The Nursery Coop

We’ve got a lot going on in our nursery coop this year.  For the first time we have held onto a few roosters so we could hatch our own chicks.  We’ve got a few good brooding hens.  They seem to be loving their new mama roll.

Inside the Brooder

Three weeks have past and the small babies are ready to be moved to the outdoor movable coop.

The Season Has Begun…

The season of chicken farming has begun.  Our brooder has the first batch of baby chicks.  I couldn’t resist filming them.  Check out the babies at day 3:

Chickens?

We just got through one of the coldest weeks in NM history.  The layer chickens kept warm under the heat lamp I have set up in their coop.  I held on to a few babies last fall and they are just starting to lay some eggs!

When will we have meat chickens available?

We are hoping to get our first batch started some time in March and butcher the end of May.  This year we are switching from the slow grow Cornish Rock to the fast grow.  This means we can butcher two weeks earlier.

Email me and let me know how many chickens you would like.  Like last year, we are selling them whole.   We also have livers and feet available.

Hens and Eggs

I was reading Greening of Gavin this morning and he had posted this very funny cartoon!  My egg production is down low due to the shorter days and older chickens.  We have about 25 pullets but they won’t be giving us eggs until around January.  The end result has been going to the store to buy eggs.  Whah!

A Pit-bull and her chicks

I  came across this video and it has two of my favorite animals, chickens and a  dog (a beautiful pit-bull, at that!).  The first minute is a bit slow but wait it out.  It’s very cute!

Shameless Plugs!

Today I am guest posting over at Budgets Are Sexy.  If you haven’t yet, check out J-Money.   He has a great financial blog that informs but also makes me laugh!   I’ve been reading him since I started reading blogs.  He just started a new series of guest posts called ‘Side Hustle Seriers‘ and oh!, he had a giveaway last Tuesday….God I love giveaways.  I just wish I would win one dammit.

My main blog is Molly On Money.  I have a new post today on my DIY summer project.  It was CHEAP!

Michael, my husband, has also started his own photo blog.

His blog has all of his projects which range from making beef jerky tocasting aluminum handcuff hearts (that was my Valentine present).  Go check it out and please leave absurd comments…

All of the chickens are doing well.  Last week one of the 5 week old Cornish Rock was having trouble breathing.  I moved her into the medical pen and went off to work.  When I came home Michael had butchered her and we had fried chicken for dinner.  It was delicious….thank you chicken!

Are Your Organic Eggs Getting Fresh Air?

This article makes ya want to run out and get a few chickens for your backyard:

http://motherjones.com/blue-marble/2010/09/eggs-salmonella-cage-free

A VERY Pretty Chicken Coop

People often ask me how elaborate a chicken coop needs to be.  My response is, make it simple.   If you’ve been thinking about getting a few backyard chickens get a few (not 50).  Although my chickens have lots of space they don’t ‘need’ it.  If they do they will let you know- they can be stressed out little creatures!

Here is a great example of the simple type of chicken coop I envision for first time backyard chicken enthusiasts.  I love this website because it shows a chicken coop that is simple to build and yet enough space for 3-4 chickens.   A class from Oakland International High School in California worked with Just Fine Design to build this lovely little coop.

Here is the webpage that has a bunch more photos and information on this chicken coop:

http://www.justfinedesignbuild.com/portfolio/show/22

Chicken Movies!

Our sturdy little digital camera also functions as a video camera.  Last month when we started butchering the chickens for the first time we caught some of the action on video.  I’m so excited I just had to post them!

FYI-There is no gore or blood!

Here’s the prep of the chicken (before it is killed)

Notice I did not include a clip of the kill.  Although I’m a firm believer that you should know how your food is processed I’m not ready to publish the ‘killing clip’.  This next clip is after the chicken has been killed and shows our great and amazing home-made plucker!