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Monday, January 16, 2012

All about Chickens and their eggs

We have learned alot while doing this whole homesteading thing. One lesson has been about these little beauties. I wish I could relay to you how much I really like chickens. I love the different varieties, shapes, and sizes. I am really getting interested now in the different shades of color their eggs can be. I am looking at adding Lavendar Orpingtons and Marans to my little flock to get some more color variation in my eggs.
Speaking of eggs.......
I really like it when we are getting eggs. However, for the last 2-3 months we have not been getting a SINGLE egg. I was ready to throw the whole batch out and start with new chickens. Our first problem was that I got a whole new batch of chickens in Nov. 2010. They and my older chickens all started a serious molt in about October. That slowed down egg production. Then came the shorter days and my egg production STOPPED. I wanted to scream. The whole time my husband was telling me it's ok, this is natural but all I could think is I am paying for feed.
We made the decision when we first started with chickens, about 6 years ago, that we would not use an artificial light. We just think that if God wanted them to have a break then we should give them a break. Chickens need 14 hours of daylight to lay.
I tell you though when you hear from other blogs and friends that they are eating farm fresh eggs in December it makes you want to go stand in the coop with a flashlight for a couple of hours. ha ha
But then all of a sudden it's like God flipped a switch in these little beauties and you go out to the coop to see this......

On, Jan. 9th, we got our first egg. I was singing the praises.

The next day we went out and got 4, and then 5, and then 6 and so on and so on. As of today, a week later, we have gotten 44 eggs. I still stand in amazement of the working of the hands of God through His creation on the farm. I am giddy with excitement at the site of this full egg basket. I am also going to try and keep a calendar record of how many eggs the girls lay and when. So that next year, I can reflect and know that it wont be long until my girls start laying.

How could I have ever doubted them?!!

By the way I want to leave a link to my oldest daughter's blog. She amazes me daily and I hope that she can encourage you too.
http://pressingonphil314.blogspot.com/


"He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading his clouds over it. The pillars of the heavens quake, aghast at his rebuke. By his power he churned up the sea.... By his breath the skies become fair.... And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! How then can we understand the thunder of his power?" Job 26:7-9, 11-14

I am linking this post up to the Barn Hop #45

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15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Our chickens went into a serious molt in September. Maybe 1-2 eggs a day since then. But I went to the laying boxes this past week and I found 6 eggs! What a blessing!

One day its 6 eggs and then the next day its 2. I'm thankful for every little gem that they give me.(I feel better when the feed/egg ratio is equal though ;- )

Have a blessed day!

Amanda
Matthew 6:33

Greg and Donna said...

What a blessing! Fresh eggs are great, Katherine will have fun cooking/baking with these!

Leigh said...

Ditto on being eggless and moulting. But! We got some late July hatched chicks last summer who have just reached 5 months and are starting to lay! There was a long eggless period however, so I was glad I froze 13 dozen extra eggs during the summer.

joie de vivre said...

Love your pictures, Trixi!

joie de vivre said...

Love the pictures, Trixi!

justcallmerie said...

I so get it!!

When mine would quit laying I would feel like mourning! And then get more than I knew what to do with.

Did I tell you we lost all ours?
Something got in the coop and the next morning when Izzy went to check the eggs every chicken was dead.

This is nasty but - down to the bones. There were just bones.

Oh, I cried! After nine years of having chickens this is not a good thing.

We'll just wait till the spring and order babies and start all over. Insert heavy sigh here!

Kim said...

I'm always thankful when I collect eggs. Congrats on getting sooooo many!

Sheryl and Denny said...

Hi Trixi
I will be glad when ours start laying again. Im awarding you the Verstile Blogger Award. Your blog has been inspiring to me and i feel you deserve to have this award for your many farmgirl talents. You can view the rules and get your Badge on my post here: http://www.cypresshillfarm.blogspot.com/2012/02/ive-been-awarded.html Thanks for making your virtual space a nice one to visit.

Thanks...........Sheryl

Anonymous said...

Our chickens have just begun laying again, after taking the winter "off". Still waiting for the ducks to begin for the year. Your chickens and eggs are gorgeous!

I enjoyed visiting your blog. :o)

kitchen said...

Hello
Making it our home while here.....
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Thank you!

bathroom designs said...

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Making it our home while here.....
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Anonymous said...

Love your blog! I found you by seeing you visited my blog, a christianmom.com :) Beautiful blog!

I also have chickens. They are my babies :) Nothing better than their eggs!

God bless,

mrs a

Anonymous said...

Cool :) we finally got 5 chickens :)we have had them since April :)
Here are photos of mine,
http://thesimplelife2015.blogspot.com/2012/11/new-photos-of-girls.html
We get 4-5 eggs a day even in this cooler weather.
With it only being us 3 we kept 5 of the 10 we had :)we gets lots of eggs :)

Unknown said...

This is so great! I am trying to learn how to raise chickens and glad that I found your blog!

Many blessings to you!
Anna

OurCrazyFarm said...

We have been raising some pullet chicks every spring to add to our older flock as layers in the Fall. Pullets seem to lay well their first winter when the older girls slow down, which means we are "those people" eating farm fresh eggs in December:))

I thought I was following your blog, but realized today that I wasn't~ I have a lot to catch up on:)