Monday, March 1, 2010

More Chickens and Plants

Just so you don't think we're exaggerating.

Snow in Summer (Cerastium tomentosum) before chickens;



The same plant when it's the only green thing the chickens have to choose from;





Yeah, the chickens really like their greens. As in green plants. There are certain plants they don't decimate. Poppies escape their attention. As do mums. So far that's about all they won't eat.


I'm not trying to talk anyone out of raising chickens for eggs. Just trying to be honest about what to expect.

We're now receiving on average two eggs per day. All three of them are laying, although we're not getting the pretty blue eggs we were expecting from Ginger. Maybe that will happen eventually.

I have been bringing home free greens culls from work. The "girls" love those treats and really dig into them. That's really been helping to keep them happy.
(Peggy, when yours are old enough, I'll bring home extras if you'd like.)

Jelly Bean and Ginger flew over the new fencing, once. Kim went out and lifted them both back. Since that time we've had a few more break outs.

Here they are, all lined up, ready to dig into their treats;

Left to right - Tootsie (Barred Plymouth Rock), Jelly Bean (Silver Laced Wyandotte) and Ginger (Easter Egger.)

(click to enlarge; they really are pretty chickens.)




As you know if you've been keeping up with our chickens, we love our "girls" and wouldn't give them up for anything. But, gotta balance the garden survival with chicken destruction, that's for sure.