CFL's: Rosie's Pros and Cons

What are the pros and cons of compact fluorescent light bulbs?

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are poised to replace those familiar incandescent bulbs we’ve been using since electricity became a household necessity.

Among their benefits:

• CFLs use 90 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs.
• They emit very little heat. Unlike CFLs, incandescents waste energy because they spend 90 percent of their energy on heat and only 10 percent on light. That also adds heat to your home’s air and makes your air conditioner work harder.
• CFLs last about 10 times longer than incandescents, so you don’t have to change your light bulbs nearly as often.

The quality of CFLs continues to improve. Early versions of fluorescent light bulbs were an odd white color, took a long time to light up when you flicked the light switch and gave off a buzzing sound. Today’s CFLs are smaller, come on almost instantly, appear close in color to the traditional incandescent bulb and are silent.  

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For more information and for answers to all YOUR Landscape, Garden and Home Improvement questions, visit our website, Rosieonthehouse.com

Romey's Chicken Resource Guide

Books:

• The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery (most current edition is 10). Has nearly 100 pages dedicated to poultry and resources for where to buy, how to, expert and hobby rancher input on not only chickens but everything needed in homesteading. This should be in every home next to the bible. Find on Amazon
• Choosing and Keeping Chickens by Chris Graham. This book does a good job of covering the basics, but what we really like is the 100 pages of great color photos of over 50 different breeds with all the basic ‘pedigree’ information pertaining to each breed. And after seeing it in this book, we will never own a Malay Chicken. Find on Amazon
• Hobby Farms’ Chickens by Sue Weaver If you want to breed and sell your flock, this book covers breeding and hatching very well…which is what you can expect from all Hobby Farm resources on all species of livestock. Find on Amazon

Feed Stores:
NOTE: Chickens are seasonal. Call ahead to ask about current stock and breeds.

The Stock Shop
(623) 487-9277
6615 West Thunderbird Road
Glendale, Az.

Pratt's Pets and Feed  
(623)939-3326
5237 W Glendale Ave
Glendale, Az.
www.prattspets.com

Gordon's Feed & Seed
(602)276-8894
600 W Broadway Rd
Phoenix, Az.

Dale's Town & Country Store
(623)584-5736
14344 W Waddell Rd
Surprise, Az.

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What Chicken Breeds does Romey have?

Observational commentary and opinions on specific chicken breeds from “Rancho La Romero”

Egg Layers
Buff Orpington – As long as we have chickens, we will never -not- have Buff Orpingtons. I don’t know if it’s because:

• The ones we have now are the last remaining breed of our original flock.
• The way their feathers flow as they waddle side to side when they run, adding to their already curious nature the whole family finds entertaining.
• The wit they have to be next to the horse bucket at feeding time to peck dropped oats.
• The fact that they are relatively easy to catch and handle.
• Their ability to flee and hide from predators.
• Their ability lay eggs as they free range (not return to the nesting boxes; there is a notable difference in egg production for other breeds if they can't get back to their box.)
• The consistency of their egg production
• Or the nick name their breed has been given at our homestead. We call them “Big Mama’s” 

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For answers to all of YOUR Landscape, Garden and Home Improvement Questions, visit our website, Rosieonthehouse.com.