As chicken keepers, we all enjoy the luxury of freshly laid eggs.
It is something you take for granted when you have your own supply.
Have you ever wondered how long eggs will stay fresh for? Or how long those store bought ‘fresh eggs’ have been there?
Today we are going to look at exactly how long eggs stay fresh for and also how to test how fresh an egg is.
Along the way we will… [Read More]
Eggs come in many shapes and sizes from the tiny quail eggs to the huge ostrich egg. Although the shape is generally oval, sometimes things go awry and you end up with an odd looking egg.
While you can’t fix everything, here are some ways in which your hens’ eggs will be better made and look more attractive.
When pullets start to lay, it can be erratic with some strange misshapen eggs at times. This is… [Read More]
So you have decided you want hens.
You have been leafing through catalogs, trawling the internet and buying magazines that feature chickens and visiting farm stores almost daily- it has become an obsession!
But the big question remains… which breed to choose?
There are so many different breeds out there. There are chickens that are eye candy, plain ones, speckled ones, birds large and small.
Some are docile and friendly, others can be flighty… [Read More]
Healthy, happy hens lay more eggs. Has it been proven scientifically? I don’t know, but from my experience a healthy hen will produce more eggs than an unhealthy, miserable chicken.
Obviously, we can’t speed up the ‘egg clock’, but by keeping your hens in tip-top condition, you can ensure they will be producing high quality eggs without depleting their body reserves too much.
We know that hens need lots of calcium and… [Read More]
The excitement of buying chicks is usually only surpassed by the arrival of that first egg!
While you are caring for them as chicks, there is much to do and think about. It isn’t until they become ungainly ‘teenagers’, eating us out of house and home, that our thoughts turn to the question- when will they lay?
You have steered them carefully through the brooder stage, they have feathered out by 12 weeks or so… [Read More]