Day of the Dozen Update!

Finally Reached One Dozen Eggs!

We are a true backyard farm today. We have reached one dozen eggs produced by our organic, free range hens! There are a lot of changes going on as our girls mature from pullets to egg laying hens!

So far it looks like our  Easter Eggers are beginning to lay before the rest. Here is one dozen Olive eggs from out Easter Eggers!

Egg Laying Habits

So far all but one of the eggs have been laid in their nesting boxes! I can't believe it. I keep adding new bedding to the nesting boxes and they push it all out - but they are using them! It is so satisfying to see them use them how they are meant to be used. Read about: our first egg.

They are displaying weird behaviors. A lot of strange squawking goes on. I think one of our hens laid for the first time today. She squawked for close to an hour. I went and checked on her twice and she was just sitting in the nesting box like... that wasn't me squawking!

Our First Dozen
Day 1 - 1st Egg
Day 2 - 0
Day 3 - 2nd Egg
Day 4 - 3rd Egg
Day 5 -  4th Egg
Day 6 - 5th Egg
Day 7 - 6th and 7th Egg - Two eggs in one day!!
Day 8 - 8th and 9th Egg
Day 9 - two eggs were laid that were paper thin, they were also laid late in the day, when it was getting dark, and were not in the usual spots - we aren't counting these in our dozen
Day 10 - 10th Egg
Day 11 - 11th and 12th Egg

And then.... later on the 11th day we got egg number 13! That mean at least three of our Easter Eggers are laying! Three eggs in one day!

Size and Color

Something that has been really interesting is seeing the difference in egg size and color. Each egg is a bit different. Some are very small. I think this will change after they have been laying for awhile. It is hard to tell which Easter Eggers are laying since we get more than one a day, and then get none. I am trying to think of ways to track who is laying to see if the size and color correlate to the hen or not. More data is needed!

Paper Eggs

Our first dozen eggs in the picture are the first dozen "complete" eggs but we did have two "not complete" eggs. Eggs 10 and 11 that we have seen were paper thin. They were sort of like construction paper with an egg inside! They were white and so we think they were laid by our Brown Leghorns. I think they are still learning how to lay and am excited to see complete eggs soon!

Free Ranging

The chickens are out of the coop! Since they are in a chicken tractor they already get a lot of free ranging every day but we have been giving them a little more freedom. We are letting them out for about an hour at a time when we get home from work. They get to free range and investigate the yard, and then they make their way back for bed time! It is so funny watching them all follow the flock mentality and go to bed at the same time. They really enjoy free ranging and spending time with the other animals.
The other day we moved the coop while they were out of it and I had an amusing time watching them try to get back in! They couldn't figure out where to go and decided to just jump up on the roof, off the roof, on the roof, off the roof! A few just flew right into the side wall. It made for some cute videos!

Flemish Giants

We have a new addition to the Flemish Giant family! Her name is "Eevee" after the pokemon. She is super cute! We have introduced her to the boys and they get a long fine. I was really nervous that they would beat up on each other but so far so good! They have separate homes but it is nice to see them get to hop around together from time to time.

The boys however have had a falling out. They are 5 months old now and fully matured. Since we are keeping them intact for now, they have been separated. After two scuffles I figured it was better safe than sorry. I have their homes touching so they can still interact through the bars, but when I tried to give them play time together they started fighting again. We are going to keep them separate for safety but plan to try to rebond them when they are neutered. 

Ducks

New pictures to come soon! It is safe to say that two of our ducklings are not going to be laying any eggs. Our two Rouen have matured and developed the green head feathers of the males. We have now named them "Masterchief" and "Halo". The third, the Cayuga, may still be a female. She has a slender neck and makes much louder quacking sounds which indicate a female. We have named her "Cortana" and hope to get some black eggs from her. Either way, we plan to get a few more ducks in the spring! Over the next month we hope to start building up a duck home for them as they are drifters right now. They switch up between housing with the goats and with the chickens. The duck house will hopefully be done by winter. 

Nutrition Part 3

In honor of our new eggs, and because of our "paper eggs" I have done some research on calcium sources for our hens. Check out "Calcium for Chickens" to see what I've learned!

Calcium For Chickens - Nutrition Part 3

Why Calcium?

Eggs, eggs and more eggs! Seriously though, calcium is important. While it helps with egg production, and I am very excited about our hens beginning to lay, there are more serious reasons why you want to avoid a calcium deficiency. Calcium deficiency will effect your hens bone development and cause conditions like "Cage Layer Fatigue". When the diet does not have adequate calcium, the hen will use calcium from its other bones. The weakened bones are damaged and the hen becomes paralyzed.

 

Egg Shells

One of the easiest and most cost effective calcium supplements is - egg shells! Feel weird feeding your hens their own eggs? I thought it was weird at first but it is a great way to recycle. Read more about feeding eggs to your hens: Chicken Nutrition Part 1.

Oyster Shells

Oyster shells are are easy to come by, rich in calcium and affordable. If you place them in a separate feeder, your hens will take what they need. In my opinion it is the easiest way to supplement calcium. Oyster shells do not replace grit. If you're not free ranging your hens make sure you are adding grit.

 

Limestone

Limestone is another great source of calcium and they do have limestone grit that adds a little extra calcium. One of the nice things about limestone is you can give larger granules of it and they will sit in the gizzard and provide a slow release of calcium carbonate. Most layer pellet uses limestone to provide calcium so I prefer using the oyster shell as a supplement and using regular grit.

 

Fruits

Fruits are great treats for hens but are high in sugar so you should not feed them too much. Generally chickens don't like anything citrus and I know citrus is bad for ducks so I don't feed it to them.

Fruits that are a great source of calcium:

Dried Fig

Dates

Kumquats

Apricots

Oranges 

Kiwi

 

Vegetables and Plants

Vegetables and plants that are a great source of nutrition. I am sure you already give plenty of those to your hens. Here is a list of vegetables will also boost calcium levels:

Arugala

Mustard Greens

Chard

Collard Greens

Kale

Broccoli
Cabbage
Summer squash
Green beans
Brussel sprouts

Asparagus

Okra 

Tomatoes (but no tomato plants!)

 

Dairy

We all know milk builds strong bones! Dairy is a great source of calcium and these are safe choices for your hens:

Cheese

Cows Milk

Goats Milk

Yogurt

*Dairy can be hard to digest sometimes though, so make sure if you  notice an upset that you cut back on the dairy*

 

Herbs, Spices and Seeds

I am very interested in how herbs, spice and seeds can be used to supplement our hens' diet. I enjoy learning about nature provides everything we and our chickens need to survive in proper balances! We don't pay enough attention to "home remedies." Here are some chicken-safe things to try that are high in calcium:

Basil

Thyme - also great for respiratory health, antibacterial, antioxidant

Dill seed - also great for respiratory health, antioxidant and relaxing

Cinnamon - also used to treat diarrhea

Peppermint leaves - also great for parasites and insect control

Sesame seeds - great source of protein

 

 

Layer Feed 

While I love the idea of completely free ranging my hens, I know the only way to guarantee my hens get everything they need is to provide a formulated Layer Pellet. This ensures that they are getting the right balance of vitamins and minerals. I believe a balance of supplements, layer pellet and free ranging is the best way to give my hens the quality nutrition they deserve.   

We feed Nutrena Nature Wise Layer Pellet. It has a balanced ratio with 3.7-3.9% calcium and 0.45% phosphorus. While this should keep my hens nutritional needs met, the feeding instructions does recommend that when pullets begin to lay that you add a calcium supplement (such as oyster shells). While the formula is based on the average chicken needs, your hens will know if they need the extra calcium and will take what they need to supplement.

More Than Just Calcium

 

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 is very important in the absorption of calcium. Vitamins and minerals work together and if you don't have the right balance, it doesn't matter if your hens are swimming in calcium - they won't get any of it. Vitamin D3 is produced when their skin comes in contact with sunshine so make sure your hens are getting out of the coop!

 

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is found in grains and cereals and is formulated into chicken feed. Chances are your hens will never suffer a phosphorus deficiency because the foods we feed them are naturally high in phosphorus. Phosphorus is used by the body to develop the skeleton, cells, membranes, body fluids and energy supply. It transfers fatty acids and is involved in the making of amino acids, RNA and DNA. We can't live without it but it is also important to not get too much. 

Calcium and phosphorus work together to form calcium phosphate which makes up the skeleton. They work in a perfect balance. If there is too much calcium, you will see a phosphorus deficiency which will disrupt metabolic systems. If there is too much phosphorus, it will leach the calcium from areas that it is needed (the beak, egg production). Formulated chicken feed has IFP - Inorganic Feed Phosphates in it, making additional phosphorus supplements do more harm than good. 

Here is a list of high phosphorus foods. Make sure these foods are given in moderation and that 90% of your chicken's diet is a balanced formula.

 

Bran

Cereals

Cheese

Mushrooms

Popcorn

Seeds (Squash Seed, Sunflower Seeds, Chia Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Watermelon Seeds, Flaxseed, Mustard Seed)

Soybean

Whey

Whole Grains

 

No Mixing!

Your chicken feed is formulated with safe levels of calcium. Too much calcium is a bad thing. Our hens need everything in moderation. That is why roosters and young chicks do not eat layer pellet. It would be nice if we could just boost the calcium levels of the layer pellet and not have to worry about supplements, but that would cause dangerous levels of calcium. So do NOT mix oyster shell in their feed.

So how do we safely supplement?

Luckily, our girls know what they need. Just like we have cravings, the hens know when they need extra calcium. Provide your hens with supplements that they can choose to skip if they want to. If you leave a separate feeder with grit and oyster shells they will do the work for you and take what they need! This way they are never calcium deficient and they aren't getting high doses of calcium in their regular feed.

Please share your comments, thoughts and stories!

Our First Egg

The day has come. Our hens are now 23 weeks old and when I went to usher one of the Wyandottes out of the coop to get some pictures of her - I found it! There, in the actual nesting box was a cute little bluish green egg. It is pretty tiny, about half the size of a store bought large egg. I cannot explain how exciting it was to see it there, in the nesting box, so perfect! It is perfectly smooth. Judging by the color, we know it is from one of our Easter Eggers, as they are the only breed we have that lay green/blue eggs.

How do chickens make eggs anyway?

Chickens, on average, drop an egg per day and will continue laying until they have "enough" eggs. At this point they will sit on the eggs to keep them warm, the embryos will develop and the eggs (if fertilized) will hatch at the same time - even though they were originally laid on different days. Since we take away their eggs, they feel the do not have enough and keep laying - about one per day. Sometimes, hens will lay more but the natural cycle is a 24 hour period. But where do the eggs come from?

It's All in the Eyes

As I said before, the cycle is a 24 hour period - or "per day". Chickens, just like us, are aware that a day has passed because of the environmental changes. When your chickens eyes takes in the morning light, its photo-receptors signal to a gland near the eyes that starts the cycle. There is a term for this 24 hours cycle, that is seen in other animals and plants - it is called a "circadium rhythm" with circa meaning "around" and dium meaning "day". 

The gland is called the pineal gland, located in the epithalamus, and it produces melatonin. Melatonin regulates our sleep cycle and is directly cued by darkness. The daylight (or artificial light) cues the start of the cycle and the drop of the egg cell - or ovum.

Egg Cell to Egg Shell

The egg cell begins as one single cell, the ovum or yolk. The uterus fills with albumen to protect the yolk and provide extra nutrition to the developing egg. It is what we know as "egg whites" and is mostly water and about 10% proteins. When fertilized, the baby chick will develop and live off the yolk inside the egg. The yolk will also transfer antibodies from the mother hen to the baby chicks. The ovum, yolk and albumen are enclosed in a membrane that forms along the wall of the uterus. Salt and calcium form a hard shell  around this.

Egg Shape

As the shell forms it takes on the shape of the hens uterus. The narrow end faces down.

30 Second Delivery

When the egg is ready and fully formed the hens uterus contracts and the "laying" process begins. While the egg was developing it was travelling from the ovary through the oviduct -"Fallopian tube"- down to the cloaca. The cloaca is an opening that is used for reproduction, urinating and defecating. Hens have one cloaca - or "vent" for feces and eggs to pass through (chicken urine is a white paste that comes out around the stool). The egg is pushed out of the vent with the muscle contractions. The process of laying an egg is pretty quick. It takes longer to fry an egg!

The Clean Truth

It sounds pretty dirty - they are pooping an egg out of the same hole they defecate from! The truth though, is that eggs are basically sterile when they come out. They are very clean! If you notice dirty eggs, it could be that they are getting dirty from the hens walking over them, them rolling through the coop, or it might be a health concern. The egg does leave the chicken through the vent, and so do the feces, but they pass through different tubes. As the egg travels through the last part of the oviduct, the oviduct protrudes out with the egg, past the vent. The oviduct membranes can be seen encasing the egg while it is passing through the vent. With the contractions, it is pushed out of the oviduct and released. The pressure of the delivery pushes the large intestine closed, keeping any feces blocked off while the egg passes through the vent! Shortly after the egg is laid, the oviduct retracts. 

Egg Production Comparison

Orpingtons: 100-200 eggs/year - medium to large brown eggs - lay during winter - very broody - start laying late

Easter Eggers: 250 eggs/ year - blue/green eggs - exceptional layers - our first eggs!

Leghorns: 180-250 eggs/year - large white - best egg to feed ratio

Wyandottes: 100-200 eggs/year - tinted/brown - great mothers - dense feathers around the vent make it harder to breed

If you want to see more breeds compared I found this awesome chart: Chicken Breed Comparison Chart

Nesting Box

So far our nesting boxes haven't been used for much of anything. Everytime I put nesting materials in there, they have kicked it all out in search for food. They don't seem to understand what It is for. Or atleast that is what I thought. I was ecstatic to find our first egg and shocked to see it in the unused nesting box!

As you can see, there is no nesting material left in there and they still decided it was the best place to lay! They have an outdoor run attached to their chicken tractor where they could have nested in the grass, but somehow they knew the nesting box was for nesting!

Nesting Box Basics
-One nesting box per 4 hens
- Location: A dark and safe area that is undisturbed, off the floor for cleanliness. We put our boxes on the opposite side of the roost so that they would roost and poop far away from the nesting box.
-Size: Big enough to fit your chickens but still small enough that they are snug and safe feeling.
- Materials: Try different bedding. You want a lot of nice bedding in there because as you can see, they will easily pull it all out. If they don't seem to like what you have in there - try something different. Straw, shavings, paper bedding.

Get your Hens in the Nesting Boxes
-Decoy: Put ceramic eggs in the nesting box to make them think "not enough eggs there!"
-Confine them: Keep them confined to the area with the nesting boxes when you know they are going to lay (early morning).

Fun Egg Facts

- Double yolks happen when the ovulation cycle happens too quickly, this is common with young pullets who haven't developed a synced rhythm.

- No yolk happens when reproductive particles move into the oviduct and stimulate the production of an egg. People call these "wing eggs" or "cock eggs"

- Eggs are viable for up to two weeks after they are laid. Once the hen decides she has enough eggs and gets broody, she will boost the development of the embryo and the chicks will develop at the same age

- Chickens only develop one ovary and one Fallopian tube

- If hens don't leave the nest after laying, that egg will develop before she gets a chance to lay more

- It takes baby chicks 21 days to develop inside the egg to the point of hatching

- This website shows the cycle of development inside a fertilized egg!

- The Unites States is one of the only countries that refrigerates chicken eggs

- Egg shells are covered in a natural protective layer that fights bacteria and keeps contamination out, when US egg production facilitites clean the eggs they remove the protective layer and expose the thousands of pores in the shell - which means anything that goes on your egg goes into your egg!

Have more fun facts or thoughts to share? Please comment below! We would love to see your first egg pictures and hear your first egg stories!

Feeding Chickens Live Treats - Nutrition Part 2

Live Treats

Soon after we got our first batch of baby chicks we were looking on the internet to see what types of insects we could feed them. We were spending all out time watching these little girls grow up and wanted to see how each of their unique personalities responded to bait! It is so much fun seeing their instinctive hunting skills come out. If you are worried about having unfriendly chickens - feed them live treats!

Brown Leghorn snacking on a cricket

Benefits

Protein! An ideal chicken diet consists of roughly 17% protein. For a healthy, egg laying, happy hen, you want to provide a great source of protein. In the wild, chickens will get most of their protein from insects. This is an easy, cost effects way to supplement your chickens diet. While they cannot survive on insects alone, they provide a healthy variety. If you are raising free range chickens that do not eat store bought chicken feed, insects are easier to come by then growing your own protein rich plants and are a more appropriate source of protein than throwing your chicken left overs from the butcher, or even worse- road kill. Insects also provide and fun and safe interaction with your chickens. It helps them learn to follow their instincts, hunt and trust your hands. There is no quicker way to get a life long friendship with your chicks than to offer them some meal worms!

No Earth Worms For Chicks

When you move your chickens outside to free range they will come into contact with all kinds of worms, slugs, snails and bugs! I strongly believe in letting my hens get at all those creepy crawlies. When they are eating "wild" grubs though, they are being exposed to internal parasites that can cause serious health concerns or even death in your chickens. When they are free ranging you will want to take precautions and periodically worm your chickens. Their are many different ways to do this, and opinions on the right ways to go about it but either way - you should be worming your flock. Young chicks are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of internal parasites. Adult chickens have good bacteria in their tummies and better natural defenses against natural health concerns. Leave those worries for when your chickens are older, more prepared and being wormed regularly. I recommend chickens under 8 weeks old eat only store bought live treats. They are pretty affordable if you buy them in large numbers. If you raise worms or other insects in your home and can monitor what they eat and guarantee they are not infected with parasites then that is also a safe option for your young chicks. 

Types of Live Treats

Chicks Under 8 Weeks:

• Store bought meal worms, crickets or wax worms.
• Home raised earthworms that do not have access to chicken droppings

Chickens 8 Weeks and Up:

• worms - wax, meal and earthworms
• crickets, grasshoppers
• roaches
• slugs
• fly larvae, maggots
• Basically anything they catch - ants, spiders, lice, mites, fleas, butterflies... the list goes on!

Hand Feeding

Within the first week we began hand feeding our chicks. They quickly turned a from frightened flock that would run to the corner and hide to curious individuals always inspecting your hands for food. By three weeks old we were giving them live treats but hand. This made them fall in love with us! Since our first batch we have gotten two more sets of chicks. These we did not spend as much time hand feeding and the difference is evident. While they are friendly and docile while being held, they do not ever approach us or eat from our hands. I strongly recommend feeding live treats, such as meal worms to your young chicks!

Grit 

All birds have a gizzard which is a muscular stomach that is used to grind up food. Since our chickens don't have teeth, they swallow small stones to help grind up the food. The stones, sometimes called "gizzard stones" pass down into the gizzard to grind up their meal. Then the food can be passed back into the "true stomach". When the stones get too smooth to grind up food, they are pooped out. When you switch your chicks off starter feed or supplement their diet with treats - especially live treats - add grit to their diet. Grit can be bought at the feed store and it is just tiny little stone for your chicks to swallow. This will keep them from getting plugged up with "poopy butt". If your chicks were being raised all natural they would eat stones while foraging and would eat their mamma hen's poop to strengthen the good bacteria in their stomach.

Please share your thoughts and photos/videos of your chickens eating live treats!