EGGS!

Look at that!

I had read that chickens take about six months to start producing eggs, but our hardworking birds are obviously ahead of the curve. They have been sleeping in their nestboxes for at least a month, but we haven't been checking for eggs because we thought it was way too early. Clearly we were mistaken!

Today we showed a friend/coworker the updated coop and pen, and when Dave opened up the hinged cover of the nestbox to show how we would gather eggs, the friend's wife said, "Oh, and here are some eggs!" We didn't get it for a moment, and looked in, and there they were, two little eggs.
Above is one of the two possible layers, and the other one is below. I just read that chickens are ready to lay when their combs and wattles turn bright red, and both Camilla and Nadine have them. Both breeds lay brown eggs, so that's not a clue. I suspect it was Nadine, just because she's the one we spot in the nestbox most often. I guess we'll figure it out as they all start laying.
We've switched them to organic adult pellets (yum, yum), and give them our leftover scraps every day. They seem to be happy with that, and scratch around for bugs as well. The chicken on the right in the photo above is snacking on an olive. Healthy fat!
Jonah got to help gather the eggs. He knows what you do with a hard-boiled egg, and likes to help me crack, peel, slice, and mix them into egg salad. He hasn't, however, quite gotten the hang of raw eggs. So this time he got to pose for the photo, and then I rescued them. I think within a few months, he'll be able to be the one who takes the eggs inside.
And here they are, shown next to a bunch of sad factory-farmed eggs. (We often buy good eggs from a local feed store, but sometimes backslide.) Right after this photo was taken, Jonah stole the egg on the far right and put his thumb through it. Oops! We definitely need to talk about the difference between raw and cooked eggs.

But aren't the little ones cute? As the chickens mature, the size of the eggs will increase; both breeds lay large eggs. I think the one on the right was the first egg, and the larger one was the next day's. It's possible they've been out there for a few days, of course. Eggs keep well, and I hope they've stayed cool-ish in the straw through our hot weather. I guess we'll find out when we crack them if these guys were left out too long!

So, we're now officially reaping the benefits of our little backyard investment. We've enjoyed their company and it's been neat for Jonah, but now we have egg-producers. I'm so happy!

Ody the Rooster

I received an e-mail from the guy that adopted our rooster. And he really is a rooster, check him out! He's started crowing, although his new owner says he doesn't have a big voice yet, he just sounds sick. And he finished the e-mail with "Thanks for the rooster (I think)" Heh. Our neighbor's rooster crows constantly, I could see it getting old in your own yard. And doesn't he look scary? I know I keep saying this, but he was the one that really grossed me out way back when.

So here he is with his flock. He looks happy. We still might go out and visit him one of these days.

The masterpiece

It's been a while, I know. But things have happened! Dave covered the coop with cedar shingles (making the chicken coop smell lovely, if you don't get too close), finished the door, and cut out two windows for ventilation. Before the fall, they will have shutters, but for now the chickens get to look out at the stars as they go to bed.The coop stands on stilts, and we'd been storing hay underneath. That was great, but Zoe loved to go nose around in there, and she'd loosen the hardware cloth. It was only a matter of time before she weaseled her way in the pen. So the outside has been shingled, while the side is left open for ventilation, with slats to keep Zoe out and the chickens in. It's become their favorite spot during the hot weather. I think we'll have to clear out the hay once they start laying, because they've been nesting under there all day. But for now, if they're happy, I'm happy.
The fence is finished, too. Dave completed the whole thing, including building a door, in one morning. Now the chickens actually have room to run around, and they love it. This is the view from outside, showing our neglected rain barrels (they're on the list!) . Can you see the chickens? They come running when I arrive, because I tend to bring tasty treats for them. Chickens love watermelon...Jonah likes to come hang out with the birds, too, although they're just a bit intimidating.Here's the view from inside the pen. They have a pretty nice chicken life.

Summer

This is the time of year that can make even the most mundane tasks fun. Hanging the laundry isn't a chore yet, it's just one more excuse to be outside enjoying everything. I love calculating how many dryer loads I save by doing this...and yes, those are some really sweet bus jammies you see hanging there. Some people get all the cool stuff.
Dave has begun building the permanent enclosure for the chickens. We've got posts set in concrete and the door framed, and there will be more to come. This former dog run is going to be a completely transformed garden room, with the grapes on one side (this is the view from inside), the new garden bed, and then the chickens' spot.

This photo is very "before", with the fencing materials all around, the rain barrels still waiting to be hooked up, and the chickens in their temporary setup. The bed looks better, too - this was taken right after I transplanted the broccoli, and everything is much happier and healthier now. But I think it's a good shot of the space. Soon, really, we will have a lovely "after" photo to share!And the birds. They are doing very well, no post-traumatic fence-encounter issues or anything. Two have combs, two do not yet. So I've named the ones with combs, who you can see lounging in the photograph below. The RIR is Nadine, and the Buff is Camilla. (The link has sound, just in case you aren't checking at home...) Here is Camilla with the RIR I haven't named yet. Hey, these things take time!

And here they are, enjoying the sun just like we did today.

Midnight thrills

This post has no pictures, because it took place in the dark and well, you'll see why.

Jonah and Dave were in bed and I was on the computer. The computer room has a window that looks out on the chicken coop, which is across the yard, too far to see in the dark. I was typing away and suddenly heard one of the chickens clucking loudly, clearly in distress. bockbockbockbock baGOCK! baGOCK!!

Oh no! Raccoons! Bad cats! Neighbor dogs!!

I ran to the room where our dogs were sleeping, opened the door, and for the first time ever told them to run over to the chickens. Zoe ran straight to the fence and started jumping, not her usual behavior. I peered out and saw nothing, and then because I am a bit chicken myself, ran to our room and told Dave, "Something's happening with the chickens!"

We both put on shoes and threw on sweatshirts. I got to the coop first. Dave luckily knew where the flashlight was living, and came out just a minute after me. And what did we find?

One of the Buffs had gotten herself wedged between the fencing and the lattice. She was completely stuck and scared and furious, and I'd made things that much worse by sending the dogs out to bother her. I tried to lift the fencing off of her from the outside, but it didn't work. Dave went in and moved it. She was still scolding and wouldn't budge, so he picked her up and plopped her back into the pen. Now she flapped and squawked and still refused to go anywhere. By now, the other chickens were starting to get a little agitated, and I suddenly wondered if something could be in the coop with them - did we have another dead chicken?

I put the dogs inside, and Dave opened the side door. As the door opened, one of the Reds fell out on the ground. What?! But in a second she got up, angry and flapping and clucking. She had been sleeping against the door, and when it opened, she lost her balance and plopped onto the ground (cushioned by hay). Luckily Dave caught her before she went anywhere - chasing a chicken through our backyard in the dark would have been a nightmare!

Turns out that by the time we opened the door, the Buff who'd been stuck had gotten herself into the coop in a pile with her chicken friends. Nobody was hurt, but everybody was a bit ruffled and offended by the whole ordeal.

So that was our excitement tonight. Big fat hen wedged in plastic-coated wire fencing, too scared to do anything but yell. I don't know how or why she got herself there. My guess is that she was checking out some tasty grass seed on the other side of the lattice, went too far, and didn't know how to get back.

I think it's time to get the real fence finished out there!

Anybody out there?

It hasn't been quite a month, so maybe there are at least a couple of you still checking the blog! Since our weather has been nice, work on the coop has been bumped down the priority list, and the chickens really don't need too much attention at this point besides a hello at morning and a good night in the evening.

Something new has happened, though: They cluck! They're real hens now! They're also getting nice combs and fancy tail feathers. Not rooster-fancy, but fancy enough.


They seem happy, eating the leaves off of our raspberry plant, scratching in the long grass, getting into kerfuffles with each other. Our dogs still hang out on the other side of the fence and watch them annoyingly, but the hens now know that they only need to back off a foot or two and they'll be fine. The other day we found Jonah under the coop, draped across Zoe on a pile of hay, just watching the birds. He loves them, although he's found that their beaks pinch when you try to feed them out of your hand. Youch!


Here is a shot of our fortress-garden. Those are potatoes in the foreground. They may look big, but they're nothing compared to the ones in our compost pile. I think the fact that they're there means that our compost isn't really composting, though. We've been eating spinach out of the garden, and have already harvested all of the bok choy! It's fun, but we realized if we want to get really serious about growing food for the family, we're going to need a lot more garden. We might turn the area behind the trellis into more garden space.

Jonah loves everything about the backyard, especially the pile of dirt next to the raised beds. He can be busy all afternoon...
Here he is, contemplating the future of the garden. Good thing we have him around!

I haven't posted lately because there hasn't been too much new happening. The chickens have learned to put themselves to bed at night, so no more running around under the net trying to stuff them into their coop! They've got a little roost set up in their coop, and every time we open the back door we find them all nestled together on it. They're learning to run to the other side of the pen when the dogs come over, and to run to meet us when we come over. They are as low-maintenance as promised and even more fun. It got into the high eighties here yesterday and the chickens spent a lot of time lolling in the shade, but they didn't appear to be distressed.

The dogs got a bath outside yesterday, too. Both girls adore swimming, and they always want attention and petting -so why is it that adding a little shampoo to the mix makes them so miserable? After the torture, they ran around joyously and rolled in the grass, so it looks like it made them feel at least a little better.