Well, of course they are not completely free but for them, it's close. The Cornish Rocks are doing pretty well but bless their little chicken hearts, they are dumb as a box of hammers. However, they are happy as little 2-legged clams when they get out on the grass and get to run around and scratch a little. It thrills their soul to be out in the sunshine too. They are the first to storm out of the coop at dawn and the last to go in at night well after dark. I hope their short little lives are enjoyable in a chicken kinda way. I would like to let them roam the yard but since they are not the sharpest knife in the drawer, we are afraid they may not be able to find their way back to the coop at night.
Thanks for all your comments on the last post. It's all kinda funny sometimes when you think about how people are and that mainly, most people just don't think about how or why they live. I have taken a bit of heat over these chickens too. How could I be so CRUEL as to raise these precious things and then eat them? But, it's somehow okay to eat chickens that come from a store that never see the light of day or a blade of grass and that are abused their whole lives. Go figure. I'm not trying to be a smartass really; it's just kind of astounding that people never think about that. And I know that what they often mean is, how can I personally, end these creatures lives? Well, it's not easy. Jack and I don't enjoy doing that. But it's a burden I'm willing to shoulder in order to not participate in the horrid abuse of other creatures.
So, on to better subjects! We got our first double yolked egg! Bea lays enormous eggs and it was one of hers. After I first started advertising about selling eggs I wasn't sure if it was going to work. Several days went by and I got no response at all. So, I emailed a few more people and now I'm flooded with people that want them. You what's funny though? The rural people around here where I live don't want them. You would think that these would be the people that would understand the benefits of homegrown eggs but other than Fred and Allen, nobody will touch them. The people that want them are the city folk and they are even telling me I should be charging $4-5 /dozen! I'm not going to do that necessarily; we just wanted to make up our feed cost. So far we are only getting about 5-7 eggs a day but hopefully all 12 hens will be laying soon and there will be more coming in. After talking to some of the people who were really excited to get the eggs I'm thinking that maybe I cold expand a little. Maybe start my own little teeny CSA. I don't know, it's something to think about. I know one lady was real excited to hear that I have meat birds and was very interested in perhaps buying some. We just got them for us; I didn't really think people would buy them but I guess it all depends on the people you market to.
Well, I've got bread to bake and pottery to make so time to get off this computer!
I hope ya'll are having a great weekend!
11 comments:
Thanks fer sharing your day. I'm going to have meat and egg chickens when I am full time at my lil place too. Love reading yer blog and looking at pics..it is an inspiration for me.
I get eggs from my friend, Mary. Hers live a life like yours, and anyone who can't taste the difference and want to have ones produced like that are nuts.
My daughter accused me of putting food coloring in the pancakes when I first started buying them because they were such a rich golden color.
Soon after Libby cracked and egg with a double yolk she found out she was carrying twins. That was 27 years ago, of course.
Hey Jen! well, thanks! I really appreciate your kind words. I'm glad somebody gets something out of the blog!
Hey Caroline! I've been astounded at the number of people that won't eat 'yard eggs'. It boggles the mind.
Hey Pablo! How cool! Some people would call that a wink from God; who knows! lol!
I think it should be a prerequisite that everyone should kill a chicken before eating one, raise some corn before eating some, etc. It would give so much perspective in what goes into the food they eat and take for granted.
I remember having lots of double yolks when we had chickens. I always wondered if it was a breed characteristic or that all chickens had them when they had matured enough.
Hey Ed! yeah, there should be something required to show people where food comes from and what is required to make it into dinner. But so many people WANT to remain ignorant of it.
I think it may be a breed characteristic, not sure. We rarely get them from our girls.
I used to raise a few chickens, and the people that can't tell the difference are nuts!
I'd sure love some "yard eggs" right about now!
Glad the girls are happy! Maybe they will lay happy eggs!
Hey Jim! well, if you were closer I'd certainly share the eggs with you! thanks!
You don't shop at Wally World???? My God woman, how do you survive? HAHA I know you visited my blog and know I am big on buying American when I can, but if I didn't shop at Wal-Mart, Lowes, and Sears pickings would be pretty slim in this part of the world.
Hey Swamp (Dog?) lol! Hey, I have had people ask me those EXACT words about Wal-Mart in TOTAL seriousness. It's truly astounding. Yeah, I know there are some places where these big box places have just taken over and you can't get much else unless you drive 2 hours or so and that is so sad. I do shop at Lowe's also but fortunately, there is enough variety here that I can shop many locally owned places and they often beat Lowe's etc.
Annie, the comments from folks who buy chickens in the store may be because they can't understand how you could raise them and them kill them. My mother tells me stories of how she did that years ago. We raise our own veggies and then pick them to eat. Nothing beats fresh eggs and we would be customers if we lived closer and maybe even buy a chicken for dinner or soup making!
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