Filed under: October 2018 | Tags: Backyard Chickens, chicken coop, farm fresh eggs, hens
October 24, 2018
I don’t think there is much better food than farm fresh eggs for breakfast! These ladies keep us supplied. They have the run of their fenced yard along with a spacious coop. The coop I designed myself to look like a “monitor style” horse barn. I built it this way to allow for great ventilation and lots of natural light. It turned out great. It has been in service for many years now. It functions well in all seasons.
The little bump out shown here on the front is where the hens lay their eggs. The eggs can be gathered from the outside without entering the coop. Windows let in light and a nice cross breeze through the screens.
I bed the house with pine shavings. The screen under the feeder catches the feed the hens knock out. I get a second chance to feed the spilled grain. The chickens foul the coop most under their roost. It can be easily cleaned, making best use of the pine shavings.
Gathering eggs is easy and a great reward for keeping a few hens, safe and happy!
Filed under: September 2015 | Tags: apple cider, Apples, border planting, chicken yard, cider, hens
September 19, 2015
We planted a small orchard three years ago. It still needs lots of growing time, a few replacements and some care. This little tree, however, doesn’t know just how good it is! In this crazy hot summer void of rain, she still made this awesome crop. I asked a friend to mix some apples with these and to please make me some cider. He is somewhat of a cider “king”, so I know that I am in good hands 😮
I want this orchard just for cider, some apples to eat and of course PIE. It will all come in time, but for this year cider only… well okay, I did eat one of these sweet Jonagold apples and it was great. I am hoping for a lifetime supply and if this little tree has anything to do with it, we are well on our way!
Growing fruit trees and edibles in your landscape is a great idea. You get the joy of watching them grow along with the joy of eating the fruits of your labor. We are going to plant two more of these semi dwarf trees in the chicken yard. The trees will provide some shade in time, more apples and the hens can clean up the dropped apples. I think it is a simple way to provide food for us, shade for the hens and a quaint look to the yard.
Think about your own place. Is there room for a raspberry hedge? Or perhaps a couple of apple trees in a forgotten corner or border planting? I don’t spray these trees. I only trim them just a little. They are not much work. They look neat to me and hey, Who doesn’t like sweet cider?
Filed under: August 2014 | Tags: brown eggs, farm life, free range eggs, goodness, grass-fed, hens, pullets, wholesome food
August 27, 2014
This little egg is from one of our pullets. These little girls are just starting to lay. They take their job seriously. They give all they have and I am thankful. After all, who could ask for more than that?
The little ladies are getting used to their coop. They seem to be happy. Today we got ten eggs from ten hens. I ask you is that 100% or 1000% ? All I know is that it is a grand slam! A hen lays one egg a day when everything is perfect…. so, I’d say they like it here 😮
We have been almost six weeks without hens. This is one of the longest stretches in my life, for buying grocery store eggs. I hope it is a very long time before I have to do it again. In my opinion, there is nothing better than farm fresh, free-range eggs… and brown ones to boot!
Some will say that I am crazy, white or brown makes no difference. Perhaps they are correct, but for me, brown are best. The freshness is only a problem when you boil them. The shell sticks to the egg white, because a “gas layer” has not had time to form inside the shell. I’m okay with that… I’ll eat mine fresh , thank you very much.
Eggs bought in the local store, have been around awhile. Sure they are safe to eat, have a “sell by date” and are pretty good to most folks. I say however, if those same folks tried fresh eggs from happy, free range hens…they might want a change too.
If beer is best when “brewed from a mountain stream”, perhaps that is why eggs taste so good from hens who drink fresh water, eat grass and bugs along with choice grains, in a life free from stress. Agree or not its up to you, but I say , “That is “eggs actly” why they taste so good!