For many homesteaders the basic protein come from their hens. We have always had chickens. I love them. They can be dirty birds and make a mess everywhere but if you train them to eat and sleep in one area , they aren't much trouble. Eggs for everyone... at times, you, your neighbors and all your children. Other times, you are lucky to get one for your breakfast.
During this time of year our girls are finishing up molting. It happens every year. Feather everywhere. They just drop off the birds and leave a mess. The girls get a bit embarrassed with their unkept look but they know this will help them in the coming of winter. New, warm pin feathers will begin to come in with bigger feathers next... all to protect them for the cold, wind and snow here in Colorado.
Egg laying dwindles and slow immensely during this time. Out of 20 hens we are getting 2-3 eggs a day. It will pick up again soon.
Our chickens are free range. At night they come home to roost but during the day ours will either hang out in the hen yard or fly over the fence to walk the field or hang out with the sheep. Nights dip down to the 30's for now and no heat source is necessary. Every so often the coop is cleaned, we put down new wood chips along with some rose petals, lavender and oregano. There is plenty of dirt out here on the plains for dirt baths to keep any bugs or mites at bay.
We do have an extra bird house to raise turkeys each year and meat hens.
Today is National Devil Egg Day. I think every child should know how to cook. My little grandsons here are only 4 and almost 2 and another in school at 8years old. Last week it was Jello and pudding to learn, today it is a quick deviled egg. A simple recipe of adding mayonnaise, mustard and chives, topped with smoky paprika will do. Maybe topped with a sprinkle of our dried parsley... another opportunity for teaching how to use what we have grown. .... side note ... something happened today, not sure if it was all the Halloween, mom heading back to the office or what. We were ready to make our eggs. They requested to dance first ( we love to dance). So, music summoned and dancing ensued. Then a book and then life hit them both... they fell asleep... hard. I made the eggs. *smile*
Tuesdays are also tea time. Turmeric and ginger aka a morning cup of Sunshine to begin the day. Dried Elderberry is always good this time of year - tastes great and used as preventative medicine and after dinner... mint, of course to aid digestion.
Tuesday chores - bedrooms - pick up clutter, dust , vacuum, empty trash, strip beds and fill humidifier.
Rain/snow.... I love it. Time for a book. Listening to The Boys by Ron and Clint Howard and reading The Boston Massacre.
No comments:
Post a Comment