Tuesday, January 07, 2014

New Year


We're getting quite a few eggs these days, between 15-20 a day, in spite of the freezing weather.  We had a cold spell in late September that sent all the hens off on a molt.  We were completely without eggs for weeks. 
They've filled back in and we are running a light in the barn for heat and eggs and so they are back earning their keep.  This time of year, their keep is steep.  We do free-range, but they are sticking close to the barn these days as there simply isn't as much to forage.  We have about 40 hens and two roosters now, not including two sets of chicks hatched late summer and autumn.  We also have another hen who's going broody this week.  This isn't the best time of year by any means, but we'll take what we get. 
The second set of chicks happened when the mama went broody during the molt.  She's sort of like this these days.  We got a dozen eggs from a neighbor who had normal chickens.  There are eight that hatched and all are well.  We'd like to trade eggs with the same neighbor as she has Easter Eggers and we'd love some as well.  However, she came and got boxes of eggs from us just before Christmas to sell to her regular customers as hers weren't laying.  Sweetheart was going to call her later and see what's going on in their coop.
We are selling eggs as well.  I've got flyers up in all the hots spots in town.  Well, not the bars, which probably have more customers than any other businesses around here.  I sold seven dozen to three people this weekend.  One of them donated cartons she'd been keeping giving me probably thirty extra cartons to work with.
One of my customers said he bought a brooder/incubator and wants eggs to hatch in the spring.  He said he'd hatch a set for us as well.  Can you see me with a hundred chickens running around here?  Yep.  I'll be the Crazy Chicken Lady.  Of course, I'll have to get sewing a few of these.  Wouldn't it be great to have one like this?  And my life will look just like this, I think.
Well, as you can tell, I really have nothing of value to share today, but I hope you had fun anyway!  I'm off to tuck Cupcake into bed and read by the fireplace.  I'm trying to read The Hobbit.  You'd think it would be my cup of tea, but somehow it's not.  I will finish it though!
And after that thirty minute break, I've got to get up to the attic and clean out my workroom.  I've been just working on  and dumping things there since before Christmas.  It's pathetic really.  And I could take down the Christmas tree.  And do laundry.  And figure out dinner.  Goodness!  I'd better get off here and get to work!

4 comments:

Missy K said...

Hello my friend! Good to see you in this space!

Davene Grace said...

So chickens are better than a milk cow?? ;-)

BaileyZimmerman said...

Kim, In Italy the Christmas decorations stay up til after La Befana....Jan 6th....so you're not late!

Kimberly said...

Hi Missy!
Davene-Ugh. Yes!
Linda-Hope you had fun!

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