Christmas Pudding Steaming

Today is the first time this season having both fires running. 

So I've escaped upstairs away from the heat! 

 My wife has been making the Christmas puddings with my daughters - normally she does this with friends but that's not possible this year. 

Great to steam them for a few hours without using any electric and heating the house up in the bargain! 

Light Or Dark Meat?

With modern supermarket birds or even some of the hybrids you can breed yourself for meat there isn't always that much difference between the light and dark meat on the bird. 

The same isn't true with our Indian Game birds - look at the difference in colour! 

After School Light

 I'm loving the hour of light after school pick up at the moment. 

My eldest and me have been heading outside to do a little green woodwork. 

She's been working on shaving down some legs to make a raised chopping block while I've been roughing out a very rough scoop out of some pear.

She seems to really enjoy it and it's lovely to just chat as we make wood shavings together. 

End of an Era - No More mini Beds!

Well that's it - no more cot beds in the house. End of an era!

My youngest (4) is finally out of his cot bed into a cabin bed I've made him. He's super excited and already made a den under there. His room is tiny so it's a great way to gain a bit of space.

 I made the bed out of pine so it didn't cost too much. I've also used some fixing that can be easily taken apart alongside some loose mortice and tenons (domino joinery).

I had a high sleeper growing up and loved it so I hope he does as well.  

Meat Bird Crosses - 5 weeks (ish)

 Growth is way slower on my Indian Game x Colombian Plymouth Rock meat birds when compared to Ross Cobbs but they are such different animals.

Also although growth is slower, at 5 weeks they're only half way through their second bag of feed - Cobbs would be on the 5th by now.

And just a picture of on of my Indian Game cockerels - they're just built like units! I love this breed. These pen is pure breeds and I'm hopfull to get some really good birds from them next year. 

What meat crosses would you like to try?