The weather is colder, the days are shorter and sadly, egg production is at a record low. Fortunately a friend who raises chickens is sharing eggs for the time being so I won’t have to resort to buying them! What’s to blame for this unfortunate egg shortage, just as the holiday baking season approaches? Molting.

Prior to raising chickens, my knowledge of molting was limited to a scene from Disney’s Aladdin:

Molting is when mature chickens (usually 15-18 months) lose their feathers so new, fresh plumage can grow in. It’s how chickens keep their feathers looking shiny and healthy and is also a way for them to refresh their feathers before cold winter days. The shorter days of fall normally trigger the molt, but molting can also occur anytime a bird is feeling stressed (i.e. Iago). During molting, the majority of a chicken’s energy is used losing and replacing feathers, so egg production falls off dramatically or stops altogether. The entire process can take weeks or sometimes even months. While the length varies from chicken to chicken, the pattern is always the same: It starts at the head and neck, moves to the breast and abdomen, thighs, wings and then tail.

During a molt, the new feathers literally push the old feathers out, so new shafts or quills can be seen where the old feathers are missing. Molting can be a painful process, so most chickens don’t like to be held at all while losing and regrowing their feathers (nor dressed in sweaters and scarves or tutu’s as you may have seen on Pinterest or Facebook). This is because newly formed feathers have a vein-filled shaft that will bleed if injured or cut. That makes these pin feathers very sensitive when touched. New feathers grow through the vein-filled shaft, which is covered by a waxy coating. As the feathers mature, the waxy coating falls off or is removed as the chicken preens itself. The new feathers unfold and the vein dries up over time. You can’t prevent molting – it’s a natural process that all birds go through.

Supposedly, chickens tend to be grumpy during molting but I haven’t noticed any changes in my ladies. It’s good to keep things as stress-free as possible (don’t introduce new members to the flock or make any changes to their living quarters – neither of which I plan to do) because stress can slow down the feathering process. Feathers are made of approximately 80-90% protein, 8 percent water and 1% water-insoluble fats, so providing extra protein during a molt is important. Meal worms are one of my hens’ favorite treats and also a great source of protein so I’ve been spoiling them with extra right now! 🙂

In addition to the one lonely egg that I’ve been collecting, during my nightly trip to the coop I encounter plenty of feathers. It often looks like the aftermath of an attack! There are smaller feathers in the nesting boxes and larger ones in the run (enclosure).

I realize this might add “crazy” to my title of “chicken lady”…I’ve been collecting the especially clean and nice tail feathers during this molt.

I hope to eventually incorporate them into some sort of wreath. I guess I’m not the only one who’s thought of this!

As the last of the autumn leaves are falling from the trees, the feathers continue to fall off my chickens. An old wives’ tale says that if chickens molt early it’s going to be a bad winter. I don’t know if October-November is considered “early” or not….but I’m not worried. Artemis, Chicky Chick, Maple and Princess Leia made it through last winter just fine, Polar Vortex and all – “The cold never bothered them anyway”!

In keeping with tradition, over Labor Day weekend we attended the county fair. It will come as no surprise which barn we walked through first!

I’ve always enjoyed admiring the countless breeds on display but even more so since I’ve become a “chicken lady” myself. 🙂 I hadn’t even made it down the first row before I started plotting the makeup of my dream flock (in the event that the city lifts the 4 hen limit or we move to the outskirts of town someday)…

It was fascinating to listen the the judges describe the characteristics and qualities they were looking for. My sister-in-law suggested that I become a poultry judge to further educate my readers. Although I’d learn a lot and it would be incredibly interesting, I have a feeling I’d never be able to judge fairly due to my bias of Rhode Island Reds.

If you haven’t been to a fair recently, I highly recommend making it a “must” on next Summer’s to do list. It always strengthens my appreciation for farming and agriculture and it’s so refreshing to see hard-working and passionate young people.

Of course everyone has their favorite, but in my opinion, the “fairest of the fair” will always be found in the poultry barn.

Last night two of my nieces (5 and 2) were helping me put eggs in a kettle to hard boil in preparation for the egg salad I made today for lunch. When I filled the kettle with water, we noticed that a few of the eggs were floating. I knew that meant something and thanks to Google (what did we do before?) I was able to confirm my suspicion that they were bad.

Side note: In case you struggle with perfecting the art of hard-boiled eggs, here’s my preferred method: Put eggs in a kettle, fill with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and keep covered for 12 minutes and then transfer the eggs to an ice bath. Peel and enjoy! Disclaimer: I can’t promise that there won’t be the periodic one or two eggs that are tricky to peel, but 95% of the time, this method works wonderfully.

Back to the matter at hand – Luckily there’s an easy way to tell if an egg has gone bad that will spare you from having to smell a rotten egg. To determine an egg’s freshness, simply see if it sinks in water. (It needs to be in a container with enough water to submerge the egg.) If the eggs sinks to the bottom and lays flat on its side, it’s still fresh. If it sinks, but stands on one end at the bottom, it’s not as fresh but still edible. If an eggs floats to the top, it shouldn’t be eaten.

I took three of the eggs out of the kettle so that I could get some good photos to demonstrate:

Fortunately, we had more than enough fresh eggs to make a tasty batch of egg salad that was thoroughly enjoyed at lunch.

Sadly, there was a partial carton of eggs from late Spring that managed to get pushed to the back of the fridge a few too many times…I owe Princess Leia, Maple, Artemis and Chicky Chick an apology for wasting the fruits of their labor. I plan to label/date my cartons moving forward. Lesson learned!

July 2, 2019 marks the one-year anniversary of when I collected the first egg from my backyard chickens. So egg-a-versary wishes for Maple, Princess Leia, Artemis and Chicky Chick are in order. Although there is no way to prove which of my four hens laid the first egg, I’m pretty sure it was Maple, since her comb was the most developed at that time.

I think I’ll always remember the evening that I found that first egg. I was SO incredibly excited and actually quite emotional if I’m being honest. Allow me to elaborate: My husband and I have been long-time supporters of Heifer International (www.heifer.org). Heifer’s mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth. Heifer does this by providing appropriate livestock, training and related services to small-scale farmers and communities worldwide. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to visit both Heifer Farm in Rutland, MA and Heifer Ranch in Perryville, AR where I learned even more about how Heifer works. One of my favorite ways to financially support Heifer has been to purchase the gift of a “flock of chicks” to honor a loved one. Giving an animal is like giving someone a small business. Animal donations can provide families a hand up, increasing access to medicine, school, food and a sustainable livelihood. I have never experienced hunger personally. When I grocery shop, I have the privilege of putting whatever I’d like into my cart. There are SO many people in this world do not even come close to enjoying this privilege. After having bought my four hens, building them a shelter and taking care of them for three months, I was overjoyed to find that first egg in their nesting box. I can only imagine how I would’ve felt if I had next to nothing and was struggling to support my family and then had I been gifted a flock of chicks, trained how to care for them and raised them to the point where they began to lay eggs. And then the day arrives when I discover that first egg and know that I now have a source of nutrition and income for my family. It was (and still is) a humbling and powerful thought.

Based on their breed (Rhode Island Red), my hens were expected to lay around 5 months of age – right around the 4th of July. And they did! They were very timely. It didn’t take long and all four hens were laying.

A few things worth celebrating:

• Homegrown eggs are nutritionally superior and contain less cholesterol, less saturated fat, increased vitamins A, E and D, more omega-3 fatty acids and more beta carotene.
• The increased nutritional value of homegrown eggs also means that their yolks are fuller in color and that their whites are stiffer and hold together better; therefore the experience of cooking with farm fresh eggs is different and usually preferable.
• Chickens are more naturally inclined and proven to be healthier when able to forage for themselves and participate in normal chicken activities, such as dust bathing and nightly roosting.
• The advantage of knowing where eggs come from comes gives peace of mind regarding overall food safety.
• There is great satisfaction in collecting your own eggs!

My apologies on the amount of time that has passed between posts. Life is good, but life is busy! Namaste.

P.S. I hope it was obvious but in case it wasn’t – the title of this post was meant to be sung like Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration”!

If you’ve ever wondered what chickens eat, you’re in luck – this post is for you. I can’t speak for everyone of course, but I’ll tell you what mine eat. When I first got them (6 weeks old) I fed them a starter/grower feed. There are many brands to choose from but since the women I bought my chickens from fed DuMOR, that’s what I bought. Once they started laying (at about 18 weeks old for Rhode Island Reds – different depending upon breed) I switched to layer feed. I don’t buy medicated feed because I don’t find it necessary.

I buy crumble (as opposed to pellets) and use a feeder that I absolutely love. It was a little pricey, but completely worth it in my opinion. I only have to fill it about every two weeks (for four hens), the food stays dry and clean, and there is ZERO waste. And because the only way food leaves the feeder is via a chicken’s beak, I do not have rodents to contend with.

You could certainly DIY (5 gallon bucket and PVC pipe) but I chose to press the “easy button” (i.e. Amazon) instead. Notice it’s raised up off the ground so the chickens can eat ergonomically. You’ll have to refer to the diagram on the feeder as to how the chickens use it. It’s almost impossible to get an action shot of them eating since whenever I’m nearby they think I have treats (which is usually the case).

In addition to feed, chicken require two kinds of grit – insoluble and soluble (oyster shells). Insoluble grit is needed for proper digestion. Chickens don’t have teeth so they can’t chew their food. Grit accumulates in the gizzard, which with a strong muscular action, grinds the food down. Grit is basically fine gravel and chickens will only eat it when needed. Oyster shell is also known as soluble grit. This is because it dissolves and is absorbed by the hen and stored for later use in making shells or strengthening bones. Only laying hens require oyster shell. Chicks, older chickens, meat birds and roosters do not.

Only periodically do I need to fill the oyster shell and grit feeders.

When they’re out and about in the yard, the chickens will scratch for worms (sending mulch flying everywhere!) and catch any stray moth or spider or bug they come across. There are also a few things I give them as “treats”. Dried mealworms are a favorite, along with red grapes and the tops of strawberries. Many people give their chickens table scraps and just about anything/everything. I read that hens will lay the most consistent eggs (as far as both taste and frequency) if their diet consists of mostly feed. It made good sense to me so that’s what I’ve chosen to do.

Chickens also need a constant supply of clean fresh water. Much like my feeder, I found a somewhat-pricey-but-completely-worth-it waterer. It holds two gallons and for my four hens I fill it about twice a week. It’s also raised off the ground so they can drink ergonomically. Thank you (again) Amazon. I also have a heated version for winter.

The set up I have allows me the flexibility to leave for a weekend without having to have someone “chicken sit” and know that the ladies have everything they need.

Although I purchased my feeder and waterer on Amazon, I believe in shopping local as often as possible. The majority of my chicken supplies come from our local Tractor Supply (bedding, feed, grit, oyster shells, egg cleanser (and their coop and run too!). Love that place.

Well, I hope you’ve learned something today. All this talk of food is making me hungry. Eggs for dinner tonight!

By the way…What do you call a hen who can count her own eggs?

a mathamachicken! 🙂

Every year my mother-in-law and I color eggs for Easter. It’s a tradition that we both look forward to and enjoy. It’s especially fun choosing a new method to use each year and then admiring the unique results. A few weeks ago, I came across “Cool Whip Eggs” in Rachael Ray and since my mother-in-law had seen the same thing posted on Facebook, it was an easy decision for this year’s method.

So we hard-boiled 4 dozen brown eggs (2 dozen from the farm down the hill from my in-laws’ and 2 dozen from the hens of yours truly). Step 1, the 3-minute vinegar soak to help the dye set and give you brighter colors.

Just before laying an egg, the hen adds a protective layer called “bloom” or cuticle to the outside of the egg. This coating seals the shell pores, prevents bacteria from getting inside the shell, and reduces moisture loss from the egg – all designed to make the egg last longer. Washing the eggs removes this protective layer. And apparently a 3-minute soak in vinegar does a number on it as well!

At egg processing plants, government regulations require that USDA-graded eggs be carefully washed and sanitized before being packed and therefore removing the “bloom” or cuticle. So when you soak grocery store eggs in vinegar, nothing (visible) happens. Clearly Rachael Ray never “field tested” the Cool Whip method with farm or yard-fresh eggs because we had to add an extra step to the process – using warm water and a wash cloth to carefully scrub the eggs clean. This also provided me with the opportunity to explain what had happened to my mother-in-law, father-in-law and sister-in-law. I never miss a chance to share chicken “nuggets” of knowledge. 🙂

Next came the Cool Whip and food coloring part.

And then the rolling the eggs in it part.

And then the waiting part….with great excitement…for the recommended hour. The final result was not what we had expected. The food coloring barely took. They’re pretty, but in a pale, washed-out sort of way. Maybe if we display them in a white bowl…

Oh well, nothing ever turns out like the pictures in magazines anyway! And we had fun. The tradition will continue next year. But we’ll stick to using Cool Whip for pie.

Happy Easter!!!

It’s always been important to both my husband and I to have a well-kept yard. It’s not only aesthetically pleasing, but it shows pride in ownership. Every Spring we watch for a sale on the Scotts four-step lawn program. We regularly edge our sidewalks and I’m constantly weeding my raised-bed garden and perennial beds. Dandelions? Not a chance. And who doesn’t love the sight (and smell!) of a freshly mowed lawn.

And then came the chickens…

In case you didn’t know, they do some serious damage to a lawn. And since we stopped using granular fertilizer or weed control, the parts that managed to survived the scratching mostly consist of crabgrass flecked with dandelions. No wonder most people who raise chickens live in the country.

Tonight when I got home from work, I let them out of their run while I was collecting eggs and cleaning their nesting boxes. It had rained earlier today so they headed directly to the nearest mulched area to scratch for worms.

Last Summer, by the time the chickens were old enough to trust outside of their run in the evenings, all of my perennials were in full bloom and the mulched areas were too minimal to attract their attention. About two weeks ago as I pulled into the driveway my phone beeped with a text from my husband saying “come out by the chickens, QUICK!” My first thought was that something bad had happened to one/some/all of them, but when I walked around the corner of the house I witnessed this worm-hunt frenzy for the first time. It was so comical to watch that neither of us cared about the mess. I don’t think my hostas or cone flowers stand a chance this year. But you know what, it’s completely worth it. Yard-fresh eggs are second to none and the joy my chickens bring me is immeasurable. And dandelions…they’re actually quite pretty.

Does a hen lay her egg pointy end first?  I’m happy to report that I now know the answer to this question! 

I received the following text at 6:38 PM this evening:  “Hey Ruth!  I just saw that there is a show about eggs on pbs at 7.  I don’t know what it will be like, but I thought I would let you know.  You know…for research purposes 🙂 ”   So of course I tuned in to watch Season 37, Episode 13 of the PBS series Nature – The Egg: Life’s Perfect Invention.  (Thanks cousin!)  It was incredibly interesting and I’d highly recommend watching it if you have the time.  You can purchase this episode (and others) of Nature on Amazon Prime. 

So back to the question at hand… Oh the suspense!  The pointed end of the egg is down throughout the egg production process, but shortly before laying the egg it (somehow) rotates and is laid large/blunt end first.  And how was this discovered you ask?  With a pencil.  There was a scientist who had a very friendly and trusting flock of hens and he was actually able to mark an “x” on their eggs as they were about to be laid.  Upon observation, the eggs were laid always laid large/blunt end first but the “x” always appeared on the pointy end.  This is true for chickens but not necessarily true of other birds.  So if you’re looking for a unique research opportunity, sharpen up your #2 pencils and get out there!   🙂

One more piece of business for today. Have you wondered if you can “follow” this blog more easily than book-marking the link and checking in now and again in the hope that a new post has been added? It’s simple – just look for the floating white “Follow” box that should appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen while viewing the blog. Click on it and enter your e-mail address to “sign up”. You’ll then be notified by WordPress whenever I post.

You know how when you get a new or different vehicle, that make/model seems to suddenly show up everywhere? It’s the same thing when you have chickens. You develop a sort of chicken “6th sense” and start to see them everywhere, especially while traveling. I recently returned from an incredible 10-day river cruise through the Netherlands and Belgium. So it won’t come as a surprise that chickens happen to be the subject matter of many of my photos. Thought I’d share a few –

Exactly one year ago today, I brought home four 6-week old Rhode Island Reds. My husband and I live in town so when I found out that we could apply for a permit to keep chickens (4 hens, no roosters) and he gave me the green light, I went for it! I knew I would enjoy it, but I had no idea just how much. Raising backyard chickens has been not only incredibly rewarding but just plain fun. I’ve fully embraced the fact that I’ve become a (crazy?) “chicken lady” and love sharing chicken facts, tips and jokes whenever the occasion allows. My only regret over the past year is that I didn’t document my journey. So, better late than never, I felt it fitting to start my blog today, on my first “chicken-versary”. I hope I can pass along some of joy that my chickens bring to me. Thanks for joining me on this journey. And thank you to my muses: Princess Leia, Maple, Chicky Chick and Artemis.

What do you call a hen staring at a head of lettuce? A chicken “sees her salad” 🙂