the chances of ovarian cancer in your flock, including diet and avoiding artificial lighting in the coop.

Shorter Lifespans

Golden Comets may have a shorter lifespan than heritage breeds or bantams. These hens live an average of four to five years, although some individuals can live up to eight years.

Strong Fliers

Anyone who has owned a Comet can attest to them being strong fliers. These hens can clear six-foot fences to access a growing garden, visit the neighbors, or whenever they want to escape the run. While this isn’t a huge con, owners must ensure runs are covered so no Comets can escape.

The Golden Comet chicken may not be for everyone, but these delightful hens make an excellent addition to the backyard flock for those looking for a friendly pet or an excellent brown egg producer.

This article about Golden Comet chickens was written for Chickens magazine online. Click here to subscribe to Chickens magazine.

Tags chicken breeds, Golden Comet

Recipes

How to Make Cooked Egg Mayonnaise

Post author By Stephanie Thurow
Post date April 25, 2024
No Comments on How to Make Cooked Egg Mayonnaise

cooked-egg-mayonnaise-recipe — Adobe Stock Photo by NewAfrica

Cooked egg mayonnaise can be a safer and longer-lasting option than a traditional mayonnaise recipe and is perfect when you’re raising chickens for eggs and you’ve got some extras. I’m sure you’ve seen recipes for making homemade mayo using fresh eggs and lemon juice with a hand blender. Despite being a completely safe way of making mayo, people often shy away from the process due to the method of using raw eggs.

While paging through an old edition of the cookbook, Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, by Julia Child and Jacques Pépin, I came across a recipe for a cooked egg mayonnaise recipe. I had never heard of a cooked egg mayo recipe and had to give it a try. It turned out so delicious that I wanted to share my adapted version of the recipe here for those who would also enjoy a cooked egg mayonnaise alternative.

Cooked Egg Mayonnaise Recipe

Julia Child notes in her recipe that using cooked egg mayonnaise is a safer option when serving food in hot weather and it also has a longer refrigerator storage life than when using raw eggs.

Yield: About 2 cups

Ingredients
2 tbsp. flour
½ cup water
1 large egg
2 hard-boiled egg yolks
1 tbsp. Dijon prepared mustard
½ tsp. salt
2 ½ tsp. wine vinegar
2 ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup olive oil
1/8 tsp. white pepper
Optional: additional seasonings – salt, vinegar, lemon juice

Make the Cooked Egg Mayonnaise Base

In a medium-sized saucepan, make a slurry by mixing flour and water and whisking together until it’s free of lumps.

Turn heat and bring the slurry to a boil for about thirty seconds, add more water if needed, and continue to whisk. You want a thick, not stiff, slurry.

Remove the slurry from the heat and add in one egg and rapidly whisk it. Return the egg and slurry mixture to the heat and bring it to a boil for just 15 seconds while whisking slowly.

Use a spatula to transfer the egg mayo base into a small food processor or blender.

Finish the Cooked Egg Mayonnaise

Add the cooked egg yolks to the base, as well as the Dijon mustard, salt, vinegar and lemon juice. Process until all ingredients are well blended and the mayo begins to thicken, about 15-20 seconds.

With the processor running, slowly add in the olive oil, beginning with droplets to start, until the mayo begins to emulsify, then increase to a small stream of oil until blended.

Taste test and determine if you’d like to stir in additional salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon juice or other seasonings.

Store the cooked egg mayonnaise in a covered container and refrigerate for up to one week.

Notes:

If you’d like to use less than one cup of oil, you can. Once the oil in the mayonnaise has emulsified and the mayo blend is thick and glossy, you can stop adding in oil.

To jazz up your mayo even more, consider adding chopped garlic, parsley, chives, or even dill.

Ideas for using cooked egg mayonnaise: Make homemade salad dressings, aioli or level up that lunchtime sandwich. Make potato or egg salad, or deviled eggs!

How to Hard Boil Eggs

Place the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover the eggs by at least one inch.
Bring eggs to a boil and turn off heat. Cover the pot and remove from the burner. Allow the eggs to stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. 12 minutes for medium eggs.
Drain the hot water from the eggs and run cold water over eggs. Soak in an ice bath for 15 minutes, or until the eggs are completely cooled.
Peel eggs by cracking the shell and peeling from the large end. Hold egg under running cold water or dip in a bowl of water to ease off shell.

This cooked egg mayonnaise recipe was written for Hobby Farms magazine online. Click here to subscribe.

Tags cooked egg mayonnaise, mayonnaise, recipe

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Growing Good Podcast #76: Florentina Rodriguez, urban farmer and seed advocate

Post author By Allison Lemons
Post date April 25, 2024
No Comments on Growing Good Podcast #76: Florentina Rodriguez, urban farmer and seed advocate

PREMIER SPONSOR: Home Fresh® Poultry Feeds (Kent Nutrition Group)

Hear about how Florentina started her Flora Seeds, all thanks to seeing the need for a community seed library in her village of Yellow Springs, Ohio. Her interest in seed education and in helping people save, share and grow seeds grew from there. As more people started becoming more aware of the vulnerabilities of our global food system, they also started paying attention to where their food comes from, which invariably leads back to seeds, seed keeping and seed sovereignty. Florentina explores the multiple pathways that bring people into having an interest in seeds, ranging from food security to political resistance and cultural interests.

Learn how the Yellow Springs Community Seed Library works and how people can “check out” and donate seeds. Florentina explains how she checks in with seed library users to be sure they are getting along with their seeds and to improve the system for everyone. She tells us, too, about some of her favorite seeds that have been contributed to the seed library. (Have you ever heard of elephant dill?)

With sights set on having an even larger impact than what a seed library offers, Florentina is also working with seed commons—communal resources of seed collections, seed keepers and seed protectors on a regional level. She talks about farmers, gardeners and community people who are building these networks to exchange seeds, share skills and continue specific seeds’ stories. Florentina also discusses how university and government interests are impacting the spirit behind seed commons and why it’s important to have both regionally based community seed commons and university/government programs but not necessarily the two combined. She also makes the case for when and why you might want to work with folks in your region to start your own seed commons.

The Appalachian Seed Growers Collective, co-organized by Utopia Seeds’ Chris Smith, is similar but different than a seed commons. It follows a lot of the same principles but is a collective for seed growers and farmers growing seeds to democratically work together. They also give the opportunity for folks to buy surplus seeds as a means of supporting more ethically and communally produced seeds.

Listen to the end to hear about Eden’s Harvest urban farm in Dayton, Ohio, which is a certified native wildlife habitat and center for growing food and educating neighbors and local students about food and farming.

Flora Seeds on Instagram

Email Florentina

The Utopian Seed Project