Backyard Chickens?

[MyBuddy]

Soooo I purchased some farm eggs today from a local farmer right down the road from me.... I am ashamed to say that I have never actually eaten an egg that was fresh like this.... for 3$ a dozen, its so worth it. Question: how long do these usually last compared to store-bought? CANT WAIT TO TRY ONE TOMORROW FOR BFAST!

I am at least three decades older than you Dragonborn and I have to say I don't think I've ever had one either!! I know there are folks around here that sell and I've never stopped. I should. lol One of these days!!!

MicheleM what beautiful photos of your 'other babies'!! lol So freaking beautiful!! I know I will never have them here. Buddy would eat them, I'm sure and my husband definitely doesn't want them! BUT my daughter in law has mentioned that she would like some. I know my son really isn't into birds. He's a car fanatic and detests bird crap on his vehicles!
so therefore does not like birds in general. So I'm wondering how that will go over with him. But I would love it! LOL! She'd get the 'work' and I'd reap some benefits! They are both very 'green' and eat a lot of organic so even with not liking birds, I could possibly see my son allowing it for the fresh eggs.

I've said it before........one of my issues was how to keep them in the winter.......but sheeeeeeesh, if MicheleM can do it in her climate!.....anyone can, right?!

So Dragonborn whatsup with the chickens???

 

[Dragonborn]

So Dragonborn whatsup with the chickens???

Lol they had to put on the back burner for now since I was offered to go to school about 3 hours away from home & id live on campus BUT on the bright side, going to an agriculture school has its perks because they have chickens there woot

 

[obbanner]

He went to the chicken coop to gather eggs and feed the chickens - when he bent over to get the eggs MY PRECIOUS rooster attacked him.

One must be careful when bending over. I feed our kids in the following order - Cooper, Anna and Sabrina. I bent over to give Cooper his bowl on the floor, and 14 pound Sabrina came flying across the kitchen, bounced off my butt and I almost fell on top of Cooper.

 

[obbanner]

Soooo I purchased some farm eggs today from a local farmer right down the road from me.... I am ashamed to say that I have never actually eaten an egg that was fresh like this.... for 3$ a dozen, its so worth it. Question: how long do these usually last compared to store-bought? CANT WAIT TO TRY ONE TOMORROW FOR BFAST!

My wife's co-worker has about 50 chickens, so she gives us a dozen eggs every other week. I found this to be accurate enough.

 

[MyBuddy]

BUT on the bright side, going to an agriculture school has its perks because they have chickens there woot

Oh, for sure! You will be so primed for a farm!

One must be careful when bending over.

I usually get it in the eyeball.

My wife's co-worker has about 50 chickens, so she gives us a dozen eggs every other week. I found this to be accurate enough.

Oh, that is a wonderful gauge, Art and of course I ran to the kitchen! Mine look to be about the 2 week range since that sank but stood upright.

Remember when eggs didn't have an expiration date? And we hid Easter eggs the night before? :shakinghead:

 

[obbanner]

Oh, for sure! You will be so primed for a farm!

I usually get it in the eyeball.

Oh, that is a wonderful gauge, Art and of course I ran to the kitchen! Mine look to be about the 2 week range since that sank but stood upright.

Remember when eggs didn't have an expiration date? And we hid Easter eggs the night before? :shakinghead:

I can see you doing that! Your science experiment for the day!

I use the floaters because they're usually still good. Sometimes our supply outruns our usage, and the eggs will be over a month old. Since I'm cooking eggs which were gathered from around the yard, I crack each egg into a small Pyrex dish to check if it's good or not before I add it into whatever I'm cooking. I rarely come across a bad egg, but it's better to find it before it ruins the recipe.

 

[MyBuddy]

I can see you doing that! Your science experiment for the day!

Hahaha! Oh, yea, you know I have to check that out! It's a neat way to check the age and as long as you verify it, I'm good to go!

I use the floaters because they're usually still good. Sometimes our supply outruns our usage, and the eggs will be over a month old. Since I'm cooking eggs which were gathered from around the yard, I crack each egg into a small Pyrex dish to check if it's good or not before I add it into whatever I'm cooking. I rarely come across a bad egg, but it's better to find it before it ruins the recipe.

That's a little 'trick' I've been doing for years. Ever since my mother in law cracked one into a recipe and ....... I think she said it was an embryo or something. I don't even want to know! I just check each one before adding...........

 

[Gelcoater]

I rarely come across a bad egg, but it's better to find it before it ruins the recipe.

!!!

View: http://youtu.be/kpgRdVBf5Qk

 

[MicheleM]

MyBuddy, when it's really cold they stay in their houses with just a light bulb on. We rarely clean the chicken house in the winter because the poop generates heat. Most of the six months of winter the doors are open and they walk all over the place. When we have a large snowfall, they wait until my husband plows and then all come out. I've never lost a chicken because of the cold that I know of.

 

[Dobs4ever]

Chickens are not hard - if you have a chicken coop with a enclosed pen for them to come outside. AND the eggs are definitely worth it. Deep rich - yolk

 

[MyBuddy]

MyBuddy, when it's really cold they stay in their houses with just a light bulb on. We rarely clean the chicken house in the winter because the poop generates heat. Most of the six months of winter the doors are open and they walk all over the place. When we have a large snowfall, they wait until my husband plows and then all come out. I've never lost a chicken because of the cold that I know of.

Well, that is so good to know. Like I said, knowing your winters, if you can keep them, anybody can! When I looked them up one time, I read something about the cocks combs freezing and I was . It really worried me. Thanks for your experienced insight!

Do you lose any to predators?

 

[MyBuddy]

Chickens are not hard - if you have a chicken coop with a enclosed pen for them to come outside. AND the eggs are definitely worth it. Deep rich - yolk

It definitely would have to be enclosed, top included. I would worry to death with the owls and hawks here. Hell, I worry for Kali!

 

[Dobs4ever]

You can get a catalog from Murray's chickens - it tells you the breeds that are cold tolerant. Mine don't have a light bulb and they did fine during the winter. Just shut them in at night. I did put cedar shavings on the floor but the roost up high as I have a big tre limb for them to sleep on.

I do have netting over all of it inside and out for their safety from birds of prey.

 

[Marinegeekswife]

Soooo I purchased some farm eggs today from a local farmer right down the road from me.... I am ashamed to say that I have never actually eaten an egg that was fresh like this.... for 3$ a dozen, its so worth it. Question: how long do these usually last compared to store-bought? CANT WAIT TO TRY ONE TOMORROW FOR BFAST!

They'll last for something like up to 3 months in the fridge if they were truly fresh when getting to you. Do the float test or shake test after the first 3 - 4 weeks. The float test is filling a deep bowl with water and setting the eggs in, those that sit on the bottom are fresh, those that sit just above the bottom are going stale but should still be good, those that float (esp at the top) are probably bad. The shake test is to gently shake the egg near your ear, a fresh egg should not have a sloshing sound.

 

[MicheleM]

Well, that is so good to know. Like I said, knowing your winters, if you can keep them, anybody can! When I looked them up one time, I read something about the cocks combs freezing and I was . It really worried me. Thanks for your experienced insight!

Do you lose any to predators?

Yes, we do, it's a given. I don't like shooting animals but when they start coming they don't stop. We made the mistake of leaving the chicken door open on a summer night and something went in and killed almost all our chickens. I've shot foxes, coyotes, hawks, it sucks

 

[MicheleM]

You can get a catalog from Murray's chickens - it tells you the breeds that are cold tolerant. Mine don't have a light bulb and they did fine during the winter. Just shut them in at night. I did put cedar shavings on the floor but the roost up high as I have a big tre limb for them to sleep on.

I do have netting over all of it inside and out for their safety from birds of prey.

I love looking at the Murray catalogue! I have one from years ago

 

[Dobs4ever]

Yes I love studying the different kinds of chickens and then decided what I want to add if it is time. I HATE PAINT however..........NOT but she has 3 darn hens and get 5 or 6 eggs a day - I told her I am sick of hearing about her SUPER chickens. She beats me almost every single day so I added hens last year and my 6 hens now beat her by one egg most days. I told her had I not seen them for myself I would not believe her. Darn her and her chickens!!!! (she knows I am kidding but it is frustrating and I bought good egg layers and she still beats me and is not even sure what her chicken are for sure. We have gone through the Murray catalog to try to identify them because I WANT SOME!!! I love eggs - the dogs love eggs........... Her and her SUPER hens. I did not think they laid more than one egg a day.

 

[MyBuddy]

So I take it you are not inundated with eggs?? I thought most people who have chickens get way more than they can use.

 

[Dobie Wan Knobie]

I had a chicken farm for a while, and had 88,000 chickens at at time. Raised them from chick to a 10 pound bird in 10 weeks, harvest them, then do it all over again. All they need is good food, clean water, warmth in the winter, and cooler tempts in the heat of summer. The amount of light they get has a lot to do with their growth rate. Just beware of predators, as they can be sneaky.

 

[Dobs4ever]

MB perhaps they don't eat as many eggs as I do. We have eggs just about everyday as it is a perfect breakfast food!!! Then if you bake that eats them up - And if they start to accumulate then the dogs get eggs!!!

For some reason they changed from where they laid their eggs and I would find one on the floor so hubby build a nice nesting box this weekend. But the ONLY USE ONE. It is so funny to go out there to check and they are lined up waiting their turn. Hubby shut them all outside (for personal protection from the rooster) while he worked on the new nesting boxes and one of them laid an egg outside in the pen. But now they are happy little chick-a-dees 3 boxes and still only use ONE for all 6 hens.

I will say this Rob built Paint a BEAUTIFUL chicken coop (they live in town) We have a 10 X 17 shed and have sectioned off part of that as our coop with a raised door when the go outside in a fenced area and I can shut them in at night.

I rotate them in the refrig so never eat an egg over 3 or 4 days old.