Fresh Eggs

Barbie laid her first egg on July 12th. We woke up to her melodious BAGAK! that morning. I thought some animal was trying to get in the coop so I sent John and Addy running outside while I pulled some pants on. No predators. We headed back inside and I got to thinking later about what I had read about singing chickens. Turns out the ladies will sing a little ditty when they lay so I headed out to the coop and checked in the nest box and there it was. A perfect, little white egg. Barbie was so proud she posed for a picture with it!

Fried started laying a few days later and we have been getting around 9 eggs a week for the last couple of months. They eggs are great. I have made a lot of fabulous hard boiled eggs with them and they are fun to give away to friends, family, and neighbors. Our neighbors to the south got the first half dozen since they have been so nice about our girls and they showed interest in trying farm fresh eggs.

 

You can see the difference between our fresh eggs and the store bought eggs by the color of the yolks. Our yolks are a lot brighter. I couldn't say I notice a huge difference in taste but I know our fresh eggs are healthier.

New Digs

The girls have moved out of the house! They are 7 weeks old now and fully feathered so they are able to handle the outdoors.  We buried hardware mesh under a boarder of large bricks and then filled the bottom of the coop with sand. I was going to bury cinder blocks under the edge of the coop but I couldn't find any around town. There are padlocks on each point of entry to keep raccoons out and I fortified the bottom of the nesting box. I hope they are safe from anything that digs and anything with thumbs. The girls have a heat lamp inside to keep them warm at night and I have blankets on two sides to block the wind. Even with gusting winds this morning the girls were happily exploring their new digs and hunting for num nums.

Tweens

The girls are growing up fast! They are six weeks old now and almost fully feathered.

It was warm enough outside this afternoon that we let them play in the animal pen for awhile. Being outside is new to them so they did not wander to far from us. After awhile they started scratching around, eating sand and pecking at weeds.

I thought Barbecue was going to be the skittish one but she has mellowed out and does not object to Addy picking her up and giving her kisses.

 

Fried objects loudly when you come near her. Hopefully she will grow out of that. She was super cute giving herself a dirt bath today. She is all preened and pretty.

Cheepies

 

We have chickens! John's only requirement for letting us get the girls was that he got to name them. So their names are....wait for it....Barbecue and Fried.  I am not in love with the names but they are funny. I would have gone with something more traditional like Abigail and Henrietta.  We have had the girls for two weeks now and they are both about 3 weeks old.  Barbecue, the silver one, is a Blue Andalusian. She will lay white eggs and weigh about 5 pounds. Fried is an Ameraucana and she will be gold and black. She will lay green eggs and also weigh in at 5 pounds. The girls will be in the brooder in the basement until the beginning of May.

 

In the last couple of weeks I have learned:

 

1. Chicks grow incredibly fast. Everyday they are bigger with feathery-er (yes that is a word). Barbecue is already growing a comb.

 

2. Chicks can fly when they are 10 days old. Both of the girls have managed to fly out of the brooder box.  They looked as surprised as we did at the time. I have bought a bigger box and placed gutter guards over the top to allow ventilation but keep them in. Barbecue was actively trying to fly out today but I distracted her with a treat.

 

3. When you take a photo of them using a flash they will loose.their.minds. 

 

4. Instinct is amazing. Neither one has been around an adult chicken but they now how to fly, how to perch, and how to scratch for food.

 

5. I love coming up with little concoctions for them to eat. You have to get them used to all kinds of food when they are young or they wont eat it as adults. My favorite so far was the carrot, parsley, and garlic mash. They have also had scrambled eggs, oregano, and kale. As soon as I place the food in the brooder they  scratch and peck at it and have it spread from one end of the box to the other in seconds.

 

6. I don't know why but they remind me of dinosaurs. Maybe it's the eyes.

 

7 . Chicks like having their tummies rubbed.