Bottoms up girls, there's new food in the feeder.
The girls, and Caldwell and Flash the cockerels, are really enjoying these gorgeous sunny days we've been having. Chickens show us just how we should react to the warmer weather. They seek out the sunshine and bask in it's warmth at every opportunity. They get themselves up at first light and stay mooching about until the dusk falls, not wasting a single drop of wonderful daylight.
Oh to be a chicken :-)
Of course they do work that little bit harder too with so much daylight on their hands (wings) and they produce more eggs. Their little bodies reacting instinctively with the longer days, knowing that if chicks were to be born now they would have a much better chance than if they were born in the depths of the Winter months.
Of course a lot of modern Hybrid birds lay all year round, virtually every day some of them. But I always enjoy watching for the first of my little Lavender Pekin Bantam eggs to appear, then I know that Spring is truly here and the promise of the hot Summer days is not that far away.
We had the first one this week, it's the one in the bottom left corner :-)
Sue xx
Gosh, what a variety of egg sizes. Can't blame them enjoying the sun, so are we at the moment.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonder eggs and amazing colours. This weather has been fab, long may it last.
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A little bit of sunshine goes a long way - happy chickens !
ReplyDeleteOur ladies are loving the sun as well, we don't get such a lovely variety of eggs though
ReplyDeleteOur girls are enjoying the sunshine too.. I love the different colour eggs you get.. :o)
ReplyDeleteI love your chickens! Ours are waiting for autumn to start? It was 38 deg C here yesterday, we are over the heat. A minute ago some rain fell (we haven't had any since October) but by the time I got the camera out and went to wake the girls (yes, we all get excited) it had stopped :(
ReplyDeleteI love fresh eggs, had my own chucks for too short a time before my world toppled. Determined to have some more the day my roots hold fast to a home.
ReplyDeleteOur girls are back to being busy laying too ~
ReplyDeletealthough they did have a bit of grumbling about the weather round here !
Look at all those different sized eggs...eck...wouldn't fancy passing one of those :) AFM xx
ReplyDeleteLovely photos. Do hens always lay the same colour eggs? I mean, does a hen always lay brown eggs, or speckled eggs, or do they vary depending on what she's been eating or her health? I envy you your lifestyle. I am a city dweller, but it's probably 20 years since I ate anything but certified 'free range' eggs or chicken meat. I figure it's the least one can do to support farmers using humane practices. Thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteYes, a hen will always lay eggs of the same colour. For instance we had 4 Welsummers and each bird laid their own version of the deep brown chocolatey colour eggs that is unique to their breed but I could tell which bird had laid which egg as each of them had a slight variation, one laid them plain, one was slightly speckled, one totally freckly and the other the darkest possible shade at one end lightening towards the other .... it didn't change throughout their life. The colour is the last thing to be added to the egg on it's transit through the bird.
DeleteThe only thing that changes according to what they eat is the colour of the yolk . The more corn or dark green vegetation a hen eats the more orange the yolks of the eggs. Free range birds rarely lay eggs with yellow yolks they are nearly always bright, deep orange.
The state of their health will be shown in the condition of the shell, a healthy bird will lay an egg with a strong smooth shell, any calcium deficiency will show straight away with a weak shelled egg. A bird that has been disturbed or frightened mid lay will lay an egg with a ridged shell.
I miss having fresh eggs and can't wait to get some chickens again. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane, Australia
ReplyDeleteI have a mix of coloured eggs which is good as it is easy to keep track who is laying, someone gave me some duck eggs to try this week but musr admit I prefer my chicken eggs
ReplyDeleteI think my chooks are just too lazy to lay eggs.
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