Woohoo!

Well, this was a pretty eventful week in the old chicken coop. Carmella, the golden campine hen, has layed her first egg! Golden Campine eggs are listed as being white or light tinted. Hers have the slightest hint of a buff color. They are small but pretty. She has produced about 4 so far this week in trying to keep up with the Rhode Island Red (Rhoda) but I don't think she stands a chance as the big RIR chook gives us a huge light brown egg almost every day! I'm taking this as a sign that the other ladies will soon be laying eggs everywhere.

Autumn Morning

The morning as it breaks over the soybeans. The beans are now harvested, well, what few were left by the remnants of hurricane Ike. The garden will soon be cleaned out and put to rest and it's on to transplanting raspberries (latham red), blackberries (arapahoe thornless) and wild asparagus. This winter's list includes pruning apple trees in the hopes of actually harvesting larger crops of apples, and the construction of a rotational grazing area for some spring steers as well as additional pasture areas for the chooks and a pen for some goats that Carrie wants. So, we're staying occupied for the moment!

The lowly poo bucket

Just a quick word on sanitation where our birds are concerned. Cleanliness is way important when it comes to keeping our ladies healthy, pretty and sweet smelling. So, every day the rounds are made with the poo bucket to clean up the surroundings. Plus indoor (nighttime) accomodations receive completely new bedding once a month.

Our flock continues to grow.

So, today we purchase five 3 month old cuckoo marans. Four pullets and a cockerel. These little sweeties will lay dark chocolate brown eggs. They are a relatively rare breed that is becoming more and more popular thanks to domestic diva, Martha Stewart. The Marans eggs are the only kind she will use and with Carrie's love of all things Martha, they were a natural addition to our 'herd'. They should be up to full production laying by next spring and promise to be a great addition. By keeping this group isolated from the other birds (with their own range area, of course) we will also be able to provide hatching eggs next season. We'll get some photos up in the next few days.