Time Change is Coming!

The time change on March tenth has me wondering how that will effect the hens schedule this is going to be an interesting development. Now that it's warming up we put out more water buckets and it's nearly time to hang up the fount again since it's not been freezing. Spring is not far behind.

Got 1 green egg, two brown eggs, and two pullet eggs today so far for a grand total of five eggs. Yesterday the lighter colored one I'd not seen for a couple of weeks and was glad to see that hen is laying again, now I just have to figure out what hen is laying this lovely cream colored egg! 

The grand kids played in the dirt I'd spaded up for garden spots they had a blast, then the hens wanted in on that fresh dirt action after the grands moved on to play on the jungle gym! LOL! A sure sign of spring. 


Today I got out the hose for the back yard and got the roosts, ladders, and chicken crate hosed off today that were in the chicken run. I felt better having that done dear grandson helped! Grass was in need of moisture so watered it as bit to settle down the dust it helped to clean it up some more in the back yard.


When I checked on the chicks at lunch time one was perched on top of the water container, they can fly now. They are getting more feathers all the time too. top of the water container they are flying around a bit now too. With little tail feathers and top wing feathers they are growing fast and doing great! I put a board in there and they all lined up on it to sleep like it was their roost! It's not off the ground but works for them. 

Monday Monday

We've had a productive morning so far. Back inside from 'recess' we've spaded up the next garden spot behind the coop, and the hens are "working" that today. We've put up a bit of a wind block not that they noticed the breeze any way but as I move things out of the way that sort of just happened. They were delighted to discover the worms and slugs under boards as we were moving things around. I was thinking we could start up the fire pit but not with the wind gusting up to thirty miles an hour had to wait. 

Now that the chicks are a week old they are getting tail feathers and starting to shed their chick fuzz. We've been holding the chicks so they will be used to people. This is one advantage of having them in the basement they are handier and we can let them get used to us being around and hearing people noises like our voices. The grand kids are more than happy to help us with this task! 

Dear grand son help collect eggs we got two green ones two pullet ones and one regular size brown egg for a grand total of five eggs. 

Hens Working

I've been out to the chicken pen and have fed and watered the hens. The chicks have been fed as well they were asleep and not out of water. We still need to get a top on the tote the chicks are in. Coffee brewed while I did the chicken chores so it was ready and waiting when I was done yea! Br-r it was cold out today. 27* - 47 * is today's temp. range here. 

Yesterday I cleaned the chicken run it looks better. Then I put in fresh leaves for bedding. Next I spaded up the corner garden area the hens had a great time working at getting the bugs and weed seeds out of  it. I also raked leaves from the side yard and off  the small garden spot the hens had fun investigating that as well. Then while I raked the back yard and dethatched a great work out for the arms! The hens checked out the thatch I was removing for grubs and seeds. 

We got six eggs four brown ones regular size, and two small pullet eggs, no green eggs. The two barred rock hens that are not laying have one month left here unless they start laying by the end of next month that's the dead line for the stew pot. We have to make room for the new chicks as well so this fall the others will be going to freezer camp. But we don't have to worry about for a while anyway. 

Productive Back Yard

I've been pondering my productive back yard goals... some are for this spring others for the fall and remembering some things we done in the past time for review. We used to raise rabbits for meat and fun.

I need to move some bulbs to the front yard. Our hens will have a great time digging in the dirt after I do that. Doing the rotation of hens around here needs a bit of fine tuning as we learn a bit more about the breeds we want and the limits of this size of this place we have here it's not a lot of room.

Using wood ash for the current berries and hens like to dust bath in it as well, so cleaning up and getting some of the old wood pile cleaned up is a great project and it's always fun to cook lunch over the fire pit while we have it going makes this a dual purpose activity. The apple next to the plum tree needs to be pruned back. Apricot tree got pruned back by deer. 

Making our back yard more productive a few years ago we put in more fruit trees these are great food for the birds, squirrels, and hens of course. [Not much for people however.] But the garden is good for that. I'm considering moving that into the front flower beds. I have just been putting them in with the flower beds until a few years back we had to take a tree out and that became the garden spot it's time to move it.  Last year I had a spot in the corner with pumpkin, tomatoes and squash in behind next to the current bushes. It's time to think about ground prep. for the onions. The multiplier onions the hens have ripped out so they will be in a different spot in the front along the West side I think it's pretty hot there, onions seem to tolerate the heat.

I got the rose bushes pruned late last fall, and I put in more flower bulbs so that will help with color this spring and summer bloom that is a treat to see. My irises are up and now the tulips and other bulbs are just peaking through the ground.

Eggs Galore!

We found 22 eggs today! I looked and only saw two eggs in the nest box this morning. Then later when our dear grand son went out with a friend he looked in the loft of the coop and found a stash of eggs. Today's total an amazing twenty - two eggs! ! ! The eggs found in the coop loft were all small pullet eggs. Cold however I put one of the portable nest boxes in the loft for us to look in after this hopefully the hen that's been stashing eggs in the loft will lay in that! Now I know where one of the hens was gone this morning just disappeared I looked all over for her several times have not idea where she was but around noon she showed up. I assume she came down from the loft. 


Dear grandson assured me he could climb up there and check for eggs when he was over but it seems that he had not been checking the loft as per our instructions after I put straw up there the hens had the perfect spot and they were concealed. I looked on the lower part for eggs stashed but there were none below. I have a flower pot with straw in it for them to lay in this is the first day that we found one in it too! 

We checked them to see if they floated and they did not and used a couple and seem to be fine! This is one memorable day! [They were cold; small pullet eggs.] Our grandson is taking home eighteen eggs today he had been wanting to fill one of those cartons that hold 18 eggs so we was able to fulfill that dream!   

You can bet he will be checking up there every time he is here from now on! His friend from down the street was with him to see the baby chicks after school and held the basket filling it as grandson handed him the eggs! They will both be talking about that over dinner tonight when they give the chicken and egg report! 


I think "the friendly hen" a barred rock might be in molt I had no idea how much of a challenge it was to keep hens laying consistently. Plus trying to figure out the rotation for replacement hens. Our replacement project was not the success we hoped it would be with four of the six being roosters and the hens that did start to lay are small. With only two replacements I had to think about a different plan so we bought some others this winter in December. Getting various breeds helped us to know what ones will not work out as well and we did not realize that smaller ones combined with bigger ones could be problematic as the bigger ones can be bullies; so we looked for breeds of similar size and temperament then settled on all the same ones hoping we can tell them apart when they are grown! 

I really enjoy watching the hens in the yard while I'm doing my kitchen chores! Looking out the window and seeing them. 

Eight Hens A Laying

Yesterday the coop was busy yesterday morning hens were socializing while one was laying, others waited their turn. Two of their nest boxes seem to be prime egg laying spots. 

I was SO excited to get two green eggs from the Easter Eggers [EE] that lay those eggs. It's the first time we have gotten two on the same day I am so glad the family favorite is laying now. I kept an eye on her and made sure she is laying now. We are all so happy that she is back in production again! That makes eight hens laying now out of ten. She had not been up until this week. I'm hoping the other two barred rocks that are not laying will begin again too. I overcooked mini muffins hens loved 'em! LOL!

We got a pullet eggs and two regular sized eggs also five total seems to be a common daily gathering for us. 

I can't believe how fast the chicks learn chicken behaviors! 

New Baby Chicks

I got ten Rhode Island Red baby chickens yesterday. They are fine I set them up in a tote in the basement as it's in the thirties at night here and we do not have the coop set up for a brooder yet.

I was so hoping the one of the hens would be broody but that did not happen. Sigh so we will try this. So far so good. I put dried leaves in the bottom for bedding as they try to eat what ever is on the bottom of the plastic bin and it does not have to go in the trash this way. I had the waterer, feeder, feed and heat lamp on hand from when the egg hatch failed last fall so that was a blessing.

I'm sort of wishing I would have gotten a couple more because it looks like there are at least two roos in this batch of pullets and hubby is already talking about rotating out some and freezer camp. We have differing ideas of how many to winter over! LOL!

When I was at the store there were people lining up to select their chicks, I took our grand daughter with me and she was so excited she was up at the containers for a close up look and enjoyed seeing them ducks too. I did not see any quail chicks this year. Dear grand son said the trouble with ducks is that they fly off when they are grown and gone. I had not thought of that. Well so far the chicks are easier than I thought they would be and great entertainment for the grand kids.

Cake mix cookies

Cake Mix Cookies

One yellow cake mix 
1 tea. vanilla 
1 egg
1 cube butter [melted] 

Mix well, chill 

Baking chips your favorite flavor 
Place 5-6 on each cookie. 

Bake 350* 12-15 min. 

Valentine From The Hens!

This week the hens left us a great gift on Valentine's day green egg from the Easter egger hen. So we have seven hens laying from our flock of ten.  Yea! 

I'm excited I found a chicken pattern I can use for an outline to paint on the coop this week too. Plus I might  be able to use it for a denim tote as well. I found an egg shaped cookie cutter that will be fun for the next cookie baking adventure when our dear grand daughter is over. 

We have added wood ash to the dust bathing area the hens loved that. This weekend we are going to get the top next box addition completed. Some more chicken proofing is on that list and brooder prep. as well as cleaning up coop run and nesting boxes. So we are loving the sunny weather for these actives! 

This Week

I need to take a used brick and smooth off the concrete blocks on the coop one of the hens had a hurt foot the other day so that is a just in case action if that's where she got hurt. Did that this afternoon. 

I also need to get a first aid kit for the coop. Will need to do a bit of research on that. I need to find a sue for the wood box I could put it over the hole we cut out for loft access to store hay / straw in. 

I 'd like to get a plan for the back yard, it's over grazed and the hens have dug up some onions iris bulbs are bare with out dirt on them, daffodils need to be moved to the front yard.

Clean Coop and chicken run another thing on my to do list as well. I have some leaves / mulch that need to be moved when it's a nice fifty degree day outside that is not today.

I have feed bags to make some totes from maybe the grand daughters want to have a sewing day over here after they get their sewing machine. That would be a great project for us to do.

We need to clear some things out of the big storage shed to make room for freezer camp day. 

Set up brooder as I learned this week that chicks will be in at the feed store on the nineteenth I'm hoping it will warm up by then! Wondering if we have a hen or two that might help to raise them and if we should get a few extras in case they don't all survive or if one of the mean hens kills one. I read about that happening in the Chicken magazine I got the other day.


We got three eggs today one pullet two normal size eggs. 

To Do

On this week's to do list:

Get oyster shells x = done
Get pelleted chicken feed. {I'm so glad the folks at the feed store lift that for me!} x
Get  plastic washable egg containers. {Opps I forgot to look for those!}

Clean coop run and ; nest boxes put fresh bedding in.
Finish building top nest boxes.

Today I have fed the chickens forgot to close up the gate door to the run because I was so involved in an indoor yarn project first time. I've left it open I'm so glad they are fine. [oops!]Going to try NOT to do THAT again. 

Yesterday we got four eggs I collected two and dear grand daughter collected the other two. She really enjoys feeding them and the hens are getting used to her being there and she knows the ones that she can pet! 

Six Hens A Laying

Chickens had water with out ice on it with the warmer temps. that is a nice change not having to deal with ice and snow they have been fed no eggs yet today. 45*-51* Today's temp range we got five eggs yesterday only one was a pullet egg we have six laying here for sure now! I have snow drops in bloom now and spring bulbs up yea!

Top nest box addition is in the works we have the frame from a discarded shelf needs a bottom still under construction. Our grand son is going to help with this project. It's fun to get to use tools together. I'd been wracking my brain thinking what could I do with this shelf instead of just tossing it! He came up with that while he was grilling lunch after church Sunday.

Chickens are staying in the back yard now for the most part so putting up the netting has been a success yea! As dear grand daughter called them "neighborhood chickens" the other day! The donkey on my walking route has been getting out nearly every day and ends up at the neighbors across the street they have the greenest grass. The hens are not the only escape artists! Seems to be common enough around here.

Less Range Time

I replaced the light bulb in the coop one morning this week when I was out doing chicken chores. The light in the run where they roost is okay.

I've rounded up the chickens that had escaped two times today and most are back in the pen. I've gotten the netting to put on the deck to help with keep them from getting out, until that is up they are going to be getting less and less free range time. At afternoon chore time just after school we let them out again, that was just before dark they stayed in the yard this time. Yea! Then at dusk a drizzling rain started so they came in a bit early. Hubby is figuring out how to  put up the netting on the deck but needs more daylight for this task.

The chickens are all present and accounted for and tucked in for the night. We got four eggs today and another egg broke from too much "help" the grand kids are still learning how delicate the egg shells can be. The new basket is smaller and three eggs looks like a lot in it.

I gathered two pullet eggs and three others today. Went for a walk picked up apples some one discarded half eaten for the hens, I chopped it up for their morning treat. Raked leaves and put them in the back for the chickens to scratch in today.

I got the run, coop and outside nest boxes cleaned and spiffed up the inside of the coop this week. Working on yard clean up leaf and mulch removal from the front yard now that the temps. have risen nearly up to the fifty degree mark here.

The grand kids were here helping to feed and do chicken chores and seeing which chickens they could pet! Enticing them with food helps them to accomplish this goal and coming in the coop while I do chores. They have earned the dozen eggs they took home.