Eggs

Mine seem to lay better when I let them roam.

 

We let our girls free range every evening we can. We used to put them out earlier in the day but trying rustle 18 into the chicken run because we didn't want them out when we were not home, not so much fun. lol I can call all of them to me, its getting them to go through the gate that is hard. every time there is 1 or 2 that just cant figure it out or wont. We could probably break even $ if we sold more eggs but we give away most of them.

 

We rarely let ours free range and if we do, it's in the fall or winter when they can't destroy the flower beds. Chickens can tear a yard up fast and besides, what happens in the chicken run, stays in the chicken run. When we first got chickens and would let them out regularly, the eggs seemed richer.

 

Yeah I keep them cooped up as soon as me or my neighbor put out ours gardens.

 

When we had ours in the garden, they did a real nice job of turning the compost pile for me.
I'd go out every day and rake up what they did. Got compost much quicker with them doing that, as they were pretty much turning the pile for me while looking for bugs.
Problem is, you can't leave 'em out there (in my experience) if you have plants.
I need a motion sensing, and tracking, gattling gun or something for all the bunnies. They made mincemeat of my stuff last year.
Hmm, now I'm thinking a moat. Do bunnies swim?

 

I use mine as "sheet composters". They get all our food scraps except poultry. They turn all this in where ever I have them in the yard. Depending on what part of the yard their in dictates how often I move them. Unfortunately they haven't been moved lately cause the coops frozen to the ground.

 

We bought electric netting.. Company name i believe Kencove. Easy to move and set up. Now if i can only figure out how to keep the baldies and goldens from circling.

 

We don't clean them because you then remove the natural wax like layer the egg has on its shell. If it's got poo, then just lightly scrape it off. In fact, they don't need refrigeration for about a week after laying. Yes, I've done it to prove it. I've seen them in farmer's markets in Costa Rica where there were thousands for sale on pallets with only the carton material separating the layers in 85° heat. No one freaked out because they know the egg isn't going to spoil. We've lost the basics. There was no refrigeration back in the 1800s, and they didn't just raise chickens for meat. Also, cleaning them before putting them in the fridge makes them dry out sooner, plus exposes the egg inside to bacteria as now the shell becomes permeable. Eggs are remarkable things. They don't go bad sitting under a hen for three weeks. They have their own little biohazard suit. Store bought are always cleaned before packing and they do have a shorter shelf life then.

 

Biohazzard suit. Never thought of it like that. That's a good one!

 

That's the reason an egg can stay under it's mother while it is developing and not worry about infection. Hardly anything can get through that waxy layer on the shell. If you've ever been there while a chicken lays an egg you will see the clear liquid that coats the egg. It dries in a matter of less than a minute. You can't really see it other than a slight sheen on the egg. Store bought are always matte looking, unless they are straight from a farm. I find it amazing.

 

we have a flock of ten, evenl;y split between wyandottes and barred rocks. We plan to add another 18 this spring and cull the flock in the fall when the newbies start laying.

I trade the extra eggs for access to firewood lots.

 

silver laced.

I am leaning towards some buff orphingtons this go around as well. I want to bring some color to our yard bird flock but the challenge is the brutally cold winters up here.

 

I have a flock of 18 hens, no rooster, and try every chance I have to let the girls out for a few hours of roaming time. It seems to make them happier and I have a garden that attracts a large number of insects. The hens are like little pest control guards, anything that moves, flies, or comes near the garden are food for the fastest. If I leave them out for most of the day I have noticed a slight difference to the amout of pellets the hens require. My neighbor swears the eggs taste better when they are roaming a fews days in a roll.

As far as washing the eggs, I use a outside wash board (antique for egg washing only) to rinse off each egg, let dry, and then give to friends and neighbors.

I leave a night light on the hens year round and seem to get more eggs in the winter time from doing so.

 

Here is a method I hav heard of.

Put a wire dog crate in the coop.
Put the new hens in the crate at night when everyone is asleep.
Keep the hens in the crate the first day.
On the second morning open the crate and hope for the best.


I here it tends to help, there will still be some squabling.