Chicken Mania

As soon as I let the chickies out in the AM, they come running to see what snacks I’ve brought for them.

I think I’ve created a chicken monster! Anxious Annie is always the first to jump in. I’ve been bringing them Kefir and they just love it.

Milk Mustaches for all. Doesn’t Rockie look mad? How dare I snap his picture with food all over his face!

Help me, help me! I’ve gone and gotten my head stuck in this hear thing.

Rockie and Annie taking a bath together!

Ah. That’s much better.

Time to dry off.

Please excuse the poop. This is where they’ve chosen to lay. Not in the box I so willingly gave them. Time for some clean straw.

Little Abigail Adams is doing fine. Her head is healed and she’s growing new feathers. I didn’t know how it would go if I put her in the chicken yard with the others. So, I gave it a go. It didn’t work. Her “sister” Henrietta really doesn’t like her and wants to beat her up every chance she gets. So, it’s solitary confinement for Abigail. I gave her a box, yes a regular box to see if she’d lay an egg. To my utter surprise look what she gave me! What a sweet girl. Yes, she’s a little crooked but she’s a sweet little hen.

A rare sight. 5 hens 5 egg. Honey and I had them for dinner.

One days worth of work. The egg on the far right is from Annie. She gives me jumbo eggs. Then from Annie down we have, Henrietta’s, Abigail’s, Jenny’s and the little egg which is almost white is from Wacky Waldo (Waldeen).

I love having a variety of hens because they give me a variety of eggs. And I know who’s laying and who isn’t. And these girls deserve nothing but the best. I can’t believe how hard they work all day long just to give me an egg.

Sunny Side Up Please!

My friend Tammy and I both had our minds on eggs the other day. Maybe it’s our wish to see the sun and our need for Vitamin D. Tammy found some great info from Mother Earth News that says, eggs from pastured chickens (meaning-chickens who roam free eating bugs, grass, lettuce and the sort) have 4-6 times as much Vit D compared to a regular supermarket egg. That’s fanominal!!!!

Here are some other good nutritional facts:

• 1⁄3 less cholesterol
• 1⁄4 less saturated fat
• 2⁄3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene

You can read the entire article at Mother Earth News

The eggs in the picture show the back egg from pastured chickens eating bugs, grass and old produce. The egg in front is from uncaged chickens on organic feed but no greens. Your goal is bright orange yolks.

Chicken Dance

My two new hens. Abigail Adams is on the left. She has a crooked butt. Henrietta is on the right.

I visited my sis the other day and she gave me two of her Rhode Island Reds. For some reason I got the runt of her group. She must really have a complex, because, seriously her butt is crooked!!!! I’m not kidding. She looks like the hunch back. The hen that is…..NOT my sister!!!!!!

My hens didn’t take to these new girls very easily. They shunned them for three days. Poor little Abigail Adams was picked on mercilessly. Those hens went at it in the coop. Feathers were flying.

Yesterday morning, I noticed that they were now trying to make up. I’m guessing that Annie, my Coo Coo Moran is the top hen. She allowed Henrietta to eat with them and roost with them. But poor Abigail Adams was still too afraid to go near Annie. Last night I had to put her up in the roost with the others. But I don’t think she stayed there. She was huddled in the corner of the coop again this morning.

Everyone seemed to be on speaking terms this morning. But poor Abigail Adams is still keeping her distance. I hope they warm up to her soon.

I wanted to show you the difference between hens that get lots of greens and those that eat organic feed. Not to dis my sis.

My egg (rear) from hens that eat greens and my sis’s egg (front) from hens fed organic feed.

Not only is the yolk oranger, but the taste is unbelievable and the nutrients are greater.

Here are some important facts about egg yolks taken from The Incredible Edible Egg Yolk

“One important set of nutrients that should not be overlooked is the long-chain essential fatty acids. Egg yolks contain the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid DHA, which is necessary for the brain and proper retinal function in the eye, and the long-chain omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid, which is required for the healthy skin, hair, libido, reproduction, growth and response to injury. These fatty acids are primarily needed by young children, pregnant and lactating women, and people with degenerative diseases involving oxidative stress, especially those of the nervous system such as Alzheimer’s. While fatty fish and cod liver oil supply DHA in larger amounts, egg yolks have an advantage over these foods because they also contain arachidonic acid and because they do not contain EPA, which interferes with arachidonic acid metabolism.”

Arachidonic Acid makes up 12% dry weight of the brain!!! It’s really an important nutrient. Every morning I eat 1-2 raw eggs in my shake. My brain thanks me.