Archive for November, 2004
Egg Report
Reins - 1 green, hard, medium, very warm, time - approx. 2pm
I found it @ 2:15pm. I heard a great rucous of cackling at noon and beat feet out there to take a look. It was Reins sitting in the nesting box but she got out when I opened the door. I’ve check about every 1/2 hr. since and I caught her in there a couple more times.
The cottage cheese and acv must have worked because it’s a beautiful light green hard shell! Plus, it’s bigger - a medium this time - and it’s 2 days in a row! Reins is making great improvement. Good girl! 
Soft Shelled “Homegrown” Eggs
If anyone is wondering if soft shelled eggs are safe to egg, here is some info:
What is Egg Shell Quality and How to Preserve It
The outer coating of the shell itself consists of a mucous coating called the cuticle or bloom which is deposited on the shell just prior to lay.This protein like covering helps protect the interior contents of the egg from bacteria penetration through the shell.
The thickness of an egg shell is determined by the amount of time it spends in the shell gland (uterus) and the rate of calcium deposition during egg shell formation. If the egg spends a short period of time in the shell gland, then shell thickness will be less.
Microbiological contamination of the inside of the egg is greatly affected by the ability of the egg shell to stop the invasion of micro-organisms and bacteria from entering the egg through the shell’s pores.
I gave yesterday’s sse to the cats again…I just wasn’t going to take any chances. One cat was more interested than the other but this time it was the white and not the tabby…and he only lapped up the yolk! What’s the deal cats??? 
Another Advent Link
Julie shared this link with me elsewhere on the ‘Net and I thought I’d pass it along here. My “collection” is growing. 
This one is for the kiddos…
Homeschooled-kids ~ Advent 2004
Enjoy and may you be blessed celebrating!
Egg Report
3 !!!
Of the 5 chickens, 2 of them still have bright(er) combs/wattles.
2 of the 3 eggs were cold when I found all of them a 1/2 hr. ago. (I’ve been “freshing” the coop, etc. in that time.) The third was warmish…laid within 20 min. or less of finding I’d guess. I think it was Black Beauty’s again as it would fit the pattern of last time and was the same shape/size basically as her last one. Plus, she has the faintest comb/wattle right now. The last time I was out there was around 9:30am…so laying accured between 10am-2pm (I went out the second time at 2:15pm). Here’s the scenerio as I see it:
Reins - light green, soft shelled, cold, time - ?
Fluff - light brown, hard shelled, cold, time - ?
Black Beauty - light brown, hard shelled, warmish, time - approx. 2pm
Miriam and Lacey still have bright red combs/wattles.
So, I’d be really surprised to have 5 eggs today (because it would be a first and maximum output!)…but then again not based on the last two’s “coloring.”
I do really hope it happens!!! 
I really wasn’t expecting any today because, as you can see in the Mini-Report in the right column, the pattern had been every third day. I’m really pleased though to have it moved up to the second!
That’s 5 eggs in a week’s time! (The 21rst - 27th being the first week, yesterday starting another.) That’s almost 1 egg/day. This second week has started off really good I’d say! On an every second day pattern with 3/day, that would be a possible 9! 1.29 eggs/day. A total of 5 on each of those days is almost too exciting to contemplate! LOL
Right now, the chickies are all out in the pen taking a dust bath and enjoying themselves immensely! They are also still feasting on Thanksgiving scraps. Yesterday, they enjoyed leftover stuffing that the children just wouldn’t eat any more of and a piece of pumpkin pie that, again, everyone was tired of. Today, it’s “sour” cottage cheese, cranberry sauce and apple peels.
Now, after this 45 min. distraction, I need to get everyone back on track and try to get our Adven stuff done and some other school stuff. We are having a hard time getting out of “Thanksgiving-resting-mode”… Ah, the Holidays!
Advent info
I was sharing this info somewhere else online today and thought I’d go ahead and quickly post it here too. I realize that many of you that read here and leave comments (I’m familiar enough with most of you ) probably already do something similar during this time. This is for those who don’t and want to know more.
This is our first year celebrating Advent as I said in a previous post here a couple of days ago. Primarily, we are using info from this site:
It is from a Wesleyan theological perspective if that is a concern to you. That’s not our denomination; however, I found their pages to be simplie yet very informative. This one explains what Advent is nicely:
The Christian Season of Advent: Anticipation and Hope
This page has the daily readings we will be doing:
I really want to keep things simple while learning and beginning to incorporate this new tradition. While I had thought I only wanted to do the wreath/candles and the readings and hymns this year, today I’m thinking I might do the Jesse tree also. If I can squeeze it in this afternoon, we will. If not, we’ll wait until next year. Here is the page explaining the Jesse Tree:
The Jesse Tree: Celebration of Advent (A great way to get children inparticular involved!)
Here are a couple more pages, from a Reformed perspective (ours!), that I like too:
Jesse Tree Devotions - RCA site
Jesse Tree Texts and Symbols - RCA site
Both of the above (together) are focusing on teaching children. Although, adults will benefit by being reminded to slow down and keep our attention during this busy season on Him!
Now, off to finish some chores so we can try to squeeze in the Jesse Tree activities…
I hope the above will be a blessing to those who want to grow and celebrate this season in ways that honor our Lord more!
Snow Report/Church/Advent
The wind died down some time in the wee hours of the morning. We heard our little guy start fussing and crying around 2:50am so dh got up to check on him as it was also a good time for him to take the middle two to the bathroom. (He took on that responsibility with our youngest daughter back when I was pregnant with our first son. It works out well. Mostly it started because this daughter sleeps very very heavily and I had to carry her to the bathroom sometimes. I couldn’t continue that in later pregnancy. Plus, we were sleeping down stairs soon after that and going up and down the stairs with her…and then both her and ds#1…was too much for me! So, it’s our routine now. ) Anyway, when he came back to bed, he said it had snowed about 2 inches and now everything was melting like crazy. I then realized I didn’t hear the wind any more. When I got up at 6:32am, after I turned the dryer on ;), I went out on the deck to measure. There was an inch on the railing and the eves are running like crazy so it must have been at least 2 inches. It’s also raining very lightly. Ugh. 
So…
Total accumulation = 21 inches
Snow Report, Chinook Again and No Egg
Since the last time I gave a Snow Report, we have gotten a couple of dustings. Approx. 1/2 - 3/4 inches added together I estimate. So, that brings…
Total accumulation to 19 inches
…I’ll say.
~*~ HAPPY THANKSGIVING! ~*~
I pray all readers of the Hunt Family blog have a very blessed and joyous day with friends and loved ones. No matter what trials seem insurmountable in our lives today, there is One who knows what they are and is in control of the outcome. He works them out for our good for those who love Him. And no matter what we may be facing, there is always *something* we can thank Him for.
Trust Him and rejoice!
