Three egg layers

We now have three egg layers. Snow Whites have become larger. We believe the second layer is Sunny our buff orpington. Our third is BBW the Easter egg layer.

Talk about variety. Three out of six. I cant wait to have them all laying.

They also all like the same box. Not sure what we will do about this...

Meet Snow White

This is Snow White, our first to lay. She is a mid day layer, and until yesterday wasn't using the nesting box. I placed her in the box during a cuddle session, rubbed her back, and made sure she felt the fake egg up against her chest.


The next day she laid in the right spot. Now to test if she will return to the box while free range. When we made the choice to raise chickens for eggs I made sure we got somewhat friendly, reliable NONE white egg layers. I wanted my children to learn there was more to it than the cartoon of white eggs that we bought while on sale. I also wanted to have fun and see all the differences there are.


This is a carton of large eggs, and Snow Whites are medium sized.


And this is dinner, or lunch, or breakfast.

WE HAVE EGGS!

WAY earlier than planned but OMG!

We went to put the gals away for the night, only to turn the corner and find an EGG! Turn around and in the pen is another! We are about 2 months ahead of schedule so we never got around to putting nesting boxes in!

So after a mass egg hunt, we placed the boxes, with marble eggs for decoys, and we can only hope that they start to use them.

Tomorrow we will partake in real eggs!

The basics

We have recently decided to become as self sustaining as we can. We have 6 chicks who in 4-5 months will provide us & the neighbors with eggs. We have:

1 Ameraucana - Black-Brown-White (named by the boy) - lays green blue eggs
1 Black Sex-links - Snow White
1 Buff Orpington - Sunshine
1 Rhode Island Red - Ariel too (the first Ariel passed on) - large eggs
2 Blue Cochins - Bluis (also named by the boy) & Cinderella

We are also growing as much produce as possible. We have planted:

Fruit:

2 lemons
1 pink lemon
1 Orange
1 Concord Grape
2 Blueberries
1 Asian Pear
1 Fuji Apple
1 Wonderful Pomegranate
1 Stella Cherry

2 Olive trees

I still would like to get plums, white flesh nectarines, and a peach of our own. The neighbors also grow peaches, plums, and a few other fruits and generously share their bounty. I will be learning to can, and will also be making our own jams.

The veggie garden will have:

cilantro
basil (2 kinds)
green beans
lettuce
carrots
kale
onion
leeks
Brussels sprouts
watermelon radish
Jade & Italian white sunflowers
golden beets
eggplant
peas
parsley

Again, the neighbors have quite a harvest and share their squashes, zucchini, patty pans (My fav). The sunflowers will not only be for the wildlife, but for our two Blue Indian Ring Neck parrots. The Pomegranate is also for them. Imagine blue + red = purple birds

All waste will go to the chickens (sans onion and garlic - that would be some nasty eggs), and in turn they will grace our garden with a wealth of manure.

Due to the awful conditions commercial animals are raised treated etc... we are hoping to get our beef & pork via 4-H auction. At least then we know that the animal was loved, and the money goes to a good cause- a childs education. We hope to find a cow that is grass fed.

Outside of the practical, we have our indulgences, including:

2 Koi ponds
3 pygmy goats (show goats)
2 indian ring necks previously mentioned - breeding pair & currently nesting
a collection of Japanese Maples including 10 seedlings
4 or 5 different Magnolia trees
a hammock
and a growing Dahlia collection